Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-28

1t is agreed by all authorities that
the most important step for the pro-
lection of birds consists in bringing
about suitable conditions of life. es
pecially opportunities for building
nests That is as true of America as
of Germany, and in the preservation of
the right kind of thicket protection is
the first step. Birds will not breed if
they do not find suitable places for
nests. or will fail to rear their young
under makeshift conditions. But many
of orr most useful small birds build
in holes in trees and an important
part OF the work at the Seebach eXpe-
riment station consisted in providing
ready made woodpecker's holes for
such birds. No ordinary hole in wood
will supply the place of those which
the Woodpeckers construct. as may be
seen by the failure Of the average am
atcur bird-boX to attract any bird
whatever. The woodpecker slants his
entrance upward a little perhaps to
discourage the rain from entering.
Then as he goes down he enlarges and
makes a pouch shaped hole of certain
dimensions with a little collection of
home made sawdust at the bottom.
In Germany the Government eX-
pressly orders that the old trees in
which woodpeckers build shall be left
in the Crown woods But Baron Berl-
epsch went ahead OF that. He studied
real nests, made an exact copy Of them
and set the copies up in his woods by
he thousand The results justified his
wisdom The artificial nests were i'm
mediately inhabited, while those made
on other lines We're, and always had
been. neglected by the birds. The
EerleSBseh nesting boxes are now
known the world over. and his idea
has been copied by many makers. 1t Is
waste ef time to put up any other
kind for such birds as build in holes.
But it is mistake to wait until spring
before putting up the bird boxes.
Many of the hole nesting birds winter
with MS and use the holes for shelter
ut night. Thus they become accus-
toned to them and are far more APT
10 select thom for breeding places in
the spring, II put up now even the
migrants get last look at them be
fore they leave and are apt TO com"
back to them in the spring,
Here, then, are two great means for
attracting the wild birds; the planting
and pruning the shrubbery to sui
their needs. and the providing of SUIT
able boxes Tor the hole-nesting species.
Poth tie shrubberY and the boxes
serve eNcellentlY we'll for shelter in
winter as well as for nesting N sum
mrr. and the shrubberp. if OF the right
kind provides a great deal Of winter
food. Eut from nov ON feeding, done
under the right conditions, will do
more than anything else to attract the
birds to ones grounds and to keep
them there to nest in the following
spring. Mountain-ash berries and other
small fruits that hang on we'll may
he collected and doled out later. For
the soed-cating birds those seeds
which contain much oil are especially
palatable. Sunhower seeds are good
but hemp seed seems to be the best
food Tor attracting the seed eaters.
Rape seed is least desired by the wild
birds.
In Germany they sell for THIS food
fer wild birds a compound Which they
call food stones" Much of this Is
hemp seed but other seeds are added
also white bread dried and ground,
dried and ground meat, oats. berries
and ants eggs. To the total quantity
|, of this dried food is added one and
half times as much beer or mutton
fat. The whole is melted together
and on hardening become food stone.
A feeding tree is selected aud this
mixture, piping hot. is poured out up
on it's branches and allowed to harden
there. AS the hot fat is injurious to
growing tree. small ever greens are
selected, set up at desired spots and
Titus treated. The method prevents
crows and jays from taking the food
away in chunks, Us often happens
when suet or meat is tied to limbs.
The food stick" is similar ia char
acter to the food-tree. 1t conists of Il
limb in which holes have been bored
and the hot food mixture poured in
and allowed to harden. These food
sticks are then carried to the wood
and fastened up on the trees where
the birds can get at them. This meth
cd, too battles the crows and jays who
| can peck at the food. as may the 9TH
er birds. but cannot carry it away in
| chunks as they would like to- But
both the food-tree and the food-stlck
must be often renewed by human
bands. S soon as they become depict
ed. To save labor the Hessian food
| belf' and food house" have been in
| vented The food bell is an inverted
! glass reservoir which holds much
| hemp seed. This tricllles down auto
ma tically to a little saucer, which is
| filled as fast as the birds eat it away,
| but ne faster. till all is gone from the
| hell. once properly in place it should
| last all winter. The bird sitting al the
| saucer feeding is sheltered from storm
or enemies by q emi-hemispherical
shelter which fits above the food sauc-
| er and through the centre of which the
| supply tube from the reservoir above
| passes. BY a hook above and one be-
| low this arrangement may be sus-
| pended by rods to the trunk of a tree,
| and altogether is well planned affair.
| The Hessian food-house consists of
a roof resting on four corner posts
and a centre post with the upper, act
ual food table and below 1t a smaller
| food table. The food is placed on the
| lower table only until the birds have
| found the upper one below the roof,
| right around The houSe and "A strip of