The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-10-16

From the Oglethorpe Echo.

Birds are our friends They are our allies
in the war we are now making against the
numerous insects that are destroying our
crops and impoverishng our country. They
deserve the consideration and protection OF
the thoughtful farmer and of all men, Tor
we are all dependent upon the farmer.
Not only has the boil weevil destroyed his
cotton fields but thousands of other bugs and
worms and weevils have invaded his corn
fields and other crops and during this year
have been especially destructive,
In their relations to insects and other enc
mics of crops birds are most directly asso-
ciated with the welfare of mankind. Here IS
a partial list Of the names OF our allies and
bird enemies of the boil weevil and other
insects:
The kildee, bobwhite, red-headed pecker-
wood bull bat might hawke, chimney sweep,
king bird, blue jay, cow bird, red winged
backbird, rusty winged blackbird, meadow
other sparroWs, red bird (the cardinaD, pur-
pie martin, cliff swallow and all swallows,
hooking bird, brown thresher, all the wrens,
blue birds, titmouse, chickadees and many
others, including the oriole.
There are. sixty kinds of birds that are
known to prey upon the boil weevil. Perhaps
the oroe is the most active bird enemy of
the boil weevil Forty-one Weevils have been
taken from a single stomach of the oriole.
And large numbers of Weevils are eaten by
all species of swallows. Fifty-one species
feed upon the boil worm and corn worm, and
the cuckoo is among the first in the destruc-
ton of such worms single cuckoo has
taken as many as one hundred and fifty
worms at a meal. The wren lives almost
entirely on insects. About fifty per cent OF
the food of the knocking bird is insects The
old brown thresher has to have about forty
per cent of his meals in insects; the red bird
about thirty per cent, the crow about the
same and Mr.. Jay Bird the same. He is the
fellow that our old nanny told us toted
sticks on Friday to the bad man to make
fires to burn us, and for that reason we have
always had a prejudice against the blue jay
He is bad on roastingears but he eats boil
weevils-what about this? The meadow lark
has Is per cent of his food insects He is
bad or boil weevi1s and other insects. The
blue bird takes So per cent of his meals on
insects, including weevils. The chickadee II
per cent The blue martins food consists al
most entirely of animal matter; the red
headed peckerwood sc per cent animal food
or insects; will-widows So per cent
Bob white is not very prominent among
boil weevi1 enemies. The impression has gone
out that he is one of the most destructive
among birds of the boil weevl but an in
vestigation by the United States department
OF agriculture finds that is not true. The par
fridge lives largely on seeds OF almost all
kinds of grasses and weeds He partakes
Many more birds could be mentioned
among the insect consumers, but enough has
been said to illustrate our point. We must
take care of the birds-not as a matter of
sentiment alone but for very practical and
obvious reasons of economies and profit.
Did you ever think of Gods general provi-
Dental care of his creatures? We were look
ing through window on a cold winter day
and saw bird that was scratching in rift
that had been washed up against fence. In
that heap of dirt there were thousands of
little seeds and the bird was getting his
breakfast Millions of insects, likewise, have
been provided for the birds and many OF
these insects have proven to be mans worst
enemies God provided man with birds to
make war on these insects. Provision, too,
was made for the insects as well as for the
birds and for man. In this situation man is
supposed to have sense enough to take care
of himself. VIII he do it? God has simply
given us something to think about and some
thing to do and with our allies, the birds,
and with scientific appliances at hand we can
win the war against the insects.