The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-02-04
LORILLARD'S GAME PRESERVE.
TIFTEES HUNDRED ACRES DEVOTED TC
sPORTING PURPOSES.


Burlington county, New Jersey. 1t con
tains fifteen hundred acres of land, ant
line four miles long might be drawn
from corner to corner. 1t is oblong j,
shape and is divided into large fields
many of them fifty acres in extent. Mos
of it is brush and underground. and Their,
are ponds in which it is hoped to breed
some very choice fish. Mr.. Lorillard ha
an En-! lish game keeper, and is taking
pains to introduce the better class o
English minor game into his preserve.
Every field is as level as a billiard tabl,
hut in nearly all is growing low brusl
for the protection of cartridges and hares
The former are already on the GROUND
and doing well. but the latter have no
vet been brought from England. Pre-
parations have been made for them, how
..ver, and the fields in which they ar,
expected to breed are fenced in by wire
net work, high enough to prevent thei
exit. THIS, of course, will allow any
very active coursing with grayh Ounds a
iirst. but hereafter the hares will proba;
bly, have the run of the farm, and 70,
some time shooting will only be employ
ed to destroy them. Quail, too, have
been placed in these preserves, and al
he preserves, and all the birds that FIRE
lnent and thrive on such grounds will b'
,,t,,,l,,,.I In tl,.a al la
zen plantations that one day will alfort
shelter to 1oodcock. snike. rabbits ant
rouse. Plover are already there in vas
numbers, and are freely shot. They arr
Worth probably 50 each in the market
aud afford find sport, but they are SO nu
nerous that strangers with good creden
ials are not debarred the privilege o
>huoting them.
The keeper conducted the party to {
Inck pond. 1t is large sheet of water
md at the far end is quite of gun range
flock of mallards were congregated
Their long blue head and dark glossy
,acks were just visible. They were very
Wild, and a commotion was observed
,mong them as they caught sight OF the
ntruders. They could not fly much, fot
heir wings had been cut; but they diveG
nd concealed themselves among the
weed along the shore. At first they
were allowed their natural freedom, bus
wild duck flies far, and it was fearee
hey never would come back. So they
we're trapped, and their wings cut. Sew
raj strayed to the neighboring farms and
We're shot by the farmers and MIR. LorilT'
,rd did his share in destroying such az
.ould not be caught and disabled from.
lying. The ducks, it is expected, vii,
breed rapidly, and the necessity for cut
Ting their wings will soon cease. 4
While the party We're examining thf
pond and it's occupants, a sudden Wh'rf
was heard. and bevy of about twenty-ss
i've quail arose, and after flying shor.
Instance dropped again into the grass;
they we're not very wild, for they have
been SO far seldom shot at They are IN
creasing rapidly. but it is not though !
prudent yet kill them. Hawks. wea
sells, minks and even cats prey upon theni
such vermin increased on the farm at frs
almost as rapidly as the game. Recently
however. an active warfare upon then
as been keptup by the keepers. and less
lamage has been done to the young game
han formerly.
The next place visited was the pheasant
,.sn. Last season twelve pairs of Eng
ssh ring neck. mountain and silves
.heasants were imported. To-day sever
reight times that number are on tho
,rm. and many have been shot. At frs,
hey were allowed to fly wild. but FIRE
luently they went off the farm and wers
shot by strangers Under New Jerscf
avs this is not allowed. Imported gam
birds brought to this country for breed,
ing purposes. are protected wherever the
may 60. but many of these disappeared
evertheless Then an extensive inclos.
urs of wire and cord was made, the corg
netting being held in place some tire
inches below the wire netting, so tina
hr birds fling upwards in fright do no,
harm themselves. Here the pheasant.
Re- kept, and as the Enclosure gets over
stacked. a few are turned out and allow
q to shift for themselves. F.,
The keeper had provided himself wit
some corn. and the birds knew him, fc
when he opened the door pretty littF
liver hen met him without any show q
ear and craned her neck towards til
"nd he was carrying; but she locke
-uspiciously at her other visitors. Othe
Jheasants. some with gorgeous feather
,ud long tails. but more with the subdueF
nut still beautiful plumage o! the hen;
,howed a willingness 10 app zach tn
keeper. but were distrustlul of his con
panions. The Enclosure is well Stoke
with small trees, and on these sever;.
birds were perched. A little fountai
lave them fresh water. This water
supplied from the same source as til
ponds, and all the buildings, with the CT
ception of the stables. 1t is raised =
steam pumps from artesian wells am
from stream that crosses the farm.
There were not more than ten OF twely
pheasants in sight when the party entei
d, but Fannie, who had been left on
side, rubbed herself against the wire
and in moment the Enclosure was in
uproar. Everywhere birds were rising
they .jostled each other in the air, All
dew recklessly against the upper barrier
proving the wisdom of having put IL
cord lining there, Tor had they battere
themselves against the hemp many migl
have been bagged without pulling tri'
ger. The keeper, throwing the corn III
ON the ground. hurried his companion
cat of the enclosure and closed the doc
The pheasants are not trusted to hate
their own eggs. They make wretched
Dad mothers, often deserving their OF (
spring before the little ones are able
take care of themselves. CoopS, a
placed in all parts of the grounds, al
mere a cock pheasant and three hens a
Gagged. The male bird has habit OF ca
ing the eggs. ~
Each hen lays twenty to twenty-fi'
eggs, averaging one every alternate da
In an entirely villa state the birds on
law about fifteen eggs; nor could Il phea
ant sit on the whole number that she Ia
in the coop. When the complement