Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-07-15
BIRDS BIG AID
TO FARMERS
DR.. MacCurdy Writes of Wis
it to Ford Bird Farm
Near Detroit
BIRDS EXTERMINATE INSECTS
Propagation of Wild Birds Solution
Of Insect Pest on Farms
Says Professor

ers of the Alma Bird Club and has
been the chief promoter of its inter
ests. He wrote the following story
for the Record on his return from
visit to Detroit. 1t will be of unusual
interest to everyone to whom natures
wonders are a source of JOY.
"To most of the readers of the Re-
cord, Mr.. Henry Ford is known as the
maker of automobiles and a fortune
and also as one who has given to his
workmen, a share in the profits of the
industry. He is not so we'll known
as a friend and lover of the birds,
though his work in this way is known
to ornithologists everywhere.
Recently | had occasion to visit Mr.
Ford's farms, and in addition to being
given the privilege of seeing what he
has done for the protection and in
crease of bird life. | was shown some
of the other things in which he is in
terested and which he is having done
In this way | was shown the new farm
Tractor, which Mr.. Ford has for some
time been experimenting with and has
brought to high degree of efficiency.
1t is well adapted to the needs of the
modern agriculturalist, and it is eX-
pected that the manufacture of these
Tractors will surpass the great auto
mobile industry that he has built up.
Mr.. Ford is also interested in devel-
oping his property in all its possibil-
tiles. The farm consists of large
tract of land of naturally varied sur
face which he is transforming into an
estate of rare beauty and adaptability
to modern needs. A fine country home
beautifully situated in the midst of
his estate is being built. The nearby
wooded river banks, the varying val
leys, and the adjacent hills and farm
lands, lend themselves naturally and
advantageously to the skill of the land
scape architect and are undergoing
such changes as will add to their ma
tural beauty and make them serve the
desired purposes. The beauty of a
landscape is increased a hundred fold
when it is made to fulfill all of its
useful possibilities This is the key to
all that is being done on the farms.
Fields and orchards are being devel-
oped; and the natural woodlands are
made the refuge for the wild birds
mans most faithful friends in nature
The river is made more beautiful
by being made to furnish water power,
the natural woodlands and landscape
paintings are made to offer the most
favorable places possible for the pro-
lection and homing needs of the wild
birds. A struggling thorn tree by the
roadside when transferred and set
down on the margin of an open mea-
dow near the edge of thicket with
background of woods, takes on new
form and gives distinct spirit to the
new creation Few of us learn to
plant a tree or shrub where nature
would, that it might give most service.
The birds seem to know the differ
ence; and if you succeed in winning
them you may be satisfied that you
are learning. Dogwood, hazel, haw-
thorn, spires, wild grape, bittersweet,
aspen, elm, maple, oak, and scores
more in paintings stretching away
from the margin of the lake and mea-
dow to the deep cool woods and river
make an ideal refuge for the birds and
for man. The birds have already tax
en- up their share in this, and that they
are thoroughly enjoying it is seen by
their incessant action and song. Many
nesting boxes of all kinds are to be
seen in suitable places, and occasion
ally feeding house for use in winter
is placed in the vicinity of shelters
and naturally protected places.
In less than three hours and within
the distance covered by quarter of a
mile more than half a hundred differ
ent kinds of wild birds were counted,
many of them in great numbers. Most
of them were nesting. Space will not
permit naming all of them here, but
the Bobolink in the meadow, Catbird,
Brown-thrasher, and others, in the
thickets; Orchard Oriole, vireo, Rose
Continued on Page 4)