Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-03-17

A proper observance of Arbor and Bird
Day was urged, at the meeting OF New
Castle county teachers, az Goldey College,
today, by Prof. A. Il. Spaid, the county
superintendent. Next Friday week will
be- Arbor and Bird Day. Prof Spaid
expressed the desire that the teachers
have the children plant trees and shrub
berry on the school grounds and clean the
grounds for the summer He also thought
It would be wise to have the parents allow
the children to do some planting around
home, for he pointed out that unless there
is some planting verp soon, the State
will soon be very much in need OF trees.
He showed where millions of insects
which formerly lived in the woods now
live in the orchards, because the woods
are being destroyed, and that being the
case there is great destruction to the fruit.
In some parts Of the county the farmers
clear off wooded sections of their farms
for the purpose Of raising strawberries,
which are thought to thrive better in
new ground, and in year or two the
same thing is repeated, taking more Of
the woods, while the trees are not replaced
on any other part Of tho farm. Prof
Spaid called attention to the fact that
the great demand for holly in the cities
at Christmas is having a very disastrous
/ effect upon the holly trees in the lower
part Of the State, from which tons of the
material are shipped to Wilmington,
/ Philadelphia, New York and other cities,
and comparatively little attention is paid
to preserving the trees, which, at that
rate, will soon be exterminated.
Prof. Spaid urged the teachers 70 have
appropriate exercises in the schools in
connection with the tree planting, and
TO make the birds question a prominent
feature thereof. He pointed out the
necessity of protecting the birds, and said
that if there were more birds there would
be much less trouble on the arm. Although
a bird may eat some fruit for a week OF
two during the remainder Of the year he
is on guard as a policeman, catching
worms and insects and thus protecting
the farmer. He spoke Of one man who
when he planted a field Of corn, deposits
several bushels on the surface OF the
ground, in order to feed the birds. This
Is an attraction for the birds and keeps
them from digging up the corn which hs
has placed in the ground. He repeat,
this for. several days, but in a week theIt
is no necessity to feed the birds any
longer, as the corn in the ground is be
yond destruction. But be has the bird
with him and as the corn grows they arr
there to take care Of the insects and othe
destroying agents.
Prof. Spaid called attention TO the fac
that the men are becoming interested Il
some sections OF the county in the pro
lection Of the birds. William b. Jack
son had drawn pictures Of the helpfu
birds, placed the pictures in frames an
has given them to two schools at Hockes
sin. Each frame is labelled Mature
Police Force"
Statistics were produced by Pro
Spaid, showing by the government n
ports, that the damage to growing crop
in this country, last year, was abot
s7s5, 900 900, and pointing out how muc
OF this could have been prevented vat
an ample number Of birds.
Gov. Lea, in his proclamation, asl
that trees be planted and exercises
held to advance the study Of arboricu
ture and the protection of birds.