Bird Helpers in the Garden 



"A garden is also eloquent to the ear, for it is the home of song birds. Here 

 come and nest the happy people of the sky, accompanying, with their vocal 

 music, the thoughts and emotions which the garden, by its silence, breathes 

 into us. They pipe their lays to our mood either of morning exultation or of 

 evenings meditation. The mystery is that they come upon us not as distur- 

 bers or intruders in this retreat of quietude, but rather as companions in labor 

 or as friends in sympathy." — Temple Scott. 



We have all enjoyed the birds in our gardens, except perhaps the 

 robins in cherry time — or the hens at any time, but very few of us 

 realize that all the wild birds which frequent gardens are doing a 

 valuable work for us, and are truly our "companions in labor." 

 It should be a part of the work of every teacher of gardening to 

 lead the children to observe for themselves how important are 

 these bird helpers and how varied are their activities, and how 

 they may be induced to remain permanent summer tenants of 

 nesting sites near the garden. 



First of all, the birds that help us most, spend the early part of 

 summer in nesting, and feeding the young; and since the food of 

 all nestlings consists almost entirely of insects which are attacking 

 plants — the benefit to the garden is great. Grubs, caterpillars, 

 beetles, grasshoppers and bugs form an acceptable diet for young 

 birds. Of these almost none are beneficial insects; in fact the 

 beneficial insects in the garden are seldorii sufficiently numerous to 



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