226' 



AGRICULTURE 



pillars, many of which are injurious to trees. Indeed, caterpillars 

 of various kinds seem to be the chief article of their diet. 



Woodpeckers. Woodpeck- 

 ers are the great friends of 

 forest and fruit trees. They 

 are sometimes accused of rob- 

 bing the trees of sap; of only 

 one is this true, the yellow- 

 bellied woodpecker, or sap 

 sucker. All other woodpeck- 

 ers seek and eat the wood- 

 boring larvae. Some ants and 

 other insects are very harmful 

 to timber trees, often burrow- 

 ing in them till the whole 

 trunk is honeycombed. The 

 woodpeckers, with their sharp 

 bills, bore holes in the wood 

 and draw the insects out on 

 their tongues. Thus they de- 

 stroy many insects which other 

 birds cannot reach. They eat, 

 also, grasshoppers, beetles, and 

 other insects, and some small 

 fruits and berries. 

 Sparrows. There are many species of our native sparrows, and 

 nearly all of them are farmers' friends. They are chiefly seed 

 eaters, destroying great quantities of weed seeds. During the 

 summer and in the breeding season, they eat insects, such as 

 injurious beetles and small grasshoppers. All through the winter, 

 they are busy reducing next year's crop of harmful weeds. 



Courtesy of New Hampshire Agricultural Station 



A caterpillar nest which has been 

 attacked by birds 



