261 



sage of federal and state laws, the formation of bird clubs, and 

 the increase of literature upon this subject is an encouraging 

 sign — all indicating a growing knowledge of the usefulness of 

 our feathered vertebrates. 



Referring once more to individual birds, in 1083 stomachs of 

 the red-winged blackbird examined, weed seed comprised 54.6 

 per cent of the contents, grain 13.19 per cent, grasshoppers (in 

 August) 17 per cent, caterpillars 20 per cent in March, and 

 beetles 10 per cent. In 138 stomachs of the yellow-headed black- 

 bird, insects comprised 33 per cent of the stomach contents, weed 

 seed 28 per cent, grain 38 per cent. In the case of the crow 

 blackbird, as a result of the examining of 2346 stomachs, it was 

 found that insects comprise 27 per cent of the food. It is to be 

 borne in mind that nestlings of all of these blackbirds are fed 

 upon insects or insect-like animals. In the case of the cedar 

 wax-wing or cherry bird, only nine out of 152 stomachs (40 of 

 which were taken in the cherry season) contained cultivated 

 cherries and their stomachs have been found filled with canker 

 worms. 



Inasmuch as birds collect most insects at the time they are 

 feeding their young, and since they get them as near the nest 

 as possible, making many trips each day, it behooves us to en- 

 courage the nesting of birds in every possible way upon our 

 farms and near our gardens and orchards and shade trees. 



Much remains to be done yet through our teachers to reach the 

 hearts of our school boys, not naturally cruel (unless it be that 

 they pass through that stage of life and outgrow it), but thought- 

 less, and interest them in the conservation of bird life in order 

 that they may grow up into clean sportsmen, gentlemen in every 

 sense of the word. — Fins, Feathers and Fur. 



CHARCOAL AND SOILS. 



Geo. a. Retan, Mount Alto Pennsylvania Nursery. 



Every farmer, gardener and nurseryman should be familiar 

 with the results of experiments carried on for a period of three 

 years, which have demonstrated that charcoal can be made of 

 great use in improving the structure and properties of the soil. 



It improves the water and air content of the soil, loosens and 

 intensifies the sub-soil, apart from the chemical materials it may 

 carry, and from its uses with manure. These are not theoretical, 

 but practical conclusions drawn from the use of charcoal in one 

 of the largest nurseries in the State of Pennsylvania, under the 

 management of the writer. 



Two general classes of material are available for purposes of 

 fertilization. In the first class are commercial fertilizers. In 

 the second class are those indirect fertilizers which do not fur- 

 nish plant food directly, but by their action upon the soil may so 

 affect it as to make plant food available by setting it free, through 



