Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-11
SAVING THE GARDEN
FROM THE BIRDS

When the bugs are aided and allotted
in their garden onsIaushts by the BIRDS,
the garden maker is forced to energetic
measures And when the English spar
rows are the mischief makers. he will
be excused if he goes 10 the point OF
getting ont q gun and distributing buck
shot among them. One ingenious gar
dener has invented a device which helps
to increase the slaughter. 1t is in the
form of !. long trough with one end in
ambush. where the gunner hides. The
trough is !iled with corn, and when Il
small army Of birds has begun feeding
the gun is discha .sed. moving them
down the length OF the trough.
Sparrows often DO much damage ~
peas by nippine oil the ends when Very
small. The statement has been made IT
is true. that the birds are really seek
ing aphids on the leaves, but the result
is the same AS though they broke off the
vines deliberately and with malice
keeping them away aside from the use
of gun. one is TO dust the plants
freely with tobacco dusi. The birds
have no liking FOR this preparation,
every rain. The other plan is TO cover
the rows of plants with cloth ny screen
ing. weighted ut the sides with small
stones. y light framework of laths may
easily be made To keep the meeting from
resting on the vines.
Some seeGsmen sell bird netting,
which may be used To protect both
vegetables and fruit from birds of va
rious kinds. This netting. If made OF
cotton. has an inch mesh and comes
in twenty and thirty foot widths. The
cost is only about 40 cents for 100
square feet often it can be used to.
advantage in protecting the straw
berries from the robins. which 1T times
are almost as annoying as the sparrows.
although they possess the redeemlns
qualities OF beauty and song. They are
certain to make inroads upon the cher
ries. but small treSs may be entirely
covered with the bird netting mentioned,
so that the feathered robbers cannot
get at the fruit.
Even the currants may be carried OF
by the birds unless some plan to check
mate them is evolved. The use OF
bird netting or fly screening is the best
plan vet discovered. and is especially
valuable for the protection or currants,
because that fruit hangs TO the bushes
tenaciously and need not be picked for
a week or so after becoming ripe, thus
extending the season.
There are other ways, OF course, by
which the birds may be made to leave
the products of the garden Tor those
who grow them. One of these ways is
RI rim cords across the garden plot
about eight feet above the ground and
to suspend pieces of new tin or bits
of broken looking glass from strings
tiaa 70 these cords. Moving about and
flashing in the sunlight, these refiectors
are regarded with no little suspicion
nv the feathered marauders. Still an,
other. though similar, plan is to suspend
naper bags in this manner. the bags
first having been inflated. A few peb-
bies placed in each bag viii rattle and
aid in frightening the birds. English
garden makers cut squares OF light tin
81 the corners and bend them TO make
Mot orr bows and girls call pinwheels,
when they fashion them of paper. A
nail is thrust through the wheel and
driven into the stake. When the wind
blows the device both reflects the sun
There seem to be sharp differences of
oninion as to whether the good which