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Wrltta.   for   tt.   Indiana   Farmer:
Two articles in the Indiana Farmer of
March 3d, deserve more than passing
consideration. One by G. E. E. concerning
the value of .birds, and bees, the other by
W. W. V., advocating the formation of
bird protective clubs.
The State and local Audubon Societies
are doing much to create e sentiment in
favor of bird protection, and have struck
the key note to eventual success by their
efforts to educate the children to a knowledge of the esthetic and commercial
value of our native birds. But something is needed outside of these organizations; something practical, something
tangible ;ahd the fanners, who are the
greatest beneficiaries where birds are protected, are the proper persons to do it. In
fact, they only can complete the work begun by the Audubon societies.
Our bird laws may not be perfect, but
they are adequate for the present, if only enforced. -About three years ago it
m.is suggested at a township farmers' institute that some sort of an agreement be
entered into by the farmers, looking toward the protection of the birds, and the
writer was requested to take the initiative.
Accordingly the following draft was made:
"We, the undersigned citizens of Washington Township, Hamilton County, Indiana, hereby enter into agreement as follows:
"In order to prevent the killing of birds
and game on our premises, and tresspassing upon said premises, we agree to
post notices in conspicuous places on said
premises, warning hunters not to enter
same.
"We further agree that if trespassers
are seen or known to enter upon the premises of any of the undersigned, we will
notify the owner of such trespass.
"We further agree to prosecute any
trespasser upon our premises, and. in the
event of the prosecution of such trespasser, it is agreed that the undersigned shall
bear the expense of such prosecution
equally."
This was circulated and signed by many
prominent farmers and other citizens.
Farms were posted and notice of the action taken was published in the local
paper. The result was salutary. To
be sure this did not meet the approval of
the idlers about towu, and spontaneous
indignation meetings were frequently held
on the street corners, condemning this action which seriously infringed upon tlieir
personal rights and privileges; but they
soon learned to avoid the farms which
were posited, and no prosecutions were
necessary. But   there  was   nothing  to
1-revent the killing of birds on the premises of those who had not entered into the
agreement, and the slaughter went on in
other localities.
ging on the fence, and he shot it! I
saw him- It was singing when be did
it! And the tears began to flow afresh.
I offered such sympathy as I could, for
my own heart was heavy at sight of the
little dead bird whose life had been cut off
in the midst of song.
"Did you say anything to Ben?" I inquired. "Yes, all of us children did; and
I told him I was going to report him!
Atinlie, let's report him, can't we? He
ought to be punished. Can't we report
him?" "I really do not know to whom we
can report him," I replied; and then came
the thought, I am a citzen of Indiana; it
is as much my duty to see that the laws
condition that he would promise never to
kill another wild bird, his father to be responsible for him should he violate the
promise. Both agreed to this, and so
far as I have known they bave kept the
pledge.
About the bumble bees: From time, immemorial men and boys have considered
it their duty to kill and destroy the nests
of these useful insects, just as ihey consider it a duty to kill every harmless snake
tbey see. ill most cases ignorant of the
fact that both nre very useful to the
farmer.
Corn Improvement.
Editor. Indian.  Farmer
At the recent Kokomo and Greenfield
Institutes the houses were packed with
intelligent, up-to-date farmers, hungry for
the latest thought on improved seeds. I
had a lot of mixed shelled corn and put it
oi. tallies at recess and invited farmers to
pick out of each bunch the three best
grains. Then   they   moved  one  bunch
forward and each tried to improve the se-
k-ction of his neighbor. I passed around
and laid down two grains from Whitesides
premium ear at Lafayette for comparison.
Last summer a  family of! bumble  beeaj When the institute had called to order, 1
found  a   pleasant    habitation    under   the
Farm Home of L. D. Cook   Northeast of Greenfield,   Ind.
are obeyed as it is that of any oue else;
so I said, "there, never mind, Julia, you
have reported him, and I will see that
Ben does not kill any more birds."
That evening after supper, I armed|
myself with a copy of the Indiana bird
law and the above agreement, signed by
some of our most substantial farmers, and,
taking the dead bird, I made a call upon
the Jones family. After exchanging neighborly courtesies, I stated to the parents
that their son was guilty of violating the
laws of the Slate, and that I had come to
see about it. The father demanded to
know what he had done. Turning to the
boy, I inquired if he knew what I meant.
He did know, and stated the offense. I
then read that portion of the Indiana bird
law which states that "it shall be unlawful for any person to kill any wild bird
other than a game bird; or purchase, or
offer for sale any such wild bird after it
has been killed, or to destroy the nest or
house, just below my pantry window,
entering through an opening in the foundation left for ventilation. Two boys
employed to work upon the lawn, discovered the nest, and made roady for battle. It required some argument to convince them that the bumble bee is useful
to the farmer, and they reluctantly left the
spot, puzzled by my unwillingness to have
the bees disturbed.
