NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Birds, in avoiding the white cotton, fly against the 

 black and get such a scare that they do not return. 

 Muslin bags for choice fruits, such as figs and peaches, 

 may be used. A friend has 300 small tobacco bags, 

 and these are placed on the figs when they begin to 

 swell. Every morning he, or a native, goes round the 

 trees, removes the ripe figs, and replaces the bags on 

 other figs. In this way he loses very few figs. 



Fruit growers should plant sunflowers, millet, 

 wheat, etc., in the vicinity of their orchards to provide 

 food for birds. Many species of seed-eating birds 

 only attack fruit when driven to do so by desperate 

 hunger and thirst. If cheap food and water are 



provided, the fruit will be saved. 



Ploughing up and harrowing land near an orchard 



will often keep numbers of birds from eating fruit. 



The turned-up soil will provide insects and seeds to 



satisfy the needs of the birds. 



Fruit-eating birds are very fond of mulberries. 



These trees flourish in most fruit-growing districts. 



A few such trees may be planted in and about the 



orchard to provide food for birds. When mulberries 



are available, the birds will not touch other fruit. 



Various hardy berry-bearing trees and shrubs may 



also be planted with advantage. 



Printed in Great Britain at The Dariex Press, Edinburgh 



