The weekly true Democrat., 1908-03-27
SPARE OUR Bird LIFE.
FIorida Birds Worth Their WEIGHT in
GoI1.


Geld.
'cKirk Munro SAYS: Florida Is pre-
eminently an agriculture state, and
fruit-raiSing Ia its chief industry. The
hardest fight Of the fruit-EroWers Is
against the hOarns Of insects, aphides,
ants, buds, beetles, caterpillars, grass
hOppera, flies and Rrubs that devote
their entire energies not only 10 the de-
structiOn Of his own crop, but of his
treea, which they attack in leaf, bark
and root. He fights them with sprays
washes and fumigations, and perhap
sueceed8 in destroying one beetle out 81
q thousand, one aphis in q million, and
one ant out Of each billion. His efforts
Ore expensive, more or less injurious,
and ridiculous in their inefficiencY, In
spite Of them he would quickly be
driven out Of business were Il not for
an army Of trained allies, alert, sharp
eyed, tireless, and eager TO devote their
time TO his service without pay.
/ mean, Of course, the birds, without
which our fair state would quickly be-
come not only nOn-productive, but abb
sOlutely uninhabitable. A noted French
scientist has declared that without birds
to check the ravages of insects human
life would vanish from this planet
within the short space OF nine years
and venture the prediction that Ia half
that time no one of US could 1--we in
Florida were our birds sud eniy TO leave
for places where their services are bet
ter appreciated.
In our incOnceiVable folly we Of Flor
dR never hesitate to kin a bird, If
seized with an inclination to do so. A
little gray-coated chap, fitting from
tree to tree, in search Of the insects
that are sapping their life, offers a
tempting mark, and we blaze away
with twenty. two rifle, Just b see II
we can hit him. To kill him Is such an
expensive form Of amusement that it
would be more economical TO charge our
rifle with q golden bullet and FIRE Il into
the sea. A fruit-groWer spies a red
bellied wOOdpecker sampling his ripe
peaches, and instantly declares q war of
determination against the whole family.
He had better retire from business at
once and save the further expense Of
caring for his orchard, for without the
expert aid Of the wOOdpecker his efforts
can only result in failure.
A boy is allowed 10 catch a young
LdOcking- bird, or q red-bird, and sell It
TO tourist for 90 cents. The state is
made at least 500 poorer by the act.
IL would be cheaper in the end to give
away golden birds of the same weight. |
A meadoW-lark, or each one of a !
cOvey Of quail, in q ten-acre tomato
field earns $40 in a single season as an
insect-destrOyer. Yet we not only
shoot these birds ourselves, but we in
vite our friends from Tar and wide to |
come and help US destroy them as
though they were q pest we are desir-
iOus TO abate.
Besides the insectivOrous birds upon |
whose efforts we are absolutely depend |
ent for success in every branch of agri-
culture, there are those Of inestimable |
value as tourist attractOrs-Was there |
ever q nOrtherner in Florida who did not |
listen eagerly for his first mOcking-bird |
song, or watch with delight the fishing
Of pelican Ishe not willing 20 spend
money for the sight of a famngO, a
rOseate spOOnbill, or a wOOd-ibis land
does he not eXclaim with pleasure at a
flashing glimpse Of a parakeet or a
nonpareil He is willing to pay liber-
ally for such sights as these, and we
haYe given him just cause to complain
Of the absence of bird life along our
coasts and inland waterways. A few
years ago these swarmed with birds
whose movements were Of the greatest
interest 10 our winter visitors. Now
they are silent and deserted, despoiled
of chief attraction by plume and skin
hunters who have robbed us without 80 |
much as saying, "thank you"
We take every precaution 70 prevent |
thief from stealing even the most
trifiing Of our possessions, and at the
same time make no effort TO dissuade |
the gunner from shooting the birds |
upon whose existence depends our very
livelihood. Queer, isn't itf
he Got Even.