Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 224, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 September 1916 — INVITES AND PROTECTS BIRDS [ARTICLE]

INVITES AND PROTECTS BIRDS

Massachusetts City Has CommonSense Plan of Guarding the Trees' on Its Streets. The town of Brookline, Mass., Is teaching the country at large a valuable lesson. First of all, of course, Brookline had to learn the lesson for Itself. The town prized its trees, and sought by the usdal means to guard them against the attack of insect pests. The campaign, however, was not entirely successful. The leopard moth Invaded Brookline, and against this tree enemy poisonous sprays avail little. Birds alone can hold It in check. So Brookline, a few’ years ago, w’ent seriously about the business of inducing birds to come and stay. In 1910 It w’anted woodpeckers, and it issued its invitation, but only a few responded. Three years later Brookline had learned enough through experiment to justify the municipality in building and placing 100 nesting boxes. - That was the beginning; year by year since then the work has been expanded. The nesting boxes Increased in number and variety, and during the wdnter thousands of birds were fed dally at 125 municipal feeding stations, operated by the tow'n authorities at the public’s expense. And now, says a report from Brookline, “the plans for the securing of bird help in Insect destruction will be carried on during the coming season with greater determination than ever.”