-13. 193.6 *

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THE CHARL(Yl‘TE'l‘0W1\' GUARDIAN

race Tl-[IRT_EEN

mmml by the Pioneer Jack ‘°°" Miner Leas:-e)

we have been writing of birds V“, are rare or classed as not on to P.E.I. This weal: we con- “de, m, mourning dove. This bird W been observed at different mm, ,,,d pipes but cannot be and A frequent visitor. Taverner wcfibes it as breeding along our Bomhem borders in Ehstem Gan- Id, and wintering locally in the mos‘, southern parts, and in the united states as for South as the _ Wc quote an article by Gil- bm peg,-son, written for the Na- uml ggoclation of Audobcn So- mne_g_ Educational Leaflet No. 2. He states as follows: ' years ago, before the Audubon aoclety was formed. I frequently woompaliled a. local hunter on his mp, afield. My bilsiflfl-53 W35 '0 N‘ mevs the birds which fell before M, double-barreicd. muzzle-loading wopgun, and to carry the shot- h ma powder-thorn whenever mg spormmlm found it necessary w advance in s. stooping attitude ,,.,,,g1e stalking his game. The bird most hunted was the Mournlna We and many of these feathered begut.le.s fell before his aim.

me one summer eveninz. I re- ¢n11,we tramped for two or three ".1195 .hrouzh the pine woods to a pond where we had been told the doves came of an evening to drink. Just before sundown they began to grrive. Alicr at busy day passed in on woods and nelds they came fly- llu in to this small, sequestered may of water to refresh themselves before sleeping.

Drinking Place of Doves

My companion never shot birds on the wing—that was too diffi- cult; so. on this occasion, no wait- sd until they had alighted near the pond to drink from one of the lit- tl¢ puddles where cows had step- pad in the mud. I remember dis- tinctly that he killed only one Dove that evening. I was not sens to fetch ‘1. at elm-, for fear that my pres- tnce might frighten away the other hrds that were Ccflllflg in. while we waited and watched, I large humog came out of the pond and grasped the dead bird in ills mouth. Few thine: in nature have ever surprised me more. Evidently ms frog wag"-attempting to swal- low it. and only desisted when I rushed rcrward with shouts of dis- approval.

southtnr Dove Shoots

Mos: oi the hunting for Doves was done in the early fall. when they would come in great numbers to the peanut-fields. It was an easy matter to creep along under cover of an old rail-fence, get two or three birds in line. and blue sway- Thls was a common practice‘ in those days. indulged in by thinks- ands of persons in the South. with- out s thought of wrongdoing until it was iorbidden by recent wise laws. Iii parts of Georgia and South Darolina large “Dove—shoots" used to take place every autumn. with this sport in view some Bram was lei: standing. or else certain fields were baited by scattering grain over the ground. After a few days the birds were to be seen Kltllering to the deceptive feast by ‘thousands. Then the hunt was or- grniced. and on an appointed uloming, many men and boys sur- rounded the field and began shoot- inc. All day long the birds were flying in or out of the slaughter- fcen. and frequently several tllou.s- ands were killed before the sun Went down. The number killed often far exceeded the local consumption. which meant that the surplus ‘ood- ies were thrown away. or were left for the llogs to eat.

There was some excuse for re- garding these doves as game. and shooting them in moderation. 85 their zlesh. although dark. is pal- atable, and la. young dove, taken a Jew weeks after it begins to fly. and nicely cocked, is a delicious lnolsel. But such slaughter as the "shoots" caused was 3 criminal ‘waste. and no one can regret their {Milne-ze when he cOlls'.(‘ef's the ‘my great value these birds are to the fanning interests of the country.

9“! llarticularly to those of the tfiouthem States. 1 MI’. William Dutcher. President Lot the National Association of Aud- .'"i0n Societies, in writing of the fleeting-habits of the Mouming .D0Ve. has made the statements 3'-hit follow:

The runner’: Help

t "is there a farmer in the coun- "’y Who. after a hard day‘: work V not wished that some other {MOM could be devised to prevent Jlie rapid growth of noxious weeds.

is one means of weId-de- been entirely agricultul-'11..

I l! because they never ser- “°“5l! considered the.fbod hlblts

"the Dove.

-“Mani investigations made by Blolorcal survey (United

‘*8 Department of Agriculture) firlhc food of the non, prove this 4 to be of lncsleulable uluo. examination of the oonten'a oi Itomacrs oi the Dove than _|i- more than N per cent of in J1 cons‘ai.s wholly of vegetable ter in the shape of needs: leu W?‘ 1 per cent being animal food. mfi‘“- 0|“. rye. com. barley and ‘Wfielt were found in to o.‘

. Wmrba. and eonatitu I! v ’" cult of the mat fool. and ‘hunt: or this amount we: ‘M min, picfigfi up Ilfir the nervutilu

HISTORY

Of the various trains eaten, wheat. is the favorite. and is almost the °n1y one taken when it. is in good Wndltion. and most of this was eaten in the months of July ma August. com. the second in amount, was all damaged gram taken from the fields after the harvest, or from roads or stockyords in summer.

