The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1922-08-11

Samuel F.. Crabbe, who had charge
Of the livestock department at the
state fair. had some valuable informa-
Ftion to give all visitors to the booth
where there were some pheasants on
exhibition. He has the following to
say about the game birds, and at the
same time urged all who were inter-
ested to endeavor to secure set
ting of eggs. ;.S.: .Ss. 3.5 !.
2, ."The game and fish board is making
determined campaign to keep the
pheasants permanent inhabitant of
North Dakota. It is estimated that
there are approximately 100000 pheas :
ants in thei state at this time, and
there have been about 1000 eggs
distributed: throughout the state this
season. ..yt.sss, IL, "a
"About 1900 ,pheasants will be hat
ched at the different game farms
throughout the state this season, and
will be distributed over the state this
fall. = s..
,"Some people seem to have an idea
that the pheasants and prairie chick
ems do not get along and that tEe
pheasants will drive the chickens out
of the country. However, this is not
the case, for from careful observation
at the game refuse south Of Wawson
800 to- 500 pheasants, and chickens
have been seen feeding together. The
pheasant, especially the Chinese ring
neck and English varieties. are the
most valuable insect eating birds, as
we'll as the most attractive and eager
ly sought game birds, of all the spec
les that can be raised in captivity or
in a semidomestic way and can be
kept in the district in which they are
.propagated. II s
prominent among the pests raven
ously destroyed by the pheasants are
the wire worm or potato grub, the pc
tato bug, the potato beetle, the squash
bug, the cucumber and bean leaf beet
le,$ the tomato and cut worms, the
millers which, deposit the eggs of the
wire worm as we'll as many other bad
smelling bugs. This alone makes
these birds more valuable to the farm
er than any other, as most birds avoid
the. potato and other bad smelling
bugs on account Of their obnoxious
doors. NJ,
"They are also fond of grasshop-
jpers' eggs and are special destroyers
OF the locust. which deposits it's eggs
or the earth il dry places, as we'll as
the larva of any insect that may be
found there: The pheasant chooses
de dandelion and the bulbs, of the
abuttercups as two of its greatest vege-
liable delicacies.
OF the grasses he has liking for
,hite and red clover, alfalfa and ret
and yellow sorrel; but when there are
plenty of dandelions and buttercups
he will make those his principal vege-
tables diet.
:.These birds are very fond of maI.y
Of the wild seeds such as legumes and
thistles; especially the burr thistle,
wild carrots, sunflower, wild lettuce;
mayWeed, marsh elder, mustard SEEDS
and many others too numerous to
mention tei.E
"Many of the insects that are in
furious to the corn and wheat crops
are destroyed by the pheasants. THESE
birds will not attack the grain or ear
of the corn until late in the season
after insect food is scarce. The dlt-
ference betweenlthe pheasant and the
ordinary fowl in eating insects IS
largely that the pheasant is contlnu-
ally hunting for eggs and iayaeSof in
sects, thus destroying the pests before
they do any damage to the farmers,
crops; the turky and the common
poultry afterwards.
"In, the. grain fields and meadows
the insects eggs are usually laid on
the underside of the leaves OF the
plant. The pheasant, as it passes
through the growing grain, keeps its
head near the ground and turns one
eve up and, the other down SO 1t sees