42 State Horticultural Society. 



wind. It took a long breath, its throat swelled, a tremor ran 

 through its frame, it fell to the sidewalk dead. Then Little Mice 

 said: "Po' thing, it busted its hart tryin'." 



I have tried to emphasize the powers of some of our officials 

 by inserting the fact that they are clothed by law with all the 

 powers of the game warden, by inserting that fact twice in this 

 article. If these officials do not do their sworn duty, vote against 

 them at the polls. 



Let our State become, as it deserves to be, a home for the 

 birds, where they can raise their young in safety and gladden all 

 our hearts with their beauty and their song, and future generations 

 will bless us. 



DISCUSSION ON BIRDS. 



Mr. Baxter, Nauvoo, 111. — I am a lover of birds and have been 

 intimate with them for a long time. Love them yet, if the birds, 

 like a child, have been well brought up. Do not believe we should 

 protect all birds, any more than we should protect all snakes and 

 other things. The birds' mission seems to be to destroy the fruit, 

 and so I try to kill them. 



Question — What kind of birds? 



Mr. Baxter — Oriole, robin, thrush and sparrow. To protect 

 the fruit crop we must shoot the birds. I pay no attention to the 

 warden — shoot in front of him, if necessary. No law can punish 

 a man for protecting his own. The game laws in the East are very 

 strong, both for protecting the birds and other animals. In one 

 place, where the deer destroyed a man's crop and he sought coun- 

 sel, a prominent lawyer advised him to shoot the deer. You can't 

 pass a law to prevent a man protecting his own property. Don't 

 like to kill birds, but have got to do it sometimes. 



Question — When do you shoot them? 



Mr. Baxter — Just during the fruit season. Don't kill at any 

 other time. I have had them destroy a whole crop of some varie- 

 ties of grapes. Scared them away by shooting at them first, but 

 later they came back and got everything. In regard to birds being 

 useful in destroying insects, I can show that birds we are trying 

 to protect destroy as many beneficial insects as they do of harmful 

 ones. I believe that certain insects destroy as many enemies of 

 the fruit grower as birds do. No one hesitates to kill a snake, yet 

 they are as much a benefit as the bird, as a rule. Most people 

 destroy snakes, but I save some kinds. 



