Genre:

News-Commentary, Drollery

Subjects:

Hunting, Cruelty, Commerce, Agriculture, Natural History, Disease, Animal Behaviour

    Urges that the Journal of the Horticultural Society of London publish an article warning the 'country bumpkins that can read' not to 'set a price upon the heads of sparrows and other small birds, and [not to] poison the pretty warbling squire'. Questions why squires and conservative landowners have not protested against 'the destructive policy thus pursued by clay-brained agriculturists'. Addressing himself to 'farmers and gardeners', the author stresses that the destruction of small birds allows pests to proliferate and thus ruin crops, and the fact that in France the government has banned the barbarous practice because it caused a 'plague of insects'. Goes on to debunk the notion that birds eat fruit and grain and points out that these animals have actually been introduced into Britain for 'consuming' thistle.

See also:

PU1/42/2/6 , PU1/42/18/7