The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-09-17

Forked River, N. J.-Several thou
sand ringneck pheasants have lust
been released by State game wardens
many Of them in the vicinity of the
Japanese beetle infested sections.
lWithin a few weeks fully a thousand
will be freed in the infected districts
of Burlington County. This will be the
largest addition to these natural enc
mics of the Japanese invader as yet
provided by the State.
For two years the war waged to ex-
terminate the beetle before it sue
ceeded in pushing it's invasion into
other districts has been going on.
Many experiments have been tried
with various solutions with more or
less success. But the pheasant is
generally accepted as the surest ex-
terminating agency available because
he would rather eat Japanese beetles
than any other kind of food and he
possesses an almost Unsuitable appe-
tite.
In connection with the liberation of
the pheasants this fall an experiment
is being tried by the game wardens.
The birds released are by no means
full grown. Many of them are half
grown at the best. This action was
taken after many conferences. The
question to be decided is, can the
young birds take care of themselves
during the winter in the wilds?
Apparently the game wardens think
they can. The results next spring
will show. In the meanwhile the
young pheasants are shifting for them
selves and from what is learned here
they are getting along very nicely.
Sportsmen, upland-shooters, believe
the State has made no mistake in the
innovation. They say there is not the
slightest doubt but the birds will come
through the winter in better shape
than had they been retained on the
State grounds until next spring.
That they will be wilder as a result
of their winters experience goes with
out saying. This fact may have some
thing to do with the confidence in the
experiment expressed by the gunners.
They all favor wild bird to tame
one, and one Of the criticisms of the
pheasants liberated in the past has
been that many of them became
quite domesticated." through their
long stay on the game reservations.
1t has been no uncommon experience
for a hunter to have a pheasant sit
upon the branch of tree and quiz
him as he got ready to shoot In some
such instances the sportsman has de-
clined to kill the bird and has not
been very complimentary in his criti-
cism of the game stocking plan that
resulted in liberating a lot of barn
yard fowls.
Great Value as Exterminator
But the greatest value of the pleas
ant, or at least that to which the most
Importance attaches just at present,
lies in its Importance as an extermina-
tor of the Japanese beetle. In the ex-
periments carried on to determine this
Japanese beetle in considerable guam
ties were found in the stomach Of
pheasants which had been feeding in
the beetle zones. Another season will
demonstrate whether the pheasant is
real ally of the Jersey farmer and
the Federal and State governments in
the war against the beetle or not. If
he proves to be what it is said he is,
natural enemy of the beetle. he will
probably come under the protection Of
the State and shooting him will be
prohibited.
If the results fail to establish this,
then the New Jersey sportsman afield
after upland game will find the woods
well stocked with pheasants and there
will be no restrictions on bagging
them
Releasing the half-grown pheasants
will save the State hundreds of dol
lars. This will result from the feed
saved and which otherwise would be
given the birds Pheasants are good
eaters and it costs no little sum to
feed several thousand Of them. even
on State reservations even where juan
titles of naturally grown food grows.
Demands for the pheasants have
come from all sections of the State.
AS result the birds are being widely
distributed. In turn this gives the as
surance that natural breeding will take
place in many sections where the ring
neck pheasant has heretofore been
quite rarity. 1t should mean a we'll
stocked forestry Farmers generally
approve Of the presence of the pleas
ant and assurances have been given
that should a severe winter develop