THE WISCON SIN FARMER.      299



  "The spring proves the importance of the
question whether our small birds shall be pre-
served or exterminated. This year the cater.
pillars were never known to be more numerous
or more voracious. In many districts the small
fruit is almost destroyed by them, and garden-
ers are forced to employ boys to pick them
from the trees. This, of course, cannot be so
well done as by nature's scavengers, the birds.
In my own garden I have none, and the apple
trees are covered with worms of two or three
kinds, which have destroyed most of the buds
and the young fruit. The effect of the univers-
al tendency to destroy the small birds will be
yearly more disastrous, unless active measures
are taken to cheek the evil At present these
useful-nay, indispensable creatures, are at
the mercy of the half educated; men shoot
them, entrap them and poison them; boys are
allowed by their parents to rob their nests, and
thus destroy what, in the great scheme of na-
ture, is of more value than themselves. In my
own neighborkoed, where (as I have observed)
insects of the most pernicious kinds were nev-
er more abundant, a lady has, this spring,
poisoned with strychnine, at one dressing of
her grounds or gardens, no less than 800 birds
of various kinds, and she was, a few days
since, preparing for a second battue. To coun-
teract this senseless and barbarous destruction
of our best friends by man, woman and child,
I look to the schoolmasters and to to clergy,
who, as yet, seem not to have been fully con-
vinced of the importance of the subject."



MECHANICAL & COMMERCIAL.

          Chance for a Speculation.
  MR. EDITOR:-Your name and person are
both unknown to me, but sometime during the
winter I read an article on Steam Plowing,
credited to the editor of the WiscoNsIN FARM-
ER. I have for some years been studying the
construction of a traction engine and steam
plow combined; the intended design of which
is to take the place of extra teams on large
farms. I have built an illustrative model this
winter and, from the knowledge I have of Eng-
lish and American inventions, I believe my
invention to be, in nearly or quite all respects,
equal, and in a number superior to those in
use.
  I can ascend any grade where the machine
will not upset backwards: cannot plow where
roots, stumps or stones are very plenty, but
will plow in any land sufficiently even for the
comfortable use of horses or oxen; can turn a



corner at right angles, and, as a matter of
course, on any desired curve.  The plowing
apparatus is easily attached, and the whole,
either for plowing or otherwise, to be easily
controlled by one person.
  Judging from the article alluded to that you
had some interest in such matters, and being
pecuniarily unable to subject my invention to
the only reliable test, viz: that of building a
machine capable of working out its practica-
bility or otherwise, I address myself to you,
thinking that perhaps among your prairie
farmers interested in such matters, there might
It those who would be willing to aid in bring-
ing out and developing ideas that might com-
mend themselves as useful.
  In this section we have small farms gener-
ally, and there are but few, comparatively,
who feel an interest in such matters. Hence
I cars hardly expect to find the needed help
here. If you have those amcng your acquaint-
ance who would be willing to asist, I should
be glad, in some way, to correspond. The
principles involved in the construction of the
machine will show for themselves. As for my-
self, my friends will testify, when needed. If
it is not asking too much, I should like to hear
from you.                          B. H.
  RzMARKS.-We like to be generous towards
those who, while they aim at the public good,
are, unhappily, without the means of demon-
strating the practicability of their Ideas and
plans, and, accordingly, have given the above
the widest publicity in our power, witholding
the author's name, for obvious reasons, until
requested by parties interested. As often said
before, we firmly believe in the possibility of
steam plows that will do economical work on
the great prairies of the West; but we as firm-
.y disbelieve in the economical working of any
such plow of which we at present have knowl-
edge.
If any of our readers have an abundance of
surplus capital to venture in an enterprise of
,his sort, let them report, and we will cheer-
'flly put them in communication with our
Pennsylvania correspondent.-ED. FARMER.



I THE WISCON



SIN FARMER.



299