The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-06-18
THE PROTECTION
OF MANY BIRDS
MIGRATORY BIRDS SHOULD BE
PROTECTED NATURAL ENE-
MES OF INSECTS-INTEREST-
ING ARTICLE SHOWING BIRD
VALUE.

The following excellent article re-
garding the value to the country of
the migratory birds and the damage
done to crops throughout the country
by the insects upon which these birds
feed, is taken from the Scientific
American. 1t shows in dollars and
cents the value to the country Of our
birds:
"Our farmers suffer a loss Of $780,
900, 900 annually from the ravages OF
the boll-weevil, the gypsy moth, the
Colorado beetle. the rush fly, he cod
ling moth, the white scale, and many
other pernicious insects. Congress
has from time to time authorized the
expenditure of millions for the ex-
termination Of these pests, mt yet
congress hesitates adequately to pro-
tect birds which are known to be the
natural enemies Of destructive in
sects.
Most insects like the green leaf
louise, or aphis, so ruinous to n hop
industry, and many other Of u most
valuable fruits, and vegetables, re-
produce their kind at the rate of ten
sextillion to the pair in one season.
The natural increase of one pair or
gypsy moths would defolage the
United States in eight years. Lo-
Gusts, army worms, and chinch bugs,
unless checked in p~rocreation, soon
become countless hordes, devastating
wide areas Of the earth's surface. DR..
Lintner Of the New Jersey Board OF
Agriculture reports hat one hundred
and seventy-siX species of insects at
tack the apple tree. Approximately
the same number attack peach, plum,
and cherry trees. DIR. Packard finds
four hundred species feeding upon the
oak; and three hundred attacking the
| conifera. The number feeding upon
cereals, grains, n garden crops is
huge. DR.. Marlatt estimates that the
loss to the wheat-growing states in
1904, occasioned by the Hessian fly,
was about $780, 900, 900. and DR.. Shinar
| places the damage done to crops in
| the Mississippi Valley by the chinch
bug in one year as high as $780,
900, 900. The Rocky Mountain locust,
| during the years OF its greatest &C
| tiyity, caused a loss to the states of
the northwest Of more than $150,000,-
900, Cut worms, DR.. Lintner assures
us, mean an annual loss to farmers
Of 500, 600, 900. Clearly, it is not a
gross exaggeration to place the dam
age to our crops and fruit trees at
$500, 900 900 annually.
Under most state laws, local game
is adequately protected; for he aver
age open season does not exceed SIX
weeks, and often no shooting or fish,
ing is allowed for several years.
With migratory birds h opel season
often exceeds eight or nine months
This means eventual extemination
under state regulations, and with the
destruction of wild foul and insectiv-
orous birds the entire nation suf-
fers. Each woodpecker is worth $2O
to this country, according to the De-
partment Of Agriculture.
Certain varieties of snipe are now
extinct, and the remainder, but g
struggling remnant. is still being shot
ten months in the year. In 1867, ar
Ohio's Senate Committees report stat.
ed: 1.-THE passenger pigeon needs nc
protection" Fifty-five years afte'
this was written the bird which ex
listed in countless millions became to-
tally extinct.
at n season of the year practical
ly all the ducks of the United States
are crowded in the marshes an,
swamps of Louisiana and Florida; TO
there food Is abundant. Hence, it 1
difficult to convince the people Of tn
south that there is any scarcity Of tn
wild water fowl. The official recor,
Of wild fowl killed in Louisiana dur
ing the season OF 1910 is as follows
wild ducks, sea and river, 3,176,000
coots. 280,740; geese and brant, 202,
30; snipe and plover, 606,635. A
this rate our migratory birds Will b
extinct in a few decades.
The early idea predominated tina
any restriction imposed upon til
fright to make assaults upon nature
%storehouse was a restriction and a
abridgment Of human liberty an,
therefore, hostile to the principles
free government. More recently th
American people have become thor