654 
September P», 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
I A /> A r 4 A ^ AA A .A- A At 
l Rural isms ► 
*'w i w i w j *r v -v 
iVOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
Troublesome Birds. —Henry B. Spen¬ 
cer, Rocky River, O., asks the name of the 
bird that amuses itself by puncturing his 
grapes, apparently for amusement and not 
for food. They do not eat the grapes, but 
prick almost every berry in the bunch at¬ 
tacked, doing great damage in his trial 
vineyard. Mr. Spencer’s statement is as 
follows: 
Last year some kind of a bird came into 
my specimen vineyard about as soon as the 
early black grapes commenced to ripen, and 
had spoiled a great many bunches before 1 
was aware of it by striking the berries with 
its bill, making a small puncture, but not eat¬ 
ing any, and then the honey bees would clean 
it-out, leaving nothing but a husk and seeds. 
We have tlie robin, the catbird and the Eng¬ 
lish sparrow and other birds common to 
northern Ohio, but 1 never have discovered 
any of them in the act of injury in the way 
mentioned. I do not think it was the robins, 
for they tear the berries open and take the 
whole thing. I am not quite so sure about 
the catbirds and English sparrows. There 
was a pair of little brown birds that I noticed 
frequented the spot where the greatest dam¬ 
age was done. 1 should say they were a little 
smaller than the sparrows and had a sharp- 
pointed but short bill. Later in the Fail I 
noticed quite a number of small brown birds 
in the vineyard, but never caught them in the 
act of destroying grapes. 
Two species of birds, the brown Orchard 
oriole, Icterus spurius, and the Cape May 
warbler, Sylvicola maritima, have been 
accused of injuring grapes in this way, 
but the little fellows are so lively that 
it is not easy to detect them in the act. 
Just why any bird should injure fruits he 
does not eat is difficult to imagine. The 
Cape May warbler is a slender, spry, yel¬ 
lowish bird about the size of a canary. It 
has been seen to alight on a bunch of 
ripening grapes and puncture every berry 
with its sharp bill almost with the quick¬ 
ness of a sewing machine at full speed. 
It is a rather rare species, found near the 
coast during the warm season and is most 
abundant during the Fall migration, when 
grapes are ripening. There are 40 or 50 
species of wood warblers. They are all 
active little insect eaters, and only this 
particular species has been accused of in¬ 
juring fruits. The small brown birds seen 
were probably Orchard orioles. They are 
quite common in the Central States, 
though rare in iNew England, and average 
a little over six inches in length. The 
color is bright chestnut-bay or brown and Fruit-eating birds are increasing, and their 
black in the male, while the female is yel- natural means of subsistence is rapidly 
lowish olive. This species feeds mainly diminishing, so that in lean years of fruit 
on larvae, spiders and young grasshoppers, production they must perforce invade gar- 
hut often attacks fruit and berries, punc- dens an d orchards in destructive numbers, 
turing apples, pears, plums and grapes in The practical remedy for this condition 
the manner described. This is not the must be formulated by associated fruit 
beautiful bright yellow Baltimore oriole, growers, and no means neglected for em- 
Icterus Baltimore, known as golden robin bodying it in lawful form. 
the State Legislature, and the question of 
amending in a common sense way the 
crude and unjust bird protection laws of 
other States has scarcely been broached. 
The matter will not down. It must sooner 
or later he settled, and settled in favor of 
the men who put their capital and energy 
in fruit production rather than the un¬ 
practical sentimentalist who gets his bird 
ideas at second hand. Losses from bird 
depredations are so great and constant 
that the grower must defend his crop or 
go out of business if he cannot legally 
do so. 
