428 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



a picturesque element to the landscape which the nature lover can ill afford 

 to lose. Probably few, even of the most inveterate Crow haters, would 

 care to see the species completely exterminated. Doubtless, however, 

 it is perfectly safe to allow the killing of the Crow at all seasons and in 

 almost any manner, for his watchfulness, intelligence and hardiness seem 

 sufficient to insure the survival of a moderate number in spite of everything. 

 On the one hand it does not seem wise to afford him the protection which 

 the law gives to most species, while on the other hand the offer of bounties 

 is ill advised for many reasons. Among these is the fact that Crows can be 

 most readily killed during the nesting season, and anything which takes 

 the man with a gun into the field during the season for game is always to 

 be deplored. The average American, particularly the young American, 

 is always ready to kill, and if he does not find Crows is sure to satisfy his 

 ambition with the killing of some other and valuable bird. 



The protection of poultry and the nests of wild birds against the ravages 

 of the Crows is practically impossible, and so long as Crows exist they will 

 continue to distribute the seeds of the poison sumacs. 



In one direction only can the farmer secure partial protection from the 

 Crow. If he is willing to prepare his seed corn by moistening with tar 

 oil or some similar material before planting the Crow will seldom make 

 any attempt to pull up this corn after it has sprouted. This practice, 

 known as the "tarring of seed corn," has been in common use in Maryland, 

 Virginia and parts of Pennsylvania and Delaware for more than a hundred 

 years and if properly used seems to be quite effective. The protection 

 secured doubtless depends upon the strong flavor which the tar imparts 

 to the growing shoot and young plant, until the latter is at least several 

 inches high. It is not necessary or desirable to soak the grain in strong 

 tar oil, but merely to coat it lightly so that enough of the material will 

 remain upon the kernel to give a strong flavor to the young plant. There 

 are several objections to the method, the most important being that it 

 involves a considerable amount of additional labor, especially as the planter 

 can seldom be used for this prepared seed. 



The usual method is to soak the seed corn for ten or twelve hours in water 

 and then drain off the water and stir the corn with a stick which is dipped 

 at short intervals into the tar oil. When the kernels have become dis- 

 tinctly brown from the coating of tar air-slaked lime, wood-ashes or fine 

 road dust is stirred into the grain until the kernels no longer stick together. 

 In this condition the corn can be planted by hand and will sprout in due 

 time. Too heavy a coating of tar may hinder the absorption of water 

 from the soil, and a too thorough soaking in tar oil may entirely prevent 

 germination. A few farmers claim that such preparation has not protected 

 their corn but that the Crows pulled it almost as if untarred. The general 

 verdict, however, is decidedly otherwise, and most corn growers would 

 follow the practice regularly were it not for the labor involved. 



The use of "scarecrows" is quite general and most people are familiar 

 with the human effigies of straw and old clothes which do duty in this 

 way, as well as with the small windmills, rattles, wires, jingling tin and sheet 

 iron suspended from poles and moved by the wind. Perhaps the most 

 effective of these devices consists in stretching white twine around and across 

 the newly planted field, especially if the strings be stretched in two direc- 

 tions so as to form a coarse net work over the field. The protection secured 

 in this way, however, is seldom complete or long continued. 



