The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-03-18
BIRD MUSIC
AT The DOOR
How to Coax the Feathered Vo-
cahsts to Settle In Orchard OF
Garden, Where They Viii
Rout Insect Hosts.

- PRING is so close at hand thai
49, the housewives thoughts turn
a happily to anticipation of com
ing good times in the outdoor
world, of pleasant jaunts in the woods
and satisfying hours spent in her gar
den.
In most country places those harbin
gers of spring. the birds. are hopping
about the bare trees, picking up pre-
Ca1ous living as yet, but cheerful and
hopeful in spite of hard times.
The best friends Of the birds are wo
men. The ranks of those that revel in
aigrets and humming birds skins for
tunately grow yearly smaller as edu-
cation is extended and women under.
stand that the lovely plumage on theiI
hats means a mother cruelty slaugh
tered and feathered babies left orphan.
ed and starving.
The most efficient bird protector is
the home woman who loves the merry
songsters for themselves. No one can
more thoroughly awaken public senti-
ment in favor OF protecting the birds IN
her neighbOrhood than the woman who
loves and knows them. She can talk
to the children about them; she can dis
courage neighbors who are thinking Of
buying their <bOy that dangerous toy,
an air gun; she can interest the girls in
her Sunday school class the ladies who
belong to her church society or wo-
mans club If the laws for the protec-
ton of birds are not being enforced in
her neighbOrhood she can drop a hint
TO the authorities about this State
fish and game commissions and the
United States department of agricul
ture, which are keenly alive to the
value of the birds to the farming inter
ests Of the country, are doing their
best to awaken the people. and the
state authorities are usually glad OF g
hint where their forces might do more
effective work Audubon societies al
over the country and the national soci
ETY., with its headquarters in New York
are glad to supply suggestions for TN,
formation of new bird clubs or Civ,
helpful hints for either bird study o
bird protection.
Bird boxes put up in the trees abou
the house, bird fountains and feedin!
p troughs or boards will attract man.
birds
The nesting boxes may be made b.
. the handy boys Of the family. Al
} empty starch or salt box with n hol
cut in the wooden lid and a perchin
pole tackled outside the little doc
makes one Of the simplest homes A.
empty tin can nailed to tree Wit
Z the open end out will attract tenants.
4 Robin loves the cherry tree, and s
d does the jaunty catbird. but the cherr
n tree will be free from insects wher
n the catbirds and robins live. and Their
i are ways of circumventing these featl
I cred gormands of the cherries. On
is by getting up early and picking tn
cherries before they reach that stag
- Of Tipeness at which the birds prefe
to take them. If hedges of wild be
ries are planted for the benefit OF til
birds they will pay less attention
= the orchard fruits.
Many birds prefer q hollow tree f
a home, and If you have one of thes
on the premises let it stay unless it
! too unsightly. Your reward will |
the sight of many happy twitterir
birds around your doorstep and
CHEEKY song outside your windows
the morning and in the evening.
Birds are so useful to the farme
that farmers wives have everywhe
| been the most enthusiastic and intel
| gent members of local bird club
| They know from observation what
| few of the little creatures can do
| rout the insects that prey on eve
| green thing about the premises
| Better an Easter bird in the treetol
| than an Easter bird upon hat is the