The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-07-27

and his works. Quick to realize their
safety these birds nest and rear their
young about human abOdes. and at
hines become very abundant. their
numbers frequently reaching such
ufoportionS tina apprehension is felt
mai they may become dangerous to
agriculture and horticulture. A study
al their economic status, therefore.
III the utmost Importance, eSpec-
ttUy when il is considered IL at a
IIrIs reputation is very often affect
Ell one way or the other merely by
IearSay evidence.
Investigation discloses that in ad-
af,uu to their pleasing qualities rob
t~ perform "A very useful function in
reducing the hordes of insect life con-
St3ntly prying upon the crops of the
farmer In this work a large part of
tlvir food consists of insects and they
feed their young upon I EN- almost
exclusively. 1t is recognized that
birds are one Of the necessary checks
provided hy nature upon the increase
81 the vast number of insects pro-
duced each year; that without them
there would be a greater
~ vegetation, and that certain crops
~ the farmer regularly matured
would, ii raised at all, be raised only
with increased difficulty and q Ia
Dor
A'N ''fh 10 VliN u NLS L't AahAA
iiar birds of the whole United States.
These birds are usually abundant
wherever found. For this reason the
matter of their food supply deserves
careful considerations, for wherever
natures lavish provision fails these
birds must seek their subsistence
either from cultivated crops or from
the wild varieties especially left or
provided for them by their human
friends.
The robin is found throughout the
greater portion Of the United States,
the range Of the species extending
into Canada and even Alaska.
While for the most part migratory
in the northern half of the country
individuals remain all winter in many
localities where shelter and foOd are
assured. In eastern Massachusett:
and at some PAGES farther west there
are cedar swamps which offer al
abundant supply of wild fruit, anC
robins remain throughout the winter
in large numbers. Most Of the species
however, spend the winte from lati
tude 40 degrees southwark and be
gin to move northward as soon a
snow disappears. They arrive in New
England in the latter part of Marcel
or early in April. and in the northern
states of the Mississippi valley some
what earlier. 1t is difficult to say jus
tAN Aoti lib okAcii o1o IL Sc RAiS 40
birds to leave are replaced by other
from farther north.
In It's breeding habits the robin
very domestic, having learned to plac
a good deal of confidence in it's hu
man neighbours. 1t commonly select
orchards as nesting places, or fear
leSsly builds upon a projecting she
of a piazza or under an open she
where persons pass many times durin
the day. Stone walls and fences ar
often utilized, and In one case know
TO the writer the nest was placed q
rectly upon the ground. The bird
confidence is rarely abused, and 1t
allowed to rear it's brood undisturbe
wherever the nest may be. Fol
young are commonly raised in a broo
and two or more broods are G
IN a season. In the northern part
the country, especially in New En-:
land, the robin is thought so we'll
that one is rarely killed or diSturbe
Owing to the complete protectiC
the species enjoys, it sometimes b
comes over-abundant for the best /
terests Of horticulture, and its de
relations upon small fruits are so e
1ensive as to try the patience of
friends, the fruit growers. In Spl
OF this the law still extends it's pr
tecting arm over the bird in me
parts Of the country, II fruit gro
ers have to guard their crops as be
they can. Many who grow fruit
nome consumption declare that t
robins take more than half the ere
and some have testified that they
ten take the whole crop.
r'or a number of years the Writ
was engaged in the cultivation
small fruits in Massachusetts, n
though robins were abundant abe
the farm they did no appreciate da1
age. On the farm where the writ
l!Fed when a boy was a fine cole
uon of the choicest varieties of C II
rIes. The first fruit to ripen ea