Robins Not so Bad This Year. —It is 
freely admitted that robins are not so de¬ 
structive this year of abundant wild fruits, 
as they are largely diverted to the way- 
sides and woodlands. They came in ap¬ 
palling numbers at the opening of Spring, 
and reared an uncountable progeny, the 
first broods of which were fledged in time 
for the earliest strawberries, the early 
cherries having already been appropriated 
by their parents. The young birds, pilot¬ 
ed by the adults, invaded the berry plots 
on the Rural Grounds in hordes, hopping 
about among the plants, invariably select 
ing the finest fruits in the cluster, whack¬ 
ing away with their sharp bills until the 
berry, perhaps big enough to make a meal 
for an entire brood, was hopelessly man¬ 
gled, and repeated the performance at the 
next hill until scarcely a presentable ripe 
fruit could be found. Where accurate re¬ 
sults were wanted or typical specimens 
needed, protection by a covering of net¬ 
ting was imperatively demanded. The 
commercial grower cannot afford, at pres¬ 
ent fruit prices, to cover his fields with 
nets, and must sacrifice a large propor¬ 
tion of his earliest and finest fruits, or lose 
his legitimate profits by picking before 
maturity and securing a lower price. 
As the later cherries of the Mazzard 
class came in the birds flocked to the 
roadside trees and gave the harrassed 
berry growers a much appreciated rest. 
Only trifling damage was done to the cul¬ 
tivated bush and bramble fruits, there be¬ 
ing an abundance of berries in the pas¬ 
tures when they were ripening. As fine 
crops of wild cherries and elderberries are 
now claiming their attention it may be 
that early grapes will not be molested. 
But such seasons of woodland plenty are 
not usual. Wild fruit trees and plants 
are diminishing in number, the seedling 
cherries that formerly lined every country 
byway are disappearing. They die out and 
are cut for fuel or to make way for im¬ 
provements and are seldom replaced. 
or fire bird. The latter is a delightful 
species, familiar everywhere for its flute¬ 
like songs and aainty basket-shaped hang¬ 
ing nest. It has no habits objectionable 
to the gardener. 
What to do About the Birds?—A note 
just received trotn a successful plum grow¬ 
er starts with the following paragraph : 
With this mail I am sending you samples 
of several varieties of my new seedling Japan 
plums. I was able to save a few of each by 
covering tuem with paper hags; the birds 
have destroyed all those not covered, and that 
is why they are not so well colored as they 
should be, but I think you can get the flavor 
nearly as well. 
It is a serious matter when a grower 
must hag his plums and peaches, his early 
apples and pears, as well as his grapes, 
and net his cherries, strawberries, and 
small fruits generally in order to save a 
few samples for comparison, yet so prev¬ 
alent has the bird plague become that it 
no longer excites remark. There is no 
legislative relief in sight. The “robin bill” 
allowing New Jersey fruit growers, under 
proper restrictions, to protect their crop 
from fruit-eating birds, was emphatically 
“turned down’’ during the last session of 
Few Injurious Species of Birds.—O f 
the 700 and more species of birds native 
to North America scarcely 20 are really 
injurious to the farmer or gardener. The 
overwhelming majority of birds frequent¬ 
ing any given locality are harmless or in¬ 
different to the farmer’s interests, while a 
few are in every way beneficial. The 
complete extermination of all injurious 
species would leave no void in bird life, 
in grace of form, beauty of color or mel¬ 
ody of song, as their places would be 
taken by individuals from among the use¬ 
ful or indifferent species. No wholesale 
or indiscriminate slaughter is advocated 
by anyone, but the inherent right of the 
producer to protect his property, taken 
away by ill-advised legislation, should be 
restored. Mr. Spencer has not been able 
to detect his grape destroyers in the act 
so far, but if he should do so in the future 
he ought to have the right to deal with 
them as he thinks best. The plum and 
strawberry thieves are bolder and better 
known, but here again the right of self¬ 
protection has been taken away, and the 
grower has no remedy or redress. 
W. V. F. 
AVitkx you write advertisers mention The 
it. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal." See guarantee, page S. 
Make your face 
happy by using 
Williams’ Shav¬ 
ing Soap. 
Sold everywhere. Free trial sample 
for 2-cent stamp to pay postage. 
Write for booklet ** How to Shave, ** 
TheJ. B. Williams Co., Glastonbury, Ct. 
