ARE COPPER SALTS INJURIOUS TO PLANTS? 



283 



pathy with the sentiment, "What is the sparrow good 

 for, anyway ? " As well to ask, " What is the dog or the 

 cat good for, anyway ? " What good is there in a pet 

 rabbit, a pet parrot, a canary, etc. ? The sum represent- 

 ing the aggregate harm done by the sparrow is insignifi- 

 cant compared with the aggregate amount paid out by 

 people to maintain worthless, useless pets, yet all the an- 

 noyance, the damage, the dangers, resulting from their 

 maintenance are borne voluntarily and without grumb- 

 ling. What is a squirrel good for, except to eat nuts, 

 steal corn, and destroy broods of small birds ? Yet we 

 would not like to miss their presence in our woods. If 

 we can afford to support these millions of costly pets 

 merely to enjoy their presence, surely we can also af- 

 ford to support the sparrows for the services they render, 

 and the life they impart to the otherwise lifeless winter 

 landscape. The presence of bird-life is a luxury well 

 worth paying for. 



In whatever aspect the question is presented, we see 

 nothing in it to justify summary laws and processes 

 against the bird. To offer a bounty on the sparrow's 

 head by state laws seems to us uncalled for, unwise, un- 

 safe, absurd. The mass of the people do not demand 

 it ; the majority are against it. We do not desire to 

 have our boys incited to wanton murder, and to the reck- 



less use of guns, which, at best, are dangerous tools in 

 their hands. 



The sum total of the damage that people suffer 

 through the sparrow, is as nothing compared with that 

 done by rats and mice, and these have no redeeming 

 qualities. Yet people bear their depredations with com- 

 parative equanimity, never dreaming of calling on the 

 legislatures for relief. Neither is there any necessity for 

 legal interference, when self-protection is within every- 

 one's reach, and far more effective. It would be an in- 

 sult to the intelligence of average people to doubt their 

 ability to deal with the sparrow, when it becomes exces- 

 sively numerous and troublesome, just as easily and ef- 

 fectively as with rats and mice and other pests. If there 

 are localities in which the sparrow, by reason of excessive 

 numbers or otherwise, has become a general pest, it 

 should be left to the local authorities to deal with the 

 question as the particular case may seem to require. 

 But to legislate in the direction of a state bounty on 

 sparrow's heads is too much like shooting with big cannon 

 at small game. 



To denounce the sparrow in unmeasured terms has be- 

 come rather fashionable ; but sensible people should not 

 be slaves to senseless fashions. Our verdict is. Give the 

 sparroiv a rest ! 



ARE COPPER SALTS INJURIOUS TO PLANTS ? 



RESULTS OF TESTS MADE AT THE IOWA STATION. 



vELIEF that certain copper salts seriously 

 affect the root-system of plants is wide- 

 spread among horticulturists. To de- 

 cide this question an experiment was 

 made in the college greenhouse with 

 several of our principal fungicides. 

 These fungicides were used in three dif- 

 ferent strengths. Seventeen lots, each of 

 25 square feet, were partitioned off, and to fifteen of them 

 500 cubic centimeters of the solutions were applied and 

 thoroughly mixed with the soil. After the ground was 

 thus prepared it was planted with Capital corn. 



Lot I. — Ammoniacal carbonate of copper: ammonia, i pint ; car- 

 bonate of copper, ounces; water, 11 gallons. 

 Lot /L— Twice the strength of Lot I. 

 Lot ///.—Twice the strength of Lot IL 

 Lot IF. — Check ; no application. 



In different periods the percentage of germination was 

 as follows ; 



Dec. s : Lot L, 10.66 4 ; Lot II., 4.24 -f; Lot III,, o; Lot IV., 26. 28. 

 Dec. 14: Lot I., 78; Lot II., 60; Lot III., 20.66-t-; Lot IV., 82.28. 

 Jan. 6, Lot I. ,89; Lot II. ,98.18 + ; Lot III., 52.66 + ; LotlV.,93.7H • 



This shows that on January 6 the highest percentage 

 of germination was in Lot II., to which was applied a 

 solution of ammoniacal carbonate of copper as generally 

 recommended ; but in Lot III., where double the amount 

 was used, germination was low. So far as rapidity 

 of germination is concerned, the experiment shows that 

 Lot IV., no application, had a great advantage over the 

 others. But the results are more significant in other 

 directions, especially as regards growth and development 

 of roots. A fine, vigorous growth was produced in Lot IV. 

 All the plants had a healthy look. The roots branched 

 well and were covered with earth. In all the treated 

 lots, not only was growth checked but the root-system 

 was poor, especially so in Lot III. In many cases no 

 roots were developed. When formed, they were long, 

 slender and brown. The young roots coming from the 

 stems were also brown at the tops. In some cases the 

 stem was brown also. 



Bordeaux mixture, eau celeste, modified eau celeste 

 and ferrous sulphate were also used in three different 

 strengths, as in the ammoniacal carbonate of copper. In 



