The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-07

I that sounded Just right to him, I
suppose, and then he pecked for dear
life In that spot. BY a~I by he
pulled out big fat worm. So I
Jumped to the conclusion that wood
peckers peck trees for worms. Two or
three years later I saw a woodpecker
working In the snag of one Of our old
apple trees. The old Gentian had died
and we had cut off all the limbs. but
left the snag standing. 1t soon rotted
and the worms burrowed in it. The
| woodpeckers had pecked holes all
around 1t. Two woodpeckers persisted
In working there day after day. They
burrowed straight in for two or three
inches. then straight down. I was In
| terested and didn't get as much wood
| corded as I should do not know
| whether they found worms all the way
| down or not. but anyway they qult
eXcavattnG in few days. Then they
began to carry feathers and grass
blades to the hole. The mother bird
laid her eggs there, and in due time
the little birds hatched OUT then Mr.
| and Mrs. Woodpecker were hustline
around every day for food just like
folks do when company comes. I had
Learned two reasons why the wood
| peckers peck the trees. Later found
| lot of seedhuNs at the bottom Of
dead tree where the birds frequently
stopped to tap. Perhaps the biz -
held the seeds in their bills and
pounded them against the tree until
the shell burst; then they could eat
she kernel. I have seen cherry-seeds
wedged into the cracks and crevices
OF old trees: maybe the birds put them
there against a rainy day.
tried to learn when was q kid
where the files came from. I never
could see any little baby flies, and /
wondered about 1t. obody whom /
asked seemed to know, so I gave 1t up.
never knew how the maggots were
baby flies until many years later The
mind must have some encouraging re-
ports from it's sS>.rchings orr it will
lose 1nterest-maybe throw up the job
like the salesman who lands no orders.
There used to be In our orchard a
number OF cnerry trees, which were
loaded with bright. red fruit about the
first Of June Ours We're the only
cherries Of that variety In the neigh
borhood. and the birds visited the
trees in large numbers. asked my
father how the birds knew that those
cherries We're there. for could see
them fly away ever so far then one
day saw bird nearly two miles
from our orchard with a cherry that
4SSho0 P4SS4oc4y 1lt\6 OI6 OIL ours.
Father told me tnat he supposed that
the birds We're there last year and re-
membered the place. asked him how
they found out about the cherries las
year. He did not know, unless soma
Of the other birds had told them about
1t: he smiled when he told me that.
and l knew 1t was his Joke smile. /
never knew unll years later that the
cherries grew red purposely to attract
the birds and that the birds could sec
them for quite a distance. The cherries
wanted the birds to come and get them
SO that their seeds might be scattered
In new places and blindly hoped that
the baby cherry trees springing from
these seed might have an easier life
than the parent had had If my
father had only known tnat he would
nave initiated mo into one of natures
great secrets, and that would have set
me on fire to learn more about her,
to he more watchful and more obs
servant OF things In order to learn
their secrets. AS 1t was. got tho
idea that the whole thing was a mat
ter of chance-and there Is no encour-
agement to the curious mind in that.
| felt my lack OF scholarship during
| my first terms as teacher, so I taught
| in the winter and attended college and
studied during the summer Bye and
! bye finished the little course that
Continued on Saoond Page,)
.4 N d.