New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-11
HUNTING IN GERMANY.
HOW THE SPORT IS KEPT UNDER SUPER
VISION AND POACHING MADE
IMPOSSIBLE.


Germany produces game than any other
country In proportion TO Its area, says critic In
the Paris Figaro" There Is profitable trade In
It. and the markets OF France largely supplied
from this source. This abundance Is not caused by
any unusually favorable conditions OF soil or OF
climate, but by wise legislation which does not
sacrifice the general interests to the pleasure Of a
few
The German law regards game Of the use
full products OF tho soil. property which cannot
be appropriated without the commission Of theft,
least II the right TO hunt has not been obtained
through the proper channels This right can be
exercised only as a result Of holding q certain
amount Of land. either by lease or through owner
ship-about $50 hectares for each tenant Below
that amount all the holdings joined together
and rented by the community for Its own profit.
the proceeds being divided among the several pro-
pretors IN proportion 10 their holdings. III the
lard altogether is not enough to make one parcel
of 100 hectares adjoining communities can make a
pool.
That Is the foundation OF the system. 1t is abso-
lutely equitable. Nobody can hunt for his
pleasure or profit exclusively but nobodys prop
erty rights infringed Each person gets n
profit from that which belongs to him. The small
farmer is not, as In Franco at the mercy of the
great landed proprietor or Of the poacher. and the
farmer does not have his fields trampled by
the hunters as in France, where the landholdngs
are small for the establishment OF preserves.
The legal consequences of this state of things are
that the taking Of game without the right 10 do so
duly obtained is regarded as theft. The owner Of
the land cannot take back with one hand what he
has disposed Of with the other. He cannot hunt
on his land, having sold tho right to do So
Game Is pla ced under legal protection. There IL
period when hunting is forbidden entirely; another
period in which only certain kinds Of game may be
taken or only the males. These periods are gen
orally fixed by law, with notifications In various
provinces. From March 1 TO tho end Of June 1t is
Illegal Kill stays and the young male fawns
from February to october 10 TO kill the does
Partridges may not be shot between December
and the end of August This protection is extended
TO all kinds OF game-to hares. pheasants, even TO
birds of passage which 1t is against the law to Kill
In the breeding season. All huntsmen at oil times
forbidden TO use nets. traps or snares' This
prohibition also exists in France; hut If the terms
ago a law was introduced into the French Senate
founded on the German legislation, out there mas
The Germans have stopped The nocturnal exploits
Of the without the a o, 'ae m KIND 1
OF forage shrub with which they have planted all
fnsT aeeoun % little known IN
France Its botanical name Is "Lathyrus sivestrls
and Mh m
olaton and death among other plants. This shrub
t ssrs BY A BIRDS Of pfey
birds enjoy the additional NJ o Of h ndq Ee6s its
and flavor thercfrom altogether unique. ana al
Judged absolutely perfect by epicures. NO otheI
measure for the protection Of game. 1t is impos.
sible for poachers to spread nets In plantation OF
lathyrus. - .
In his botanical field work in 1856. the famous
agricultural wpiter. Wagner. observed the lahyrus
growing in q soil where limestone and silcious
formations predominated: The vegetation of the
neighborhood was dry. tho trees and shrubs bore
only scant foliage. but the athyrus was growing
the attention Of keen observer like Wagner, and
he devoted himself to studying this wonderful
shrub which was completely Indifferent: to the
everest conditions Of drouh He planted Its seeds
on his grounds, improved and perfected 1t. and
since that time the lathyrus has become almost
national plant in Germany. 1t fourishes without
fertilizers in thin and arid soil Its roots strike
down several yards into the lower strata. where
they seize the chlorine and potassium compounds
and phosphoric acid they find there. The foliage IS
shown by analysis TO contain 80 cent OF proteid
matter while the best lucern-grass shows only l6
per cent The plant s eaten with avidity by horses
pigs sheep and all domestic animals
The German law has taken great precautions to
is the poachers profit in selling his booty Game
is not allowed to be shipped by railroad. by the ex-
press department Of the postal service, or by any
public conveyance. or TO be sold either from door
accompanied by a certificate as to where 1t came
from. which must be signed ~ the Landowner or
Lessee of the hunting district 1t is easy to see how
difficult the business of poaching Is in Germany IT
numerous plantations of lathyrus. 1t is Improbable
So It is that this nursery Of smugglers, idlers
thieves and assassins does not exist among our
peghbors Furthermore everybody Is satisfied
especially tho farmers, who do not have to stand
by they do In France, and see the hunters
known and unknown alike-tramping over their
fields their oats and buckwheat. and crushing
their beets under foot