FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Jan. 2 , 1909 . 
1 2 
at Christmas is infinitesimal when compared with 
the loss of forest resources through fires and 
careless methods of lumbering. The proper 
remedy is not to stop using trees, but to adopt 
wiser methods of use. 
"It is generally realized that a certain propor¬ 
tion of land must always be used for forest 
growth, just as for other crops. Christmas trees 
are one form of this crop. There is no more 
reason for an outcry against using land to grow 
Christmas trees than to grow flowers.” 
The Forest Service upholds the Christmas tree 
custom, but recognizes at the same time that the 
indiscriminate cutting of evergreens to supply 
the holiday trade has produced a bad effect upon 
many stands of merchantable kinds of trees in 
different sections of the country. Waste and 
destruction usually result when woodlands are 
not under a proper system of forest manage¬ 
ment. Foresters say that it is not by denying 
ourselves the wholesome pleasure of having a 
bit of nature in the home at Christmas that the 
problem of conserving the forests will be solved, 
but by learning how to use the forests wisely and 
properly. The ravages through forest fires must 
be checked, the many avenues of waste of tim¬ 
ber in its travel from the woods to the mill and 
thence to the market must be closed, and almost 
numberless important problems demand atten¬ 
tion before the Christmas tree. 
Germany is conceded to have the highest de¬ 
veloped system of forest management of any 
country, yet its per capita use of Christmas trees 
is greatest. The cutting of small trees for 
Christmas is not there considered in the least 
as a menace to the forest, but, on the contrary, 
as a means of improving the forest by thinning 
and as a source of revenue. It is, therefore, 
constantly encouraged. 
There is little doubt but that the time will 
come when the Christmas tree business will be¬ 
come a recognized industry in this country, and 
that as much attention will be given to it as will 
be given to the growing of crops of timber for 
other uses. This time may not be far off, for 
it is already understood that only through the 
practice of forestry, which means both the con¬ 
servation of the timber which remains and care¬ 
fully planned systems of reforestation, will it 
be possible to supply the country with its forty 
billion feet of lumber needed each year, as well 
as the few million little frees used at Christmas 
time. 
How to Care for the Birds. 
Early in 1907 there was printed in Germany 
a book written by Martin Hiesemann which gave 
an account of the measures employed for the 
protection of birds on the estate of Baron Von 
Berlepsch. So great was the demand for this 
book that a second edition was printed in June, 
1907, and a little later it was translated for pub¬ 
lication in England, and an introduction written 
for it by the Duchess of Bedford. 
The National Association of Audubon Socie¬ 
ties is importing the book and selling it at cost 
with a view to inducing people on this side the 
water to apply in behalf of American birds the 
principles used by the German landowner in 
caring for the birds found on his estate. 
The little volume of eighty-six pages is divided 
into three Sections, the first of which deals with 
the history and reasons for the protection of 
birds; the second to nesting, shelters and feed¬ 
ing, and the suppression of the enemies of birds; 
while the third emphasizes the importance of co¬ 
operation in the work. 
The general principles laid down in this little 
volume are as applicable to the birds of America 
as to those of Europe, and it would be a good 
thing if the volume could have a wide circula¬ 
tion in this country. 
The book is sold at cost, forty cents, by the 
National Association of Audubon Societies, No. 
141 Broadway, New York. 
Muskrat and Perfumery. 
The question is asked us whether the musk 
of the common muskrat is not used to make 
cheap perfumery. We have never heard of such 
use of muskrat musk, nor can we find anything 
definite on the subject in the books. Application 
to a large manufacturer of perfumery, however, 
brings out the information that some years ago 
musk from the muskrat was tried out for per¬ 
fumery purposes, but was not found available 
for this use. Not a single instance of it being 
used now is known. The musk of commerce 
comes chiefly from the musk deer. 
Report of the Biological Survey. 
The annual report of the work of the Bureau 
of Biological Survey has just been issued. It 
covers investigations extending over wide flelds 
and many of these investigations have been noted 
in Forest and Stream from time to time as 
they became public. 
