VALUE OF BIRDH TO MAN. 25 



If they are to maintain their artificial characters and excel- 

 lences^^ Left to themselves, the various breeds of domesti- 

 cated Pigeons Mould all disappear, merging into the original 

 Dove from whence they sprang. All artificial varieties (,f 

 anima s plants, and fruits woidd, under nature, become, in 

 tune, like the wild stock from which they orioinated. Hence 

 nimi must wage war continually against organic natun^ in 

 order to mamtain his artificial standards against her inex- 

 orable laws. 



llie l,eginning of agriculture was the first step toward 

 civilization as well, for the necessity of remaining near his 

 crops to guard them from their enemies compelled^the prim- 

 itive farmer to erect a i)eriiianent habitation. This took his 

 attention from war and the chase, for much of his time was 

 HOW occupied in tilling the soil and carim. for his crops and 

 animals. 



The slo^v growth of primitive aoriculture in the older 

 civilized countries gave time for a gra<lual adjust.nent of the 

 torces ot nature to the new conditions established and main- 

 tained by man. The gradual or partial clearing away of the 

 orests occupied centuries. The plantino- of crops" merely 

 kept pace with the natural increase of population, whife 

 the destruction of wild aninuals and their replacement with 

 domesticated species were siniilarly gradual and proo-ressive 

 bo, although in the older countries agriculture suffered much 

 trom the pests to which its operations must always o-iye rise 

 It remained for the peopling of newer lands to de "elop the 

 greatest difficulties in the path of the farmer. 



Agriculture produces an increased food supph- The 

 population increases correspondingh-, and the overflow seeks 

 new fields. In these new lands, of which America is the 

 most prominent example, the conditions of civilization and 

 agriculture have replaced with marked rapidit^^ those of 

 savagery and primeval nature. 



MAN AT WAR WITH NATURE IN THE NEW WORLD. 



All the greater changes that were effected gradualh- l)y 

 man in Euroj^e, Avhere, in the course of centuries, civiliza- 

 tion was slowly evohed from savagery, — all these stupen- 



