The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-10

attract birds. II is important to not,
that an ample supply Of food prior t,
J and during the nesting season tends /,
Increase the number of eggs laid anC
also the number OF broods in "A season
Bird food may be supplied in two way,
by planting teres. shrubs and herb
which produce seeds or fruits rellshed
by birds and by exposing food In artl.
hcial devices. The most familiar phase
OF the latter method liz winter feeding
During the season when the natural
food supply liz at its lowest ebb birds
respond most readily to our hospitality
Winter feeding has become very popu-
lar, and the result has been ia bring
about better understanding between
birds and human kind.
The winter foods commonly used in
clude suct or other fat, pork rlnds.
bones with shrods OF meat cooked
meats meal worms cut up apples. bird
seed. buckwheat. crackers. crumbs,
coconut meat, cracked corn, broken dog
biscuits or other bread. hemp seed.
millet, nut meats OF all kinds ESPECIALLY
pcanuts). whole or rolled oats. peppers.
popcorn, pumpkin or squash seed. raw
or boiled rice. sunhower seeds and
wheat.
The methods Of making these supplies
available TO birds are as varied as the
dietary Itself. A device very commonly
used is the food tray or shelf. This
may be put on a tree or pole, by a win
dow or at some other point about a
building or strung upon n wire or other
support on which II may be run back
and forth. The last device Is useful in
accustomlng birds TO feed nearer and
nearer a comfortable observation point.
A fault with food Shelves Is that wind
and rain may sweep them clean and
snow may cover the food These de-
fects may be obviated in part by adding
raised ledge about the margin or by
placing the shelf in the shelter OF a
wall or shielding II with evergreen
branches on one or more sides.
Feeding devices not affected by the
weather are preferable. Food baskets
OF any desired size made Of wire netting
or metal grating may be hung up or
fastened to the trunk Of a tree.
More elaborate apparatus for the
same purpose comprises various forms
OF food hoppers and food houses. The
food hoppers in common use for do
nestle fowls are adapted TO the feeding
OF birds. and some special forms are
now manufactured for wild birds
The food house is a permanent struc-
turc, with solid roof and glass on one
or more sides to permit observations.
The food trays 1t contains are entirely
sheltered from the weather. In one
style this result is obtained by mounting
the house on pivot and furnishing 1t
with yanes which keep the open side
always away from the wind
For seed eating birds cultivate the
following pants and let them go to seed
amaranthus cruentus. amaranthus
caudatus, asters, calandrinias, carduus
benedictus, centaureas, escholtzla, sun
howers NADIA elegans, pOlygonum
orlentale and l.. sachalinense. portulaca
and silene.
The various mlllets are relished by all
the seed eating birds, common millet.
panioum miliaceum. Japanese millet and
German millet or Hungarian grass
Canary grass. phalaris canariensls and
Inc various species OF pennlsetum are
also good for seed eating birds.
Alders and birches bear numerous
cones eagerly sought for by redpolls.
siskins and goldhnches during winter.
The pine and wening grosbeaks will be
attracted ny ashes and box elders.
Larches' pines and other conifers attract
The crossbills as well as some OF the
species above mentioned.
Fruits That Attract birds ana Their
FruitinE Season.
Below We give list OF fruits thar
attract birds and their fru!ting season /
from n table compiled by w. l.. McAtoe. |
assistant biologist, United States De-
rartment Of Agriculture, published in
his bulletin How to Attract Birds in |
Northeastern United States" and tho
are also from the same !
In place OF naming the months |
figures are used TO indicate the fruiting |
season. indicates January, . Feb |
ruary and 80 on:
Juniper. TO 10. Red cedar. 1 TO IL. |
Greea Drler' TO g. Bnyberry, to 6.
l TO ~. Red mulberry /
White mulberry. and I Pokeweed. : |
to 3. Barberry, 7 to S. sassatras, 7 to |
10. Spice bush. = to IL Wild goose
berry. TO 9. Rcd currant, 10
Towering crabapple, . to 6. Chokeberry,
TO 3. Mountain ash, 7 to 3. Jun,berry,
TO 10, Cockspur thorn, = to g. Wash
Ington thorn, IN to g. English thorn 3
to g.. Wild strawberry. 9 to Q. Wild
to .. Pasture rose. 1 to ~.
Wild black cherry. 10 II. wild red
cherry, to 10. Beach plum. to 3.
smooth sumac or fragrant sumac, l to
H. Black alder. 7 to &. Bittersweet.
to 6. virginia creerer. 8 to 2. Buffalo
berry. TO o. Bunchberry, to 10
Flowering dogwood, 8 to g. Partridge
Berry. TO IL. Common elder, : 10 10.
Red berried elder. to s.
To raise meal worms 10 feed to birds
put three or four quarts OF cornmcal
n tin can large enough so the meal
viii occupy only about two.thrds or
hree-quarters OF tho can. on the meal
brow I'm piece of cotton cloth wadded
lp little for the worms to crawl about
n. Cover the can and put away I'm a
lnrk place and in few weeks the meal
viii be alive with meal worms that are
'elishcd by wild and Gagged birds. par
icuiarly tho soft billed birds.
According to an old English book on
THE Gentleman Gardener"
18th edition, issued IN 1854. apricots
II that time were called abrlcots. in
'culated on pear or plum stocks" Bay
rees we're popular al that time, ana
cherry trees are credited with being
irst brought into England In the
year So