ISO SMALT, ANIMALS AND INSECTS. [Chap. IL 



" For llie interest of the fanning portion of this country, I communicate 

 the following: Mr. Alpha Brown, an enterprising fanner of this town, 

 informed me that, having acted this year upon the somewhat late suggestion 

 of youi-s, of sowing corn broadcast over the planted gfoiind, he experienced 

 a new result. Upon four acres, where heretofore his crop had been greatly 

 injured by the devastations of the '• white grub" and "gray corn-worm," he 

 sowed broadcast, after planting, a half bushel of corn. This, of course, 

 attracted the crows, which, coming to the ground in the cooler part of the 

 afternoon and morning, found the worms on their usual visit to the surface, 

 and, preferring the latter to the corn, devoured them instead. The result is, 

 that out of tlie whole field lie has not lost to exceed five hills." 



230. The llcversc of the Crow Question. — Having given our opinion in favm- 

 of the crow, in the preceding paragraph, we feel that it is due to a fair in- 

 vestigation of the question not to make it an arbitrary ojunion, and rest 

 there, but to give the opinions of others also. It is facts, not theories, that 

 we wish to give farmers. 



One who signs himself a " Farmer's Boy," writes from Eidgefield, Conn., 

 about crows, as follows : 



" Having lately read your article upon the subject of crows and others 

 of the feathered tribe, I can not hold still my rust}' old steel any longer. I 

 agree with you very well until you advocate the protection of crows ; there I 

 think you miss your mark. There is but one thing you name that is in their 

 favor — the digging of grubs. They are the enemies of all our small birds, 

 which you advocate preserving. They commence with the eggs, and con- 

 tinue their depredations until the young are nearly grown. They are never 

 found destroying insects of any kind that could not be of more use than the 

 crow, and even the grub can be made a source of income to the farmer. An 

 intelligent farmer told me, some years ago, he made 1,000 pounds of jiork by 

 letting his hogs feed on them in his meadows, which damaged his grass but 

 little the first year, and thought it better the second by having the surface 

 stirred. You speak of their devouring carrion. Now, in my opinion, no 

 iarmer that is a good economist will allow any dead animal to lie and rot in 

 the sun to make food for the crows. I consider the carcass of a horse, a cow, 

 or an ox worth from three to five dollars to any farmer. If so, it is quite 

 too dear food for crows. Some say crows catch grasshoppers and crickets. 

 I prefer a nice brood of turkeys, that will not look bad on the table when 

 they have performed their work on the farm. 



" You see I am a friend to almost everything but a crow. If there is any- 

 thing made in vain, it is the crow. They destroy our little warblers; they 

 catch our chickens, ducks, turkeys, and goslings ; they dig our potatoes, puU 

 our corn and beans, from the time they appear above ground until they grow 

 out of their way. Then, as soon as the grain is formed on the ear ; they 

 commence their work again. Kow, if such a pest as this is to be protected, 

 it must be by some one who has a heart softer than I have ; a creature that 

 but one thing can be said in its favor, and the rest must go against it. I 



