Connecticut western news., 1913-01-09
RAISING GAME BIRDS
Fourth Article by State Ornithologist
 H. K. Job.

Fourth Article by State Ornithologist H. K. Job.
 The fact that the farmers and sports men of New York State last summer raised to maturity 10000 young Oregon pheasants from 10000 eggs distributed from the State Game Farm. aided by a simple leafiet of instructions, is full of suggestion for us in Connecticut, as we'll as for the people everywhere.
 | Here, for instance, is good, respon- sible young man, farmers son, who wants to earn money to go to college. He applies to the game farm, and re. ceives 20 pheasants' eggs. These he sets under a common hen, and matches, say, l5 chicks. He keeps them shut in with the hen for few days, till they learn the hens call Then he lets them range with the hen, protecting them from cats and vermin, feeding them a little, but letting them pick up most of their living themselves. About ten of them, according to the average of re- turned blanks, survive accidents and grow up. At the approach of the rest less period, before they wander off, he enhces them with grain into q pen, and he has a nice batch of valuable game birds, with hardly any trouble or ex- pense. Perhaps he sells them, or per haps keeps some for breeding next year. when, as each hen lays upwards of 70 eggs a season, he raises many more birds.
 Recent experiments indicate that the same will shortly be done with quail and other game-birds. When we have our Central State Game Farm of Con- necticut, with branches over the state, to the farmers and sportsmen, there will be more game. birds in our covers than have been seen for many years. As more people do this, of course the present high price of game will drop, but the market demand for game is enormous, and will always be. Laws must be passid at once to permit the sale of game birds artifcIally reared as in other states. Game-bird rearing on small or moderate scale can be practiced with very little expense. The young are reared in the open, and do almost no harm, but feed mainly on insects. Such work will provide valuable food supply and prove a source of extra rev enue. The average farm of fair size should shortly, with proper encourage ment by the state, be able at least to pay it's own taxes through game birds.
 The way to begin is in the small way above outlined, first to learn how. To start in on a large scale is to invite dis. aster. As business, on any consider able scale, the matter must be studied, even more than in the poultry industry, as there are even more dangers. The thing is new, but there are just few men in this country who are real ex- perts in rearing game. birds on Il large scale, possessors of a sort of natural tact" Tn handling birds. They cost more than a chore-boy, but are well worth the difference. One of these should be secured here in Connecticut, both to propagate game-hirds and to in- struct others in his method, so that the state may have supply of expert men
 
 there is large demand. At our agri. cultural college and Storrs Experiment Station we have worked out the general method, on a small scale, and could use to advantage such man as above.
 A demand has arisen for trained men to propagate game and increase bird life on game preserves and large estates. We have on file applications from some of the richest men and clubs in America for trained propagators of game birds and wild-fowl. Therefore the trustees of the college are asking the co.opera- ton of the Commission of Fisheries and Game to pay the salary of such man, who will both raise birds and eggs for distribution under the Commission, and to help train students and others for positions or to raise game birds on the farms of Connecticut. By such an arrangement, in a comparatively short time we could put a number of the sons of our own agricultural families into positions with good salaries, which are even now ready for them.
 A new Commission of Fisheries amd Game is to be appointed by the Governor this winter. The farmers, the Grange organization, and the sportsmen should should see to it that no person is ap- pointed to this commission who will not absolutely pledge himself in advance to this progressive policy of the encourage ment and extension of the propagation of our American game. birds i'll the in. terest of the people at large.