“The principal and almost con- stant diet. however, is the seeds of weeds._These are eaten at all sea- sons 0. the year. They constitute 64 per cent of the annual food-supply. and show very little variation dur- ing any month. some of the seeds eaten were so minute that it would seem that none but the smallest species of birds would eat them, and then only when driven to do so by lack of other food. some in- stances of the vast numbers of seeds that individual birds con- sumed will be of interest. In one stomach were found 7.500 seeds of‘ the yellow wood-sorrel; in another 8,400 seeds oi barn-grass or fox- tail: and a third had eaten the fol- lowing combination: slender joint. grass. 2.600: orange hawkweed, 4.820; h°fi!'y Verfiin. 950: Caroline cranes- bill. 120; yellow wood-sorrel, 50; panicum, 620; and other weed-seeds oi various kinds. 40; making a total of 9,200. None in the above written list. is useful, and most of them are noxious.

Enormous Consumption of Weed- seeds .

"The three Doves in question benefited the farmers, on whose land. they fed, by destroying 23.100 prospective weeds. Is there a farm- er in this land who would not wel- come as a friend the man who would offer to uproot and kill 23.- 100 weeds? Yet, because the Doves go about silently and unobtrusive- ly, and make no loud boasts about the good they are doing, they are tholghq, of little or no value. In many parts oi the country this valuable, harmles and gentle creature is considered I game bird. and is shot during a large part oi the year. It is a. question for the farmers to settle whether they will permit anyone to kill on their land birds that annually destroy tons of the seeds oi pigeon-grass. rag-weed. smartweed. blndweed and many other noxious plants. and are thus worth so much as helpers on farms. The matter resolves itseif into a question 0’ figures, i.e., dollars and cents to the farmers. If three Doves. at one meal, destroy 23,100 weed-seeds, and thus prevent the growth oi the same number of prospective weeds. how much good will all the Dcvm on a farm or in a. State. or in the country at large, accomplish? Or. to present the case in mother way, how much will it cool. in time. labor and actual cash to destroy what the Doves will eat if they are protected and encour- aged to remain on the farms? The farmers in the United States spent. in 1399. the enormous mm of $365.- 305.92l for labor; how ml.ch of this was paid for killing wee?-=. and how much oi it could have been saved if no Doves had been killed but all

to perform the work that the Creator designed them to do? The‘ Dove is far too valuable an auxil- iary to the agricuiturlst to have it classed as it game bird. Its value consists in its weed-destroying ac- tivities, and not in the’ few ounces oi food it may furnish.

This really charming bird is one oi the earliest to arrive in the Northern states in spring. and be- fore the leaves are fairly out the p‘aniive call of the male. which seem; so moulniui to some cars. is heard floating over The woods. The name Carolina Dove. found in old books. refers to the fact that the first specimens dmcribed came from that part oi the country. It is sometimes called Turtle Dove. although not very closely allied to the tnle European Turtle Dove. and may well be known simply as the Dove. now that the Wild Pigeon has become extinct. .

Name and Habits

The nest, oi the Dove is usually pieczul on a horizontal limb 0.‘ some small or medium-sized tree. Occasionally, one may come across it in the crotch where two large limbs meet. Now and then it is situated on an old rail-fence or a stump. In the deserts of Arizona the writer has found the hosts on the bare ground. sheltered only by the uncertain foliage d I little greasewood-bush. The eggs are us- ually two in number. 12"" ‘"ll“‘~ and elliptical in form. when the parent is disturbed while in 53' tcndance on the ems or yolms. ll wlll.usuuuy drop to the ground and flutter away as if injured. the evident intention oi the bird being to d'stract the attention oi the in- truder from the nest. It is commonly asserled that the pairs oi this Dove “mum mated as long as they live, but positive evidence oi this is lacking.

Distinctions

The Mourning Dove has sortie- times been confused with the W.ld or Passenger Pigeon. especially since the 3911131‘! M‘ P°65ibl° “"95 of that lost species his exciwi 9° much lntcrut. It is about Jour in- ches less in length and seven in- one; less in spread of wings than was the Wild rtgo.-on. and has M‘ the blue tint about the head. ml; the reddish under-surface of thl‘ bird. it never anthers "1 Ff; maps for nestin¢-l>ilPi330”- ° smul winter fiocb mum W i“ spring into solitary pain 0“ "'9 Pacific Coast the Band-tailed ris- eon might be rlilstaken on ilrst ae- quaintance for this species. _Wt tn.‘ mm 15 iarger than the D.Vl. ma 1“. s square-ended tall crou-

edhyldugkyblflfilndd '

had been protected and permitted ins up driveways and harm.

