The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-05-06
CROP DESTROYERS.
The Winged Enemies or the Farmers.
Time Will Bring the Cure.

AHt NlEScu EucnlieS vi Tie FARMERS.
Time Will Bring the Cure.
With the opening of spring aud the
planting of the annual crops the far
mer again comes face to face with the
serious problem-how to save the crop
that his labor has started. Foes con-
front him on every side and only when
he lies down at night does he feel Sc.
cure from the ravagcs Of the birds
The department of agriculture has
made q careful study Of the common
birds Of the country with view to
ascertaining which ones were most de-
structive to grain and suggesting a
remedy to the troubled farmer. In
The East the problem is perhaps q
more serious one than in the great
fields Of the West, where thousands of
acres are planted and where the loss
Of small percentage is not SO kccnly
felt as in the East, whore the crop is
smaller. But everywhere the annoy
ance is felt and in many places it ap-
proaches the degree Of calamity. A
prominent professor Of the department
of agriculture, in discussing the oucs.
tion, said
"Asidc from it's importance as a
principal source Of the food supply
the immense financial value of the
grain crop of the United States is such
that great interest is felt in all sec
tions regarding tho ravages caused it
by destructive birds. In some places
where these birds breed in vast num-
bers their deprcdations become seri-
GUS. The total value Of the grain
product of the United States is. in
round numbers, 81, 900, 100000 per an.
uu,c. Any agency which reduces
this value by even per cent involves
q less Of 10000, 900, sum sufii iicient-
ly large to startle thoughtful person.
Several species Of birds are accused of
q share in this destruction, but the
common crow is perhaps most frs-
quently mentioned in this connection
end blsckb;rds have at tunes made
such depredations as to cause apore.
hension.
'Tho redwing and yellowhead
blackbirds usually nest near the wa.
ter, and for this reason the prairie
ponds Of the upper Mississippi Valley
afford such favorable breeding ground
thst the region h9s become the theatre
ct their greatest activities, tt is the
gathering place Of the immense Aooks
that have often struck terror to che
heart Of the farmer as theif countless
hosts settled upon his fields. The
nesting period is May aud June, and
by the end Of the latter month the
young are on the wing Grain ripens
at this time and the old birds lead
their young to the place Of food sup
ply. The molting season that follows
leaves the birds in an exhausted con-
dition, and under these circumstances
the abundant food supply comes to
them like mama from Heaven to the
wandering Israelites.
TRANSPORTATION OF THE pRAIR1Es.
"It is highly probable that the
changing Of tho original prairies into
fields Of grain has contributed to the
increase Of blaokbirds by furnishing
them with sure food supply when it
ls most needed. It does not neces-
sarily follow that thtse birds die
wholly harmful to tho interests of
man, but merely showns that it is pos
sible to have too many of them. In
States where there are fewer little
damage is done. After repeated in
vestigations of the food habits of these
birds it has been learned that they
subsist largely upon insects, and when
This is considered in connection with
the fact that many Of the species feed
largely upon the seeds Of troublesome
weeds, tnere is reason to believe
that they really subservo useful
purpose in the economy of nature and
become harmful only when their num-
bers multiplies out Of proportion to
their environment.
"The common crow has long been
known as thief Of the corn fields,
having been 80 named by the aborigi:
nal Inhabitants. The greatest damage
is done in the spring, when the birds
pull up the sprouted grain Dry corn
x a. PmHnEQ