a att ta
)
Yous
Sadie
town-
Shade
nship.
town-
chard,
JRES-
ARGE
MAR.
Ady
i
STATE GAME COMMIS-
SIONER’S LETTER.
Kalbfus Writes on Question of
Caring for Birds.
Dr.
i » {Pzector of the, Ni Yor
(Continued from Last Week.)
The fact that I may permit a covey
of quail to feed on my land or
at least not drive them away, is not
feeding the birds; they in reality have
done me more goad than I have done
them, they have cost me nothing and
I am afraid the writer of this “article
has not carefully investigated the dis-
position of farmers even in this res-
pect, and has made, what in the mat: |
ter of bounding lands, is called’ an of
fice survey. I happen to have spent a
considerable part of my life on a farm
and have been associated with far-
mers more or less all my’ life, and’ said
what I did in my former letter after a
careful canvags. of the question, ex-|
tending through a series of at least
forty years, and now repeat, that I
know of but few farmers, who, unless
they are also sportsmen, have done
anything ever for the birds, either
game or otherwise. The old tree
. filled with woodpecker holes, in which
the hairy and downy woodpecker and
the chickadee and the nuthatch
found winter homes, and in which the
blue bird and many other early Spring
migrants found shelter from cold and
sleet, have been long since transfer
red to the farmer's woodpile and
have gone up in smoke through his
chimney. Through the practice of tree
surgery, the trees, in’ the. orchard or
on the lawn, have all had the: decayed
places cut away and the cavities filled
with cement, so that the birds before
named have no place into which they
ca retreat in time of need. They,
th. . efore, freeze and die, and the far-
mer if he pays any attention at all to
the subject, wonders what has become
of the birds, and I wonder how many
farmers in your end of the State
have attempted to put up bird-houses
to take the places of the shelters de-
stroyed. I wonder how many farmers
in your end of the State have hung
out suet, of fresh meat, or other food
for the winter birds in the time of ne
cessity. This article in your recent
issue fails to convey iaformation re-
garding this subject, and I ask that
you who may read this letter think
the matter over for yourself, and see
how many of your farmer friends, un-
less they were also sportsmen, have
ever traveled through storm and sleet
to. find and feed a covey of starving
quail, as many sportsmen have done, '
or who have ever put up good hard
earned dollars as many sportsmen |
have done for years, to buy quail in
other States and place them in this
State. I fail to understand how an at-
empt to investigate a matter of this
kind or an honest statement of the re-
sult secured through such an attempt,
can be called a “slur” or a “joke” for
it-is far from being anything but a se-
rious condition, not enly for the birds,
but also for all our people.
If I am wrong in this matter, I
would be only too glad to be correct-
ed, because others besides myself
haye mvestigated the disposition of
farmers to care for the birds and be-
lieve as I do regarding the matter.
Dr. wm, [F. Hornady, one of; the
greatest. Nat aturalig $ of 2g: world, and |
Zqologicai
this subject,
SAYS: “Show me
Park, writing upon
among, gther, things, sa,
one ‘farmer, or forrester, Who goes. out ;
of his way or labors and spends mon,
ey to protect and Httract Hi feather
ed Ariends, and I will show you ninety-
ning who nexer Hit; .one, finger ory
spépd one penny a year in suc work,”
and again “If there was mnything TI {*
could saythat would penetrate the
farmer's armgqr. of indifference and
sting him into activity on this suyb-
ject I would quickly insert the stinger
even at my own cost and loss,” and
again “Did you ever know a real
suré-enough farmer to subscribe to a
fund: for; game protection or to spend’
time and money attending legislative
hearings in behalf of bird protection
and increase? I never did; I mean the
real farmers who depend upon their
crops for their bread and butter.”
Dr. Hornady was born and raised on
a farm in Jowa; He knows something
about the disposition of farmers; he
knaws that because of their many
and varied duties the majority of far-
mers have no time to even think of
the birds; his whole life has been
spent in a battle for the birds; he has
come before the legislative bodies of
many States in the interest of birds
and it would not do for him to tell
anything but the truh about farmers.