Canadian Garden Service

‘lender vegetables are those which have been grown quickly. biracial- ly with such things as radish. car- rots and beets. is slow growth dis- astrous as the roots become woody and ,fl'.led with objectionable fib- re. But this rule also applies to everything used fog salsa‘, on this account experts advise pushing Kmwi’-h with freduerlt cultivation, which in addition to checking weeds a‘so conserves moisture. cul- tlvation alone will often keep the vegetables going through a dry spell but of course a few balls of water or an hour or irwo with the hose It this time. will lend furth- er Bid. Where thesupply of water is not as convenient as it might be. it is 8 good plan, in laying out the Burden, to plant those things most in need of extra moisture, such as radish, lettuce and celery. closest to the pump. Fertiliser is another Way Of hurrying growth and there- fore ‘assuring vegetables oi the high. est quality.

Inseouaml Diseases

Garden insect enemies are divid- ed intn two groups—those that eat. holes in the foliage and those that suck out the juices. For the first-

whlle the suckers are attacked with a burning spray which penetrates often when both are present, a combination of poison and some- thing that burns, such as lime sul- phur and in-senate, gives the best results. Tile damage from the hit. my insects is usually quite appar- ent, but the presence of the other kind is only shown at first by a wilting or withering of the foliage. For sucking pests. chief of which are the aphids or plant lice, spray with whale oil soap. I quarter Pound of soap to a gallon and a half of water; nicotine slllphaic. or ‘Black Leaf 40:’ or any other re- pellent secured from a reliable seed. store.

lfimgu

When fungus attacks the plants, the foliage usually turns yellow or brown, or white spots like mildew cover the leaves. Fungus is most common in warm. murky weather. Spraying with Bordeaux Mixture. or dusting with specially finely ground sulphur is advised. sulphur dust will also protect hollyhocks and phlox from rust. if applied when the disease first shows imeff. An ordinary tin can with the top per- forated like a salt shaker makes I good duster.

Cut worms, which eat through newly set out plants at the base of the stem, are poisoned by spread- ing sweetcned bran mixed with Paris green or special mixtures about the plants. Where there are only a few p‘n.nts to protect the same may be provided with paper collars.

There are now many chemical weed killers on the market, which have proved very successful in wip- ing out small plots and for clean- For poison ivy, one application any time durln: the growing season is ei- fcctive. other weeds eliminated in this way are ox-eye daisy, bind weed. Canada thistle, and most of those things like_ds.ndeliorl.s which make so many lawns unsightly.

Quick Grvwllrl

lbw flowers grow as luxuriantly or quickly as morning glorlu. They are prodigious bloomers. Their dark snd light blue, pink, rose and white colorlngs, produced in such abundance. will make a sheet of color on a ilne summer morning that is as cheerful as the first peep oi the crows,

Plant them for a quick cover for an unsightly fence, or to climb over a garage placed too much in the landscape. on a back porch, they will climb up wires or strings to the roof. They need no atten- tion. For short trailing plants, per- tulaca is recommended. it is a free blcomer. likes a hot dry place and when once started thrives on neg- lect. ‘ Canadian seed Trade Association

able white bar on the nape. Its cry, too, is more like the “ootlng of an owl than the cooing of doves.

UI«l*“0ll and Dfifilltioll

The Mourning Dove belongs to the Order I‘ lumbac and the Fam- ily Oolurnbidae—Pigeons. Its scien- tific name is zenaldtrra mscroura carollnensis. Thig bird breeds in all the southern Canadian Provinces and thence southward througyiout the United States and Mexico. In winter it occurs from Oregon. Ohio and North Carolina southward to Panama.

l NEWSY

I

NOTES

'1'!!! BLAOKBIIID

Aweekortwoagothe mxgngh "Blackbird" wu briefly mentioned in these Notes: and on reading We!’ the notice there came to mind a talk that the writer had with an officer in the Salvation Army who was stationed in Charlottetown, somew about twenty years ago. He was inclined to nature study. and kept a number of pets, among them-some New zealand red rab- bits. He had kept an English black- bifd for a number oi years. he said, and liked its song, In response to my question he said that he bought it at a "bird store" in Toronto. and it cost him 310. but he thought that when ‘one considered the trou- ble of importing these birds, the price was not unreasona,h‘e.

A writer in the "Daily Mail" (Bnsiish newspaper) has th‘s ti say: "The Blackbird is our master singer-—his notes are loud. flute- like. and liquid. Many oi the notes of the Nightingale are harsh. and the reputation he has acquired as

-a. singer is not unconnected with lthe glamour of the hours during named. poison is usually applied.| :'h‘°h he linear-when all the other

ird voices are still."

