The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-11-22
PROTECT TEE BIRDS.
vhey Would Save Us Millions Of Dol
lars Every Y.aE.


To the Editor OF The State:
The announcement in your issue OF
the 17th that an effort will be mide
on Monday night to stimulate an In,
terest in the State Audubon stclety Is
very gratifying to me, as 1t has for
q number OF years been my object 10
secure better protection for non-game
birds whose rapid depletion in this
State is q matter Of the utmost eco.
nomic Importance to the agricultural
interests.
The actual damage done to crops IN
single season by insects Is In the
aggregate enormous amounting to the
value OF not only thousands but mil.
lions OF dollars.
Practically the only method OF do
crossing the number OF harmful and
destructive insects is to find an enemy
to them that preys Oh them, and birds
do this betttr and more assiduously
than any other known agent. With The
increasing OF In &c eating birds there
will be a decrease Of insects.
No doubt hr, Pearson will tell us
how We may encourage the increase OF
the birds, and the Audubon society
will see to 1t that the best methods
will be put into ef-cs.
In my mind the boy-with. the.gun
is one OF the deadliest and most per.
sistent enemies Of all the feataereo
tribe. BE kills for pleasure, but it Is
sad commentary thss his isnocens
pleasure IN lesrning to shoot should be
heightened by the admixture OF the
still more Innocent blood OF any and
all birds that soma within his range
Perhaps the Audubon ,eiety will ELF
to tesch him shat 3 boards for tar
get will afford him equal pleasure in
learning to shoot and that the lives Oh
birds should be protected rather than
destroyed.
The society can also teach us what
birds should be destroyed, becaus:
they prey on the eggs and young OF
the desirable kinds, and thus sdoro
those boys who must spill blood an
outlet for the cravings.
I do not write this In ssrImenta!
vein, but wholly from tEe practical
standpoint Of the urgent need OF ef'
fectiye means 10, checking the rsvag'
es of insects injurious to crops. IL some
r csnt wears one fourth OF she oorn
CROP Of this State has bsen destroyed
b7 one insect alone-the corn seais
borer, and this is not the only !nSecs
that ipjures the corn crop.
I nave no particular liking f1r the
50 Gallo d English sparrow and believe
thss the total determination OF the
sparrow would be s distinct gain, nos
50 much On account OF the actual harm
shey do, but owing to theit pugnac
ious ahd unfriendly nature, which pre-.
c,udes their living in pssoe anc har'
noo7 with other varieties OF b.fds'
and their well known fighting ability
They soon bocoms sole occupants OF
any premises they ses fit 70 cnoose for
hsbitstion, whether it be city groves
OF country fields.
Psrh.ps Prof. Pearson can prove
the sparrow to be Of some use, bus !
believe that our cisy ordinance should
be amended to allow the snsll ooy
the privilege of shooting the spsrro"
.'cn sipht'' and even TO Offer 4 per
capita price fer every sPafro" killed:
The stuiy Of animate nature sncu!o
be begun In the primary classes IN
every school In the State, and oe con-
tinued through the highest grades SO
thss every pupil should become thor,
ouetly (. m liar with evsry form q
wild animal, bird CT insect OF the
State and learn to DISC inmate DE
tween the good" and the bzd," TO
rotsct the former and destroy tae
latter. II might in Stns have very
strong Influence over them when, as
men they b2come employees, employers
and jurymen. 49,,
| sincerely hope thst the State
branch OF the Audubon society will
become an active, able and thoroughly
Give insttt u >:cn. J. W. Bauer.
Columbia, Nov. II, 1905.