244 PRODUCTIVE FARMING 



ing places, where birds may be safe from stray cats and dogs. 

 Plant berry-producing shrubs and vines for food. Spice 

 bush, barberry, mulberry, blackberry, hackberry, and thorn- 

 apple are good. Also many others. 



Make bird houses out of tin cans or boxes and place 

 them where the birds will not be afraid to nest hi them. Pro- 

 tect the trees in which nests are found, with sticky flypaper 

 to keep off stray cats. 



Feed the birds in whiter and furnish them drinking places 

 in summer. 



Bird Enemies. Probably the worst enemies of birds 

 are stray cats, bird dogs, hunters, and thoughtless boys. 

 The cats should be killed. The dogs should either be kept 

 tied or killed. The boys should be taught to love and pro- 

 tect the birds instead of robbing their nests and shooting the 

 birds. Hunters should be controlled by better laws. 



Laws protecting birds should be more stringent. When 

 farmers become fully aroused to the importance of birds in 

 relation to agricultural interests, they will see to it that hunt- 

 ing is prohibited, and that all seasons are " closed" for all 

 game birds. They should be protected and encouraged in 

 every way possible, as they are among the farmer's best 

 friends and are one of the greatest assets to the successful 

 raising of crops. 



Among the worst enemies of birds are bird dogs. They 

 are bred for hunting birds and do it instinctively, so cannot 

 be blamed. The people who keep them and allow them to 

 run at large are the ones at fault. They are also the ones 

 who suffer most, perhaps, as a dog will naturally roam about 

 his master's place first, and destroy the nests of the birds 

 which he can reach. 



The following birds nest on, or near, the ground: bobo- 

 link; meadow lark; chewink; quail; pheasant; prairie chicken; 

 Harris sparrow; lark sparrow; white throated sparrow; tree 

 sparrow; red winged blackbird, and veery. Their nests are 