Many of the old time eoal-mln- era kept Ciao-birds and the Black- bird stood next to the canary as a favorite. This bird was not unhappy in captivity. provded he had a large cage: perhaps because he ,is rather a solitary bird, not living among others in a flock. Biackbirds are fond of bathing snd exercise. and like to be outdoors in ‘.'..e sun: and on fine days, the village street would be full of their song. Like our Robin (they are akin) they were fond of earthworms, caterpil- lars etc. Their best vocal efforts were made just after rain. They readily learnt to whistle tunes which they did with precision.

ODDS AND ENDS

-Pcicrlng out: Two liznslisl-4 Jud- us (as reported in The Guardian) have been exercised in their minds as to meaning of "Petering out." What does it mean? and who was Peter? adsed one. The other ex- plained that it meant "to come to an end." but left Peter unidenti- fied. The term is. I think a mining one., possibly an early g.’..l-mining one. “Peter" is rock or stone. petra in‘ Latin, with derivatives in some modern languages: and the phrase implies that the valuable stratum is thinning out to worthless rock, and so “coming to an end."

Turtle in the lshnttz T.‘:.t was quite‘a find in the swamp near annoys Road. was the turtle ac- tually a native. or was it an "as- cspe?" I have heard of turtles be- ing brouzht in from Nova scotia as curiositia (one could hardly call them pets!) However the point is. that none of my reference books (such as main‘: “Natural History") include the turtle in our fauna; and so I would be glad to have this rnatter c'ea.red up. Then again, where is cs.rrol's Road? It is not ' “ ‘ d in Douglas's “Place- Names of P. E. Island."

Rainfall for May: in this locality the rainfall for last month was ex- ceptionally heavy. My rain-gauge gave it as 5.38 inches. white the rainfall for May. 1935. was only .8" inches. That, is, we had rather more than six-and-I-half times the rainfall of May. 1935. It has come at a good time for the hay crop! Prince street. school Choir: I was delighted with the singing of the young choristers over the radio: and especially when they rendered the part-songs. I am not acquaint- ed with their instmctress. but I feel that she has inspired the young folk with confidence 'al'ld enthus- iasm. and a. love for a better class oi music: and I can fully EDDY!- ciaie the amount of labor she must have put into the choir to produce so desirable a reslrlt. The music was well selected: I had never be- fore heard Hande‘s “Where ‘ere you walk." and was very pleased with the way it was rendered. Why cannot we have programmes like this oftener? instead of the feeble entertainment the radio often

brings us.

satin Moth: The comprehensive,‘ report on this pest which appeal’-,1 ed in last Saturday's Guardian, call: our attention to the danger to; our Golden Willows and other. members oi the Salix family, Thet young collectors of insects in the‘ Province (who are quite numerous nowadays) would do well to include 3 the satin Moth among the injur-g lous insects for their school ialrs.! I note that. according to the "Ap-'- proved Common Names" of thej Canadian Insect Pest Review. of; Dec. 1. 1030. the scientific name 0! I the satin Moth is 5t.l‘pnotla. sa1‘cl.s.!

n.

THE WOOD BETONY

During the past year or two 1 have distributed to readers both seeds and plants of the wood Be- icny, the Eetonica officinalis of Linnaeus. which the botanist Ben- tham calls stachys betonica. It has. rather pretty leaves which are ob-1 long and deeply erenafe, and the red-purple flowers are in long whol-led spikes. I am indebted to Mr. E. W. 1-fart. one oi the botan- ists at the Central Experimental I-‘arm. for some pal-ticula.l-5 of this plant. “The Wood Betony oi Great Britain is no longer official in the Pharmacopoeia, ‘.>u.’. much has been written about it for I very long time. Antonius Musa, physician to the Emperor Augustus caesar, wrote a book upon the virtues of Betony. The Medicine. Britannica (1666) says: “I have known the most ob- stinate headaches cured by daily brealtiastlng, for a month or six weeks, on a. deqcction of Betony made with new mi‘k and strained."

Gerard tells us. among other uses. that Betony “preserveth the lives and bodies of men from the dangers of epidermal diseases. It llelpeth those that loathe and cannot digest their food."

Culpeper, another old herbalist, has written about this herb with intimate details which will not bear repetition here.

Other writers tell us that Bctony was once a sovereign remedy for maladies of the head; and its prop- erties as a nervine and tonic are still acknowiedged by some, though it is more frequently em- played in combination with other nervlnes than alone. It is said to be useful In hysteria, palpitations, pains in the head and face. heur- algia and all nervous affections. The whole herb was collected in July. when at its best, and dried.