Pboceevixgs of the Farmers' Club. 475 



A Member. — Will Mr, Ballas tell us more about the insect-eating 

 birds, the robin, for instance ? 



Mr. Ballas. — Eobins feed on insects of diiferent kinds pretty much 

 all the spring. At that time, also, they eat whatever berries may 

 have been left on the bushes from last year. After the first warm 

 showers, however, angle-worms come to the surface of the ground, 

 and then these make up a large portion of the food of robins. 



Pkotection feom Canker Woem. 



Mr. "W. Y. Munroe, Lynn, Mass. — The farmers and gardeners in 

 this country, and especially along the sea-coast, have snilered severely 

 for a great number of years by the canker worm. Years of trial have 

 done comparatively but little in exterminating tliis pest of our fruit. 

 The present fall crop of the grub indicates a large accession to the 

 army of the canker worm in the coming spring. Many, therefore, 

 this fall, have fallen back, all inventions to the contrary, on tlie old 

 system of using coal tar and printer's ink, as the only sure remed.y for 

 the evil. Some early spring and late fall birds are doing much good, 

 although their number is very small. Some trials, I think, Avere 

 made in Xew York and Boston, a year or two since, to introduce the 

 English sparrow into this country, as the king of all birds for the 

 destruction of these and other pests of our orchards. Has this enter- 

 prise all died out, or has it become impossible in this climate to 

 foster and propagate this valuable and important accession to our 

 feathered kind i Although we ma^^ be rather too far north, yet 

 many feel a deep interest in this and any object or advice which may 

 tend to exterminate these destructive pests of our orchards and fruit. 

 Mr. ]Sr. C. Meeker. — The movement to introduce the European 

 sparrow has not died out, but is only in its infency. These birds 

 consume a great many kinds of millers and caterpillars. They may 

 be seen any pleasant morning in summer chasing down white millers 

 and yellow millers and consuming them. The millers which they 

 consume are the same in size and color as those which breed the 

 worms. In the city parks of Xew York great relief has been found 

 from their advent. A general improvement in this respect will be 

 seen when our birds, and especially blue jays, robins, and cat-birds 

 are never molested or shot. The little single-barreled shot-guns in 

 the hands of boys and idle youths have done as much as any change 

 of climate or culture to bring on the evil of which our friend com- 

 plains. 



