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Show PROPER PROTECTION AGAINST RAVAGES OF PREDATORY DOGSj tomsnse HE greater battalion of the army of the birds is in the southland for the winter. The warblers were the pioneers In the march to escape the cold. The naturalists of the world would give much to know what It was In the torrid time which told these daintiest of the feathered creatures that they must be moving on. There Is a puzzle for the scientists even more complex than that offered by the spectacle pf migration. It la to get the solution of the problem of why some bird with the recurring autumns Invariably seek warmer climes while others apparently much more poorly fitted by nature to withstand cold weather conditions, stay about the familiar nesting scenes when the snow lies deep and the cold Is like that of "St. Agnes Eve. The titmouse, the Concord chickadee of Emerson, is a little feathered gem which looks as though a breath of cold would set it all a shiver Yet this little fellow sticks-b- y his Northern friends all through the winter, when bigger, more heavily feathered, and apparently more hardy species have sought, out the orange and the magnolia groves of the gulf There are scores of other birds which remain with us to pipe a cheerful note over the snow wastes while their southern-flyinfriends are silent amid their congenial surroundings a One of the most interesting bird studies is that which leads to a personal knowledge of how the feathered species care for themselves during a time when exposed man, even though heavily clothed, at times freezes to dath. It Is a question if many people know how the despised English sparrow, whom we always have with us, manages to pull through a Northern winter without offering himself up as a sacrifice to Jack Frost It Is a matter of current but mistaken belief among those who have noticed the great bulky nests which the sparrows have built In almost every tree that these bunches of straw, dried grass, and feathers form the abiding places of the sparrows during the coldwlnter nights As a matter of fact, a sparrow sel-iogoes near a tree nest In winter. If he has found a lodging for his summer home in a cornice of a building he may go there to sleep away the long, eold nights, but the tree nest is deserted from the moment the last brood is hatched. If one wishes to know where thousands of the sparrows sleep In winter Vet him on some cold night take a stout club and rap with all his might upon an electric light pole that Is fitted with 'an overhanging . . WV hoe, a There Jm me litsie In some of these hoods directly over the platform glass globe. Upon this as many sparrovs as can conveniently crowd together rost throughout the cold weather nights. A club rapping experiment on an electric light pole at a Chicago avenue corner near the North Side water works lot during a howling, blizzard one winter night resulted In the dlslodgment of twelve frightened sparrows. They fluttered about In the storm and bang like so many fascinated moths. When the pounding ceased they made their way back to their resting place and doubtless remained undisturbed until morning. Their flat was certainly modern In Its appointments, for It was heated and lighted by electricity. Take a trip through a thistle field In Julyand there will be seen scores of goldfinches feeding on the seeds of the prickly plants. These little creatures have the appearance of the birds of the tropics. It would seem that barely a breath of the north wind would send them scurrying southward. . In truth, however, these birds, frail though they appear, stay with ns all winter, yet not one person In fifty outside of the ranks of the bird students knows the fact In late August the goldfinch drops his gold and black livery and puts on a sober' spirrowllke garb. This Is the reason why people think that the little thistle seed, lover haf left them and that another bird has taken its place. In the Chicago Academy of Sciences there Is pathetic evidence of how the goldfinch keeps warm during the winter nights. The curator has there an oriole's nest from the outside of which hangs the liter, body of a goldfinch caught by the neck and ally hanged by one of the cords with which the oriole has fashioned Its home. The goldfinch has sought refuge In the nest from the weather and on leaving It In the morning has thrust his head through the fatal noose. These birds utilize the deserted homes of all their brethren who build deep nesU. Theloldfinchespeturn night after night to a nest which an oriole had swung" from the tips of an elm la Western Springs, 111. The chickadee of which something has been said, builds its nest somewhat after the manner of the woodpecker, but If observation goes for much. the bird does not use this absolutely safe and warm retreat for Its winter night lodging. They have been startled time after. time Just after. sunset on cold nights from the vacated nests of many species of birds, the chickadee simply buryIn which the sumwarm the in