XIV 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



tive estimate in the case of each product, since, to have any value, 

 such an estimate should fall below rather than above the actual 

 amount. Even then the figures afford material for serious reflection 

 on the part of agriculturists. 



Assuming the accuracy of these data, and exclusive of the dam- 

 age wrought by insects to our woodlands, street trees, parks, etc., 

 we have in round figures $5,000,000 as the average annual damage 

 from insects to agricultural products and property in this Common- 

 wealth. 



Mr. E. H. Forbush, ornithologist to the State Board of 



Agriculture, says : — 



The percentage usually adopted in figuring the damage to farm 

 crops and products from insects is 10 per cent of their value, or, 

 for Massachusetts, according to the latest figures of farm products 

 available, $2,600,000, and I consider that a safe and conservative 

 estimate of the yearly damage to farm crops. I have no data at 

 hand from which I can estimate the amount of the damage to 

 property or the yearly cost of fighting insect pests in this State, 

 but both items must be considerable, and I would not put the cost 

 of insecticides, time, etc., at less than $500,000. 



The Value of Insectivorous Birds. 

 In the mean time, are wo doing anything to attract and 

 protect the insectivorous birds, whoso value is far beyond 

 our usual computations ? What fanner provides houses or 

 nesting-places for many birds that are protecting his crops, 

 — the blue-bird, the phoebe bird or pewee, the swifts, and 



