96 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



units, and neutral 31 units. In July it is less beneficial than 

 injurious, the food indicating that it is beneficial 9, injurious 18, 

 and neutral 4 units. Through the balance of the year the food 

 exhibits the greatest variety ; but the most liberal margin will 

 allow the bird to be 48 units beneficial, 28 units injurious, and 

 76 units neutral. In a general summary of the above brief 

 analysis, we find that the robin is beneficial on the farm 142 

 units, injurious 60 units, and neutral about 163 units. From 

 this we cannot but see that to the farmer, at least, the robin is 

 far from being a pest, and that it is worthy of protection. 



Did my space permit, I could give many pages from the 

 writings of various authors in support of this conclusion ; but 

 such would be unnecessary. It is true as many pages could 

 be produced of complaints made by different fruit-growers 

 against the bird, but they would advance no facts new to us. 

 Against the statement that is so often made, that earth-worms 

 constitute the principal portion of this bird*s diet, when fruit 

 is not accessible, the simple fact appears that these worms are 

 during the greater part of the season so far below the surface 

 of the earth, because of the dryness of the soil, that they could 

 not be reached. I do not pretend to say that they are not often 

 eaten in great numbers, but I have no hesitation in pronouncing 

 a very large proportion of the worms which the bird is seen to 

 capture to be cutworms and other noxious larvee, which fact I 

 have proved on a very great many occasions. 



There are a number of our other birds which have come 

 under the ban of ruralists, because of their real or supposed 

 destructive habits. The most important of these have been 

 treated of in the article mentioned above, to which I would 

 again refer the reader. 



INSECTS. 



The extent to which [this class is mischievous on the farm is 

 very great. It has been estimated that, in one season in the 

 New England States, the amount, in the various crops destroyed, 

 would reach millions of dollars ; and when we take into con- 

 sideration the variety of ways in which many of our insects are 

 injurious, the different trees and plants and fruits which they 

 attack, sometimes destroy, the estimate is not unreasonable. In 

 fact, evory variety of vegetable growth has its insect enemies, 



