Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-12-06
is LEADING STATE
illinois Shows Remarkable Activ.
ity in the Propagation
of Game.
HAS FARM In SANGAM0N
Great Number of Varieties of Pleas
ants and other Birds Are Being
Experimental With.

| ment of Dr. John A. Wheeler, the state
| game commissioner, Illinois now leads
| all states of the union in the propaga-
ion of game
| Since his appointment several years
ago he has been instrumental in secur-
ing the adoption of much important
Legislation for the protection of game,
and has revolutionized the workings of
the department. The entire state has
| been organized and vigilant game war
dens now patrol every county.
| The activity of these officers in ar
resting violatOrs of the law has had
wonderful effect, and the Illinois de
partment is now regarded by other
| states as a model of its kind. Scarcely
day passes but that outside states
ask for information concerning the
| workings of the commission.
Many delegations from sister states
| have visited the remarkable propagat-
ing farm in Sangamon county near
Auburn. where nearly 5000 of the most
beautiful varieties of quail prairie
chickens, cartridges, pheasants, wild
turkeys, wild geese, wild ducks and
other game birds are on exhibition.
Preserve of 800 Acres.
On the farm of 800 acres leased by
| the state the commission is engaged
in raising these birds for distribution
to every county of the state and among
farmers who will promise to feed them
and otherwise to aid in their increase.
The work commenced two years ago
on a small scale and without any noto-
| riety, owing to the uncertainty about
results, has now increased TO extensive
proportions.
Each year thousands of birds and
also eggs will be distributed. and it is
believed that in few years not only
will quail and prairie chicken be found
as numerous as in days gone by, when
the pioneer first blazed his way
through the wilderness, but that gaud-
lily colored. ring-necked pheasants will
be as numerous.
The efforts of the department in pro-
pagating these handsome birds have
been successful beyond anticipations.
They are very hardy and very prolific,
laying about forty eggs annually, and,
given reasonable protection. will, it is
believed, increase rapidly at this rate.
DR.. Wheeler is especially confident
that this will be true on account of the
remarkable increase of these birds in
Oregon.
Twenty years ago they were I'M
known there, until Charles DENLY min
lister to China, imported 20 pair of the
birds and liberated them in Oregon.
They have increased until there are
now millions, a record of one days
shooting during the open season re-
Gently showing that $4,000 were killed
by spOrtsmen.
Doctor Wheeler has at the game pre-
serves 1000 laying pheasant hens. and
will keep these birds especially for
their eggs. Next year he will intro
duce a new plan of propagation. In
stead of the birds, he will send a set |
ting of eggs to any farmer who will |
promise to place them under a hen of |
the ordinary poultry variety, and then
liberate the young pheasants upon the |
fields or in adjacent timber.
VIII Distribute Eggs.
He believes that the agriculturists |
who raise the birds from the egg will |
naturally take greater interest in their
maturity. when they will be able to |
take care of themselves and then COM
mence to rear families of their own
BY distributing 10000 eggs per annum |
and also many thousands of the young |
birds raised on the state preserves. he |
hopes soon to increase the population |
of the game in Illinois to many mill
lions.
The state preserve furnishes an in-l
teresting sight for the visitor. Hun L
dreds of individual coops are distrib- /
uted in long rows, each coop contain
ing a hen and setting of eggs There /
is a square wire covered runway for
the birds after Matching period. After
a series of experiments, the commits
sioner found that the bantam buff
cochin was the best species of poultry
to raise the young quail and the pleas
ants. He secured a large number of II
-hese birds and they Matched consid-
cradle proportion of the young quail
and pheasants distributed during the
past year.
From a small beginning the game
preserves have grown to the most ex-
enSive Of any in the world. In addi- y
ion to the hundreds of small coops,
here are an equally large number of
breeding pens, s by II feet in size, in
which the birds are confined while de-
clipping. They are especially adapt II
ID to the wild and timorous nature of
many of the species, giving them hid
ng places upon the approach of a Wis
tor.
While it is possible that other vari-
ties will be given some attention. the
forts of the department will be prin-
ipally centered upon the propagation
f the English and Chinese ring necked
heasants. There are six varieties of
lese birds. as follows: golden. silver.
ady Amherst, Swinhoe, Japanese and
aarae Tho first f1rn ,1riII ho ,cri.-1,.., In