THE UTILITY OF BIEDS. 281 



different soils and crops ; plants of every variety, and their 

 adaptation to different soils, under different circumstances, 

 and with various manures ; and their relations to each other, 

 both as successors in rotation, their value for conversion into 

 animals and other forms, and their comparative ultimate 

 profit ; the production of new varieties by hybridizing and 

 otherwise ; draining, both surface and covered ; the improve- 

 ment of implements and mechanical operations, &c., &c. 

 They should also extend to the impartial and thorough trial 

 of the different breeds of all domestic animals, making ulti- 

 mate profit to the owner the sole test of their merits ; cross- 

 ing them in different ways, and under such general rules 

 as experience has determined as proper to be observed ; 

 their treatment, food, management, &c. Although much 

 has been accomplished within the last few years, the science 

 and practice of agriculture may yet be considered almost in 

 its infancy. There is an unbounded field still open for ex- 

 ploration and research, in which the efforts of persevering 

 genius, may hereafter discover mines of immense value to 

 the human family. 



THE UTILITY OF BIRDS. 



These are among the most useful of the farmer's aids, in 

 securing his crops from insect depredations; and yet manifest 

 as this is to every observing man, they are frequently pursued 

 and hunted from the premises as if they were his worst ene- 

 mies. The martin, the swallow and the wren, which may 

 almost be considered among the domestics of the farm ; and 

 the sparrow, tha robin, the blue bird, the wood-pecker, the 

 bob-a-link, the thrush, the oriole, and nearly all the songsters 

 of the field accomplish more for the destruction of noxious 

 flies, worms and insects, which are the real enemies of the 

 farmer, than all the nostrums ever invented. And hence 

 the folly of that absurd custom of scare-crows in the growing 

 corn-fields and orchards, to which I have before alluded. 

 The chickens and ducks do the farmer more benefit than 

 injury in the garden and pleasure grounds, if kept out of the 

 way while the young plants are coming up. A troop of 

 young turkeys in the field, will destroy their weight in grass- 

 hoppers every three days, during their prevalence in summer 

 or autumn. A pair of sparrows, while feeding their youug, 

 consume over 3,000 caterpillars a week. One hundred 

 crows devour a ton and a half of grubs and insects in a season. 

 Even the hawk and the owl, the objects of general aversion, 



