Seed Protection 



thread here and there about them or by protecting 

 them within a fine-meshed wire cage. Black thread 

 stretched two or three inches above the rows of 

 peas and other seeds forms as efficient a protection 

 against birds as the wire cages made for the purpose, 

 and sparrows may be hindered by the same means 

 from destroying crocuses in town gardens. Netting 

 must also be resorted to to protect fruit from black- 

 birds and thrushes where they are protected, and 

 from starhngs, birds far too valuable to destroy. 

 Seeds such as peas and beans are best protected from 

 mice and birds by damping them with water and 

 then sprinkling red lead over them. Linnets and 

 chaffinches are often troublesome where seed is 

 being saved, and may also need to be excluded by 

 means of nets or pieces of curtain tied over the 

 seeding plants. Rooks rarely come actually into 

 the garden, but walnuts may suffer from their power- 

 ful beaks, and possibly jackdaws also may help to 

 destroy them. Waterfowl and water plants rarely 

 both succeed in the same habitat, and sparrows 

 especially are a nuisance in town gardens, where 

 they use the leaves of water lilies (which suffer 

 severely from their sharp claws) as platforms from 

 which to drink. 



Fish are extremely useful in the ornamental 

 water. Not only do they keep down the plant-eating 

 insects, but many, Uke the roach and carp, feed upon 

 the troublesome flannel weed. 



105 



