Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-06-01

maple into the valuable variety known
as the birdseye. This superstition Is
based upon observations made by an
old gentleman in Maine. He has
colony of nearly 100 woodpeckers
which he has raised and which occupy
a maple grove. He has spent weeks
with them, observing the result of
wounds which the birds inflicted on
the bark of the trees. AS the scars
healed, a bright red spot was left on
the wood directly below thu
wound. If the tree was badly
marked, the red spots were more
numerous than they were on trees
which had suffered less, while on trees
which the woodpeckers had not visit
ed there were no traces of red. 1t oc-
CURED to him that as the beautiful
markings of the beautiful birdseye
maple were due to the red spots in
the wood, and as no botanist has ever
been able to account for them, this
variety of maple might owe its origin
to the work of the woodpeckers. He
believes he has learned to make his
colony of tame woodpeckers self-sup-
porting. By mixing ants which he
Sits from sand, with paste formed
from elm bark, boiled down to a thick
batter, he can smear the trunks of
thrifty naples with such food as the
woodpeckers require and while they
are getting meal from the bark,
their bills are boring new holes in the
trees that shall transform ordinary
maple wood, worth no more than S12
a Thousand feet, into birdseye maple
that sells anywhere for $50 and $50 a
thousand.
Among the foliage inspectors are
the warblers and vireos: to them is
assigned the duty of cleaning the TO-
liage on the ends of the branches
where many kinds of insects deposit
their eggs that their young may have
the freshest, tenderest leaves to feed
upon.
1t is estimated that every meadow
lark is worth over one dollar year
to the farmers if only in consideration
of the grasshoppers it destroys; and
as insects constitute 70 per cent. of it's
diet, the remainder being seeds of
weeds chiefly, the farmer might as
well draw money out of the bank and
burn it as to allow a meadow lark to
be shot.
Special gratitude is due the weed
exterminators, which include some
fifty different birds. Among them are
the goldfinches, juncos, snowfakes,
redpolls, grosbeaks, blackbirds, cow
birds, grackles, bobolinks, and the
sparrows. Even the despised English
sparrows do great work as weed de-
stroyers almost enough to tip the
scales of justice in their favor. Near
ly all, it is true, vary their diet with
insects, but that fact only increases
their economic value.
might go on and take up one after
another of my little "friends of the
air" and demonstrate their service to
man but I'll stop lest I weary you
with too many facts.
The killing of birds for sport and
their plumage, the clearing away oil
vast forests, and increase in settle
ments have decreased the bird popu-
lation 80 per cent. in our state and
what has been the result? An increase
in insect pests during recent years
which would naturally affect the or ops
and the destruction of foliage etc
Often great evil results from the dis.
turbance of natures nice balances
This is matter which directly affects
public welfare as we'll as the farmer
A French philosopher has said, "With
out birds human life would be impos
sible.n
Many varieties of birds can be at
tracted to our yards and buildings by
supplying them with food, water
abundant nesting material, and ever
homes. ga man that hath frie nd
must show himself friendly" applie
as truly with our relationship will
birds as it does with individuals.
won't go into details at this point bu
will trust to your own warmth o
friendship to guide you in your man
ner of procedure. The intelligen
farmer alive to his best interest will
encourage the nesting of birds OF
the farm and as far as possible viii
protect them. The amount of foot
consumed by nesting birds is no
generally appreciated. At first the.
consume more than their own weigh
day and thus are powerful allies il
the determination of insects.
There is one way in which we ma,
all participate in the promotion o