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much trouble with blackbirds and that they had been especially bad this year. Shooting and poisoning was resorted to but these measures brought only moderate success.

Mrs. E. W. Turner above Citrus Grove stated that blackbirds had been much worse this past year than in 1916. In the spring of 1916 all of the farmers in that region by agreement had poisoned the blackbirds at sowing time in the spring. This so reduced the numbers of the birds that there was little trouble the following fall. In 1917 these measures were not adopted and the birds had again become abundant. Blackbirds had been so bad this past season that it had been necessary to protect certain shocks of choice rice desired for seed by throwing sacking over them. 

A. F. Johnson, a merchant in Citrus Grove, stated that his customers had made many complaints of damage by blackbirds this past year and that he had sold more ammunition to be used against them than usual. One man had purchased shells to the amount of $40.00.

I. C. Roberts of Wadsworth stated that in the vicinity the destruction of the nests of blackbirds was a common practice in order to aid in keeping down the numbers of these birds.

Similar statements were made by a number of other rice-growers but need not be incorporated here as if this were done it would lead to needless rep^[[et]]ition.

From all accounts it seemed that slight damage was done to the rice crop at planting and after the grain had sprouted. Ser^[[i]]ous damage began when the rice reached the milk stage in its development and continued until the grain was finally harvested. Except in a few cases no detailed estimates of the amount of damage inflicted by blackbirds could be made as the birds were working in the fields over such an extended period of time.