Askov American., 1943-07-01
Gardeners Nook
By GARDEN CLUB EDITOR
VICTORY GARDEN GUARDIANS

By Ken Morrison in Conservation
Volunteer.
Probably no one has attempted to
calculate the number of tragedies that
can befall a victory garden from the
day the seeds are tenderly dropped
into the earth until the bounty is
harvested.
The amateur gardener finds to his
remorse that the fruits of his effort
somehow aren't always reasonable
facsimiles of the lush products pic
tured in the seed catalogues. Ger
tainly not the least important of the
gardens saboteurs are the insects.
More than 100000 varieties of them
have been collected and named.
The insects constitute vast in
U. S. Department of Agriculture does
over $1,600,000, 900 of damage every
year and would do hundreds of mil
lions more were it not for the birds,
bats, shreWs, moles, squirrels, skunks,
etc. Probably more than half the
food of the 400 species and varieties
of North American birds consists of
insects. The value of birds alone in
destroying insects has been estimated
at $35O,00O,00O.
A lone warbler can destroy $500
aphidS in an hour . house wren
brings an insect to its young on the
average of every two minutes all day
long :. q. a young robin will consume
its weight in worms and grubs every
day. Without the assistance of these
victory garden aides, we would
doubtless be overrun by pests that
are partially kept in check by the
birds voracious appetites.
The mobility of birds and their
propensity to wander results in their
concentrating at the scene of any
local insect outbreak. Frequently
they not only control pest, but vir-
tually exterminate it locally Most
famous example is the sea gull
cricket episode in the Salt Lake VAL
ley in 1848 Thousands of gulls
poured into the region to feast on the
crickets-thereby saving the crops
and the lives of the early Mormon
pioneers. The beautiful $4,000 Sea
Gull Monument in Temple Square in
Salt Lake City was erected in CRATE
full remembrance of the gulls' serv-
ices.
Sparrows, finches, doves, blackbirds
and others are almost as valuable as
the wholly insectivorous species in
that they destroy great quantities of
noxious weed seeds.
Various estimates have been made
of how long it would take man to
disappear from the earth if the birds
were suddenly wiped out. Probably
most of them are greatly exaggerated.
1t is extremely possible that parasites
might be able to keep the pests in
check. Nevertheless, most of US
wouldn't want to take the chance.
Many local gardeners have become
discouraged because of the appear
ance of large black ants which are
giving trouble. Plants and grass near
the ant holes are injured, not because
ants attack them, but because the
supporting earth around the roots is
disturbed. The simplest remedy is a
teaspoonful of Paris Green mixed
with a cupful of sugar-preferably
brown sugar. Spread little of the
mixture at time around the ant
holes-so the insects carry it inside
but spread it only when the ground
seems likely to remain dry for day
or two. The materials are wasted if
put out when the ground is wet.
Probably your basement or cellar
needs fixing up to provide good stor-
age conditions. If it does, you can
get some practical suggestions on how
to do the job from Extension Pam
phlet 101, For Health This Winter
Store Vegetables"
Drying is another method of food
preservation you may want to try
this year, if you haven't before. Dry
ing Foods at Home" Extension
Pamphlet 1O2, will tell you how to
do the drying as well as how to sui
phur apples and brine kraut.
given by Mrs Long cOOperative