linings Itself ing mer before the young of Its friends bad been cradled. swallows one and all By had disappeared. It may be that If the appearance of one swallow does not make a summer, the absence of the entire tribe may not make an autumn, but It Is certain that the birds must feel In . something that bids them begone, for they go an of eye In the twinkling and a body they go is no The swallows live upon Insects, and there -they reason as far as food is concerned;-wh- y should not stay at least two weeks longer, fori In sheltered nooks. The hum- their homes-a- re ming birds, despite Its delicacy, stays longer than the swallow and complains not. If one can catch sight of a saucy little woodhis lawn at pecker going Into a hole In a tree on this season of the year he may hope to have an All Interesting neighbor during the entire winter. In north the the remain the downy woodpeckers too, years through. Some of the red heads stay the to miles score of few a them of go most but " south. All of these birds that remain pass their of the nights in holes In trees, and at the time proper are locating busy month they first fall cold weather habitations. If enough interest in Edward B. Clark Most Successful Plan Is to Build Yard of Boards Leaving! No Crack on Outside of Fences Partition Is so Constructed That Animals May Jump In But Cannot Get Out Novel The Inclosuro at tho End Allows the Dog to Jump In, and Thoro Ho Romalna. Fold Dog-Pro- Wherever there are dogs and sheep together there Is constant danger that the latter will at some time suffer. Bheep are so constructed that even worrying by dogs seems to shock tbetr nervouB systems to such an extent that they seldom prove proflable. In most states there are laws against by dogs, but because of depredation their construction many of them are dead letters, writes Q. W. Franklin, In the Country Gentleman. I have long since ceased to look to the law for any loss sustained In depredations by dogs. I take the privilege of protecting my sheep In my own way. My first precaution was to provide plenty of bells as many as one to every six or ten animals. When the sheep were unduly excited the bells made such a noise that they would frighten some dogs, and would at least arouse sleepers to look after the flock. Finding that this did not work satisfactorily, however, I bung but lanterns out near the sheep-yard- , the dogs became so bold they paid no attention to the lights or to the noises. g Detail Construction of Foncs. Dog-Pro- next plan was a most successful a Attached to tbe sboep-barwas constructed of boards, sheep-yar- d leaving no cracks on tbe outside Tbe partition between this fences. yard and another adjoining was a board fence with cracks not more than three Inches wide. On the outside of which were the sheep-yarprevented a dog from Jumping over Into tbe yard. The partition fence al so bad guards so that a dog could not jump over from the adjoining lot This yard also bad the guard on It, but they were on tho Inside, so that once bs had gained access a dog could not get My one. -- the woodpecker Is felt to keep him as a companion throughout the winter a piece of suet bound firmly to the limb of a tree and n d occasionally renewed will insure bis presence as a guest as long as the snow , flies, and with him, tempted by the suet, will be a goodly company of jays, chickadees, and golden crowned kinglets. white plumage and the two great sweeping tall The kinglet, smaller than any of our birds, save feathers that give him bis name. With his wife the ruby throated humming bird alone, manages he does not lack other names, and they are to live through all the cold Northern winter and known In various places as "old Injun, "old be all the while as cheerful as a robin in April. "old squaw old molly, old granny, wife, ' The kinglet, as far as the experience of one per- Because of the oily "old south southerly. and , tom Is concerned at least, prefers to get his sumnature of their flesh these ducks are unfit for mer food In the thick bushes, and seemingly has -and yet the gunners on the Chicago break food, a preference for those which are near clambering waters nd on the government pier used to kill vines. The 'kinglets cast about for likely places dozens of them in the pure wantonness of sport. in which to pass the winter. As far as can be When the sloping stone abutment that proascertained they simply get Into the heart of some tects the outer Lincoln Park driveway, Chicago, thickly twigged bush through which run vine from the waves Is piled high with Ice during the branches and there all night long they defy both winter the venturesome person who will scale r cold and snow. "V the side of the' pile may see tn the dark water The great northern shrike, which Is due In the only a few yards beyond one of the most beaut! northern states from Its summer home in. the ful ducks known to the bird kingdom. Tbe British possessions about October 1, spends his golden eye, or whistle wing, frequents tbe cold nights close to the