The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-21
FARM AND
GARDEN ~
INTERESTS
The Insect Pests.
Philadelphia Record.

The great increase of insect pests in or
chards and gardens entails enormous
expense upon the farmers of this coun-
try. and yet it is possible that the farmer
himself is at fault, to a certain extent. by
assisting In the destruction of animals and
birds that would perform for him valuable
service If permitted. Beasts and birds of
prey are sufficient to prevent any alarming
increase of the birds that are capable of
doing harm, but nearly all birds are car
nivorous to some extent, as they can sub
sist on animal food Birds prey upon
worms, and the natural increase of all
kinds of insects would render the
earth uninhabtable by man but for the
assistance given him by the creatures
which he so ruthessly destroys without
regard to future consequences. The car
nivorous animals and birds do not increase
as rapidly the kinds upon which they
prey, and a single lion tiger may serve
to prevent a district from being over
run with graminvorous animals. If such
condition did not exist the result would be
famine. AS the forests are cleared the
destructive animals and birds are driven
away or restricted in their capacity to do
harm, but man seems to become himself
beast of prey and wantonly DESTROYS for
the pleasure of so doing. He considers
certain animals, such as the fox, hare rae
coon, opossum and mink. game" the
hawk and owl being always regarded as
his foes. He adopts the dog and cat, the
latter being more destructive to birds than
any other animal, as 1t is not only active
and somewhat nocturnal in habit. but also
climbs trees. The fox, opoSSum and rae
coon among the most useful animals
known, they seek their food where field
mice and ground insects abound. The lit
tie damage done by them Is not worthy OF
consideration compared with the service
performed. The only apology for their de-
struction is the occasional loss of poultry.
but no careful farmer will leave his poul-
try unprotected from danger at night.
The farmer has not yet discovered
method for preventing the destruction of
his crops by field mice and insects, but he
devotes more time to seeking the lives of
his friends, the owl and hawk, than he
gives to the insects which he cannot con-
troll. The damage to a portion of the corn
and fruit by animals and birds is insignifi-
cant compared with the almost complete
destruction of crops by insects. The MOLE
which ridges the earth, simply does SO
while destroying grubs, as moles consume
them in large numbers. The quail. which
is harmless, is forced by necessity in the
fall and winter to search for food under
every leaf and in every spot where an in
time so spent they destroy thousands of in
sects, but in some localities the quail has
been almost exterminated simply for sport.
which is one of the most expensive luxuries
enjoyed by man If he only knew ii. The
birds that remain over winter, which
do not leave until late in the fall, to APP
sects, but the seeds of many plants
which the farmer does not desire in his
field, and The reduction in the number of
these birds is largely increased by cats,
which feast upon the young in the nests
in spring and which also destroy the eggs.
This Is a disturbance of the order of crea-
ton, and reduces the profits of the farmer
while destroying the guardians of his crops.
The English sparrow in the country could
be easily kept in check by the sparrow
hawk and the well-known screech owl, the
nTaylnO of yaierht h.
former during the day, especially in winter,
If the farmer would allow them; but on
the approach of his natural friends he seizes
shotgun and puts an end TO their useful
ness, yet deploring the damage to his grain
crop in the growing season, which he pro-
tects and allows to multiply without him
drance.
The subject most to be considered by
farmers at their meetings is not so much
the destruction of insects and field mice
as the protection of the birds that destroy
the pests, and this protection should be
extended to the owl and hawk as well as
to those animals which keep rabbits in
check; The loss Of poultry cannot happen
If such birds are given the same care and
attention as other stock, and IL the farmer
Will consider the matter carefully he will
notice that he loses but few chicks by the
hawk compared with those appropriated
by cats, yet he destroys the one and pets
the other. A single dog in a community
will do more damage to sheep i'm one night
than all the wild animals in a year but
the losses TO farmers from depredations
of foxes are small as to be hardly
noticeable. The song birds that are said
to be driven away by the English sparrow
would return If the hawk and owl were
unmolested, from the fact that the large
majority of birds migrate, the sparrow re-
manning as food for the carnivorous birds,
but the widest sparrow is sufficient wise
to remain close to the haunts of men, where
he is safe from his enemies In winter no
crops are growing, and there are but few
II any, small chicks. But little damage can
be done the farmer by hawks, crows and
owls at that season, while in summer they
can secure food in abundance elsewhere
hence they should be given opportunities
for keeping the sparrow within bounds.