I !T IS 
LOADED 
IT! n WANTED "MEND-A-RIP 
I Docs all kinds of Light and Heavy Stitching 
Will 5 
IJocb all kinds 
^of light and 
heavy ri voting 
Save ms Pbici op Itself 
Mary Timer a Yeail A Perfect 
Hand Sewing Machine and Riveter combined 
To Show it Mcavif* a Sale. Agcnta 
make from $« to $15 a day. Ono 
_ agent mode $20 first day and writes to Hurry 
more machines to him. Write for epccial agents’ price. 
J.C.Toote Foundry Co., Fredericktown, O, 
rhe Great Agents Su$£ly House . 
g H CCj E _S ™c?-Srv$ 261 ? 
Write for Catalogue. ITS FREE. 
Before ordering compare our prices 
on Buggies, Surreys and 
Wagons. 100 styles. Our 
prices talk. Buy Direct, 
. ___ _ Save Middlemans Profit. 
Established 1883. I ROYAL CARRIAGE CO. 
Output. 30.000. [ 416 E. Court St., Cincinnati. 0. 
WE LEAD THE WORLD 
We are the largest manufac¬ 
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Tire Steel Farm Wagon 
Wheels in America. We 
guarantee our patent 
Grooved Tire Wheels to 
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HAVANA METAL WHEEL CO. 
60X 17 HAVANA, ILL. 
THE NIAGARA 
FRUIT LADDER 
It always stands and never 
rooks. A model for 
strength, lightness 
and durability. 
We manufacture a full line of 
BASSWOOD LADDERS for 
fruit picking, painting and tire 
purposes. Also crates, boxes, 
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Appleton, N. Y. 
Galvanised Steel Tanks 
Guaranteed to the user. Built to 
suit your particular needs at re¬ 
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manufacture Corrugated Iron 
1 steel roofing,etc. Write for pricesto-day. 
CEDGE BROS. IRON ROOFING CO* 35 Gfidgfi St., Anderson, Ind. 
r 
Potash Fills the 
Grain Sacks 
Potash is a necessary nourish¬ 
ment for grain and ail other crops. 
W rite to-day for our valuable 
books on “ Fertilization”— full of 
information that every farmer should 
possess—sent free to applicants. 
93 
GERMAN KALI WORKS 
Nassau Street New Yo rk 
Landowners should r. ad article bv Alva Agee on Land 
Drainage entitled “The Making of a Farm.” in 
The National Stockman and Farmer, of Pittsburg.Pa. 
July 21 st. pageG. Copy will be sent free on application. 
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m 
SAN JOSE SCALE 
and other INSECTS killed by 
GOODS 
Caustic Potash Whale-Oil Soap No. 3 
Endorsed by U.S. Dept, of Agrl. and State Experiment 
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No leaks 
n o trouble, 
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Stands heat, 
cold, rain or 
sun. 
Arrow Brand Asphalt Ready Roofing 
the cheapest good roofing. Outlasts shingles. 
Stands rough use. Sand or gravel surface. The price 
is all right. Send for samples, booklet and prices. 
Asphalt Ready Roofing Co., 80 Pine Street, New York 
“BE GOOD” 
TO YOUR HORSES 
USE FRAZER’S AXLE GREASE 
AND MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM. 
nm 
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Recognized as the STANDARD 
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Many Thousand Tubs of this Grease are sold 
weekly to the Truckmen of New York City-Ahelr 
Trucks are loaded heavy and a saving orboth 
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Ask your dealer for FRAZER’S with Label on 
It saves your horse labor and you too. 
SOLD EVERYWHERE. 
T-razer LubricatorCo.,83 MurraySt.,N.Y 
FANCY feaches 
Should be shipped in a nice earner to fetch fanev prices. Use the South Side Carriers 
SOUTH SIDE M’F’Gr OO., 
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"Winchester 
* * 
New Rival” Black Powder Shells 
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ORDER THEM AND TAKE NO OTHER 
