Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-27
FEAR MOTH PLAGUE.
Farmers Rally for Protection Of Birds
to Fight the Moth Pest.

New York, July 26.-tSpecial) -Alarmed
by the invasion Of the gypsy and brown
tail moths into this State from New Eng
land, where their rayages have cost the
people many millions of dollars, thous-
ands of leaders among the agricultural
communities OF every section of the
country are today Joining a 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
Association of Audubon Societies has es-
tablished a national information bureau
at 141 Broadway from which instructions
for preserving and increasing the numbers
of the insect-eating birds are being dis
tributed throughout the country. If every
American who is interested in the crop
wealth of the land will join this campaign
of practical education at once, it is de-
clared by chronological experts here.
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 today by the leaders in this
movement on behalf of the country's
agricultural interests. Sentiment in IA
vor of the protection of birds Is to be
crystalized comprehensive and drastic
laws to this end enacted, and every pos
sible means used to attract birds and thus
increase their number to combat the in
sect crop pests. Every state, county and
town where proper protection of the in
sect-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. Fail
ure 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 tax
payers money, it has been proved by the
government and state authorities.
The Empire state is today massing a
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, it is estimated, In
ether" states in -the path of this pest,
where little legislation exists to prevent
the slaughter of the insect eaters, cam
paigns are already on foot to rouse the
people to the seriousness of the situa-
ton. For years the millinery interests
have prevented the farmers from securing
real bird protection in New York state it
is pointed out, and now the whole COM
|monwealth must pay the penalty.
Every American who cares for the
preservation of the nations agricultural
" >aIth will find US ready and glad to tell
him what he can do to help in this emer-
4. ..,y, salu William butcher, president
of the National Association of Audubon
Societies at it's headquarters, l41 Broad
way today. wild birds can be attracted
by erecting suitable bird houses and ir
this way increasing the number of birds
in a given locality Birds will be found
a far more effective remedy to prevent
the increase of these two insect pests
than any other means that can be en-
ployed. The late Baron Won Berlepsch,
on his estate of 500 acres at Seebach, ir
the District of Langensalza, in Thuringia
experimental along these lines for thirty
years with the most phenomenal success
A history of this experiment was pub
lished in German. 1t has been translated
into English, and may be obtained for n
few cents from this association. The fe-
cundity of the gypsy and brown-tail moth
is wonderful. and therefore every posi-.
BILE effort should be made to stamp GU,
in this State or any other part of the
United States before these pests car
spread"