The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-03-23

How to Coax the Feathered Vo-
caHsts to Settle In Orchard or
Garden, Where They VIII
Rout Insect Hosts9
Is 80 close at hand that

the housewives thoughts turn
4 happily to anticipate 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-
carious 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 their
hats means 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
more thoroughly awaken public senti-
meut In favor Of protecting the birds in
her ne!ghborhood 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 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
hint where their forces might do more
effective work Audubon societies all
over the country and the national soci-
ETY.. with its headquarters in New York.
are glad to supply suggestions for the
formation OF new bird clubs or give
helpful hints for either bird study or
bird protection.
Bird boxes put up In the trees about
the house. bird fountains and feeding
troughs or boards will attract many
birds.
The nesting boxes may be made By
the handy boys of the family. An
empty starch or salt box with hole
cut in the wooden lid and perching
pole tucked outside the little door
makes one Of the simplest homes. An
empty tin can nailed to a tree with
the open end ont will attract tenants.
Robin loves the cherry tree. and so
does the jaunty catbird. but the cherry
tree will be free from insects where
the catbirds and robins live. and there
are ways Of circumventing these feath
cred gOrmands of the cherries. One
/. is by getting up early and picking the
cherries before they reach that stage
of ripeness at which the birds prefer
/, to take tom. If hedges Of wild Der
. ries are planted for the benefit of the
birds they will pay less attention to
the orchard fruits.
Many birds prefer hollow tree for
a home. and if yon have one Of these
on the premises let it stay unless it is
too unsightly. Your reward will be
the sight of many happy twittering
birds around your doorstep and a
CHEEKY song outside your windows in
the morning and In the evening.
Birds are SO useful to the farmers
that farmers wives have everywhere
been the most enthusiastic and inteili-
gent members of local bird clubs.
| They know from observation what
few of the little creatures can do to
rout the insects that prey on every
green thing about the premises.
Better an Easter bird in the treetops
than an Easter bird upon hat is their
motto.