A FOE TO THE GRUBS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXI, Issue 8444, 11 August 1911, Page 6

A FOE TO THE GRUBS.

TO THE EDITOR

Sir, —I am very pleased to see that my letter on small birds destruction, has brought "Another Fool from Mitcham" into the field. It shows that there is some interest taken in the question after all, no matter what opinion one may hold, which I think is a subject for congratulation. Not being the happy possessor of many oatsheaf stacks, I am not in the* position to say very much about that phase of the question, but am quite willing to admit, as in my first ■ letter, that the birds do a certain -amount of damage to grain, both in stack and *in the earlier days of growth. But I • would ask ' 'Another Fool "from -•Mitcham,'' has he- ever seen hundreds of acres destroyed by birds, in the same way that the grubs have done, all over the district? Can he say his crop has been a total failure owing to birds? I have been in the district for a number of years, and have always seen average crops, unless through grub or drought. A retired farmer, who owned a well sheltered and timbered pro- 1 perty, informed me only the other day that he never encouraged bird destruction in any way, and could not say

that they ever did him any material damage. In spite of courting ruination in such a deliberate manner, he still lives, and has asi much of this world's goods as tli© next man, and perhaps a little more. Now, 36,000,000 .birds sounds rather appalling, I admit, but if you allow each bird a daily meal-.of 100 grubs, a feat which 1 doubt her digestion being equal to, at the present time, would there not be plenty left? Your correspondent advises me to watch teams drilling and harrowing. I have done so, and also the plough. That is the reason for ■my first letter. I must confess to

)eing in doubt as to whether the birds

follow the implements to gather whatever grain that a bad drill combined with bad cultivation will leave on top, together with grubs turned up, or whether they are merely, taking exercise. I leave that to your readers to decide. If small birds are not insectivorous, what do they live on when no grain is to be got? Again, tne ratepayers pay for grain, give it away to poison birds, and buy the heads again. It is a great game for. some few people

—mostly non-ratepayers.'.. In spite of the exception your correspondent takes ■t0..-my: remarks on Nature, I still hold the opinion that you may try to assist her and all will be well, but try the other thing and your reward shall oe-rtainly come, and I' think ours has

just about arrived. Let us make peace while there is yet time. For my part, I would sooner lose tKe half of my crop by sparrows than the whole by grub, for all time. Thanking your correspondent for his, I trust, premature condolences on my pictoral disease, and trusting that Mitch am may even yet escape building a Mental Hospital. ONE OF THE FOOLS. Mitcham, August 8, 1911.