The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-08-08
FRIENDS OF MANKIND
F~eathered Creatures of Greatest
Benefit to Farmers.
Every Songster That Lives on Insect
Life Is Worth Its Wsisht in Gold
Should Be Encouraged in
the Gardens.

Few persons actually realize the
great good accomplished by many OF
the more common varieties OF insect
destroying birds. Every bird that
lives on insect life is worth its weight
in gold 90 mankind, declares Harper's
Weekly. ia most localities these use
full birds have been SO destroyed as
to be almost exterminated, and the
increase of destructive insects that
frequent the field, orchard and garden
is appalling. Something Will have to
be done Don or mankind will be CON
fronted With a very difficult problem.
The natural means CT eX~terminating
these pests are by far the best. The
birds are the natural enemies of the
life that destroys and injuries the
various crops. Why not assist the
willing birds in this work? We can
easily do so If we but stop and cor
slider for a moment. Instead Of de-
plotting the focks Of bluebirds, wrens
and purple martins, encourage them
to inhabit your lawns, gardens and
orchards.
Erect homes for the birds. The
little common house wren that Is al
ways busy either in winter or summer
in catching thousands Of insects or
feeding on their laryee will greatly
appreciate a little effort on our part
to provide them shelter. Tin cans,
old coffee pots or small wooden boxes
fastened on fences, outbuildings, ar
bors or trees, and provided with en-
frances about b size OF a half-dol-
lar, will make coy homes for the
Matched and fed with the pests in
the garden will insure a greater
quality and better quality of fruits
and vegetables.
The bluebird is another enemy OF
the hundreds of insects that get in
their wicked work in the early spring
and summer, when bloom and tender
fruits are exposed to their ravages.
They can be induced to remain about
our homes if provided with suitable
roosting and nesting boxes. The type
of home may vary, but it should not be
too large, and more than one should be
erected about the home, especially in
the orchard. A box not more than
twelve by eighteen inches, divided in
of our ooms with an opening into
each room and a narrow ledge OF
~alighting board. is the most easily pro
vided. 1t should be placed on a pole
about twelve or fifteen feet high. y
might be well to have the pole at
tached TO a fence post or some other
handy place, by a hinge SO the boz
can be lowered when it is necessary &c
clean it out or remove the English
spalroWs.
The purple martin is one Of oul
greatest ~sectivorous birds. It is 81
annual visitor, arriving about the frs
Of April. It eve nests in trees. Il
prefers some we'll sheltered home, anC
one that is out OF reach of the cats
Many years ago martin boxes We're
quite common, and great colonies
We're seen each ear. But during the
last quarter OF a century the martin
has been neglected, and one a traye
for miles without seeing a birdhouse
Every farmer, and, III fact, ever.
owner Of a home, should assist in re
claiming these birds. Erect homes
for them. A great variety OF houses
can be built. Any Il can secure
box from the grocer, cut a couple 0
small holes in it, and place it OF
a pole not far from the house. Man,
of pretty designs can be built hat vii
not only serve a good purpose, bu
make the home more attractive. Tht
martin loves to be noticed and talket
to, and it will repay n for hi
trouble in it's CHEEKY MARBLE, and il
time its presence will be shown il
the quantity and quality Of the pro
ducts injured by the insect pests.