The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-11
The HIGH COST
OF DEAD BIRDS

New York. April Li.--While Easter
Donnets are parading the plumage OF
olrds that check crop pest, losses to
rood and cloth products in the last
year that amount to over $40 per every
person In the United States have been
reported here today as chiefly due to
the destruction of these feathered in
sect eaters. According to statistics
Just gathered by the government bio
logical survey at washington, officers
OK the National Association of Audi
bon Societies declare that the cost OF
living has been raised to cover a bill
lion dollar loss in agricultural produce
from the inroads Of insects and rod
ents that would be largely wiped out
If their natural bird foes were pro-
tected from the feather men, market
butchers and pot hunters. Every year
that such commercial interests are AL
lowed to thin the ranks OF the insect
eating species higher prices must be
paid by the ultimate consumer for
vegetables, fruit, cotton cloth and
many other necessary staples, it is
predicted.
On last years cotton crop alone a
loss Of between $25,000,000 and $780,
100000 is shown to be borne by every
one who buys a bit of cotton goods,
principally because the birds that de-
stroy this pest are being killed. While
Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Mis-
souri,, Alabama and Arkansas are now
impregnated with this costly crop
plague, ornithologists report that bird
life is becoming so wasted throughout
the whole cotton belt that the boil
Weevil may soon spread over every
plantation with little opposition from
the natural forces that help to hold
IL in check. Every dollars worth OF
such damage that the bird guards
could prevent, 1t is pointed out, must
come in pennies from the pockets of
the American people.
Almost every article of food except
meat has been found to come to the
consumer today with an added cost TO
cover many millions Of dollars of loss
that the government experts have
proved Is largely due to the increasing
lack of insect eating birds to drive
away the pests that are spreading over
the fields. Such staples as corn are
now known to fall short of a supply
that means lower prices, in some
measure, on account of the depletion
of the wild birds and the consequent
increase in their noxious insect prey.
If the orchards, fields, gardens and
plantations of America were not being
guarded by fewer and fewer of these
insect eaters each year, the records
show, their yield would be increased
and the price Of their products lower
ed
Though the Easter season is sad
dened by the sight of wild bird feath-
ers on bonnets, there is this year
plain economic reason for revolt at
this show in the findings of the gov
eminent experts of the department of
agriculture" said T. Gilbert Pearson.
secretary of the National association
Of Audubon Societies, at it's headquar-
tiers, 141 Broadway. today I'VE have
just heard of the butchering of 1900
meadow larks, whose diet Is proved to
consist 20 per cent Of crop destroying
insects, in one Georgia community. For
every one Of such insect eaters that
is killed we must all pay an increased
cost of food and clothing. When
Americans come to realize this, we be-
lieve they viii all join with us In
working for the protection of the birds
whose life means agricultural pros
perity and plenty"