132 Agrlndtural Gazette of N.S.JF. \Feb. 3, 1908. 



T(i j)i-L'\i'iit .sown MH'd troin ht-iiii;' Lukeii, dip it, hi't'uif |ilaiitiiiL;. in tar water, 

 nftorwards clrvinir it. One pound of tar .steeped in Imiling water overnight, 

 ^'.nd made up tu 1.*.") gailnns, shuidd he strong enouyli. Another plan is to 

 moisten the seed with water and sj)i'inkle on it jiowdered rfd h^ad, stiiring it 

 until well coateil, drving it before use. 



Still aiiothei- phm is to sprinkle the see'"l with kerosene. 



8eed-beds and small vegetaljh' plots can be protected by w iic netting, but 

 this is expensi\-e as is also the netting of trees. An old fashiooMl but 

 successful method for protecting seed-beds is to .stretch tine white twine or 

 cotton aci'oss them, tving bits of paper or feathers on them to make a scare. 



The gun is a great help, as it frightens birds away. Naturally enougli it is 

 necessary to keep any "scare" going all day as long as the danger lasts. 

 " Scare boys " are employed in Knglaiid and elsewhere, always moving aroun I 

 the eroji with loud-sounding wooden clappei'.-. 



Poisoning, when adopted, should be carefully plamied, and everythiu',' done 

 to prevent dead liirds from contaminating water sujiplv. to pi'e\cnt poulti y 

 from taking the poison, and to protect farm animals. The native l^rds sutler 

 also. This it is impo.ssible to prevent where poison is spread in the })acklocks ; 

 but it is a serious matter to kill otf the native useful birds, such as magpies. 



Encourage the natuial enemies. — Hawks, butcher birds, and even owls 

 will take spai-rows. The doaiestic cat is also a great enenu'. 



Hedges should not be allowed to become dense, as if such be the case they 

 make admirable harhours for the l)ir(l. 



We should use the sjiarrow as food, and encourage traj)ping or shooting 

 for the purpose. 



OUTL[NE FOll A\ ORGANISED SpARROW CrUSADK. 



A general Sparrow crusade should 1)6 commenced at once. Succfss will 

 entirely depend upon the heartv co-operation of e\eiv householder and ewvy 

 person suflTering from the depredations of the Sparrow, This ajiplies to town 

 as well as countr}'. 



On the Victorian border the plan would not result in such 2>ermanMit good 

 as elsewhere, uidess it were cai'iied out in the .southern State contemporane- 

 ously with us, for our .side of the ii\ci' would soon receive colonists again. 



'I'he two operations — ( 1 ) prevent ion of breeding, and ( L') wintei- poisoning — 

 must be cai'rieil out thoi-oughK' and completely. 



All newspa|)ers should be recpiested to jirint this outline in full at earliest 

 convenience, and again at beginiung and ctkI of July, in oi'der to give reminders 

 t ' all interested. 



All Agricultural, Pastoral, and Horticult ural societies are recpiested lo t;.ke 

 .such .steps as ai'e necessary to secure the c(j-operation of theii' membeis in the 

 general effort to check the bird. 



Municipal authorities should at the same time ]irevent the Sparrow fi-om 

 rearing young in parks o)' puldic places. 



If all join heartily in the ciaisade, success is assured, but action must be 

 unanimous, and the work must be thorougt)ly done. 