Again referring to the bird protection
association, I shall be glad to assist W.
W. V. in ris efforts to form such an association.
Hamilton Co. J. S. C.
passed little sacks with good shaped
grains in them, and asked each family to
take out one grain to take home with
them. This was eagerly done. Now, I said
shell your seed coru on a broad board on
your lap, see if it is fine seed, pick out
big nnd small grains, and lay this one
grain on the board to see how your corn
looks iu length of grain. Why wouldn't
this be a good plan for every farmer?
First pick out one good grain. The ideal
grain is five-eighths of an inch long, five-
sixteenths of an inch wide and thick
enongh to run six or seven to the inch.
There are commonly 18 to 20 rows on the
cob. Get a grain like this, that iff
smooth and hard, with a large germ, and
lay   it  on   the   board   for  comparison.
Ijist week Roland Hunt and I agreed
to fence off one acre in his pasture, far
nway from other corn, in which we are
to grow choice corn. We shall nlant one
-ir to the row, and keep a reco/.. .' the
ii-rformnnce of each ear with ** yield,
.very other row will be degj' led. I
secured choice seed. We nn§ ling to
nlant this on a patch 20 rods£ g and 8
wide. It is average 50-bus/ and, as
we prefer seen grown witho* jumpering.
It will he drilled 18 inches .{>» Oree and a
half foet. This work i_/^ nided to be
a permanent thing, as a partTof our regular i-:ire of seed. By it we eliminate the
unproductive ears, and also secure cross
breeding which is supposed to increase vitality. This seed when gathered will
never know that winter intervened between fall and spring. I am more and
more convinced that our crib is greatly
reduced by planting seed that gives about
SO per cent of stand, and a weak rather than a vigorous growth.
Hamilton Co. E.  H.  Collins.
If some sort of uniform agreement were
made by the farmers throughout the State, i the p^'s of an>' wUd, h,r<1' Then [ol"
-mething could be accomplished worth j lowed the I,e"',1,v: "Any *"_*„vk>Urt-
the while, and the Hessian fly and other ! in* the. Pulsions of tins act shall, upon
enemies  to  the  farmer and  horticulturist
•vould steadily decrease.
The following incident will show that it
is not difficult to enforce the bird law,
when one has the courage of his convictions.
One day my little niece, who had been
Playing with some children in a meadow
ncross the way. came to me in tears and
'airying in her hand a little dead bird,
^till limp and warm. "Se, auntie," she
exclaimed, her childish face quivering
with emotion. "See what Ben Jones did!
,f is a little  killdeer,  auntie,  and  it  sat
conviction, be fined in auy sum Hot less
than ten nor more than 50 dollars, to
which may be added imprisonment for not
less than five nor more than 30 days." I
then read the agreement and the names of
the farmers and other persons who signed
it, all substantial men and women whose
word was worth considering.
The effect was plainly visible. The
mother was pale with apprehension: the
father saw that the subject was not one
to be trifled with. The end of the matter was, after much discussion, that I
agreed  not to prosecute  the  boy, on  the
A HILLSIDE ORCHARD.
Kilitora Indiana  Farmer
I have rolling land that I would like to
set in peach trees. It is light soil with
some sod. Has been pastured for several
years. Would  rather  not  break   it  on
account of washing. How would it do to
net out trees and mulch around them with
coarse manure or rotten straw; instead nt
cultivating them? Subscriber.
Jefferson Co.
We see no reason why your plan will
not work fairly well, but at least dig the
holes wide and deep and stir the earth
occcaaio&aUy. The mulch will help to
hold dirt in place.
Experienced truck gardeners recommend to planting of strawberries as soon
as the ground is workable, after the frost
leaves it. If planted on fallowed ground
an earlier growth will be insured. Set
the plants so as to allow four feet between tows and two and one-half feet in
rows.
RURAL MAIL SERVICE.
-utnrti Indiana Fanner:
Ir, a recent issue you state that Indiana
has complete rural mail service. We have
in our township almost enough families
for two routes, but we have only one
route. Onr congressman has endeavored
to give us solid service, but he has no
authority -over the inspectors, who are
'hosen under civil service laws and are eb-
solutely Independent We have petitioned
for solid service, but without avail. On
ilu- olliiial blue print of this township,
about twenty families are left out, which
makes the service appear much more solid
than it really is. If anyone cau tell us
how to get solid service we will be very
grateful Our   congressman   says   solid
service means for a carrier to pass within a half mile of every man's house. Our
route at its nearest place is about a mile
from us, and there are nine families near
who are not served, though our roads are
-'! pike. Other places in the township
»re left out in the same manner, and
Green township on the east of us, is coni-
pl'iiiiing of the same partiality. So please
don't say Indiana has complete service,
fnr Wayne  county hasn't.
Wayne Co. c. s. It.