The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-06-19
Royal Swans
Make War On
Plebian Mice

George III. Corsan, naturalist bot
anist, forester, and noted in Can
ada as the man who received three
pairs of royal swans from King
George direct from the royal swan
merry in London, hit upon a unique
scheme Of protecting his farm near
Toronto from pests Of mice which
destroyed his young trees. Corsan
is teaching the boys and girls
through The Herald to swim at the
Tidal Basin Bathing Beach. He
swims In summer and raises wild
game in the fall, winter and spring.
One would naturally expect to
remove mice by importing several
cats Corsan, at Echo Valley Game
Farm, Islington. Toronto, Canada.
did that very thing. The mice were
too much for the cats. Corsan next
tried sheep as he figured the sheep
would keep the grass short and the
mice would stay away from the
trees. ....
sheep Liked BARK Too.
But the browsing sheep liked the
young tender bark on the newly set
trees just as much as the mice. So
Corsan figured that geese would do
the trick and they did.
Mice will run in thick grass hid
den from owls. Remove the grass
and the mice will not venture in
the open. So Corsan got regular
BARNARD geese. Then he found
that their coarse bills played 'ha-,
voc with the bark on the young
trees. Then he experimental with
wild geese and found that their
bills were less sharp and coarse.
Echo Valley Game Farm has no
less than nine different varieties Of
game to say nothing of the three
pairs of royal swans. The geese
protect Corsan's trees, which are his
hobby. Up in rigorous Canada Cor
san is raising nut trees: He Is ex-
perimenting and has done what no
other man has done in this line.
Raises Nut Trees and Wild Fowl.
And along with the raising Of nut
trees Corsan Is raising wild fowl.
ucks and geese of every description,
Canadian. geese, SHOWS, blue, white
front and barnacle fiocks and the
rare Tasmanian geese are brought
to maturity. In addition Corsan has
three pairs of royal swans, the big
white birds bred in London at the
royal
During the war Corsan's three
sons went into the royal flying serv-
ice, while he went to the Preside.
Cal, to teach the army navy and
Aviation Service lads to swim, by
the thousands. And for his efforts
in teaching swimming in Canada
and in this country, George H. Cor
san received a present from King
George of England, and Echo VAL
ley Farm was notified by T. r. ABB
nett, keeper of the royal swans from
the royal swannery, that King
George was sending three pairs Of.
royal swans.
The royal swan is by far the
largest bird Of its kind IN exist
ence, and King George had never
sent more than one pair. so Corr
san was delighted.
Gets Letter from King.
Wrote Mr.. -.Abnett, II am directed
by the lord chamberlain to inform
you that the King has been pleased
to command that three, pairs of
swans be forwarded to you as
present from his majesty; the swans
will be white, as there are no black
swans obtainable. Will you please
communicate with the Kings swan
keeper"
So the, swans came to Echo VAL
ley Farm and reporters came from
Toronto. and from New York came
the moving picture men. The swans
were written up and Photographed
during all stages of their journey.
They are thriving. and Corsan Is
logically expecting three f1ocks of
royal swans when dhe returns to
Canada. " !.
Seeks seclusfen at Farn. !.
Corsan's story Of his game farm
is interesting. "As recreation after
teaching thousands and thousands
of persons to swim each year seek
the seclusion of my game farm and
botanical gardens that are situated
about two miles outside the. ex.
IRENE northwest end of the city
of Toronto" says Corsan.
Here / carry on a number Of
n - =