39 



All our experience thus far goes to show that a well-watered country, 

 where the woodland is kept mainly in detached patches, with the rest of 

 the land more open, much of it well cultivated, with an occasional marsh 

 or swamp, is the best calculated to encourage the increase of the largest 

 numbers of species of birds. In such a country vegetation should there- 

 fore receive better protection from birds than in any other. In view of 

 these facts it is possible for a man owning from thirty to one hundred 

 acres of land to so select his land and control the growth of vegetation 

 upon it as to obtain the conditions requisite to secure an abundance and 

 variety of birds. The first requisite to attract birds is an abundance of 

 suitable food. To provide this a variety of vegetation is desirable. 

 This provides not only a variety of fruit and seeils, but furnishes food 

 for a large variety of insects, which will attract the birds. It is es- 

 pecially desirable to have both wild and cultivated cherries and grapes, 

 and if the birds take too large a proportion of the cultivated species, the 

 earlier wild berries, like the Russian mulberry, and the shadberry, 

 should be planted to draw the birds' attention from the cultivated fruit. 

 Winter food may be furnished birds by planting mountain ash, sumach, 

 bayberry and other berries which cling to the trees or shrubs bearing 

 them during the winter months. The winter birds may be induced to 

 remain in some numbers by hanging bones, suet or portions of any car- 

 cass in sheltered places on the trees. These will furnish food for them 

 when the trees are covered with ice, and will keep them in the neighbor- 

 hood during the coldest w r eather. Sunflower seeds, broken nuts and 

 grain will sometimes attract winter birds. 



Having secured food the birds must have shelter from the elements 

 and their enemies. This may be provided by planting thick evergreen 

 trees in groups and allowing a deciduous thicket here and there. Nest- 

 ing boxes should be provided for those birds which will use them and 

 such boxes will shelter many a bird from winter storms. Nesting 

 material, such as straw, feathers, waste string, etc., should be hung upon 

 limbs during the nesting season. It will soon be utilized. Having made 

 a locality attractive to birds they must be protected and fostex-ed. Birds 

 soon learn to love a place where they receive a measure of protection 

 from their enemies. We may protect them : — 



1. By doing away with cats, so far as possible. 



2. By stopping promiscuous gunning. 



3. By suppressing birds-egging boys. 



4. By keeping hawks, crows and jays within bounds. 



It is well not only to have a variety of trees in your woodland, but 

 also to have portions of it in difl'erent stages of growth. A small patch 

 of ground covered with young sprouts furnishes a desirable breeding 

 place for such birds as the indigo bird, brown thrasher, towhee and 

 several warblers, all of which may be very useful in adjoining woodland. 

 If each farm, wooded or otherwise, could be ideally situated and culti- 

 vated, with the protection and accommodation of birds always in view, 

 it is doubtful if Paris green and other insecticides would find a ready 

 market in this Commonwealth, except, perhaps, in such cases as that of 

 the gypsy moth, where man disturbs the balance of nature by introducing 

 a new pest from a foreign shore. 



