BIRDS USEFUL TO FARM AND ORCHARD—BLACKBERRY 
Franklin’s Gull 
Larus franklin 
Length, 15 inches. During its residence 
in the Tinited States Franklin’s gull is 
practically confined to the interior and is 
the only inland gull with black head and 
red bill. 
Range 
Breeds in the Dakotas, Iowa, Minnesota 
and the neighboring parts of Southern 
Canada; winters from the Gulf coast to 
South America. 
Habits and Economie Status 
Nearly all of our gulls are coast-loving 
species and spend comparatively little of 
their time in fresh water, but Franklin’s 
is a true inland gull. Extensive marshes 
bordering shallow lakes are its chosen 
breeding grounds, and as many such 
areas are being reclaimed for agricultural 
purposes it behooves the tillers of the 
soil to protect this valuable species. When 
undisturbed this gull becomes quite fear- 
less and follows the plowman to gather 
the grubs and worms from the newly 
turned furrows. It lives almost exclus- 
ively upon insects, of which it consumes 
great quantities. Its hearty appetite is 
manifest from the contents of a few 
stomachs: A, 327 nymphs of dragon flies; 
B, 340 grasshoppers, 52 bugs, three bee- 
tles, two wasps, and one spider; C, 82 
beetles, 87 bugs, 984 ants, one cricket, 
one grasshopper, and two spiders. About 
four-fifths of the total food is grasshop- 
pers, a strong point in favor of this bird. 
Other injurious creatures eaten are Dill- 
bugs, squash bugs, leaf hoppers, click 
beetles (adults of wire worms), May 
beetles (adults of white grubs), and 
weevils. Franklin’s gull is probably the 
most beneficial bird of its group. 
Henry W. HensHaw, 
Washington, D. C. 
The above descriptions are taken from U. 8. 
Dept. Agri. Farm. Bul. 518. Other references 
to Government literature are: 
Farm. Buls. 54, 497: Biological Survey Buls 
3, 9, 18, 15, 21, 28, 24, 30, 32, 34, 87, 39, 44. 
Dept. Agri. Yr. Book 1895. 
Blackberry 
Anyone who is familiar with farming 
conditions in the Eastern states knows 
by experience that the blackberry is one 
645 
ot the most common and one of the most 
tenacious of American native fruits. In 
Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Ken- 
tucky, Pennsylvania, and other states, 
they spring up in abandoned fields and 
aie difficult to eradicate, 
The leading representative of this 
group is Rubus nigrobaccus. 
All varieties change rapidly under cul- 
tivation and are, therefore, being rapidly 
improved. The blackberry thrives best 
usually on a northern slope, on heavy 
loamy soil, retentive of moisture. If the 
soil is rich in nitrogenous foods it tends 
to heavy wood growth, and but little 
fruit; if, however, there is little humus 
in the soil, it tends to fruit and less wood 
growth. In this particular it follows the 
law of most other fruits, for this is true 
of peaches, pears, apples and plums, as 
well as of berries. 
Propagation 
Propagation is almost always by means 
of sprouts or suckers that spring up from 
the roots. These grow in great abun- 
dance and when rot desired for propaga- 
tion are a hindrance, causing considerable 
work to keep them down. They also take 
strength from the parent stock and pre- 
vent the best development of the fruit. 
If the finest fruit is desired these suckers 
must be kept down; if suckers are desired 
for the market, they injure the fruit just 
the same; but the grower will decide 
whether his profits come mostly from 
fruits or plants and will give the prefer- 
ence to that which seems most valuable. 
Medicinal Qualities 
Blackberries are esteemed for their 
tendency to counteract bowel trouble, 
chronic diarrhoea, and were formerly used 
extensively for this purpose. 
Planting 
The setting of blackberries is not a dif- 
ficult task. The first thing to do is to de- 
termine whether they are to be set in 
rows, or in squares, which some call the 
check system. This question would prob- 
ably be determined by the contour of the 
land on which the orchard was to be 
located. If the land is rough, it may be 
found impracticable to use the check sys- 
