Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-05-13

Virginia, hence the Virginianus which
denotes the species
1t will be observed that the partridge
belongs to the gallinae or order of
scratching birds and that he belongs
to the grouse family to which all the
finest game birds belong-not all, for
the woodcock and snipe do not belong
to it-but at least most of the finest
birds-the pinnated grouse or prairie
chicken. tine ruffed grouse the ptarmi-
gan and willow grouse.
The northern limit of the partridge
Is set down as southern Maine and
Minnesota and the southern the Gulf
Of Mexico. But there are few part
ridges even in Virginia and above this
they are scattered as not to be
worth counting despite vigorous at
tempts to introduce and cultivate
them. The real limit Is from the
northern boundary of North Carolina
to Texas. sweeping around in a cres-
cent. In both Texas and Florida there
are subspecies. These are smaller and
have different markings.
| Moreover we shall have to dispense
with a discussion of the various spe-
cies Of partridge found in other parts
Of the country. This one bird furnishes
so much matter that any man at all
conversant with it's history could write
a volume on it alone.
| It Is the aim Of this article to pre-
sent the partridge in such an aspect
as will lead to more serious consid-
Grafton than is generally accorded him.
OF all the birds that inhabit our
woods and fields the partridge de-
mands the largest amount Of common
sense and we'll balanced judgment to
treat properly. He has so many sides
that it is easy to exalt any one at the
expense Of the others. But to proper
ly appreciate the bird account must
be had of all his qualities and traits.
| There are farmers who will not per-
nit partridge to be shot on their
premises under any consideration.
There are a few who regard the bird
as an enemy to their crops. One |
| heard of last year poisoned every bird
he could with the result that he lost
his whole crop by cutworms and this
was the treatment he deserved. Then
comes the sportsman who wishes to
shoot them in moderation as game
birds and lastly the game hog and the
pot hunter VINO destroy all they can.
| Out Of this confused medley one has
to try to pick his way. The partridge
is properly a game bird and certainly
may be shot in moderation, but at
present 1t ought to be in extreme mod
Grafton. On the other hand, the birds
work is of the last Importance to the
farmer. Only Is per cent of the years
food consists of insects, but these in
sects are eaten at a time when they
are doing most damage to crops and
they are among the worst insect pests
known. Remember another thing: Is
per cent in the case of a partridge
means more than 100 per cent in the
case Of some birds, so great is the to-
tai amount Of food consumed.
| Did you ever hear Of the chinch bug
Probably not, except some casual ref
erence or some short article. Yet this
is the greatest pest American agri-
culture has even encountered. He Is
destroying more in actual value every
year than the Mexican boil weevil has
ever done in five years. The end Of the
boil weevil we can see; the end OF the
chinch bug no man processes to see.
You that read this will live to see
South Carolina newspapers filled with
accounts Of the chinch bug; there will
be stations established to fight him and
there will be all sorts Of things said
and done; but the chinch bug will go
merrily on. He is here now and ne
has come to stay. Paris green has no
more effect on him than moonshine.
The only effectual enemy the chinch
bug ever had was the partridge. Moth
ing else has ever held in check this
evil l-smelling, much h-devouring pest
The most careless reader knows Of
the potato bug. the first time he
sees a patch of Irish potatoes he will
see the bugs at work. 1t costs the
country s1O,OOO,OOO year to fight them.
The only effectual check to the pota-
to bug is the partridge.
| ANY farmer can tell you Of the bill
bug (there are several that go under
this name, but all alike and all bad)
that bores into the cornstalks and lays
| l.. fn he n h.
ed that eat out the pith, causing the
stalk to fall over Thousands of acres
of corn are destroyed annually by this
pest.
The only check to the bill bug is the
partridge.
Besides this, the partridge is one OF
the chief destroyers Of the boil weevil
| Ga first cousin Of the bill bug, both
being members of the snout-beetle
| family.
The partridge ranks high as cut
worm destroyer and equally high as
grasshopper QocusD destroyer. He eats
click beetles, the parents Of the dread
ed wire worm. These are only a few
| OF the many lnSeCl pests liidl lHe Pdie
ridge destroys. The bird is a wide
ranger and a vigorous scratcher
In winter he is a great eater of the
seeds of noxious weeds, ranking at the
head of weed destroyers.
A farmer in Kansas writes that he
took two tablespoonfuls Of chinch bugs
out of the craw of one partridge.
In the opinion Of the United States
department Of agriculture, the part
ridge is worth 20 times as much liv-
ing as he is dead-an opinion from
which not a single authority dissents
1t is interesting to note in passing
that the chinch bug came down from
Virginia through the counties in North
Carolina where the partridge have
| been shot out and entered South car
olina by way Of York county-wnose