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About The Chemawa American (Chemawa, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1912)
THE CH EM AW A A M E R IC A N 3 fail utterly to appreciate the wonder of the creation of the little bird as it takes its flight in defiance of the laws of gravity? Can any boy listen to the little songster from dawn until twilight, to the outpouring of the little throat as he voices the joys of living, and still want to take its life? If the boy will ever stop to think we feel certain the bird will be safe. There are other reasons why the bird should not be killed as will be realized by reading the following from a recent issue of the Seattle Times: Slaughter of useful birds has become such a grave emergency that the New York Zoological society, through William T. Hornady, direc tor, is making a determined effort to secure the passage of a federal migratory bird law at the next session of congress. Three bills are now pending—one by Congressman Weeks of Massa chusetts; another by Congressman Anthony of Kansas, yet another by Senator McLean of Connecticut. Inasmuch as the three measures cover the same ground, it is urged that the passage of any one of them would do the work. Investigation of the subject reveals some startling figures as to insect pests. The department of agriculture estimates that the ravages of in sects annually damage cereals $200,000,000. The loss to cotton is $60,000,000, hay $53,000,000, truck crops $53,- 000,000, fruits $27,000,000, other crops $80,100,000. The total $4?0 - 100,000. Likewise the cost of certain insects, according to species, mounts in to stupendous figures. The codling moth and curculio apple pests cost annually about $8,- 250,000 for spraying operations, and $12,000,000 in shrinkage in the apple crop. Tree-insect pests cost $100,000,000 a year; cotton-boll weevil, $20,- 000.000; chinch bug wheat pests $20,000,000, and to the total may be added the damage done by grass-hoppers, cut-worms, army-worms, wire-worms, leaf-hoppers, and other insects—aggregating more millions than can be counted. Against these stupendous figures Mr. Hornady tells what is happen ing to the birds, which if unmolested, would do great service in keeping down the insect pests. He recites that the 5,000,000 men and boys who are slaughtering birds are thereby levying tribute on every American pocketbook bv in creasing the cost of living. The destruction of the birds means—( l) A great increase in destruc tive insects; (2) A great decrease in agricultural products; and (3) A great loss to farmers and consumers. The case is stated thus: The value of the birds destroyed as game and for food is not equal to one one-thousandth of the value they would save 5
