Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-01-29

That Has Ever Been Bails.
California may wen boast Of its biz
trees, its waterfalls Of the Yosemite and
its mammoth fruit ana vegetable prod-
uctss but it has added another laurel "a
its CROWN in the possession Of the largest
aviary In the world. An hours journey
from San Francisco by water and rail
brings one to the quiet little town of
San Pablo, in Contra Costa county, and
short drive from there il the old and
well known Alvarado Rancho. now own
cd by Henry r. Emeric. Over an area
Of 2,500 acres Of fertile ground are scat-
tered orchards and wheat fields that
yield wonderful crops, and near the can
ter OF this domain IL the old home of
Mr.. Emeric's father, now deceased.
II Is . quaint structure, with shaded
Yerandas. and its roof Is robed with .
mantle Of purs white Castilian noses.
Fronting the house are parterfx oI
choice flowers Of innumerable kinds.
bright with color and as fragrant as the
breeze waited odors Of Ceylon. There
are. In fact, $40 varieties Of roses alone
to be seen, and In the conservatory
there are rare orchids and other valuable
plants.
Through the vista Of weeping willows
and peach and apple trees, heavily laden
with Beilfowers and Winter Nellies, the
aviary Is seen. This feature of the place
is an airy structure Of closely netted
wire, sustained ut intervals Of fifteen
feet by wooden uprights, forming a per-
feet cage. It Is 1T5 feet long and 90 feet
wide. Within its confines Is q miniature
forest Of ounce trees, the tops Of which
emerge through the netting. This, in
addition to q covert Of thick brush,
affords admirable shelter for the birds
in summer, while in the winter they
have the use of large house that il in
the cage for their protection against the
elements. With commendable foresight
Mr.. Emeric has stocked this ayiary with
English pheasants and Chinese golden
pheasants, and there are also hundreds
OF quail there, merely rs q side issue.
Mr. Emeric estimates that he has over
400 pheasants, and he proposes to set
loose 100 or more Of them each year to
run wild through the country, and viii
give many away TO those who desire to
propagate them. This will, Of course,
be of great benefit to all lovers of bird
shooting. and besides win assist materi-
ally in increasing the number of what
are now rare species Of fowl in this
state. The pheasants are fed with wheat,
and occasionally chopped liver is gives
TO them. They are crossed with bantazx
hens, the result being game cocks thai
are as pugnacious as their imported
sires; and the pheasant is notably q
fighting bird. The golden pheasants
are only fitted for an aviary, and occupy
the position that q Sevres vase does In q
drawing room.
Mr.. Emeric has completed negotiations
20 have large invoice Of bobwhites sent
to him from the east, and then he win
increase the proportions of his aviary to
three times its present size. This bird is
similar 70 our California quail, only o
little larger, and is better favored. It is
q great favorite with eastern hunters,
and viii be gladly welcomed by local
sportsmen. The same course win be pur-
sued with these birds as with the rheas-
ants. The propagation of these valuable
and interesting birds is q hobby with Mr..
Emeric, an expensive one naturally, but
one that he can afford, and his efforts
should receive the earnest support of all
those who are interested in the introduc-
ton OF new birds on this coast.-San
Francisco Chronicle.