St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-02-23
PRESS COMMENT


Our good friend of the Ludlow
Tribune wants the sidewalks all
pIowed out at 6:15. The ST. Johns
bury Republican wonders if the pub
Hsher of the Tribune will be up early
enough to see that the suggestion is
carried out--Waterbury Record.
Sure thing. Come down and prac-
tice the early morning stunt with him
and watch the pickers, and carders,
and spinners, and weavers in the local
mills go to their work before the Re
publican and Record editors usually
get down to wake up the furnace. The
Republicans home village appears 10
have troubles of its own, judging from
a local item to the effect that the bust
ness men up there are Disguised at the
way in which the walks are not clear
ed of snow. People going to church
had to wade through the deep snow
and when the man on the pillow was
asked why he had not plowed it soon
er he said that people would just have
to go to church in the snow or wait
until he got good and ready to pillow it
out, otherwise they could stay at
home.' Speaking of autocrats what's
the matter with the autocrat of the
snowplow in St. Johnsbury!-Ver-
mont Tribune.
Com. Titcomb and the Deer Problem.
John w. Titcomb Of Lyndonville,
the most efficient state fish and game
commissioner that Vermont or any
other state ever had, said so many i'm
portant things in his speech last week
before the Addison County Fish and
Game league that it is difficult to Sc
lect those of the greatest salience. He
gave the assembled sportsmen at Mid
dIebury some most interesting figures
and deduced from those figures most
interesting conclusions.
Referring to the last deer hunting
season, Mr.. Titcomb made the surpris-
ing statement that the New York fish
and game commissioner says that in
the Empire state there is no block of
less than 10000 square miles that
yielded as many as 6036 deer during
any 8 days of the past open season,
as was the case in Vermont. When it
is remembered that there were only
27 deer, as far as is known, in Yer
mont in 1878 when the late Senator
RedfieId Proctor the late General w.
I. w Ripley and others at their pri-
vate expense. secured this nucleus and
released them in the Vermont woods
and that they were absolutely protect
ed until 1898, the possibilities of
breeding deer and their multiplication
are fully appreciated. The figures
are also complete answer to those who
charge that the game laws are poorly
enforced.
Mr.. Titcomb estimates that on ac-
count of the indefniteness of the pres
ent law in allowing the killing of does
and small deer at least a thousand
fawns were slaughtered in November
last Whereas the average weight of
deer killed in previous years when
bucks only were legitimate quarry was
$50 pounds, the weight a head of
those slaughtered in 1915 dropped to
125 pounds. Reduced to pounds, the
deer crop during the last season
amounted to over 100000 pounds of
venison, or more than two pounds for
each man, woman and child in the
state At the beef price of nine cents
pound this means $3.50 worth of
venison for the market.
The state commissioner is of the
opinion that the deer crop of 1915
is probably the largest that will ever
be recorded in Vermont, unless the
legislature adopts a policy of exter-
mination. 1t is certainly to be hoped
that the record will never again be
equalIed. He is also of the opinion
that the legaIizing of the killing of
does for one season was expedient.
Agriculture is of first Importance in
Vermont, and the efforts of fruit
growers to establish large orchards
here must not be discouraged. He
suggested that the commissioner
might well be authorized in the flu
ture to establish zones in the vicinity
| of newly planted orchards where deer
killing will be permitted under proper
|
regular open seasons.
Mr.. Titcomb's observations of and
deductions from the record of the 1915
deer hunting season show entire grasp
of the subject and they are worthy
or the thoughtful attention of every
Vermonter, particularly of the MEM
bers of the legislature of 1917, so that
the weaknesses of the present law may
be liminated.-Rutland News.
Wedding Invitations Here.