Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 March 1877 — Don’t Kill the Birds. [ARTICLE]

Don’t Kill the Birds.

There is trouble on our track if we do not at once take measures to protect and increase tbe bird family. The insects are after us; their numbers are legion; eveiy plant, almost, has its enemy. Many of them have a host of enemies that are making war upon our success in cultivating them, and yet we invite the sportsmen to come in and destroy our only allv in the ever-present conflict we are holding with the insect host. All these enemies are rapidly on the increase and tbe destruction is fabulous in amount. Prof. Aughey is the authority tor the statement that " the amount of damage done in a year throughout tbe United States, by insects, is not less than $400,000,000. Illinois alone has suffered to the amount of $78,000,000 in a single year.” Seventy-three millions of dollars in one State, destroyed by insects in one year; and yet bird-killing goes on under tbe protection of the law. Some rash individuals claim that birds d» not destroy insects. If those persons will examine the stomach of a bird killed by these hunters, they will no longer assert that the bird has not a mission in insect-destroying, and if permitted is not faithfuily at its post performing duty. If these insects arc not destroyed in some manner, what may we not expect? Prof. Aughey is authority for the following also: "Apple, pear and plum trees have about one hundred species of insect enemies; fifty ape-’ cies of insects interfere with grape culture. There are at least thirty-five insect enemies of our gardens. Most species of insects have a marvelous fecundity; one pair of grain weavils will produce 6,000 young between April and August. According to Reaumer, one aphide, or plant louse, .may become the progenitor, in a single reason, of 6,000,000,000. The female wasp produces, in one season, 30,000. 'Die white ant deposits eggs at theaverage rate of sixty to a minute. Our own silkworm, which feeds so largely on our wild plums, produces from 600 to 1,000 eggs per season. Learn these facts,; and yet life gunner is pCimitted to destroy our greatest nope. More .birds are needed of the insectivorous class, and all that are sought by the hunter are of the family that is continually destroying the great enemy of our harvests. Dogs and traps should be prohibited by most stringent legislative enactments. The few days of fcspite from labor and the office that are found in the field or forest wiih the dog and gun may be missed'; but what is that in comparison with the fabulous amounts destroyed by humoring tire desire and removing the protection to the crops, and our bread and butter? Let the experiment be tried for. three years of permitting no one at any time of year to kill any bird or fowl. Buch a law would work hardship to no one, and its saving to the West might be in' anfount more than our National debt. The law-makers of our several States now in session should take prompt and united action in the matter, and enforce it at onw.—Factory and Farm.