32 



On the Destruction of Birds. 



Vol. hi. 



the cradle in cutting the wheat. Soon after ['ample accommodations of food and shelter for 

 harvest, the clover on the said land flowered,! the feathered tribe, the effects of the ijun or 

 and a heavy swarth might have been mown I other missile aimed at their immediate de- 

 on it in September following. The adjacent: jstruclion, appears to be as imperceptible as 

 parts of the field, with the same soil and cnl-hthe "drop of the bucket." I do not wish to 

 ture, exhibited a sickly contrast. In the an- 1 divest the public mind from ihat laudable an- 

 tumnofl83:i, the clover on said land waslitipathy so prevalent in some neighborhoods 

 trodden down by stock, returning manure , against those idlers that prowl about the 

 to the soil, and by that means the plaster ni- [country and commit indiscriminate destruc- 

 directly prepared the ground for a sure crop tion upon every bird tliat comes within the 

 of wheat. This one single and simple fiicl} reach of their merciless weapon: far other- 

 serve.s to overthrow the theory that plaster |j wise. I would earnestly recommend that the 

 must be sown on the plants, to be absorbed] rigorous construction of the law against hunt- 

 through the pores of the leaves — attract jing be enforced against them, not only be- 

 moisture from the atmosphere, &c. This cause I am decidedly opposed to the wanton 

 mooted point I consider settled, and the soil i and unnecessary destruction of any part of 



and roots made the laboratory instead of the 

 leaves and the atmosphere. 



Although my agricultural career has been 

 only short, yet the great object, improvement, 

 has been ardently and zealously pursued — 

 sufficiently, indeed, to create a most utter 

 and implacable abhorrence against all vague 

 and unfounded theory, which is the bane of 

 the agricultural press. The mere conjecture 

 of a writer, if in error, will do no harm ; but 

 'tis the positive declaratory assertions, where 

 wrong, that do mischief, inasmuch as many 

 believe, and adopt what they read. 



Quere. Why is it that lime and plaster act 

 much more efficiently, when both are ap- 

 plied to the soil, since the base of both is 

 lime? 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



On the Destruction of Birds. 



" Experience teacheth knowledge, and the prudent 

 man profiteth thereby." 



In Vol. II. No. 17 of the Cabinet, under 

 the head of " Injury from destroying Birds," 

 is a lengthy, well-written article, evincing 

 extensive literary attainments, and talents of 

 no ordinary degree. The avocations of the 

 tiller of the soil are set forth with a masterly 

 hand ; the indolence of the ignorant, the habits 

 of the untutored tenants of the forest, and the 

 picturesque scenery of tlie cultivated districts 

 of the earth, are described in a manner pecu- 

 liarly pleasing and instructive. Notwith- 

 standing all the elegance of its diction and 

 periods rounded in classic style, it is not, in 

 my humble opinion, without some discrepan- 

 cies, and there are inferences advanced to 

 which I must take the liberty of pleading 

 skeptical. However "intimate the connex- 

 ion which exists between the interests of ag- 

 riculture and the increase and diminution of 

 our indigenous birds" may be, I do not be- 

 lieve that the principal cause of their disap- 

 pearance from amongst us can consistently be 

 attributed exclusively to tliose so very appro- 

 priately styled "truant murderers," for where- 

 ever the country couuijucs to abound with 



the animal creation, but also because the fre- 

 quent violation of the laws with impunity 

 tends to harden the heart and beget a disre- 

 spect for all law, moral and divine, and not 

 unfrequently increases, if it 5,'oes not produce 

 by habits incident thereto, that most to be 

 dreaded of all evils, devotion to the bottle. 

 If, for instance, an area of 1.5 or 20 acres of 

 land were covered with water from 2 to 10 

 feet in depth, containing a great quantity of 

 stumps, felled trees, and brushwood, all the 

 inhabitants in the vicinity would not be able 

 to divest it entirely of fish, frogs, and turtles 

 for 24 hours in succession in as many years ; 

 but drain off the water, and put the ground 

 under good tillage, and fish, frogs, or turtles 

 will be a rarity upon it. And I have no doubt 

 that he that causes 20 acres of well timbered 

 land to be cleared and brought under cultiva- 

 tion in two years, is more instrumental in the 

 diminution of those indigenous birds than ten 

 men with their guns would be in the same 

 length of time. 



I am acquainted with a small section of 

 country which, from my own knowledge and 

 unquestionable traditional authority, has been 

 for one hundred years the theatre of " truant 

 murderers," who with their four-footed com- 

 panions have been to the tenants a continued 

 source of provocation and alarm; for, besides 

 the damage sustained by ihe desfniction of 

 the grass and various kinds of grain, their 

 horses and cattle were frequently injured 

 tlirough the inattention or design of those 

 marauding gentry, and it was only by fre- 

 quent throats of the strong arm of the law 

 that their residence was rendered tolerable; 

 and in addition to this the foxes, skunks, 

 mink.s, and weasels, although efernal war 

 was declared against tiiem, and various en- 

 gines kept in preparation for their destruc- 

 tion, yet tiiey kept such a steady eye upon 

 their respective choices of poultry, that the 

 utmost diligence and precaution were requi- 

 site to preserve frf)m tiiose nocturnal visitors 

 a tithe for the market, and ottimes have the 

 pleasing anticipations of tlie good housewife 



