The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1913-05-30
.s4s*44s @*ss****t -
Farmers Letter.
By CAPT. / n! r. PECK
BygAAL! Garrison Chief Feed
and Seed Inspector, De-
pArtnlent AgFicaltnre

VI
Iaminauenced BY neither sena
timent nor patriotism 10 swritingf
this article, but I write it bon a |
condition of existing facts which |
would be z folly for anyone tc1
undertake to e deny or disphtes
Myinfofmation OF the subject
is limited to- my own 4 personal
observation and may not there
fore, be presented in as logical
and as fofcefnI manner as the
subject deserves
wish | were able and ahad an
oppertunitysto speak smyfeehngs
and be- understood, to- every
man, woman and child in Tenn
nessees InraaState and country
whefeawec are capable Of doing
and qwhefeewe actually do great
things, we are prone to- forget
and neglect somee things that
areeapparently small but which
realltyggreat
The projection Of nenEgamei
birds means millions Of dollars
to Entertainers of this sconntryyinl
insect destruction and weed
eradication / may be- somee
what cfantyy and oserlzealons
when ] state that it iss the
heighth ftinsratitude to- watch
aacatbird satisfyyhef appetite by
eating a handful Of catefpillars
from Pa choice apple tree, then
To take the taste out Of her
mouth fit away FORA cherry or
berfyYof some kind and in doibg
SO get shot-ihgratitndee exem-
pli6ed BY aareal tragedy benz
efactof and o. friend slaughtered
By him toowhom it was senttby a
wise Creator to- benefit econonni4
cally, and to cheer with itssmes-
sageeof love given forth from
vocal cords neverrtol be eqnaled
orrapproached by the most ac-
complished pfima donna.
The people are aware as never
Before Of the cruelty as we'll as
the economic loss involved III
the unchecked slaughter Of the
Birds. One Of the niiIoff feal
lures Of the Underwood Tariff
Bills tothis end: THE ilhpor.
tation Of feathers, quills,i heads,
wings, skihsor parts Of skins Of
wild birds, either raw or manu-.
featured, and not for scientific
or educational purposesis hereby
prohibited" The prohibition
is the favorable response to the
human sentiment Of the country
and is aimed to stop traffic in
the trophies Of as wanton d
slaughter as was ever pefpetiat-
ed to cater to the vanity Of hu.
mankind.
If the farmers, the school
teachers, the newspapers and
other like agencies would exefu
their powerful influence for a
few years in behalf Of these
little friends we could with al-
most absolute assurance feel
safe from insect pests, and an.
stead Of the croak Of the frog
there would come from the
orchard, the meadow, and the
deep tapgeled wildwood, melo.
dies which would excel that of
the babbling brooks" styled by
poets as Natures sweetest mus
sic."
1t protection is not given the
same, in a few years there will
come from our woodlands and
forests deathlike silence. The
boil weevel, potato beetle, grass
hopper, and all other insect enc
mics Of the field and orchard
will marchIuuchecked and unhin.
dered, doing damage equal to
that OF all the droughts, floods,
cyclones and torDadoes.
Think about it. This is no
idle dream. Let us no longer
stain ourselves with the dest
tion Of these little rue
HGod Almighty creatures
the lives y gave to bless
800. men," 1T will soon
W TN lafa ~ rar,,oo Al