Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-28
BIRD FARM STARTED
California Propagating De-
stroyers of Insects.
AID FOR FRUIT GROWERS
Experiment Watched Closely by Au-
thorities of Other States.
PESTS ARE ALARMING MENACE
Appeal Of Farmers for Some Means
to Reduce Peril to Vegetation
Is Needed.
AID FOR FRUIT GROWERS
PESTS ARE ALARMING MENACE

| NEW YORK, August 27.-The destruc-
ton OF insectivorous birds through forest
| fires and the bullets Of pot hunters has
been found by the United States De-
partment of Agriculture to be a principal
| cause OF the insect pests which have
| wrought so many million dollars damage
| to crops throughout the country.
The government has done much In an
advisory capacity, but practical work has
| been left to the states. California has at
| last taken the lead by establishing a
| state bird farm near Hayward, in Ala
media county.
There birds OF all sorts are bred for
distribution through areas that have been
| devastated. Already the demand for
birds is greater than can be supplied in
ten years Of breeding.
Birds Being Propagated.
The first species propagated were the
larger woodland and field birds. such as
pheasants. quail. cartridges and wild
| turkeys. Arrangements are being made
| to raise the smaller insect-eating birds.
| such as robins and warblers.
California has an area Of 1880 square
miles. most OF It wild land. So 1t may be
seen that the field is practically limitless
and offers great possibilities.
| The experiment long has been advised
| by the National Audubon Society. The
results will be watched with interest by
the agricultural departments Of many
states. notably New York. New Jersey
and Pennsylvania, for on results In Cali
fornia depends action by those states.
Because Of its mild. equable climate
California is a most favorable field for
| the rapid increase in insect life. and the
increasing scarcity of birds. due to the
influences outlined, has caused them to
become a pest, doing millions OF dollars
damage to the fruit and grain growers.
To keep these pests under control the
state is obliged to maintain one OF the
most extensive horticultural quarantine
departments in the world. to use vast
maintain parasitic system, says the
Scientific American. that Is q wonder OF
modern industrial history.
State Supports Farm
The new bird farm is supported by the
state treasury, and is under the supervi-
sion of the state fish and game commits
sion. 1t now consists of forty-two acres.
but 1t soon will be increased to 100 acres
to permit fthe breeding in q natural
state Of the smaller birds.
The breeding of young birds was begun
last year. and II Is expected that by
another year the farm will be able to turn
out $500 annually. The young birds will
be distributed over the state as evenly
as possible in punches Of 80 and 100.
The pheasants for breeding were all I'm
ported from Europe The wild turkeys
are obtained from old Mexico. The fe-
males lay eggs promiscuously in the pens.
and the eggs are gathered by the keeper
and placed under common hens for hatch
ing, of which the farm has flock of 225
OF the white and barred Plymouth Rock
strains.
The chicks are allowed to run with their
foster mothers for two months Then
they are placed in pens by themselves
until ready to be liberated. At a recent
fruit growers convention at Fresno. w.
r. Mcintosh read a paper on the subject.
in which he said:
Nowhere i'm the universe do we find
a more interesting law of balance than
formerly existed in the lives of insects
and wild birds. Insects are justly regard
ed everywhere as the enemies of agri-
culture. So long as nature held undisput-
ed sway our friends kept our enemies in
check.
Farmers Make Appeals.
But In the destruction OF the, home OF
wild birds. the forest. the harmony of
nature has been undermined and the bal
ance destroyed. Wild birds are decreasing
to an alarming extent In every part Of
the United States. Injurious insects are
therefore on the increase in q similar ra
ito. So striking has been the increase OF
insect depredations OF late years that the
appeal of the farmers everywhere for re-
lief is constantly on the increase.
Scientists are searching the world for
misunderstanding parasite. while mil
lions are being spent yearly in vain at
tempt to check the ravages of these enc
mics Of agriculture. Data gathered by lie
Department Of Agriculture show that the
annual tax paid to insect depredations ex-
eminent. In one year the chinch bug
alone caused loss Of $6O.O0O.OOO. The
Hessian fly caused loss Of $24. 600 900 in
two states in one year.
THE average annual loss to apple
growers from the coddling moth is 500
600 900, and millions are lost each year
from attacks Of boll-weevil. cornroot, cot
ton web and canker worms. bark beetles,
plant lice, MARBLE fly and hundreds Of
others, each multiplying at tho rate Of
millions a minute.
Every plant has certain insects that
naturally feed upon it and tend to hold 1t
in check. and as man produces more of
a certain plant nature produces insects to
destroy II. 1t Is here that the birds main
tain the balance. To kill the birds is to
allow the pests to increase and destroy
the crops.
Pere Lachaise Cemetery.
From the London Chronicle.