The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-07-18
boy I !. !.
Sou
]. r. :: :. 81 : :: :: :.
- -. l.
(cohductsd by National couneii q the boy
Scouts OF AmericlJ ,,s.4 4,
BoYiscou1s AND:BIRDs

The same energy which used to go
into robbine birds nests and bringing
Cock Robin down with 1 sling shot is
still inherent in the small boy, but in
scouting it is put to other uses which
are, constructive instead of destruc.
tive. Every winter scouts maintain
hundreds Of feeding stations for their
feathered friends and every spring
thousands Of bird houses are built and
set up by boy scouts al over the coun-
try, so that when the birds come north
no renting problems await them. Near
ly every local council and many indt'
vidual troops conduct bird house
building contest which rouses great in
terest among scouts and fultills more
than one purpose in That not only are
the birds well served, but the boys get
practical carpentry training. In plan
ming the houses they observe and dis
cover bird habits in the endeavoi
to build houses which will suit the
prospective tenant. 10 most people a
bird house is q bird house, but scout
knows that what will be just the thing
for a wren may not please biuebird
at all. ~ :
Taking bird censuses and co-operat-
ing with Audubon societies in protect
ing bird life are also fairly frequent
In scout activities. "a certain troop In
San Francisco which has made a spe-
ciaIty of bird study and conservation
has been made, official guardians OF
the birds of Golden City Park.
Another feature Of bird conservation
work which received much attention
at the twelfth annual meeting Of the
national council in: March at the sug-
gestion Of John NJ. Phillips OF Pitts
burgh is the project Of planting large
numbers Of mulberry trees for the ben
eft of the robins and other fruit-eating
birds which are In danger of extinction
at the hands Of farmers! who realize
only that the, birds eat their own fruit
crops without also realizing that they
do an incalculable service in the de-
struction of insects. 'From March,
until june" says John NJ Phillips, who
was instrumental in getting the Boy
Scouts of America to take action In
this matter, "the robins and other
birds scour the gardens, fields and
forests clean of destructive insect life.
end make possible our small fruit
crops. Yet in June, when the parent
birds attempt to collect for their
hungry babies their 1.-THE of cherries
and berries which they had an indis-
pensable share lin raising, they meet
with a very different reception from
that to which they are entitled, espe-
cially since the federal government Is
now issuing permits to kill robins
when they are committing or are about
to commit serious injury to cherries
and other small fruit trees. Such &C.
ton, according to Mr.. Phillips, is not
only a serious blunder, but a real
breach Of honor to our feathered ben
efactors. His solution Is, supply more
fruit and berries Of an unmarketable
variety. The sweet cherry and the null
berry, both cheap and quick to grow,
are prime favorites with the birds, and
consequently planting these species
means saving more valuable crops,
especially as they bear continuously
all summer. and one tree Will feed hun
dreds Of birds. Scouts are not only to
plant these trees themselves, but they
are to help to educate the public, es-
pecially the farmer public, as to the
practical as we'll as humane aspect.
Of such u procedure. L., -