The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-01-06
3Nist ellanenMs.
Ne,y York Sun.
Nel0 York Sun.
Pierre LOrillard's Square Miles of
Game Preserves,


Rancocas stock farm, ,Jobstown, Burling-
ton County N. j., is reached only after two
changes of train, one at Trenton and the
other at Kinkora, on the Amboy branch of
the Pennsylvania Railroad William Girls
void is the superintendent, and around his
residence, stretching far away on all sides, is
the ground upon which Pierre Lorillard is
establishing game preserves that bid fair to
rival those of England.
A visitor expressed desire to walk over
the farm.
Walk over it y said Mr.. Griswold, laugh
ing ut would take week to do that thor
oughly. 1t contains fifteen hundred acres of
land and line four miles long might be
drawn from corner to corner. 1t is oblong
in shape, and is divided into large fields,
many of them fifty acres in extent. Most of
it is brush and underground, and there are
ponds in which we hope to breed some very
choice fish
As Mr.. Griswold spoke a dog thrust her
friendly nose into the reporters hand. She
was nearly as tall as a well-bred Newfound-
land dog, but her back was so enormously
broad that she did not appear to be half that
height. Her tail was thin and short. Over
her eyes hung hair like that of Skye terrier,
but softer and more silky.
"She is what is called kenife dog" said
Mr. Griswold. "They are very rare, and, in
this country, almost unknown. Fanne's
father and mother were imported from Eng.
land Mr.. James Gordon Bennett paid
SO, 500 for thu former, and Mr.. Louis Loril-
lard gave 81 500 for the latter"
Every field was as level as a billiard table.
but in nearly all was growing low brush for
the protection of cartridges and hares. The
former are already on the ground and doing
well, but the latter have not yet been brought
from England. Preparations have been
made for them, however, and the fields in
which they are expected to breed are fenced
in with wire network high enough to pre-
vent their exit This, of course, will not al
low any very active coursing with grey
hounds at first, but hereafter the hares will
probably have the run of the farm and for
some time shooting only will be employed to
destroy them. Quail, too, have been placed
in these preserves, and all birds that frequent
and thrive on such ground will be introduced
In the distance could be seen plantations that
one day will, doubtless, afford shelter to
woodcock, snipe, rabbits and grouse. Pho
yer are already there in vast numbers, and
are freely shot They are worth probably,
81 each in the market, and afford fine sport.
but they are so numerous that strangers with
lege Of shooting them.
There are several ponds ON the farm, in
some of which carp have been placed In
November, 1879, hardly more than two years
ago, Mr.. Beard of Washington stocked one
of the ponds with thirty carp, about as long
rs a mans finger. Recently a number of the
fish were caught weighing from five to seven
pounds and measuring from twenty-five to
twenty seven inches in length They were
fat, healthy, and of excellent flavor. They
were caught by dragging the pond with a
net They exhibited great degree of Gun
nlng, and showed themselves worthy their
ancient name of "River Foxes" Some
buried themselves in the mud, and allowed
the seine to pass over them, and some sprang
over the top ofthe net as it approached them
They are somewhat like a shad in appear.
ance, but deeper, and they grow longer
They jump from the water like trout, show
ing their entire bodies
AT distance of nearly mile from the en-.
trance to the farm was small but pretty
house, in front of which was standing a large
man with powerful limbs; whose calling in
life nobody who had ever seen an English
game keeper could mistake for a moment
With the quick, easy motion that seems to
be inseparablc from all his class, he ap.
preached the visitors and was introduced as
Abraham Stanley, Mr.. Lorillard's head keep.
or. He has two assistant keepers under him
and as the stock of game increases the mum
Der of guardians will be increased. Mr.. Stan.
ley is an lrishman by birth, but he has had
charge of some of the finest preserves in
England. Two superb settlers and pointer
were liberated from their kennels and dashed
| about in high glee at their freedom. The
settlers are called Harry and Lance and
| 81 900 were paid for them. The pointer, too
was finely bred. His name is Brandy. His
mate, Soda, had been given away by order o.
Mr. Lorillard, who took him in his yacht last
season, and found him to be trife vicious
Two other dogs, Faith and Hope, are in
training on the farm.
The keeper conducted the party to duck
pond 1t is large sheet ofw water, and at the
far end, quite out of gun range, flock o
mallards were congregated. Their long blue
heads and dark glossy backs were just vis
BILE. They were very wild, and commotior
was observed among them as they caugh
sight of the intruders They could not fly
much, for their wings had been cut, but they
Owed, and concealed themselves among thu
reeds along the shore. At first they were al
lowed their natural freedom, but wild duel
flies far, and it was feared that they would
never come back, So they were trapped
and their wings cut. Several strayed to tn,
neighborng farms, and were shot by the far
mers, and Mr.. Lorillard did his share in de
stroying such as could not be caught and dis
abled from flying. The ducks, is expected
will breed rapidly, and the necessity for cut
ting their wings will soon cease to exist.