948 



THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



WILSON S TEBK (8. Wllsoni). 



RAVEN. 



much greater than in former years. Since 1860, the damage done each year by such insects 

 as the canker-worm, currant-worm, wheat-midge, Hessian-fly, etc., has been greater and 

 greater; so that, in some sections, the cultivation of particular crops has been almost 

 abandoned. New species of noxious insects are constantly being discovered by entomologists 

 and others; while many species before unknown in this country have been introduced by the 



importation of plants, etc., from 

 Europe. Insects that are abund 

 ant in the West are gradually 

 working eastward, as the Colo 

 rado potato-beetle; and only 

 earnest study and effort will 

 prevent the continued increase 

 of these pests of the land. 



There are about thirty spe 

 cies of insects which subsist 

 on our garden vegetables. The 

 grape vine has about fifty insect 

 enemies; the apple tree seventy- 

 five; our different shade trees 

 some over a hundred ; wheat and 

 other grains fifty. The crop of 

 wheat in the State of Illinois was 

 injured by insects, in one year, 

 to the estimated amount of 

 seventy-three millions of dollars. 

 The estimated annual destruction 

 of property by insects in the United States is as high as four hundred million dollars. The 

 effect of this loss is felt not alone by the farmer. It is to this, in a large measure, that many 

 poor men owe their poverty; to this must be attributed the high price of farm produce and 



all healthy food, and the conse 

 quent increase of disease and want 

 in our large cities. We do not 



js^^ -gjfflBg^jfrW^ ^ffi hesitate to say that at least one- 



eighth of tliis loss by insects 

 might be prevented by the care 

 ful protection and encouragement 

 of birds; or, to put it in another 

 way, the carelessness of the peo 

 ple in the United States in this 

 respect costs them at least fifty 

 million dollars yearly, besides 

 much unhappiness and stiffering. 



How to Protect Birds. Of 



the measures for the protection of 

 birds, perhaps the most important 

 is the bird-law of Massachusetts 

 (Acts of 1870, Chap. 304), which 

 punishes by fine whoever takes or 

 kills, sells, buys, or has in his 

 possession, the birds named below. 

 Woodcock are protected between the 1st day of January and the 15th day of August; 

 ruffed grouse (commonly called partridges), between the 12th day of January and the 1st day 

 of October; quails between the 15th of December and 15th of October. Forfeits, twenty-five 

 dollars for each bird above-named killed or sold out of season. 



Pinnated grouse are protected till June 1st; wood or summer ducks, black ducks, and 

 teals protected between 1st of March and 1st of September. Forfeits, twenty. five dollars for 

 each bird killed or sold out of season. 



Marsh and beach birds are protected between Apru 1st and July 15th; exceptions, snipe 

 and plover. Forfeits, ten dollars for each bird. 



All other birds, their nests and eggs (except crow black-birds, crows, herons, bitterns, 



MOTTLED SCREECH OWL (Scopsasis). 

 (Raptoret?.) 



HAWK-OWL (Surnla ulula). (Rap- 

 tores.) 



