CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 
SPARROWS DESTROY GARDENS. 
|The damage to fruit by the house finch 
and the damage to fall and winter gardens 
of the city and suburbs and some country 
districts by the intermediate sparrow are 
responsible for most of the bad feeling 
which some people hereabouts have for 
“birds.” Owing to the flocking and cov- 
_er-loving habits of this sparrow the dam- 
age to gardens is confined to those near 
‘which the birds find ready cover. For 
example, a garden in the open or even a 
hundred feet from a hedge or brushy 
_canyon is perfectly safe. Plots that suffer 
are little home gardens in the thinly 
settled parts of city and country. 
The vegetables eaten are lettuce, peas, 
string beans, turnips, radishes, beets, the 
things planted here from October to April 
183 
when this sparrow is one of our most 
abundant birds. Onions are untouched, 
and I believe carrots also, and potatoes 
very seldom if other stuff is present; be- 
sides the potato grows too fast to be 
greatly damaged. But where the birds 
have congregated they will practically 
clean up small gardens of growing tender 
vegetables. Trapping is of no avail, owing 
to their numbers. Screens of wire or 
cloth are effective but people dislike the 
trouble and expense. Often they give 
up in despair until April. Frightening 
birds away with clods only drives them 
to a friendlier place. The only solution 
of the problem I know is to plant after 
October 1 what the birds will not eat 
and cover up other tender things until 
April. CARROLL DEWILTON Scort. 
REPORTS. 
STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES. 
For the Period from July 1, 1919, to June 30, 1920. 
Administration: 
(ommissioners ——-=.-----+----~-_----4-- 5 =~», == sn ns n==-5 $1,672 7¢ 
TE SOUR IS « (ON ACA EISY. a = I St 26,217 67 
APUG AINE, a en ns Se eS ee ee eS 3,824 84 
Pras eacetver anna uel WONG yea Sects Sa ee ee te 5,030 44 
AC CIGeD RANG lentil DONEHUSS ee eh aes ese tee eh at 2,765 19 
‘ $39,510 84 
Commercial fish culture and conservation: 
iS iayeuerbiap epayo kev oyers ee eS $13,639 99 
(Se siuyo mova weave Peake (eto) ee es BE Ee ee eee ee eee eee eee, 29,693 55 
TetrSan dG aeste es Ee tee See ee Se ee ee a a oe 18,122 68 
SHS) EIST i Bs ae EE i Se ee ee ee ee eee 9,662 74 
Mankets shine slicense COMMISSIONS .+- - 2. te eat ee gah 765 00: 
iPropacation, and distmbution of ‘Salmon—-——- —.—- -2 =. 22,703 34. 
— 94,587 30 
Sporting fish culture and conservation: 
Mee GUTheNGen Gey tae tose gees |e Se ak Bf et Se eh Se ee $14,510 34 
EST chi tia prereset ne ete row ees nL SEE ee Se Se ee ee 1,909 94 
EOS CCUUMOL Sant ALLO WietCES ap ae a ee ee a mo 655 05 
Pane MPAe Cen see COMMISSIONS a=. ae ae en ee 15,324 20 
Sa Ch saEHOl deny as stor in on Bobs eee ee Ee ee 252 35 
TiuSin GSSiny ogre) ee Bee RS ee ee ene eee ae ee ee eee ee a 7,208 91 
General patrol (pro rata share)— . 
San wwrancisco istrich (40: per cent) --=--=-+ 2-2 2-5-2 — =n S 34,545 05 
MUOg MAN Peles DIstrict, (40 Der Gent) +=2-—.- <4 =e ae ee 14,148 00 
MAULATMEN TOM ISELCtat4ONDeL GeDb)iea2o- —)=-82 22 2 4 = SS eee 27,303 76 
Proparation andrdistripubion. Of SrOUt=o3 ==. 2-22.22 =) 2-8 121,102 29 
236,960 89 
Game conservation: 
[Pioneer ee $3,879 17 
enone Litman Ge AiO WaAMCES 22 ae" 25a Se as 1,225 38 
EV iniie =aeCHSGaCOlmMiInsIONSa=2- 2124-20 sl. Tete 21,131 20 
Mounbain, tion. hunting ‘and! bounties_---_.).-..- === .-} =e 6,950 23 
General patrol (pro rata share)— 
Sane rCanciscomDIsttics .(G0 Ber Genb)i--—-5-=-26 eon a ee 51,580 75 
MOSPAnPeicSe Distlicte(GUnper Celt) 8--= 25 8 ee eS ee 21,222 05 
WAGHAMETTOMGISEMCL 1(60 percent) n-2ea2 f= oe es os BSE 40,956 68 
———————_ 146,945 46 
ESSN GG CCEA STUEY TAC OC Ls eh So I Sa ae pee eee re ne ya 3,152, 98 
Total expenditures 
$521,157 47 
