Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1920 — Home Town Helps [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Home Town Helps

PAYS TO BUILD BIRD HOUSES Feathered Songsters, Through Their Destruction of Insects, Increase Yield of Farm. Birds are desirable to have aboutj the premises, not only on account of their beauty and song but because of their economic worth. The little feathered songsters are especially useful as insect destroyers during the* breeding period, when they have to work early and late to obtain sufficient food for their nestlings. One way to increase “the number making your property their summer home is to put out feathers, bits of wool and twin© during the nest-building season for the birds to use in building their habitations. Another way is to build safe retreats for them in which they can rear their young comfortably. Most of the houses will be occupied year after year. In fact, no attraction for summer birds is more effectual than plenty of houses suited to the needs and habits of the various kinds of house birds. During Idle hours the construction of a few of these bird dwellings is fascinating and Useful work. Farmers’ Bulletin 609, prepared by the United States bureau of biological survey, gives clear working directions, with illustrations, for a large number of bird houses —both of the single andi apartment house variety. This bulletin may be had free by writing the department of agriculture, Washington.