Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-05-26

I did not know how much was miss
ing by being tied up in q city; remem-
Der now that I did long for the. open
and for the smell OF the fresh green
earth. but as the years have passed
work has crowded most OF those long
lnzs into the background. This spring
time spenf in Florida has brought back
al the pleasures. In my mothers yard
shere Is room for all sorts OF nature
studies. the lot is large and the cat
and dog have been trained TO let the
birds and butterflies alone. In the back
yard is a place for the. dogs food. high
enough for the chickens 70 let IL alone
after Bob has eaten there is plenty left
Tor the birds and they are right there
for il The jays have q nest in one
tree and the Knockers in another.
/ hoped this year to keep tab on the
birds and see which came first OF those
who winter even farther down than this
part OF the country. but a stay in Jack
sonville and trips in other sections have
lnterrered with my plans. / think that
h would be fine for several in one neigh
borhood to work together, there Is so
much pleasure in doing things together
and this would be a real recreation
Many people have an idea that all birds
birds winter IN Florida That is a mis-
take You would be surprised TO know
how many take a trip over to Central
America and even as far as South Amer
lea. / suppose that some OF them are
poor sailors, and the smell OF the wa
ter makes them sick" That is the ex-
cuse some people give for not going In
4 boat Such travellers can take the all>
land route. They can 20 through Tex
As and Mexico. but a great many Of them
ny across the gulf of Mexico.
Think what a fine time you would
have II you could come 10 Florida; fly
across to Cuba. or to some OF the other
Islands. on 10 South America or
wherever your rowing fancy prompted,
rnd then with the return OF spring
time turn your faces this way
Write to the bureau OF biological sur
eey and ask for the bulletin on birds
md their migrations. 1t Is interesting
to learn that IL takes about one month
Cor most OF the birds TO fly from Flor
Ida to the New England states Uf
rourse. there are some species that DO
not travel that fast and there are al
ways some lively ones Of all species
that out-fly the flock II I had my
way there would not be a gun fired at
any bird except hawks and that family
Tor five years. IT Is a shame the way
boys and men let their passion for kill
Ing run away with their common sense
kven when was child there were
twice as many birds as now, and my
mother tells me OF some that are never
seen in FLORIDA these days When viii
The lawmakers see that it Is TO their in
Geresrs to protect the birds? Some
claim that they eat the fruit. In a
tense that may be true, but IL you ex-
anime the crops OF the average bird
killed you viii see that it IS packed with
Insects
Riding from Madison to Jacksonville.
was astonished to see the devastation
II the lumber and turpentine folks Inc
eountry seemed desolate- I am told
hat IL the right sort Of settlers viii
lake the land they can make money.
Maybe they can. but II they had the
trees they would have a better chance.
fail TO see where any one is plant
ing trees There is where other states
ire smarter than we are AS a section
81 land is cleared there mIs..1 be trees
planted and the forest not only multi
blied but the rainfall and cold weather
out on a better basis
But am not going to get started on
hat subject now. I am going to tell
Fou that have been faithful to our page
through all its vieissitudes how mucn
appreciate the fact. We have not the
space right now. but that should make
as all try TO write our best and let
sbrevity be the soul Of wit" In writ
Ing for a paper the personal element
must not be too much emphasized. and
when you take up a subject that has
been discussed, don't let IL seem as II
the previous writer had you in mind
when she wrote; most probably she
never heard OF you Several have ask
ID me n the Badge Wearers" had all
died or IL they only wrote to get the
badges and were through with the bus
mess II is not for me TO say. I know
that we would like TO have short let