Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1901 — FRIEND OF THE SPARROWS. [ARTICLE]

FRIEND OF THE SPARROWS.

Tells of the Good They Do to 1 Their Human Slanderers. I see In magazines and papers so many articles denouncing the sparrow that I feel it my duty to tell of my 35 years of close companionship with this little chap. While I read the aocounts of his alleged murders and depredations on other birds, I have yet to see any such disgraceful acts i*u his part. My experience with him lias proved to me that he is the farmer's best friend. He is the first little fellow in the spring to pounce ou and destroy all the caterpillars aud insects that are destructive to the farmer’s crops, and he keeps pegging away at these vermin until the grain is ripe. Then the crops are so far advanced that they are safe. All lie then asks in return for the benefit he has been to Hie farmer is a little grain to carry him through the fall and winter.

•So few know tiro reason for the iutroduction of the English sparrow to this part of the world that I wish to give it. Many years ago the streets of New York were lined witii beautiful trees. In tfie spring, as soon as they began to put on their summer foliage, they were attacked by an ugly looking green worm called the inch worm. These would devour all the leaves, leaving the tree perfectly hare, aud then liaug from the trees iu millions by a silkeu thread. They became such an intolerable nuisance that a great many people had the trees cut down to get rid of them. After introduction of the sparrow this nuisance ceased to exist, lie did it is work bra vely and well. This certainly is a proof of the benefit he is to the farmer. You can depend on it that he destroys more harmful insect life in proportion than he takes hack iu P4y for what grain lie eats. While now and then there may be eases of disgraceful acts on his part to others of our most beautiful feathered creatures, lie has always behaved himself tu my presence. At this writing lie is living in peace with the catbird, robin, brown thrush, oriole and many other birds iu and around my premises. The little chap cheers us with his presence and cheery note all winter. Thousands of them ure killed off by deep snow, cold aud Want of food. Not only is he a benefit to us in tlio way above mentioned; lie is a shield, a protector to ail the otiier birds, iu that he gives up liis life to tramp cats, hawks and the boy with the rifle. If he were not with us surely all the other birds would have to suffer.

I saw an article iu one of our magazines advising the wholesale destruction of the sparrow with grain soaked in poisoned water. What a terrible combination that is to get in the hands of some idiot who would use it and destroy numberless other feathered songsters. Last winter one of my neighbors soaked corn iu poisoned water and scattered it for the destruction of crows. Ho killed a bevy of quail. I saw the dead birds. Besides, many other birds have suffered with the quail. Before condemning this little chatterbox make your home with him summer and winter, aud the more you see of him the more you will see his value to the farmer, and you will find on the long, cold and dreary days in tlie country in winter, when all the other warblers are in the sunny South, these little innocents will brighten’ your pathway with their cheerful notes.—Forest and Stream.