Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-02-10

A Settled Fact.
SOUTH HANCOCK, Feb. 6


To the Editor of The American:
send TIRE AMERICAN another clipping
from the editorial columns OF the Rttral
| Ne,c Yorker, Feb. 6, OF this year, which
! nope you will reprint for the benefit Of
truth and knowledge; which | know you
win agree with me is better than error
and Ignorance.
In July Of last year that paper printed
a report of the depredations OF he robins
grounds. aud called for reports aud opin-
ions from its subscribers on the subject,
the outgrowth OF their experience and
observation during that season.
They received more replies fully indors-
ing their experience than they hsd space
to print, but did print a large number Of
them. They also received few feeble
replies in defense of the robin, which they
also printed. The former came from
practical truit-gro wing "cranks" ~
scattered over q wide range of country,
the latter from gentlemen who had had
little or no experience in fruit. growing.
But he Rurdl Fetp Yorker has not been
the only agricultural publication which
has pu blished these "crsnk" (?) reports;
for the agricultural press, in general, for
the past two seasons, has often pointed
out the erroneous opinions the general
public had regarding the feeding habit OF
this bird.
New Jersey robins and other frui, eating
birds were so destructive last year that growers
al riv ~ ESst,.
place the aggregate losses at all sorts of figures
up to 100000. Whether this great amount
was reached or not matters little to the ,naivid
ual grower when his own cherries. berries.
grapes and even early apples vsni n before the
voracious birds, bringing his years OF labor
aud expensive preparation to naught. He asks
only the same right TO defend his crop from de-
struction by birds as he has TO hght disease or
noxious insects.
A bill Is now before the legislature permitting
farmers and gardeners to kill birds on their
premises IL actually engaged In destroyin
their crops. Such birds are not to be sold.
given away. shipped from the state or In any
matter converted into merchandise. There
would seem no reasonable objection to such
law. as it would tend to preserve an important
industry, now seriously threatened by the un.
tAhupitu tnCItAtt OF u Jew Dlru rptEits OF
moro than doubtful economic value bat incon.
siderate sentiment among those ignorant of the
true situation is likely to hamper It's progress
through the Legislature.
Fruit growers as rule do not wish to harm
these graceful creatures. but they feel they
must have relief or go out of the business. The
balance of nature has been 60 upset by iudis.
eriminate protection of bird lie that wild
fruits no longer suffice these hordes of robins,
and they have become an intolerable pest to the
fruit garden. 1t lie mp to" the State to author.
ize reasonable means of relief or pay ali dam
ages caused by over protected birds ana game
animals.
As coming from those who have been In
the best wsy OF learning the habits OF
these birds, the evidence Is overw helmiug
and conclusive. 1t can be truly said now
that the question has passed its argumen-
tstive stage and become settled fact; and
1t only now remains to educate the general
public up to these facts that general pub
lie sentiment and our laws may be In
harmony with the same. Now Is a most
opportune time in connection with the
very much agitated game law" question,
W NhiSp AZ 10 Sioociy NouhSStcd, 70 pre-
sent the common fscts-the common
factors to both-thst the public may see
and consider them at the same time.
Five hundred years ago most people be-
lieved that tne earth was fat, and very
many in the most civilized countries
believed that stones grew; and II 1t had
not been for the most persistent declara-
lions OF that "crsnk" ~ Calico, we
might stlll be foundering in the same
deplorabie depth Of ignorance.
cannot say rs to whetb or not there
may b. still some readers VI TIE AMERI.
CAN who believe that the world is fat,
hut this / do know: Unless he ha- been
recently converted, there is at least one 10
West Franklin who believes that stones
grow. e. W. WOOSTER.