Zbc 1bope ot lears to Come 59 



wild conditions of nature's making the birds are not 

 killed, frightened or driven off, and for every berry 

 or bud a bird may take for his food, he saves per- 

 haps a million. It has been estimated that the birds 

 of Nebraska in six months eat up five billions of in- 

 sects, and would clean up of noxious insects over 

 eighteen thousand acres a day. 



When in March we dress up our garden borders, 

 or walk out to watch plant growth in the woods, we 

 see nothing of the harmless silent toads, among the 

 kindliest friends of the plant. The little gray toad 

 and the small, prettily colored ground snakes live 

 entirely on animals that are harmful to plants — as 

 worms, insect larvae, mice, and moles; the little snakes 

 taking these last in hand — or rather in jaws. The 

 one fault of the little garden snake is that he likes to 

 eat toads. The toad, on the contrary has no faults 

 at all. When he wakes from his winter's nap he will 

 sit down by some j)lant and pick off, one by one, 

 every insect enemy that comes intent on evil. 



