Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-07-08

ment experts declare that a Devy or
two of quail from farm sis an asset
the value of which 10 thrifty farmer
should overlook"
But besides the birds that eat seeds
there are many other species which
live entirely, or almost entirely, on ia.
sects, and still others. such as hawks
and owls. which destroy small rodents.
Now, hawks and owls have a very bad
name, and very few persons would
hesitate to kill them. and yet they do
a work of no inconSiderable value to
farmers, Three branches of the fam
lily. the Cooper, the goshawk and the
sharp-shinned hawks, are guilty of
most of the murders of other birds
and chickens. while the socalled hen
hawks" destroy far more than enough
rats and mice to pay for the occasional
chick they may deYour.
In fact. after years of study the gov.
eminent experts declare that the
practice Of Offering bounties for
owls and hawks is twice wasteful, for
it drains the prolic funds and encour.
ages the killing of creatures which in
all do far more good than they do
harm. 1t is declared that the marked
increase in the number of rodents of
all kinds in the United States Is due
in considerable measure to the kilk
ing of their natural enemies. chief of
which are the birds OF proy.
Rats alone do an almost unbeliev.
able amount of damage every year,
and they are ably seconded by the
field mice and other branches of their
great family. One of the small ground
squirrels of Washington Injuries the
wheat cropsof a single county of that
state to the extent OF half a million
dollors annually. Think what the loss
of the entire country must be then.
Some idea of the total amount may be
! secured from the statement of scien.
| lists that the insect pests of the coun'
try do s500,000,O00 of damage every
] twelve months
Admittedly the birds are not an un.
mixed blessing. They do harm as well
as good, and some of them do good In
one region and evil in another Such
commihgling of blessing and curse
is the golden eagle, which ranges over
most parts of the country. In certain
parts of California this eagle feeds on
ground squirrels. and proves a boon
to the agriculturalists, while In other
sections it feeds upon lambs, and is
an outlaw with price upon rs mead.
1t should be apparent TO everyone
that II sentiment Is not strong enough
to stay the destruction OF our birds,
cold business sense should be. It were
nobler. perhaps, to preserve the feath-
cred voyagers of the afr because they
are beautiful. but, this failing. let us
preserve them because they pay. And
pay they do There are evil creatures
among them, just as there are among
human beings, but the good far ont
number the bad and as In the case of
the owls and hawks, all are not really
bad, that In our ignorance We deem SO
There is satisfaction in the knowl-
edge that this country is foremost
among the nations that are striving to
protect the birds. II Is a national un'
dertaking, in which every citizen
should join. Perhaps the best way to
advance the work is 10 teach the boys
today what their fathers did not know
/ that the birds are our friends, ask
/, iAs little of us and doing a work and
a necessary work which We ourselves
eotI1d mt do