DESTRUCTION OF GARDEN SEEDS. 65 



Many similar instances will be found under the head of injury to grain. 



But the destruction of seed when ripening is an injury of still greater 

 importance. 



Destruction of Seed of Lettuce, Cabbage, and Turnip. — A majority of 

 the complaints relate to the seeds of lettuce, turnip, and cabbage, and 

 the combined losses from injuries to the seeds and young plants of these 

 three vegetables are often very, serious, as will appear from a glance at 

 the following examples taken from the abundant evidence on this ques- 

 tion : 



From H. Volkening, Lenzburgh, Saint Clair County, 111. : 



It ruins cabbage and otber vegetables planted for seed. (October 4, 1886. Present 

 about tbree years.) 



From Pat. W. Floyd, Burlingtou, Coffey County, Kansas : 



I bave observed lettuce entirely stripped of the seed; and through dissection of 

 specimens taken in the vicinity, have found the food to be almost entirely vegetable. 

 (October 12, 1886. Present three or four years.) 



From Thomas Shroyer, Preston, Hamilton County, Ohio : 



It is only by careful watching that the country gardener can save seeds of any veg- 

 etables or flowers. (September 23, 1886. Present about eleven years.) 



From Elisha Slade, Somerset, Bristol County, Mass.: 



The destruction of the seeds of vegetables and flowers is enormous. It is bogun 

 before they are ripe, almost as soon as they are formed, and continues through the 

 season. Often i t is impossible to save the seeds from these birds unless the plants are 

 covered by netting. (October 19, 1885.) 



The seed of cabbage, turnip, carrot, lettuce, etc., is attacked before it is ripe 

 enough to be gathered. (August 20, 1886. Present about twelve years.) 



From H. M. Jennings, gardener and seedsman, Bochester, K Y. : 



Some kinds of seed it is next to impossible to grow ; for example, lettuce, cabbage, 

 and turnip. * * * The Sparrows get into our dry-houses and peck and destroy if 

 not kept away. (February 12, 1887. Present twelve years.) 



From F. S. Piatt, seedsman and florist, New Haven, Conn. : 



They destroy many hundreds of dollars worth of seeds each year. (1884.) 

 In our seed-gardens we have to keep a boy all the time during the day to keep the 

 Sparrows from wasting turnip, cabbage, and seeds of this class. (September 9, 1886.) 



From Thomas Chalmers, Holyoke, Hampden County, Mass. : 



The Sparrow eats the seeds of the turnip, cabbage, rape, flax, and hemp, as well as 

 the seeds of weeds and grasses, cultivated or wild. (March 6, 1884. Present about 

 fifteen years.) 



From W. A. Wright, Burlington, Carroll County, Ind. : 



Peas, and the seed of radish, beet, and cabbage, are the principal vegetables on 

 which it feeds in Juno and July, and sunflower seed later on. (September 21, 1886. 

 Present sixteen years or more.) 



From J. C. Allen, Olney, Bichmond County, 111.: 



It strips the sunflower and hemp of all their seed. (September, 1886. Present about 

 twelve years. ) 



Destruction of Sunflower Seed. — The complaints of injury to sunflower 

 eeed outnumber those relating to any other single kind of garden seed, 

 8404— Bull. 1- — 5 



