Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-04-21

the wiser save the few who make it theii
lives to study the habits OF birds.
Thetime has long passed when the prac-
tical farmer can aflord to ignore the rels-
ton OF birds to agriculture. Larger and
larger areas ere being devoted to tillsge
every year, and the amount of capital in
vested in agricultural pursuits in the
United States is constantly increasing.
Irrigation, until recently almost unprac-
ticed in the United States, is fast assum-
ing national Importance. The whole
world is being laid under contribution for
new fruits, forage plants, and crops for
the benefit OF the American farmer, in
order that, by his superior energy and fore
sight, he may not only feed our own people
but create surplus OF American products
for consumption in less favored lands.
Along with these new introductions and
as necessary result of international COM
merce, new pests have been introduced.
Here, under q favora Bile climate and new
conditions, they multiply till they inflict
great damage. The Hessian fly, San Jose
scale and coddling moth are examples in
point.
Such pests usually go unnoticed until
the damage they do forces them on the at
tention of community, when usually
they are SO numerous and widespread
that their determination is impossible.
Once introduced into the country they are
here to stay. and the vast sums already
spent in efforts to stay the ravages of such
pests emphasize the Importance of utiliz-
ing to the utmost all the allies nature
places at our disposal.
The pernicious practice Of destroying
birds COR millinery purposes should be
checked by stringent laws. It should be
made penal offence for a woman to be
found with the plumage OF a bird on her
hat. Our game laws also are largely re-
sponsible for the destruction of our birds.
The young boy practices on birds in or
der that he may acquire the skill to kill
deer and moose later. Stringent methods
should be adopted to stop this slaughter.
THIS MEANS You.
1t should be the duty Of every thought
full citizen to aid in the work OF protect
ing our birds. There are many ways of
attracting birds to the farm and about the
bathing-place near the house Is one of the
most effective lures for birds known, as
well as one Of the cheapest. For wrens,
swallows, bluebirds, chickadees, and other
kinds, which build IN cavities OF trees,
boxes may be put up, care being taken to
protect them as far as possible from the
aggressive English sparrow.
Above all should the farmer pay at
tention to the cats on his farm. 1t is only
recently that the extent of the depre-
dations of the house cat on wild life,
especially on birds, has been recognized
Many who have studied the matter believe
that, taking the year round, cats are re-
sponsible for the death of more birds,
especially young ones, than all wild ami
mails put together. This may or may not
prove to be an exaggeration, but unques-
| tionably cats everywhere, especially on the
| farm, destroy vast numbers of birds.
| Even the well-fed and well-housed pet
is responsible for many valuable lives, but
! the greater number are destroyed by
strays which mistaken kindness has turned
adrift, when not wanted in the house, to
live as best they may. An adequate rem
edy against the bird-catching cat is
neither easy to suggest nor to apply, but
at least the farmer, who rightfully counts
! the birds of his farm as his friends, should
| be expected to destroy the stray cats that
infest the country in summer, and, so far
as possible, to see to it that the natural in
stincts of his own house pets are sup
pressed by ample feeding and reasonable
| restraint.
| There are various devices by means of
which the farmer may protect his crops
| from the attacks of birds, reserving the
| use Of the gun as last resort when all
| other methods have failed. Scare-crows,
a dead crow hung on pole, white cord
stretched around a field, the drilling OF
seed, and the tarring OF seed corn are
some OF the old and approved methods of
preventing losses by crows and black