New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-19
Agriculture's Friends
Cats and Insects More Helpful 4.
Birds

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: I have read with smazement IA.
nunciation Of Mr.. b. l.. Hsrscll, profess.
tho Bedford IN. " Audubon Society 80
the cat.
The public has been sadly misled :, -
circulars that have omanated from N. -
portcrs, mostly gunncrs, Of the bill "a ~
cats. In the protection and conserv,,,..
our food supply we can afford To ,o.. y
birds rather than cats. The ancien. "a
tians not only highly esteemed the .s ~
vcnerated il as the protector Of tb.;, g..
vests and the guardian Of their gr,,.-
against the ravages OF destructive y.d...'
Admitting for moment that bird. a.. -,
liable to the sgriculturist, which is l.,,.,.
exaggerated, OF what use would il be =. -.
crops and after the usefulness Of IA. L.,
terminated TO find such crops as STORED t..,
ruined or destroyed by rats and ME. =,
similar pests, and even by the birds Ia.
selves. if they could gain access 70 them,
As to the value OF birds in general q,
mooted question whether they do NOR. -
than injury. Many OF them vorsciou., :.
tack nearly all kinds Of cultivated srp;..
grains and seeds, and sometimes fruit brl.
They often do an immense amount Of d.,...
and when in great numbers and their Man,,
food is scarce they become pests OF IN. w..
kind Some are predatory and destroy os-i.
try.
Benefcent Insects
To imagine that because bird cat. :.
sects il is therefore useful stamps IA. !,
dividual making such a statement as an -.
ramus. By far the larger number OF r,.r,
are beneficial, and IL is fact that WITH,
them there would be, in many instances. !.
fruit Again, a large number are pred,c,s,
that is. they destroy the insects that inju,
our crops and keep them in check. Wen 4
not for these predaceous (includiug the nan.
sitic) insects, il is doubtful whether snythh,
could be cultivated, and. in fact, it is pouls
that every species Of vegetation would S,.
appear within a very brief period, q birt,
would be totally incapable and ineonpese.,
alone to control the injurious ones fA1
value of scavenger insects in promoting sai.
tation by the prompt disposition Of pestisa.
tial organic matter is beyond computation.
Yet the vast majority OF birds consume shess
beneficial insects, and TO that extent are q.
ccedingly harmful.
In many instances the insects that are
really injurious are protected BY irri,ss.
ing hairs or poisonous spines, or live VI.
derground, as do the cut worms, and birds
with few exceptions, never touch them. Such
insects. however, have no terrors for the para
Site ones.
On the other hand, the cat never destroys
or Injuries any crop or vegetation Of any kind
and not only protects them from the ravass
of field mice and other harmful rodents Skls
growing, but when gathered and harvested %
still faithfully on the watch to protect what
ever is stored. Also, the cat neither esu
nor destroys any beneficial insects, and thus
does not lessen their effectiveness. Mere
over. il is a consumer Of much waste M.
terial. such as meats and fish, which II leit
EXPOSED would attract flies, and so plays The
part of q useful scavenger. Its value % -
pet and household companion needs no con.
ment. To license it would in no way satrgs
its nature. but it would certainly impair is
usefulness.
Cats and Rats in New Orleans
II is said that some cranks enes Induced
the authorities in New Orleans 70 eliminate
cats. The experiment cost the city *veni
millions of dollars through the rodents, which
thus, unchecked, multiplied to an alarming
extent. and the city hastily and franteau!
stocked up again with cats and thus gan"
relief.
While | am opposed TO the destrueten
any bird whatsoever, it may be well 70
mark that the creatures most valuable 70 -
agriculturist, in addition to the cat, az y
crow, starting, English sparrow, guam, q
toad, frog, all harmless snakes, and pe''eny
ing, predaceous, parasitic, scavenss' >"
weed destroying insects.
Any legislator who .favors cat nss.-
should be allowed to remain at home ssn's
the next session.
Librarian Brooklyn chronological soas"
Brooklyn, May 10, 1Ol7.