Evening star., 1946-04-13
This and That
By Charles E. Trace1Uell.

MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE.
Dear Sir:
Recognizing how dificult it must be
to maintain continuity on your chosen
subject, I thought you might be inter-
eSted in two articles I came across in nv
reading.
'They are: Avoiding Mistakes in Bird
Feeding Horticultural magazine, jan
uary Is, 1910, and Solving the Squirrel
Problem the same, November IS, 1910,
Very truly yours, E. B."
4 X
Thanks to our own observations and to
those of many kind readers, we have no
difficulty at all in maintaining con-
tinuity, thank you.
The personal slant is what makes this
or any writing interesting.
Those who are afraid of trusting their
own judgement never manage to be in
tereSting
1t Is more to the point, we believe, to
watch nature for yourself and to be un-
afraid to say what you see, as you see it,
no matter If it is not in agreement with
the observations Of others, than to 20
looking for what others think.
Our own reaction to two such titles as
the above is, first, that there is no real
way Of making mistake, in bird feed
Ing, and, second, that there is really no
squirrel problem to solve.
The beauty of feeding the birds in the
home grounds, as opposed to the theory
OF feeding "our feathered friends" is
that there is no particular way of doing
it incorrectly.
About the only warning that is needed
Is not to use too much white bread.
Used steadily, this will cause a sort of
polyneuritis among the birds
We have not read the two above
mentioned articles-and do not intend
to-but imagine something is said
against feeding in summer, etc.
You can create whole list of imagina-
bic mistakes" in this gentle art and
pastime, and then proceed to knock
them down by telling how wrong they
are, etc.
But the truth is that in the small
garden there Is little that can be done
incorrectly. Most seed and grain mix
lures labeled "wildbird feed" are pretty
good. Chicken scratch feed and baby
chick feed are both good, especially when
mixed with some sunflower seed.
Feeding stations are nice, but they are
not at all necessary.
1t may be easy to dream UP mistakes"
in using the foods, as to the sort of
feeders to use, and not to use, but the
replies are most hokum.
Throw food on the ground, If you want
to. The birds really prefer that way of
dining. Yes, one may be caught by
prowling animal, now and then, but they
may be taken in any event.
There Is so little about which one NAV
60 wrong, in bird feeding, either by the
amateur beginner or the experienced
that no one should worry in the least
about any danger of making a mistake 4"
Put the feeder close to the house. or
lar out, it makes no particular differ
ence. Rats may come, but they can be
attended to with red squill, correctly
used.
AS for the squirrel problem" it is
no problem at all, in this vicinity, where
we have only the gray species. Red
squirrels are an animal of a different
color entirely.
Our viewpoint, as given here fre-
quently-without difiiculty-is that the
gray squirrel is a natural comedian, as
well as beautiful and graceful one, and
that the little trouble he creates is well
paid for by the interest he arouses He
is certainly no problem"
The year 1910 was q long time ago, a
whole war ago, 1t might be said.
Things have changed considerably
since then, and we believe that few per-
sons today would worry much about
either avoiding mistakes in bird feeding
or in solving the squirrel problem.
The only real mistake is to avoid feed
ing or to regard the 1ray squirrel as a
problem at all.