Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-06-13

agriculture bestows merited praise
upon the swallows. Like most al
birds they are about the best frie1ds
that the farmer has. The department
has issued special circular on swa'-
lows 1t is by H. W. Henshaw wno
says that his purpose is twofold:
First-To make known the great
value of swallows as insect destroyers
and to emphasize the Importance OF
protecting them wherever found.
Second-To widely publish the pc
culfar yalne Of these birds in the war
now Being waged in the south against
the cotton boil weevil, and to ask for
the cooperation of citizens of northern
states. where these birds chiefly nest
IN an effort to increase their numbers.
That msect-eating birds are of i'm
mense yalue to the farmer and the
forester is SO well known, he declares
/ that their protection is now believed
to be absolutely necessary t.. the vel
fare OF any country But the value
OF certain kinds in the United States
has been recently emphasized thror gh
the Invasion of the cotton states BY a
new and destructive insect-the boll
weevil. This new pest. despite every
effort to stay its march, is spreading
at the rate of about so miles. a year,
and sooner or later is certain to infest
the entire cotton producing area-a
fact which not only seriously concerns
the southern planter, but in its ulti-
mate consequences affects the we'll
being OF the whole country.
Birds are among the natural enc
mics OF the weevjl, but by themselves
are quite inadequate to the task OF
controlling the ravages of the pest.
The losses it infiicts are of such mag
nitude, however, that no aid can be
safely neglected, especially when so
importat as the services rendered bv
DHds. AS the result of investigations
ny the United States biological survey
thirty-eight species of birds are now
known to feed upon the weevil. Prom
lnent among these are the several sne-
cies of swallows, including the purple
martin.
The martin. the barn swallow. the
Dank swallow the cliff swallow. and
the rough-wing breed-some of them
only sparinglyin Texas and else
where in the south. They breed also
IN the north, but the tree swallow and
the cliff swallow-very important
members of the group-appear in thu,
south, the former during spring and
fall migration only.
Steps have been taken to acoua;nt
the farmers and other residents IF
Texas and the remaining cotton-pro-
ducing states of the importance Of in
creasing the numbers of the local
species and of extending the range of
certain species in the cotton d:stric :
fhls may be done by strictly enforcing
the laws protecting swallows and BIZ
additional accommodations
for nesting. These steps alone. how
ever, are not sufficient. 1t is very i'm
portant also that all Of the swallow
tribe nesting in the northern stat IS
and migrating through the cot on
belt be increased to the limit more
since in late years a
steady dininution of their numbers
has been noted.
Tree swallow The tree swallow.
rs IS we'll known, has been prosecuted
by the English sparrow until it has
entirely abandoned many districts
where formerly il ahounded Unless
systematic effort be made to reduce
the number Of sparrows and to pro
tect from invasiors the boxes put up
for the occupancy of swallows. it is
difficult to see how the tree swallow
can reoccupy the old territory from
which it has been driven, or even
long hold its present area. An enerl
get.c war OH the English sparrow and
the careful protection of the swallow
aomicile in q few years would result
in complete change of the situation
so far as this. one of the most bene-
fetal Of the swallow tribe, is con-
cerned
Barn swallows. The barn swallow
formerly was abundant throughout
the northern states. especially III New
England. The tightly built modern
barn. however. no longer invites the
presence of the barn swallow by af-
fo-ding it r'endly shelter, and the
birds are becoming scarcer and scare
er. To provide openings in modern
barns and to encourage the presence
In them of colonies by providing CON
vcn'ent nesting sites are easy and eff
fective methods by which this beauti-
full species may be greatly increased
In nnmJcrs This bird also requires
protect on from the English sparrow.
which in one foray has been known to
kill the Young ard destroy the eggs of
a large colony
Bank swallows. The wellknown
bank swallow. as its name implies.
nests in sand banks in holes of its
own digg ng. Some farmers in the
northern states take special pans to
protect their colonies of bank swa'-
lows, from the marauding boy and
the r,rowling cat Some even take