12 is Game of any Valtce to the Farmer? 



Foxes, racoons, skunks, weasels, hawks, owls, crows, 

 blackbirds, butcher-birds, and jays are now destroying 

 what man has spared of both insectiverous and game 

 birds. Like the weeds which defy frost, and, cut down, 

 grow agaiij, so do these vermin defy the snow cru?t which 

 smothers the quail and cripples the deer, and wet seasons 

 which drown grouse and woodcock. There is no organized 

 plan to destroy such vermin, nor will there be until game 

 preservation becomes a recognised business of the coun- 

 try. The extermination of the migratory game birds — 

 woodcock, snipe, rail and plovei' — may be said to be now 

 complete. 



.,s:^.i: 



The reports of professors are discouraging in relation 

 to destroying insect life, but receipts, remedies and plans 

 are given, which if adopted in conjunction with nature's 

 remedies, would produce good results. No receipts are 

 given for the destruction of foxes and other rnimals, 

 hawks and other vermin which destroy the useful, valu- 

 able birds which are nature's remedy for keeping insect 

 life in check. Information on these subjects should be 

 made widespread throughout the country. 



An American writer says : " The birds and beasts we 

 would gladly get rid of maintain their numbers, while 

 those whose increase we desire are losing ground. That 

 their destiny is to become hunters of skunks and shooters 

 of crows and sparrows, and that before many years the 

 leading sportsmen of America will be wrangling over the 

 points and merits of their skunk and woodchuck dogs, 

 and bragging over their bags of crows and sparrows ' 



The destruction of vermin (foxes, hawks, etc.), which 

 would go hand in hand with the production of game, is in 

 itself a profitable and interesting occupation, and one 

 which can be followed every day in the year. It requires, 

 in many instances, greater skill and acuteness than neces- 

 sary when in pursuit of game. The skins of all the ani- 



