Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-03-20
A PHEASANT FARM.

CHICAGO BOY HAS ONE COVERING 100
ACRES-HOW n Is MANAGED.
Artificial breeding of pheasants and
the stocking of coverts with birds that
are quite tame is recognized industry
in this country. But it comes some
what us a surprise to find America
Gaining that it has the largest pheas-
II farm in the world and that, too,
within few miles of Chicago. A high
school boy, named Evans, started the
farm to fill up his spare time, but is
now making large income from it.
The 100-acre farm, which is devoted
to the culture of the English pheasant
and many other varieties of choice
game birds, is situated near the banks
O. the Desplaines, and part Of it is still
covered with the primeval forests, which
formerly extended over all Chicago.
That the cultivation of the English
pheasant in America is destined to be-
come an important industry is apparent
from the interest which has been taken
in the experiment of Mr.. Evans from
its inception. The English pheasant is
known to be the widest of game birds,
and the particular demand for it in
America is for the purpose of stocking
private preserves, as is done here, in
Germany and Belgium. In the last
t vo years the interest in the English
pleasant has grown to such an extent
that the game commissioners of Illinois
have been experimenting with the
birds, and two game farms are main
tanned where pheasants are raised to be
liberated later for the benefit of the
sportsmen of Illinois.
The entire farm is surrounded by a
fence of fine. wire netting to prevent the
birds from getting out into the sur
rounding country and to prevent pre-
datory animals, such as minks, rae
coons, rats, ETC., from getting in and
destroying the valuable birds. Mr..
Evans is obliged to wage continual
warfare against these animals, for one
mink getting within the inclosure would
kill so or 80 birds in a night. A visit
to the farm of Mr.. Evans proved both
interesting and instructive. Leading
the way across the creek and over
bridge, Mr.. Evans. opened gate which
led into the field where the pheasants
themselves were kept. He has in all
1000 young English pheasants, and q
900 Silver, Reeves, Goldens, Amhersts
and Versicolors. The young English
pheasants are kept in field which oc-
cupies fully Is acres. 1t was the hour
for feeding the English pheasants, and
the sight as Mr.. Evans summoned them
toward him was never to forgotten.
From every corner and in every part of
the stubby field, from down beneath
the brown, dried grass, the birds ap-
peared. There must have. been fully
1000 of them advancing toward the
feeder, a mass of brown atoms. Some
Of the young cocks showed a hint of the
gorgeous plumage which they will
sport when they have passed the period
of adolescence.
Women seemlto have a better knack
of handling young and delicate crea-
lures than men, and one who takes
naturally to poultry could raise at least
80 pheasants on the first seasons trial
with no greater percentage of lose
than she would have with fancy chick
ems. Any one who has liking for
game birds could start to breed these
birds on small scale and with good
chance of success. The smaller the
number the less liability to disease
there is, the chances are much better
for few birds to find the kind of sub
sistence they need. AS soon as the
birds begin to be numerous the selling
should commence. 1t does not require
large space ITO rear pheasants. A
small covey i'll confinement can be
reared on few hundred feet of land
Montreal Standard.
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