The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-03-08

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CCopyright. 1900. by American Press Asso-
citation. This matter must not be re-
printed without special permission.l
THE SLAUGHTER or THE ROBINS
There is not a northern state but has
laws for the protection Of useful birds.
chief among which IN the robin, for
which a remarkably strong attachment
has been formed as one Of springs first
harbingers and as the best bird friend
Of the farmer, orchardist and gardener
Until lately the redbreast has met an
entirely different reception during his
winter sojourn In the south. where he
has been priced chiefly as a tender
morsel for stew or pie and where
myriads Of the pretty fellows have
been killed annually. Northern readers
will be interested in learning that in
central Tennessee are large tracts Of
cedar. the berries of which are highly
priced by the robins as a winter food.
One small town in this district has
sent to market annually 10000 birds.
which Melted $500. or a paltry pittance
Of 8 cents per dozen. They are caught
at night in their roosting places In the
young cedars, whittier their inhuman
butchers proceed with torches and
knock them down with club or climb
the trees and kill them as they ny IN.
An ofaeer of the Louisiana Audubon
society is authority for the statement
that previous to last winter, when
law was passed for the protection Of
the robins, the annual slaughter Of this
bird In that state ranged from q quar-
ter of a million to . million. In other
states and sections Of the south q score
Of 900 robins a day for a single pot
hunter has not been an uncommon
thing. In yisw Of data Of the above
character 1t would seem that Secretary
Wilson Of the department Of agricul-
ture might bring to the attention Of
congress most emphatically the practi-
cal necessity Of protecting the robin as
an interstate bird, and this from the
dollars and cents standpoint and not
from the aesthetic or humanitarian.
Every robin that Is killed means loss
in money to the farmer and gardener.
and this fact should be given more
general recognition.
eWEDIsH SELECT OATS.
A few weeks ago there appeared in
these columns paragraph giving some
description Of q new variety Of oats
known as the Regenerated Swedish
Select. recently introduced by IN Eng
lish seed firm and for which strong
claims are being made, and that by
farmers who have grown them In
some Of the northern states. With a
view to securing q somewhat more
authoritative and perhaps more disin-
terested opinion touching the variety
mentioned, inquiry was made Of Pro
fessor N. L. Bowman, in charge Of the
farm crops section Of the Iowa ex-
pertinent station at Ames. who wrote
that the experience with the Swedish
Select oats ON the station farm for the
past year was not all that could be
desired, though he was not sure that
the unsatisfactory results were not in
part due TO the fact that the season was
unfavorable for oats Of any variety. In
view Of this rather unfavorable report,
the writer would repeat here in sub
stance = suggestion which has been
given by letter to several inQuirers-
that those wishing to try the new oats
would do well to make the test on q
small scale. with q bushel or 80 Of
seed, with q view Of learning their
adaptability to weather and soil condi-
lions which may prevail In ones own
locality. II they should not pan out, the
experiment would cost but little. while
II they seemed to possess exceptional
merit enough seed would be raised
50 that they could be sown on larger
scale the following year. There II no
question that many farmers would
realize q larger financial return lf they
raised . type Of oats which were more
vigorous and prolific. but It does not
seem to b fully determined ~ yet that
the Swedish Select In its present stage
OF acciimatisation II best suited for the
accomplishment Of this end.
THE AUDUBON ooclETlEo.
Having seen references In these notes
and elsewhere to the work Of the Au-
dubo0 societies, . North Carolina read
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