lining of small-meshed wire netting, besides protecting the contents of the crib 

 from birds, does greater service by keeping out mice and rats. 



The rose-breasted and black-headed grosbeaks eat peas, and the latter eats 

 green beans also. Experience shows that a scarecrow suffices to ward oft the 

 rosebreast, but the blackhead appears less easily intimidated. In localities where 

 the birds are abundant bird netting used as a cover is eftective and is advised for 

 small patches. 



Only one grosbeak, the black-headed, does noteworthy damage to fruit. 

 \M:ere the trees are few, the use of bird netting is recommended. This method 

 was devised and used successfully by Prof. J. Troop, of the Indiana E.xperiment 

 Station, to protect cherries. The netting cost 4 cents per square yard, and 75 

 yards were reqtiired to cover trees 10 feet high. The expense of the netting, which 

 is good for 10 years, was defrayed from the sale of the first season's fruit. This 

 mthod is undoubtedly of great valtie for a small number of trees. In large 

 orchards the best plan is to plant among the fruit trees or on the edges of the 

 orchard a number of wild fruit trees as decoys. The best for the purpose are 

 elder ( especiall}' in the West), mulberry, juneberry or serviceberry, and wild or 

 seedling cherries. The Biological Survey is prepared to make specific recom- 

 mendations for planting trees to protect fruit in any part of the country. 



Planting wild fruit is important for the purpose of attracting birds. Besides 

 the fruits above mentioned, the following are valuable : Dogwoods, hollies, juni- 

 per, bayberry, Virginia creeper, blueberries, blackberries, and wild grapes. Not 

 all the thickets on a farm should be removed, since they serve to harbor birds, to 

 protect them from enemies, and to furnish nesting sites. Where thickets are 

 lacking, the growth of artificial ones should be encouraged, for they are very 

 attractive to grosbeaks, particularly to the cardinal. 



A permanent drinking and bathing place on the farm and in the garden is to 

 be numbered among the most potent attractions for birds, and with a little ingenu- 

 ity one can be prepared in almost any locality. Winter feeding serves to attract 

 the cardinal, which relishes corn, sunflower, and other seed, and takes kindly 

 even to table scraps. If particular premises prove congenial as a winter home, 

 the bird is likely to prefer them in summer. 



No eft'orts to attract grosbeaks will succeed, however, unless protection is 

 assured. Grosbreaks are already protected by law in practically every State, but, 

 since the machinery for the enforcement of the laws is often ineffective, statutory 

 protection must be supplemented by individual action, particularly under trespass 

 laws. Such action has long been taken in behalf of game birds, and the wise 

 landholder will take equal precautions to preserve the smaller insectivorous spe- 

 cies which he is so fortunate as to have as tenants. Shooting and nest robbing 

 must, of course, be barred. Squirrels, when allowed to become too numerous, 

 destroy many eggs and young. But in the settled districts the worst enemv of 

 birds is the prowling cat. In certain islands, cats have completely exterminated 



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