He knows there is not one farmer in
fifty who can tell the names of half
the birds around him or who knows
of the special work each species of
birds is doing for him. Dr. Hornady
would hardly attempt to “slur” him-
self or his people or to “joke” regard
ing one of the most serious questions
he has been called to consider in his
lifetime and the sooner the farmer re-
alizes his true position the better it
will be for him and for the birds.
Dont’,, I beg.of you, get cross at ma
because. 1 dare to tell you. the truth.
The simple fact is, as stated in my
tion,
former letier, this lady does not un
derstand the situation or reajize “who
has been neighbor to the birds” up to
this time and this faulty conception
;stands out as in letters of fire all |
; through her article. Had she thor-
| oughly studied this
question, she
would never expect to protect or in- !
crease birds through protection to |
squirrels or
any kind.. If the experience of others
through ages does not convince her
in this respect; if the example of the
squirrels in Capitol Park, Harrishurg
is not satisfactory, I suggest that she
try for herself and see what kind of
birds will increase in the presence of
squirrels will increase in the presence
|of squirrels or ‘fur -bearing creatures
of any name ' éxcept rabbits. if the
"writer of: your: articles was to see the
numerous and varied claims received
in this office for damages done by deer
and rabbits and squirrels and Wild
turkeys, and even robins and other
birds, she might conclude all farmers
fur-bearing creatures |
were not of her mind regarded pro- |
tection, of these creatures.
If she will invesigate, she will find,
that in the days when birds and game |
and predatory creatures were plenti-
ful, men were scarce, and had not
taken the homes, . of these wild, crea-
tures, as they have today. In those
days the wild creatures had plenty of
Land on. which to roam, and untold
numbers of hiding places, their feed-
ing grounds were without limitations;
to-day, in highly cultivated sections,
the majority of our birds are compell-
ed to nest upon the ground or upon low
brushes, within easy reach o f their
many natural enemies, to the great
discomfort of the birds. The farmer's
cat, hig dog his reaper, and his mower,
and horse-rake, his cows, his horses
and sheep in pasture, each one get in
their deadly work; forest fires, built
by human hands, take their = toll, es-
pecially spring fires, that not only
destroy the mest of ‘the birds, but al- |
so the young of the birds and animals
and in addition destroy the trees and
vines and shrubs that furnished the
food for all wild creatures, when in-
sects are gone; the swamp has been
|
t
|
drained; wherein the covey of quail
or other birds were wont to take ref-
uge at eventide on a tussock, safe from
prowling enemies. The farmer's cat, it
is estimated, kills at least sixty song
birds every season, more birds than
are killed by any 500 hunters in the
‘state, excepting boys, for true sports-
men never kil song birds. Crows are
, permitted %o hatch and, to increase
everywhere; the farmer never thinks
of the crow, except when he is pulling
corn, and for destroying birds the crow
‘beats the cat out of sight. Young
crows in the nest are said to consume |
daily animal food equal to two or
three times it own weight, and the
eggs and young of birds are taken
whenever found. This disposition of
the crow is what drives many birds
to seek nesting places near human
habitations and causes the robin to
build on your window sill, and the
great wonder to me is, not that we
have so few birds ,but, instead, that
we have birds at all.
To be continued.
| A Christmas |
Church
Hittte church,
ve me ‘ wl 3
G ricrev lls Tor ote Clone 4
hanging garlands of ground pine
add laurel, perhaps rather awkward-
ly, but none the less loyingly, arranged
by interested ¢hurch miembégs, not by
a hired florist, and filling the buildin:
with the breath of ou’dcors.
I want some trees on the pulpit and
high overhead a blazing star of fire,
shining ‘out into the Semi ngns of
the buildi ks
Ete kre oh as:
frosty Christmias morning a id
eryday clothes, wearing mittens. if 1
choose, and my second best hat, walk
briskly through ‘quiet streets'/to the
church and Join the waiting congrega-
There won’t be a erowd. There will
be no display. Only a few score of
those to whom Christmas means a
wonderful reality will be there. And
there will be congregational singing,
lots of it, and we’ll run’ the gamut of
the hymns of the Nativity. We'll read
the appropriate Scripture responsively
and listen to the Christmas story told
once again by the kindly voice of the
unpretentious clergyman. — New York
Evening Post.
ee im eis
Turkey Not an Ancient Christmas Dish.