People in the Western stock ranges have been 
trapping and poisoning wolves and coyotes, look¬ 
ing up their dens at the breeding season and 
destroying the young with great effect, so that 
more than 1,800 wolves and about 24,000 coyotes 
were destroyed. This represents an enormous 
saving of live stock and an enormous reduction 
in the breeding stock of destructive animals. It 
will be recalled that almost a year ago Forest 
AND Stream described an outbreak of field mice 
in Nevada, which entirely destroyed the crops 
there. An assistant in the Biological Survey 
sent to meet the conditions noted that as soon as 
the mice began greatly to increase, hawks, owls, 
ravens, gulls and herons among birds, and bad¬ 
gers. skunks, weasels, foxes and coyotes among 
mammals, gathered there, and for a consider¬ 
able time appeared to subsist entirely on mice. 
It was estimated that during the height of the 
outbreak these birds and mammals destroyed 
about 45,000 mice daily. 
Many millions of dollars will be saved and 
many human lives also when the investigation 
into the house rat pest has been completed. 
It is believed that the damage done by these 
animals amounts to $50,000,000 a year and they 
breed very rapidly. It is said that in Japan, 
where the number of rats killed each year some¬ 
times reaches a million, there is nevertheless no 
noticeable diminution in their numbers. 
Ground squirrels not only destroy great quan¬ 
tities of grain, but recent investigations prove 
that the Beechy ground squirrel is susceptible 
of plague and carries the germ of the disease, 
which, as in the case of rats, is communicated 
to human beings through the agency of fleas. 
Nine new bird reservations were created by 
executive order. These are located off the coasts 
of Florida, Louisiana, Oregon and Washington. 
The importance of the aid lent to the farmer 
by insectivorous birds makes it highly desirable 
that these unpaid farm laborers should be in¬ 
duced to remain as near as possible to the farm 
and the house. Dr. Merriam points out that this 
can be done by providing an increased food 
supply by, planting about houses and gardens 
such trees and shrubs as mulberries, wild cher¬ 
ries and so on. These fruit trees have the addi¬ 
tional use that they serve to protect marketable 
fruits from attacks by birds. 
Of the birds imported during the past year 
14,694 were game birds, of which about half 
were European partridges—an increase of 100 
per cent, over last year—imported for stocking 
purposes. The United States officials co-operate 
with the State game officials as they have in the 
past. 
The work for the coming year will be con¬ 
tinued on the same lines that have been followed 
in the past, and no doubt with excellent results. 
Supposed De&th of a Florida Warden. 
Startling, saddening and discouraging news 
has just been received by the. National Associa¬ 
tion of Audubon Societies. The boat furnished 
by the association for the use of Warden Colum¬ 
bus G. McLeod, who had charge of the birds on 
Devil Fish Key, Fla., and the immediate neigh¬ 
borhood, has been found floating bottom up, 
bloody. Floating under it was the hat of the 
warden, smeared with blood and hair, and with 
two cuts evidently made by the blade of an axe. 
No trace of the body has been discovered. It 
is assumed that the warden met with his death 
on the last day of November. 
On that day a friend had given him some 
small tomato plants and the box of plants was 
found on the porch of the warden's home, where 
presumably he had temporarily placed them. As 
nothing appeared to be missing, it seems evident 
that robbery was not the motive. 
Mr. McLeod was one of the most valuable 
and efficient wardens in the service of the asso¬ 
ciation. For many years prior to his employ¬ 
ment by the association he had done what he 
could to preserve the wild life of his vicinity 
because he took an interest in and felt a love 
for such wild life. He was enthusiastic in his 
work and proud of his feathered charges. His 
last report expressed his hope that the small 
flock of roseate spoonbills or “pink curlews” 
would again return to winter under his care. 
This flock of curlews had been gradually dimin¬ 
ishing from year to year, presumably from the 
attentions of plume hunters. Mr. McLeod de¬ 
plored the approaching extermination of these 
beautiful birds and used all his moral influence 
with the men of his vicinity to prevent the kill¬ 
ing of any of this rare species. Mr. McLeod’s 
tragic death is the second occurrence of this kind 
in Florida.’ 
Her Reward. 
Professor (to his aged cook): “You have 
now been twenty-five years in my service, 
Regina. As a reward for your fidelity I have 
determined to name the bug I recently dis¬ 
covered after you.”—Fliegende Blaetter. 
The Forest and Stream may be obtained from 
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supply you regularly. 
