58 SECOND BIENNIAL EEPOET [W. VA. 



and the endowments $219,000,000, the combined amount being just a little 

 more than one-half the amount destroyed each year by insects. If all these col- 

 leges and universities were to be destroyed, including the endowments of same, 

 the insect tax for one year would replace all the damages and leave a surplus 

 of $320,000,000. 



The school children of this country number about 20,000,000 and the cost 

 of their education has become the heaviest tax that is levied upon the re- 

 sources of our country, yet it can be truthfully said that it costs more to feed 

 our insects than it costs to feed, clothe and educate our 20,000,000 of school 

 children. 



What can be done to check this great destruction to our natural resources? 

 The answer comes from a million people who have made these matters a care- 

 ful study save and protect the birds. 



The great army of insects that infest this country would, were it not for 

 the check placed upon their increase by the wise provisions of nature, within 

 a short time destroy all vegetation and this old green earth would become a 

 barren and fruitless desert. 



The robins, thrushes, whip-por-wills, blue jays, woodpeckers, yellow ham- 

 mers and many other kinds of birds were intended by the All Wise Creator 

 to hold in check such insect pests as the cut worm, caterpillar, potato bug, 

 grasshopper, hessian fly^tree borer and the hundreds of insects that in a single 

 year would destroy practically all the crops that we grow. 



The class of birds known as seed eating birds are the sparrows, doves, 

 finches and the like. We do not fully appreciate the great amount of noxious 

 weeds destroyed by seed eating birds in West Virginia. Estimating the num- 

 ber of such birds that inhabit our state at 20,0000,000, which is a very con- 

 servative estimate, and allowing one ounce of weed seed for each bird's daily 

 rations, they would consume in six months, nearly one hundred and twenty 

 thousand tons of food, or six thousand car loads, allowing twenty tons to 

 the car. 



The stomach of a bird is -so wonderfully constructed that it will digest a full 

 gorge of food every two hours, which enables it to consume each twenty-four 

 hours at least twice its own weight in food. 



The birds of West Virginia are of more value than all the cattle, sheep and 

 hogs found within our state, and the thoughtless individual who would ruth- 

 lessly destroy one of these little creatures, which were put here or a definite 

 purpose, is not only interferring with the infinite wisdom of Creation, but is 

 taking from useful action a great factor for good that is beyond his power to 

 replace. 



If he who cause two blades of grass to grow w 7 here one formerly grew, is 

 a benefactor to mankind, how much more honored should he be who can save 

 from extintion and annihilation the birds, the most beautiful and useful of 

 God 's creation. 



It is very difficult to place a money valuation on birds, for upon them de- 

 pends man 's continual existence upon the earth. Without the birds vegetation 

 would soon be destroyed by insects; without vegetation the water supply of the 

 earth would soon dry up and we would have to resort to cannibalism for 

 sustenance until the weak were destroyed by the strong, and in a short time til 

 animal and vegetable life would perish from the earth. 



