The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-02-08
PLANT TREES BIRDS LIKE.
To Coax Them Away From Cher,
ries, Berries and Choice Fruits,
Says Government Official

Inc pest Help the lTult Tdncner
has in his constant fight on pests is
the insect-eating birds. They are
cheaper than spraying and while
they do not render the application
of poison to the setting fruit unnec-
essary, they supplement the work of
the power engine to an extent hard
ly realized.
That it Is to the highest advant-
age of the fruit grower to have an
abundance of birds about the farms
and homes. is the belief of w. l..
McAtee of the biological survey Of
the United States Department of
Agriculture. So important are birds
from early spring right through the
winter Il they can be kept, accord
ing to his notion, that people ought
to plant trees and shrubs with a
view to furnishing food supply and
shelter for their little neighbors of
the air. He admits that they do
some damage to the fruit, especially
the earlier varieties, but thinks that
such damage can be lessened to a
minimum by planting counter at
fractions. There is no tree which is
greater delight to the birds. he
says, than the mulberry. There are
several varieties of this tree, some
blossoming early and others later,
and some varieties continue in bear
ing from two to six months. Quite
apart from any reference to the birds
the mulberry Is beautifully shaped
shade tree which takes kindly to
Yakima conditions,
Prefer Native Kinds.
To coax the birds away from the
cherries and the strawberries, there
is the mahaleb or stock cherry and
the European bird cherry. Among
the native fruits the only ones re-
commended at present are the SER
Give or June berry. the red berried
elder and wild Strawberries and
raspberrles. Elderberries are prob
ably the most valuable native fruits
for attracting birds in the summer
and fall, particularly in the west,
where they have long fruiting sea-
son. The birds show a marked pref
erence for native rather than for
exotic fruits, so that in so far as
possible it is advisable to plant the
home grown shrubs and trees.
SparrOws Are Many.
A hundred species of sparrows in
habit the United States and in the
number of individuals they outrank
any other family. Many of them
are characteristic winter birds and
as they are great destroyers of weed
seeds and are sprightly and CHEEKY
70 q sd IL
trouble to attract them, says Mr..
McAtee.
Since it is not desirable to plant
weeds, the next best thing is to
plant harmless species of their IA
vorite genera. Fortunately many
common ornamental garden plants
which are dependent entirely on Gull
t1vation, fulfill all requirements and
produce in abudance seeds which
are highly relished by sparows. To
these may be added a few native
species which are not bad weeds,
and the various millets which are
excelled by no other plants in at
tracing the seed-eating birds. The
following plants are recommended
for sparrows and other birds liking
small seeds: Love-lies-b bleeding,
princes feather. yellow chamomile,
bachelors button, African millet,
California poppy. tar weed, miners
lettuce. sunfpwer and all sorts of
millet.
Mr.. McAtee recommends plants
with value as bird food according to
the various zones. For this district
which comes under the arid divis-
ion of the Transition zone, the fol-
lowing shrubs and vines have been
found serviceable: Juniper, barber
ry, current, service berry, red rasp-
berry, chokeberry. aromatic sumach,
grape, silverberry, buffalo berry, red
osier snowberry and elder.