The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1950-04-06
NCUBATORs REPLACE CHICKEN HENS

Mechanical incubators at the wIdlife divisions Urbana and
wellington game farms are slowly but surely crowding old bid
die-hen" right out of her job of Matching pheasant eggs,
New incubators and electric brooders re being installed at
the Urbana game farm for pheasant egg Matching and some 1000
chicken hens will be turned out to pasture" The hers have
made no comment but no doubt will be pleased at going back to
setting on their own "man-sized" eggs for a change.
In past years about 5000 hens have been maintained at the
Wellington farm and nearly 1000 at Urbana. The divisions pleas
ant Matching operation according to Dr. T. d. Martin game man
agement chief, will be confined entirely this year to the Urbana
and Newark farms. About 5000 chicken hens will be kept on the
job at Urbana. The Wellington farm will be used as a fieldhard-
ening range after the chicks are Matched.
laying job at the Urbana farm which will feed the ncubators.
AT the peak of the laying season, between 1900 and 1000 eggs will
be gathered daily from the laying fields. The choice eggs will
go into the incubators and the culls will be hard-boiled and used
as feed for the young birds
button program will be cut about IS percent over last years re-
delivered over the state to rearing pens, for release this summer.
Most of the $500 laying hens at the Urbana farm at the pres
et time will be released into the field sometime in June and if
the weather is favorable, may each produce a brood of chicks in
her own natural style, after completing the job of furnishing in
cubator eggs at the farm. The pheasant farm laying stock will be
replaced by birds from this years hatch.
Nearly 5000 adult pheasants were released from the game
farms, throughout the seven districts in the past two weeks.
FOREST FIRES IN OHIO REACHED 95 IN 1ss
According to a report this week furnished by John Bastian,
fire control chief of the forestry division of the Ohio department
of natural resources, there were 95 forest fires in 81 counties of
Ohio in 1949 burning 1928 acres of forest land. 1t cost $l1633
for extra labor to extinguBh these fires and the total damage has
The acreage burned included 274o acres of merchantable tim
Der, $3.50 acres of trees up to II inches and 3,43e acres of saplings
Brush-buning caused the highest number, 241; lightning, 2;
incendiary (maicious), 80; numbering, 6; railroads, So; smoking,
ISL; campfires, 9; miscellaneous, 1879; fires of unknown origin, 19
April topped all other months with 200 fires. January had 5,
February, ST; March, 100; May, IA; June, IS; July, 3; August, g.;
September, Is; October, 154; November, 1863, and December, 20.
INCOME AHEAD OF EXPENDITURES
At the March meeting of the wildlife council in Columbus last
week, H. A. Rider, whose resignation as chief of the division of
wildlfe became effective last Wednesday,, reported to the council
that the income of the division was running ahead of expendi-
lures by $78657!74 for the first eight months of the present fiscal
year. Expenditures and outstanding obligations from the wildHfe
division funds for the first eight months of the current fiscal year.
beginning July ], 1949, amounted to $~1,380,87333 representing an
increase of $61, 77424 over expenditures for the same months of
the previous corresponding period.
Total revenue for the first eight months of the current fiscal
year amounts to ST, 459, LOT which represents an increase in in-
come of $73,69027 over the revenues during the previous cores
ponding period.
DECLINES ASSISTANT WMDLIFE CHIEF APPOINTMENT
A. W. Marion, director of the Ohio department of natural
resources, announced today that Howard Langstaff, supervisor of
conservation district No. /, has declined the recent appointment
of the post of second assistant chief of the division of wildlfe.
No successor has been named to fill the vacancy.
Langstaffs appointment was made recently along with the
appointment of DR.. Charles A. Dambach as division chief and Lee
Roach as first assistant.
In a letter to director Marion, Langstaff explained that he
had given the matter careful consideration and due to anticipated
medical treatment which might extend over an indefinite period,
asked that he be relieved of the appointmnt.
He expressed his appreciation for the confidence placed IN
him and for the offer of the appointment.
Langstaf joined the division field force as a game warden
since about 1918. He will continue in his present capacity with
AZ @I~&:@~ &c C,~n-xsc1~ - H. l.r4ir4 xfh an6nHnrf0r nj