CHAPTER SIX 



FEEDING BIRDS IN WINTER 



Finley 6* Bohlman 



FIG. 174. Varied thrushes, or Alaska robins, feeding on apples in 

 the snow. Many of these birds spend the summer in Alaska and 

 the winter on the western coast of the United States. 



OF late years thousands of persons who formerly took 

 little notice of birds have become interested in them and 

 have learned that with a few exceptions birds are useful. 

 In fact, without the assistance of birds it might be diffi- 

 cult to prevent insects from multiplying to such an extent 

 as to destroy all kinds of crops. One year the pear-tree 

 Psylla entirely destroyed the crop of a large pear orchard 

 near Rochester, New York, and the owner thought there 

 were no prospects for a crop the following year; but 

 " nuthatches came and worked in flocks in his orchard all 

 winter, and in the spring he could find scarcely an insect. 

 Thus these nuthatches saved him thousands of dollars 

 in one winter." 



Because of their great usefulness in keeping insects in 

 check, many persons now try to attract birds to their 

 farms and orchards. Other persons who give little 

 thought to the usefulness of their feathered friends pro- 



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