INJURY TO BUDS AND BLOSSOMS. 47 



Otto Lugger, of Baltimore, Md.. writes : 



The buds and blossoms of my two small orange trees have just been entirely de- 

 troyed by the Sparrows. The trees had been housed through the winter, but were 

 put out of doors in the spring, and each had from 75 to 100 buds. As long as the buds 

 were small the Sparrows took no notice of them, but as soon as they began to show 

 much white they were attached. Strips of red flannel were tied on the trees, aud 

 kept tbe birds away for a day or two, but at tbe end of five days only four buds were 

 left, and three of these were eaten as soon as they opened. (May 30, 1S87.) 



The postmaster at Schriever, Terre Boune Parish, La., writes: 



It injures peach trees aud orange blossoms. (October 8, 1886. Present about one 

 year.) 



Thomas Mcll wraith, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, writes: 



It eats fruit buds, and one season it attacked my grape-vines just as the leaves 

 were opening, and ate the heart of the buds. Since that time I have had to scare the 

 birds away while the vines are at that stage. (March 10, 1884. Present about ten years.) 



Dr. H.D.Moore writes from isew Lexington, Somerset County, Pa. : 



I have seen it destroy the grape blossoms and setting of young grapes, and have 

 heard my neighbors say that they have seen the same thing. (September 13, 1886. 

 Present about eleven years.) 



Mrs. Win. Pitkin, of Eochester, K. Y., writes: 



I discovered that during the early morning hours flocks of Sparrows were busily 

 engaged in picking out the germ of fruit in blossoms, and also stripping whole bunches 

 of small grapes until not one would be left upon astern. The rapidity with which 

 fchey ate their breakfast was surprising. I endeavored from season to season to keep 

 them away by driving them off, but this produced only temporary effect. This last 

 summer I spread netting over and along the sides of the frames (one side is sufficient) 

 immediately upon the appearance of the fruit buds. The Sparrows were too wary to 

 jrequent any part of my garden until the nets were removed, which was done be- 

 fore the fruit was of full size. I have never seen a large grape attacked, either green 

 or ripe. The result of my experiment has been an abundant supply of grapes of 

 many varieties after several seasons of loss and disappointment. (September 19, 1887. ) 



Francis Gladwin, of Akron, Ohio, writes: 



I have a small orchard of dwarf apple trees, and during the cold weather I noticed 

 the Sparrows alighting on the tre.es every day ; when I came to examine the trees in 

 the early spring I found almost all of the large fruit buds broken or pecked off, de- 

 stroying the crop of apples completely for this year. What with the bugs and hum- 

 bugs (Sparrows) it is almost useless to try to raise anything. I think we ought to be 

 allowed to fire at the Sparrows even if it is in the city limits. (November 1, 1887.) 



Robert Williamson of Troy, Madison County, III., testifies: 



I saw it in large numbers on my currant bushes last winter, aud on examining them 

 found two-thirds of the buds eaten off. (October 2, 1886. Present ten years.) 



J. F. Niesz, of Canton, Stark County, Ohio, says : 



Sparrows injure fruit trees and shrubbery by stripping off the buds in winter and 

 early spring. Lilacssuffer especially. (September b, 188G. Present about three years.) 



Charles B. Fuller, of Portland, Me., says: 



I have seen them "bud" elms so as to seriously injure the trees. (May 31, 1884. 

 Present about twenty-six years ) 



Dr. W. S. Strode, of Bernadotte, Fulton County, 111., writes : 



In one of my country drives early last March I saw a largo number of birds, that 

 seemed new to mo, busily flitting about in the tops of some elm trees. Thinking to 