The turkey as a Christmas dish was
introduced into England in the six-
teenth century and is therefore of less
antiquity than the huge sirloin of beef
or the mince pie. Mince pies were first
shaped like a manger, as were the
Yule cakes given out by the bakers to
their customers. The plum porridge
later developed into the plum pudding,
wenn
which dates from 1675. At the old |
Christmas feasts peacocks and cranes |
formed some of the dishes. Before be!
Ing roasted the peacock was carefully
skinned, and after “leaving the oven !
the bird ‘was réclothed with fs old
plumage.
A TRE
RE
rette and
LEER ER ES EES RF RRE]
welcome to ladiés.
yersdale Produce Co.
Don’t il our Li ett & Myers Ciga-
your Liggett & id Tags
away. Our big stock of their premiums.
makes it easy to select poset and get it
' same day. Call and see. th
“Special
‘avsunnmninanannnnnnnnnzIng
hd
RR CRT
COWS n
Every Farmer with twc or more
A Del AVAL,
eeds a
THE BEST SEPARATOR MADE.
J. T. YODER,
Office 223 Levergood St,
Johnstown, - Penna
oo
The Greek Orthodox
i Christmas i
Shoes lustead of
Christmas as Stockings
Russian calendar, Christmas
comes thirteen days after the
day that is generally observed
in this country—that is, on Jan. 7. In
the colonies of the two races in Ameri-
can cities the day is celebrated by pray-
er, feasting and much merrymaking.
The Greek Orthodox churches are
crowded to the doors, men and women
bringing candles, which they place be-
fore the shrines.
In the Greek and Russian restaurants
and clubs there is feasting, and the res-
taurants of the better class are deco-
rated with laurel wreaths and pine
trees. The poorer places have artificial
wreaths of paper.
In the Russian homes in fthe cities
there are Christmas trees with _pres-
‘ents for the chfldrén,’ Just as there
| Asa to the Greek and
{are on Dec. 25 in ‘homes of gther na-
tionalities. Scores of children gather
in homds to sing Russidn Hymns and
songs. :
In the hom Gv of the Greeks also there,
are Christmas trbes for the ¢hildten
iThe older folk receive money and gifts
‘on the Greek’ New" Year.
wee
| pectiliat’ hold on popular affection.
that he brings the gifts that they al:
ways get on the eve of his 8, tiger day.
ne
it over New York the ehfidren
» talk of the coming of Santa
~. Claus for weeks before Dec. 25
but there was time when Tic
was. more frequently referred to’ as St.
NicHolts, thi itch St. Niclaes, "or"
an’ Claas. Mrs. ‘Van Rensselaer say:
in her: “History of New York:
“The stockings that our childre:
hang omJChristmas eve were once the
shoes that the children of Amsterdan
and New Amsterdam set in the chim-
ney corners on the eve of Dec. 6, and
the reindeer whose hoofs our children
hear represent the horse, descende:!
from Woden’s horse Sleipner, upon
whose back St. Nicholas still makes
his round in Holland ‘When Catholi-
cism prevailed St. Nicholas was every
where the children’s saint. In Hol
land, where his personality was modi
fied by memory of Woden, god of the
elements and the harvest, he had a
which persisted into Protestant times”
The children of ‘Holland still” believe!
Dec. 6.”
Kevrmummnre’
‘dnd they were getting ihtd ‘the elevator
‘at a big department store and making
tang, in most fun Tp bat such as
NINE CR] 3
are the
years’
) cts of more than 80
experience. Four brands—
76°—Special—Motor—Auto
Power Without Carbon
Waverly gasolines are all distilled
andrefined from Pennsylvania Crude
- Qil.
Clean, Uniform. More miles
per gallon. Cofitain no crude come
. WEIN
|, pressed natural gas product.
