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Show j RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD EATS LITTLE FRUItJ ltlm0i0illllif A I Red-Winged Blackbird Length, About 9', Inches. The red-winged blackbird eats very little fruit and does practically no harm to garden or orchard, according to the United States department of agriculture's biologist. In a new Farmers' Bulletin (N'o. 630), entitled "Some Common Birds Useful to the Farmer," it is explained that nearly seven-eighths of the l wing's food is made up of weed seeus or of insects injurious to agriculture. This indicates indi-cates that the bird Bhould be protected. protect-ed. The red-winged cr swamp blackbird in its various forms is found all over the United States and the region immediately im-mediately to the north. While common com-mon in most of its range, its distribution distribu-tion is more or less local, mainly on account of its partiality for marshes. It builds its nest over or near standing water, in tall grass, rushes or bushes. Owing to this peculiarity the bird may be absent from large tracts of country which afford no swamps or marshes suitable for nesting. It usually breeds in large colonies, though single families, fam-ilies, consisting of a male and several females, may sometimes be found in a small slough, where each female builds her nest and rears her own little brood, while her liege lord displays his brilliant colors and struts in the sunshine. sun-shine. In the upper Mississippi valley the species finds most favorable conditions, condi-tions, for the countless prairie sloughs and the margins of the numerous shallow shal-low lakes afford nesting sites for thousands thou-sands of red-wings; and here are bred the immense flocks which sometimes do so much damage to the grain fields of the West. After the breeding season sea-son the birds congregate preparatory to migration, and remain thus associated associ-ated throughout the winter. Three species and several subspecies subspe-cies of red-wings are recognized, but practically no difference exists in the habits of these forms either in nesting or feeding, except such as may result from local conditions. Most of the forms are found on the Pacific side of the continent and may be considered consid-ered as included in the following statements state-ments as to food and economic status. Many complaints have been made against the red-wing, and several states have at times placed a bounty upon its head. It is said to cause great damage to grain in the West, especially in the upper Mississippi valley, but no complaints come from the northeastern section, where the bird is much less abundant than in the West and South. Examination of 1,038 stomachs showed that vegetable matter forms 74 per cent of the food, while animal matter, mainly insects, forms but 26 per cent. A little more than ten per cent consists of beetles, mostly harm- ful species. Weevils, or snout beetles, amount to four per cent of the years, foot, but in June reach 25 per cent. As weevils are among the most harmful harm-ful insects known, their destruction should condone some, at least, of the sins of which the bird is accused. Grasshoppers constitute nearly five per cent of the food, while the rest of the animal matter Is made up of various insects, a few snails, and crustaceans. Growing Pepper Plants. The conditions the pepper plant demands de-mands for favorable development are very similar to those of the tomato, except that when young the peppers are more sensitive to cold, wet or unfavorable un-favorable conditions of the soil. Peppers, Pep-pers, like many other crops, bring the best results when their growth is unchecked un-checked from the starting seed to the ripened fruit Possibly the pepper is a little more sensitive to cold, hard, ill-drained soil than many other plants, as when the growth is checked often very little fruit is borne by the plant. Therefore, one of the essentials is a well-drained soil put in the best mechanical me-chanical condition, and a delayed planting until reasonably sure of constant con-stant warm weather with the least possible danger from cold or wet. Like the tomato, the plants may be propagated propa-gated by planting the seed in the field, but a better yield is usually obtained where the plants are started in beds or boxes and transplanted to the open field. Often the profit on a pepper crop is determined by the character of the plants set. Soil for the Seedbed. In preparing the soil to be put in the seedbed for starting the pepper plants a good mixture is made of one-third black garden soil, one-third well-rotted manure and one-third coarse-grained sand. These proportions, however, vary with the character of the soil, whether heavy and compact or sandy; if the former, use less soil and more sand; if the latter, less sand. If the manure is light, poorly rotted, take pains to make the soil as light as possible pos-sible and use larger proportion. It is important that the ingredients be well-mixed, well-mixed, which can be best accomplished by throwing them Into a conical heap, shoveling this over and then passing it through a coarse sieve of about one-half-inch mesh. Carefully level about two to three inches depth of this soil in a shallow box and water as thoroughly thor-oughly as possible without making it actually muddy. Let it stand for at least an hour and then add about one-half one-half inch of fresh soil, and in this plant the seed either in drills about one-quarter inch deep or scattered over the surface and evenly covered with from one-quarter to one-half Inch of fresh earth. |