Jerry, good comments on old vs new ranchers.  I was an extension agent here
in NC 25 years ago and worked with a number of farmers who were lamenting
the decline in bobwhite quail numbers.  I brought in several wildlife
biologists and we set up a number of demonstrations.  The problem was lack
of food and cover on the farms.  The real problem was social,  it turns
out.  A quail loving farmer would follow our advice and let his field
borders grow up to create food and cover for wildlife.  But, our farmers
love to ride around on Sunday mornings and inspect each other's crops (many
a roadside mailbox has been taken out by rubber necking farmers).  The
conversation at the local store follows as such: ' Boy-oh-boy, Jim's place
sure is turning in to a mess.  Look at all those weeds and trees coming up
in his field borders.....'.  Next thing you know, out comes the disk and
rotary mower, and boom, a 'clean farm, a biological desert for quail and
bees.   Peer pressure, pure and simple, and so many ways - chemical and
mechanical - to keep a farm clean now vs the old days.

We see the same thing in surburban yards - that urge to 'clean up' and have
a biological desert of mown grass.  I encourage people to let at least part
of their yards to go wild, and it is less work too!

Bill Lord

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html