NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



As man's knowledge of the great part played by 

 birds in safeguarding the forests, pasturage, cultivated 

 crops, and orchards increases, so will his indifference 

 to the welfare of these indispensable allies decrease. 

 So, too, will he eagerly seek by every means in his 

 power to conserve bird life when he realises more fully 

 how loyally birds are aiding him in his struggle against 

 insect-borne diseases which ravage his race and his 

 stock animals. What better way have we of imparting 

 this knowledge than by teaching economic natural 

 history in schools ? One wonders when men will 

 cease to struggle for place, power, and wealth, and 

 devote their time and energies to the betterment of 

 others of their race. If we really want to see South 

 Africa prosper, and if we desire to make it possible 

 for our children and our children's children to settle 

 down and make their living in the country, two out- 

 standing barriers must be removed : — 



i. The diseases which attack man, his stock 

 animals and crops, must be attacked and conquered. 



2. Economic natural history must be studied in 

 all its branches, and not only taught to school children ; 

 but measures of the most thorough and practical kind 

 must be taken to protect the natural enemies of the 

 hosts of foes which assail us, our animals, and our 

 products. 



A teacher, after twenty years' experience, said : 

 " Nothing ever helped me so much to manage boys as 

 teaching kindness to animals." 



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