bole of - an evergreen tree. waters of Lskt Michigan all through the winter, There Is a little clump of evergreens well within and comes close to the shore. It Is seldom that the limits of the city of Chicago where a half more than four or live are seen together, and dozen of these birds roost nightly from October oftener t tingle pair will be found. If tbe proto March. Inasmuch as they live on a diet of tection which the male apparently tries to exEnglish sparrows and spend all the daylight hours tend to tbe female during all times of the year in the laudable vocation 'of killing the Imported be a basis for Judgment, these birds remain feathered pest, the exact location of their roosting mated for life. place will not be given for fear some champion The golden eye almost Invariably places himof the sparrow might disturb the rest of these self between bis gentler companion and danger, featbeied friends, whom many are unkind enough and wben they are swimming or flying to new to call butceer birds. foraging places he Invariably leads the ws?. As a matter of fact one need fefl little anxiety The movement of their wings Is so rapid that for the welfare of the birda that stay with us In It produces s musical whistling audible at winter. The nursery ditty of "What will the robin distance. Because of the rapidity of their great do then, poor thing? la but the flight the Indian call them spirit ducks, bellev robin, the bluebird, the Jay, and the chickadee Ing that some supernatural aid is given them to will all care for themselves and will feel no envy add to tbe swiftness Of their Journeying. of man In his steam-heate- d flat. The best of the bird scavenger acting as tbe During the bitter weather of winter while peo-- .. - allies of the- Chicago health department In win pie with hearts in the right places are stuttering .ter are the herring, tbe ring-billegulls. The crumbs and seeds at their doorsteps for the little gull Is t big grayish creature, almost herring feathered land visitor, the great city of Chicago pure white if he la three years old. with black as s whole is doing Its best to feed the storm-blow- n to his Wings. The young of the first year tips birds of Lake Michigan. Not all the seware mottled gray, entirely different In appearance age of the city, notwithstanding the completion from their parents The result of this difference of the drainage canal, is sent towards the Mlsslt- .Is that people looking at a winter flock of the slppl. Some little of It still finds it way into the gulls think that contains several species. The ' lakes with its burdeq of garbage, and there tbs lagormsjnjackaon and Lincoln Parks are often gull scavengers, by eating much of the output that fairly covered with these birds, provided heavy from their point of appetite Is edible, do their best storm is coming In from the eastward. to aid in purifying the water supply. A delicate-lookin- g bird Is the klttewake gnlL Iq the dead of winter when the cold Is so InIt does notlook a If It could stand the rigors tense that it seems that no exposed creature can of lake winter weather for a day, and yet neither live, the waste of water between Chicago and storm nor cold succeeds In chilling Its optimism SL Joe, Mich., Is peopled with strange feathered or In abating Its industry. Tbe ktttewskes have -- been In the lake off shun the same water stretches when visitors, who Chicago In irituer, and her the wind- - blows soft out of the south. A storm they doubtless occasionally have remained und nhlch once rose and preceded a "spell of zero March. v s weather brought with It from the north scores A bird loer considers It an ornithological of strange, beautiful arctic visitors known as epoch when he tees a groat gnlu d ducks. They may bs seen all through The persistent tad careful observer who cares out Into tbq open water of Lake the winter well nothing for weather conditions may find this rare Michigan. They fairly revel In cold weather creature, perhaps the largest of our gulls. If be and In cold water. . It Is highly probable that, win but' keep a constant watch along the lake front The bird has been seen bere on several they would never come to the great lakes at all were It not for the fact that everything' northoccasions In winter, its nemo gives a good deIs a ward Is frozen solid. The male "long-tal- l scription of It it ia sometimes known grew somely as tbe ceffln carrier. beauty, with bis strongly contrasted black and d dog-guard- s out. Tbe fence inclosing this yard was constructed of woven wire, with d mad of smooth wire. the I soon found that dogs would Jump Into the contiguous lot to get Jpto the sheep-yard- ; but wben they bad gained entrance to this Inclosure they bad Tho next gone to their destruction. morning all I'bad to do' was to go down and gather In tho depredators and give them burial. I dare ay that Kenmor Farms have more dogs buried on them than any similar territory In tbe Union. I found that the dogs Would easily gain access to the yard intended for them, but