Evening star., 1947-02-17
This and That
By Charles E. TrdceWeI.
"DUMBARTON AVE.

Dear Sir:
"Your column is indeed helpful and
interesting one. Seems a lot of people
read it.
ION the bus the other evening
recognized two rather important local
bankers.
"I managed to get close to them so
that I could listen to their words of
business wisdom. I had thought might
hear way to increase the interest on
my savings account.
"This is what heard: Now Tracewell
in his column the other night
Thought you might be interested in
something mixed for the birds In my
back yard yesterday, and which they
completely devoured by the time the
sun went down.
Il started yesterday morning to clear
out and clean my pantry shelves, and
found some things could get rid Of.
II started mixing them together, and
this is what came out:
"a handful of ancient raisins q soak
ed them to soften them) four pounds
of wormy graham flour, half box of
celery seed, a handful of old prunes
(Which L soaked and cut into pieces),
few old boullion cubes, a cup of old
molaSses, handful of broken crackers,
and box of poppy seeds which the
mice had refused
Fired with ambition by now went
to the ice box and dragged out some
ancient beef and mutton grease (about
two cupS), some leftover yams that
even our dog shifted at half cup of
sour milk, two bad eggs, and handful
of rancid nuts.
II put the above concoction into
large kettle, and commenced to stir,
adding water. When the mess was
formed into a soft mass, put it outside
on the grass. The birds fought over it.
How proud was! Hey. I hope they
didn't get indigestion! Should I have
added baking powder?
Sincerely yours, P. C. c."
X y II
No baking powder was necessary.
There was quite enough in that mix
ture, as it was!
1t speaks well for the digestion of
birds that they can handle such a con-
glomeration of foods, some of them not
any too good, at least from human
standpoint.
1t must be remembered, of course
that their alimentary tracts are only an
inch or so long, so that short of poison,
they usually do not have much trouble
with their food intake.
1t is best, however to give them only
good clean foods, keeping In mind that
rancidity and the like will not harm
them
There is no shelf, no matter how good
the housewife, which does not harbor
one or more unwanted items, but which,
as our correspondent demonstrated
could be made into acceptable items for
the songbirds.
Probably mixtures of three or four
things are better than more elaborate
ores.
All mixtures should be allowed to cool
before being presented to the birds.
Such spreads are best on the lawn,
rather than in formal feeding stations.
Bad eggs are best left out, because
these high protein foods can elaborate
in deeaying, some of the most virulent
poisons.
The famous poisoned arrows of some
South American natives are made from
proteins.
We believe that birds love mixtures.
getting an almost human kick" out of
seeing what they can find in them.
A few good sunf1ower seeds ought to
be put in, if possible, because there is
nothing the birds like better, and es-
pecially to find among other foods.
Sunfiower seeds, however, should not
be cooked but should simply be dropped
into the batter after it has been mixed,
shortly before serving 1T to the song
sters.