Waverly Oil Werks Co., Plttsbusgh, Pa.
i efi
emia eotndens Reiners Wax
Waverly Products Sold by
EL -:- P, J. COVER & SON Meyersdale
HE was six if she was a day. She
had a little fat back in a little
black coat, and her wisps of red
‘hair matched her red tam-o-
shares!’ Tn’ Her firm hand she held a
Struggling boy: ABOUY a’ Year younger,
for the toys;
The Woman Who Baw had a like des-
tin&tion, and whet tH& floor Was Peath.
ed they got outiitoget her. | CHI@Pén Hye |:
not: allowed urnscoompaaied (by guawd::
her. air. Of; Tes
Cat x - ul Ps
: Nor EA Sy pedi visit!
a buen rani 44 €rofit
and madeési straight for the spaee de:
Votgd to Clans, his feindeer and.
pid ig] with
ow Ae okra of fir and,
tar and a huge Christmas tree, b
the ‘pair gat) down beloré that faséinat. |
She old fellow: dn his wed rob; his: Tong
14 1 tt yi ¢
of 8 Dh
al i m il 0) 4
0 ar: Buy
eter
Across the room was a creche; also
a ‘wonderful and beautiful thing—the
infant Jesus in the manger, the mother
in her blue robes, St. Joseph with his
staff, the three kings resplendent.
The children had been perfectly still
for fiftecn minutes looking at Santa
Claus when the little girl whispered to
the bor. lie squirmed, struggled, but
sie vas (so much for him. She dis-
iodzed him from his seat, dragged him
{ ae and with motherly Irish
piety pressed him on his knees.
Reverently she described the holy
group, then would incite devotion from
a more human motive. “See the cow,
Denny. You mind the cow we used to
see last summer at the farm when we
went on the fresh air? See the goat,
Denny. You mind the goat in our al-
ley? It's his pitcher.” But Denny
whined and pulled and pulled to be
back, it to hig idol. «
The Ut fle gin looked up and met the
eyes of the Woman Who Saw. Her sigh
was that given by every woman since
the beginning, for every man for whose
soul she holds herself responsible.
“I'm afraid, ” she said. “Denny likes
Santa Claus, better than he likes God, ”
—New York Evening Sun.
‘1 :
OL ARIro
Healing Virtue ‘In Christmas Coins.
In certain parts of Worcestershire
and Staffordshire the idea prevails that
a silver coin from the Christmas pom
Ing 'Oftertoly 1s a ot erbizn” témedy fo
any Wht hithan' fle8h°H het to!’ Ret
.cordigly| any’ houwdéholder who hap.
goes to have an ailing child or othér
nip bis house hies him to the
an of the parish on Christmas
mornii§' and ‘Asks as'a favor 4 sacra.
ment shillfilg)' as' ‘the ' coin "is ‘called.
‘The coin given im exchange has to be
pea ined by, collecting ‘a'dozen pennies
m as many diffenent maidens’ ana
"then, changing the coppers for a silver
ishilling. For this coin the applicant
receives the coveted sacrament shill.
ing, '"which' on''beiniz taken home is
hung round the afling oli&’s’ neck’ ‘and
§ | is popularly supposed to effect a rapid
THEY SAT DOWN BEFORE THE FASCINAT-
ING OLD FELLOW.
white beard, holding his big whip, and
from his face the small boy did not
turn.
; 3: and complete cure of the complaint, no
matter what it may be.
Provide For Christmas.
Provide for €iristmis eve that it do come
To feast thy neighbor good cheer to have
some;
Good bread nnd drink, a fire in the hall,
Brawn, pudding, souse and good mustard
withal;
Beef, mutton, pork and shred piés of the
est:
Pig, veal,
drest;
g00se, capon and turkey well
i Apples and nuts to throw about the hall,
That boys and girls may scramble for
them all
8ing, jolly. carols, make the fiddlers play—
Let scrupulous fanatics keep away,
For oftentimes’ is seen no arranter knave
Than gome who do. counterfeit most to be-
grave.
—Poor Robin’s Almanac, 1664.
Ohildren Ory
FOR FLETCHER'S
CASTORIA
FOLEY KIDNEY PILLS
Tor BAQKASHE If 5 AMO BlLaxdOER
Children Ory
FOR FLETCHER'S
CASTO RS 'a