I never had If tho one get Into the sheep-yarwere placed correctly. Tbe s srs made by nailing arms on tb top of the posts extending and upward at an angle of about dog-guar- dog-guar- d dog-guard- out-war- black-backe- d barbed wires. These provide a barrier that a dog cannot scale. I have been Informed that It la unlawful to kill my neighbors dogs; bnt when I find a dog In my sheep pastor or on my premises I take tho privilege of killing him for fear bo might do some damage. Notwithstanding that It la unlawful to put out poison I have-al- uo used a good deal of this. I bav never put out any poison for dogs, however, always being careful to put It out for" wolves. It a dog gets the wolf poison, I cannot help It Wben I put out poison I always notify my neighbors that I bav done sot and advise them to keep their dogs locked up. I use strychnin enough to kill a dog and no more. Tho poison la wrapped In a small piece of tlssuo pa-- " pare ao that it will not permeate the bait and make it bitter. When It Is put In a carcass of a sheep several places are doctored, and ifter on day tho carcass Is buried down below the roach of dogs or anything else, I have gathered In many dogs with poison' that was put out for wolves." There is anothermethod that I have found to be of some value In getting ' rid of dogs, but It is not to bo recommended, since it Is against tho laws -laid down Pf the humane society. It consists in saturating with lard a spongo about as large as a dog can I swallow. When digestion takes place the grease la digested and tbe sponge swells up on the liquids of tho stomach and can neither past out nor be digested. Tho dog soon pines away and dies: No poison has been Administered, for lard and sponges are not J poisonous, , 1 am a firm bollever tn the Justice the sheep owners taking this matter Into his own bands, but keeping still about it, for if he la to keep on the good aide of bis neighbors ho must never act as If he bad been tbe means of killing tbelr dogs. As a rule, however, a neighbor realises that wbea bis dog strays away on a sbeep farm and Is killed be has got no lesa than ho deserves. I advise All sheepmen to protect themselves against tho ravages of predatory dogs. I have found that legislators avoid this question, for ther are more voters who own dogs than voters who own sheep. A dog that Is not kept busy will get Into mischief, no matter bow well bo la bred. Some of tho worst dogs 1 have over caught are those called bunting dogs. They are sagacious and when not kept busy bunting bav to work off surplus energy by chasing sbeep. Tb shepherd dog that Is reared oa fi sheep farm seldom gets Into trouble, hut tf he to reared as a pet and to not mad acquainted with sheep ho Is liable to get. Into mischief If not kept nnder proper restraint Sheep should bo kept corralled at night, thereby removing one of tb dangers that are llabl to come to a flock. Daytime depredations are scarce unless a sheep pasture la ' . an outlying one. , j HOW TO MAKE IMPROVEMENT ON OLD FARM PAY POTATO DIGGER . Starring nod, Go to Feeding Implement Drown Through Field Stop Ail Cultivated Land It With Bind at Sufficient Amount la Only Below to Pew Depth Five Acre. Tabors, , - In describing an Improvement on a potato digger, tbe Invention of William St Dairy of Findlay, O, the Sci. entific American says: . In operation the digger to drawn through the field, with a blade or plov a sufficient depth to pass below the potatoes, and as it moves along - t long-taile- ten or twelve degrees. On tho tops of these arms are nailed four or five It la a commentary ot? American agriculture that In certain sections ther are farms of 100 or more acres than can be bought for less than tbe firat cost of ibe buildings, and In soma cases for less than tbe policy In eurance companies have placed on said buildings. Tbe old farm doesnt pay. Its forests have been destroyed. Its soil has been tilled, and tilled till K would bear tillage no longer and nature went out on one of her inevitable strikes. Potato Digger, Can tho old farm bo made to pay? It certainly can-no- t, by tho old methods. The old owner may remain, but the old farming must stop. Here are eome suggestions Put M acres of the 100 to growing trees. These may bo forest trees or In part an apple orchard. If the farm has any smooth levs! land, do the cultivation on that. Stop starving and go to feeding all to an cultivated land If the amount " I more than five acres. . . on Inn as For tome crops, potatoes, poverished soil, success to being had, I by the judicious use of commercial the potatoes are lifted from the ground. During transportation tho plow may be lifted out of the ground, and by means of tbs lever It may be held at any desired depth. Tbe arrangement of the beam of the plow moving between the frame sections prevents any lateral winging movement of the said beam with respeqt to the frame, so that the plow to held directly In the row. Tb width of the felly ofthe wheel I fertilizers' treater thahtht of the rings. |