428 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
a picturesque element to the landscape which the nature lover can ill afford 
to lose. Probably few, even of the most inveterate Crow haters, would 
care to see. the species completely exterminated. Doubtless, however, 
it is perfectly safe to allow the killing of the Crow at all seasons and in 
almost any manner, for his watchfulness, intelligence and hardiness seem 
sufficient to insure the survival of a moderate number in spite of everything. 
On the one hand it does not seem wise to afford him the protection which 
the law gives to most species, while on the other hand the offer of bounties 
is ill advised for many reasons. Among these is the fact that Crows can be 
most readily killed during the nesting season, and anything which takes 
the man with a gun into the field during the season for game is always to 
be deplored. The average American, particularly the young American, 
is always ready to kill, and if he does not find Crows is sure to satisfy his 
ambition with the killing of some other and valuable bird. 
The protection of poultry and the nests of wild birds against the ravages 
of the Crows is practically impossible, and so long as Crows exist they will 
continue to distribute the seeds of the poison sumacs. 
In one direction only can the farmer secure partial protection from the 
Crow. If he is willing to prepare his seed corn by moistening with tar 
oil or some similar material before planting the Crow will seldom make 
any attempt to pull up this corn after it has sprouted. This practice, 
known as the “‘tarring of seed corn,” has been in common use in Maryland, 
Virginia and parts of Pennsylvania and Delaware for more than a hundred 
years and if properly used seems to be quite effective. The protection 
secured doubtless depends upon the strong flavor which the tar imparts 
to the growing shoot and young plant, until the latter is at least several 
inches high. It is not necessary or desirable to soak the grain in strong 
tar oil, but merely to coat it lightly so that enough of the material will 
remain upon the kernel to give a strong flavor to the young plant. There 
are several objections to the method, the most important being that it 
involves a considerable amount of additional labor, especially as the planter 
can seldom be used for this prepared seed. 
The usual method is to soak the seed corn for ten or twelve hours in water 
and then drain off the water and stir the corn with a stick which is dipped 
at short intervals into the tar oil. When the kernels have become dis- 
tinctly brown from the coating of tar air-slaked lime, wood-ashes or fine 
road dust is stirred into the grain until the kernels no longer stick together. 
In this condition the corn can be planted by hand and will sprout in due 
time. Too heavy a coating of tar may hinder the absorption of water 
from the soil, and a too thorough soaking in tar oil may entirely prevent 
germination. A few farmers claim that such preparation has not protected 
their corn but that the Crows pulled it almost as if untarred. The general 
verdict, however, is decidedly otherwise, and most corn growers would 
follow the practice regularly were it not for the labor involved. 
The use of ‘“‘scarecrows” is quite general and most people are familiar 
with the human effigies of straw and old clothes which do duty in this 
way, as well as with the small windmills, rattles, wires, jingling tin and sheet 
iron suspended from poles and moved by the wind. Perhaps the most 
effective of these devices consists in stretching white twine around and across 
the newly planted field, especially if the strings be stretched in two direc- 
tions so as to form a coarse net work over the field. The protection secured 
in this way, however, is seldom complete or long continued. 
