The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1909-07-23
FARMERS RALLY FOB BIRD CHECK
Feathered Forces Fight Pests Best
Audubon Workers Head New Move.

Alarmed by the invasion of the gypsy
and browntail moths into New York
| from New England where their ravages
have cost the people many millions of dol
lars, thousands of leaders among the ag
ricultural communities of every section
OF the country are joining movement to
ward off this crop plague by protecting
the birds that serve as its greatest check.
Acting upon this emergency demand from
the farming interests, the National Asso-
citation of Audubon societies has estab-
lished a national information bureau at
l4l Broadway from which instructions
for preserving and increasing the numbers
tributed throughout the country If ev-
cry American who is interested in the
crop wealth of the land will join this
campaign of practical education at once,
1t is declared by chronological experts,
there may yet be some hope of averting
the moth plague which now threatens to
sweep the continent.
Three main lines of work have been
projected by the leaders in this movement.
on behalf Of the country's agricultural in
terests. Sentiment in favor of the pro
lection of birds is to be crystallized, com
prehensive and drastic laws to this end
enacted, and every possible means used
to attract birds and thus increase their
number to combat the insect crop pests
Every state, county ana Town WnerP
proper protection of the insect-eating
birds has not been provided or whose
bird laws are not enforced will fall an
easy prey to the costly ravages of the
spreading moths, it is shown. Failure to
take up an active campaign such as is
proposed can only be undone in the face
of the moth plague by years of hard labor
and millions of dollars of the taxpayers
money, it has been proved by the govern
ment and state authorities.
The Empire state Is massng great
force of experts near Port Chester, where
these insect pests have just crossed the
border line on their way west. If this
advancing column is not checked. it will
cost the people many millions of dollars
in the near future to make up for the
depletion of its wild birds, due to years
of lax laws In other states in the path
of this pest, where little legislation exists
to prevent the slaughter of the insect eat
ers, campaigns are already on foot to
rouse the people to the seriousness of the
situation For years the millinery inter
ests have prevented the farmers from
securing real bird protection in New
York state, it is pointed out, and now
the whole commonwealth must pay the
penalty.
every American who cares for the
preservation of the nations agricultural
wealth will find US ready and glad to tell
him what he can do to help in this
emergency" said William butcher, presi
dent of the National Association of Au-
dubon societies, at its headquarters, al
Broadway, recently. wild birds can be
ana in this way increasing the number
of birds in a given locality. Birds will be
found a far more effective remedy to pre-
vent the increase of these two insect
pests than any other means that can be
employed. The late Baron Won Berlepsch,
on his estate of 800 acres at Seebach. in
the District Of .Langensalza. in Thuringa,
experimental along these lines for 30 years
with he most phenomenal success 4
history of this experiment was published
in German. 1t has been translated into
English, and may be obtained for a few
cents from this association. The fecund
ity of the gypsy and brown-tail moth, is
wonderful, and therefore every possible
effort should be made to stamp out ev
cry colony of them that is discovered in
this state or any other part of the Unit,
ed States before these pests can spread