Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-12-11


paign funds would vanish in congress
provided an appropriation for the
proper and legitimate excuses OF
each Of the great national parties, an
appropriation ample enough to meet
the necessity for thorough crganiza-
ton and machinery, which requires
a large expenditure OF money. Their.
the stipulation should be made tha.
30 party receiving campaign funds
from the treasury should accept more
tha; a fixed amount fom any indiyid-
tai Subscriber or donor; and the nee
essary publicity for receipts end ex.
penditues could without difficulty be
provided
Gallery Of Art.
There should be national gallery
of art established in the capital city
of this country. This is important not
merely to the artistic but to the ma
terial welfare of the country; and the
people are to be congratulated on the
fact that the movement to establish
such a gallery is taking definite fern
under the guidance of the SmithsOu-
| ian institution. So far from there be-
| ing tariff on works of art brought
into the country, their importation
should be encouraged In every way.
There have been no sufficient coIlec-
lions of objects of art by the govern
| ment, and what collections have been
| acquired are scattered and are genev-
ally placed In unsuitable and imner-
fectly lighted galleries.
Our Good Birds.
The biological survey is quietly
working for the good of our agricul-
tural interests, and is an excellent
example of a government bureau
which conducts original scientific re-
search the findings of which are of
much practical utility. For more than
twenty years it has studied the food
habits of birds and mammals that are
| injurious or beneficial to agriculture,
horticulture, and forestry; has dis
tributed illustrated bulletins on the
subject, and has labored to secure
legislative protect for the beneficial
species. The cotton boll-weevil, which
has recently overspread the cott0n
belt of Texas and is steadily extending
its range. is said to cause an annual
loss of about $3,0OO,000. The biologi-
cal survey has ascertained and given
| wide publicity to the fact that at
/ least 40 kinds of birds prey upon ts'sS
destructive insect. 1t has Uncovered
that 81 species of birds feed upon
scale-insects-dre enemies Of the
fruit grower. 1t has shown that wood
| peckers as a class, by destroying the
larvae of wondering insects, are so
| essential to tree life that II is doubt
full if our forests could exist without
them. 1t has shown that cuckeos and
orioles are the natural enemies of the
J leaf eating caterpillars that destroy
our shade and fruit trees; that our
1ue.ils and sparrows consume annually
hundreds of tons of seeds of nexious
weeds. that hawks and owls as a,
class (excepting the few that Kill
poultry and game birds) are markedly
beneficial, spending their lives In
catching grasshoppers, mice. and
other pests that prey upon the prod
ucts of husbandry. 1t has conducted
field experiments for the purpose of
devising and perfecting simple meth
DDS for holding in check the hordes
of destructive rodents-rates, mice,
rabbits, gophers, prairie dogs, and.
ground squirrels-which annually de-
stroy crops worth many millions OF
dollars; and it has published practical
directions for the destruction of
wolves and coyotes on the stock
ranges of the West, resulting during
the past year in an estimated saving
of cattle and sheep valued at upwards
of a million dollars.
Il has inaugurated SYSTEM of IN
spection at the principal ports Of en-
try on both Atlantic and Pacific coasts
by means of which the introduction
of noxious mammals and birds is pre-
vented thus keeping out the mon
goose and certain birds which are as
much to be dreaded as the pse-
viously introduced English sparrow
and the house rats and mice.
In the interest OF game protection
it has co-operated with local officials
in every state is the union, has striven
to promote uniform legislation in the
several states, has rendered important
service in enforcing the federal law
regulating interstate traffic In game,
and has shown how game protection
may be made to yield large reve-
nue. to the state-a revenue amount
ing in the case of Illinois to $4,000
in single year.
The biological survey has explored
me faunas and floras of America With
refernece to the distribution OF AMI.
mails and plants; it has defined and
mapped the natural life areas-areas
in which, by reason Of prevailing
climatic conditions, certain kinds OF
animals and plants occur-and has
pointed out the adaptability of these
areas to the cultivation Of particular
crops. The results of these iBvests-
| cations are not only Of high edaca-
tional value but are worth each year
to the progressive farmers of the
| country many times the cost of main
| tanning the survey, which. IL may be
added, is exceedingly small. This