The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-03-06
However bad the pest is We can

Department of Agriculture. They
recommend destroying the sparrows
by destroying their nests, eggs and
| young. This method is not in ac-
| cordance with our finer sentiments
of Home and trust The nest is
| sacred thing and should never be
taken except by collectors. There are
| other means, as poisoning, by when
we can rid ourselves of this pest.
Whatever means we pursue it is evil
dent that the English sparrow must
go If we retain our native birds.
AS regards their food, we have
| found that birds greatly prefer the
wild fruits to those cultivated. The
incoming of man and his subsequent
cultivation of the country has de-
stroyed this natural food and given
none in place The birds left thus
without food have been forced to
seek it in the orchard and gardens.
For generations these tiny creatures
have been prosecuted and hunted
down because they asked part OF
their food in return for valuable SER
vice. Men should not forget that
they are not the only creatures that
require food, shelter and protection.
The most sensible and humane
way to protect our orchards would
be not to hire boys with guns, but
rather to put such wild and value
less fruits as would attract and fur
nish food for the birds. 1t were
better not to disfigure our premises
with scarecrows until we have tried
protecting our gardens by planting
blackberry trees or wild cherries
near by. Odd corners or strip
along the fence might be set with
trees of this sort so that no space
would be wasted and yet enough
food would be produced to supply
whole colonies of birds.
The farmers may be puzzled as
to what fruits to plant for the birds.
There are various fruits which are
suitable. The choke cherry, black
cherry, elderberry, Juneberry, Vir-
ginia creeper, dogwood, viburnum,
mountain ash, strawberry, bitter
sweet, blackberry, bayberry, poke
berry, cedar, frost grape, spice bush,
buckthorn, greenbrier, juniper, wild
grape, cranberry, partridge berry,
sarsaparilla, blackberry, and null
berry are all quite attractive fruits.
OF these perhaps the mulberry and |
wild cherry are the most useful foir
feeding birds. Some of these trees
are not adapted to a climate as that |
in Idaho. Suitable plants may be OBJ
tanned however. An application to
any National plant garden would
soon bring to the farmer cuttings Of
plants adapted to the soil and eli
matte conditions of southern Idaho.
As these plants would cost nothing
there is no reason why every park,
street and farm should not boast of
1 few of these bird trees.
The question of food supply
seems to be the most serious one.
TO quote John Burroughs again:
Indeed, the food question seems to
De the only Serious one with the
birds. Give them plenty to eat and
10 dqn5t the majority of them would
aGe our winters" He then tells us
low he kept two blue birds through
he winter by means of sheltered
porch and the fruit of a blackberry
rec. He lived eighty miles north of
New York
With what little available food
here is here we have with us few
,irds In field trip in December
he writer observed within an hour
number of sparrows, two blue
three chickadees, black
'ird, several black juncos and red
leaded woodpecker. If few of these
arious birds are with us in Deem
er, January and February, there
hould be a great many more. By
making room for them we could
ave ten birds with us where now we
ave only one.
The water supply is as important
factor as the food supply, More
han all else birds need water in the
ummer time for drinking and bath
lg purposes. Happily, in southern
iaho this demand is satisfied in the
lmmer time. The irrigation bitches
'hich abound form ideal baths and
fountains for the birds. The
itches are SO situated that the bird
well protected from any foes while
g is performing his additions. Sol
IT, Idaho is far in advance of many
Their states. In the winter, how
YER, it is rather doubtful If the birds
ire so well. The bitches are dry or