3910] FOREST, GAMK AND FJSII WARDEN. 43 



itor, will, if allowed to roam over the mountains, again become wild, 

 and by mixing with the wild turkey, within a few years, the descend- 

 ents will become as wild as the turkey now found in our mountains. 

 While all of these propositions should be handled with care, and in a 

 way that every dollar expended will do the greatest good to the greatest 

 number, yet the revenue that is raised by the sale of hunters license, 

 should be used for the purposes set out in this report, and by so doing, 

 the revenue can be increased from year to year. 



While a limited number of fish can be obtained from the United States 

 Government, yet if we are to make West Virginia a real ujHto-daite 

 fishing State, we must at once stock up our streams, and bring this in- 

 dustry up to an efficiency tluat will compare with other statesi in thisl 

 respect. The State of Colorado, that procures less than double the amount 

 of revenue raised in West Virginia, is now maintaining six fish hatcheries 

 and running the other expenses of their Game and Pish Commission, 

 from the revenue raised by the sale of hunters' license. Many other 

 states, less favorably suited than West Virginia, are maintaining from 

 six to ten hatcheries, and planting millions of fish every year. 



If we could establish one hatchery, and two or three small collecting 

 stations, where fish eggs could be collected, wie could build up our fish- 

 ing industry to a wonderful extent. On account of not having lakes or 

 large rivers, we will never be able to compete wiith many states, in 

 raising fish from a commercial standpoint, but from the stand-point ofi 

 sport and recreation, no state in the Union, can excel our Wjest Virginia 

 streams in propagating trout, bass and other game fishes. 



Fish culture has passed its experimental stage, and can be carried on 

 to a successful issue, and it is imperative to use this artificial process 

 of propagation, if we are to make a success at the business. 



Since the farmer has been given the privilege of saying, by the grant- 

 ing of permits, who and who cannot hunt upon his premises, he is 

 taking a great deal of interest in feeding and protecting thie quail or 

 bob-white, during the severe cold spells in winter, and numerous letters 

 were received during the winter of 1909, where whole coveys of these 

 birds had been sheltered and fed, and to this, as 1 much as anything else, 

 we may attribute the great increase in these birds. 



Many farmers do not desire these birds killed at all, believing that the 

 good they do in destroying insects, pays well for feeding and sheltering 

 them for a few days during the winter months. 



Every farmer should fix some shelter for these birds, and furnish a 

 little feed for such times when the snow gets too d(eep for them [to 

 range for themselves; he will not only be doing a righteous act, but will 

 be repaid many times for what he has spent, by retaining the bob-white 

 on his land, to destroy insects the coming season. An old brush heap 

 covered with straw or fodder, will provide all the shelter needed, and a 

 few hands full of small grain, will supply food sufficient for several days. 



Many states provide in their appropriation, considerable sums of money 

 to purchase feed and take care of birds through the winter months, 

 but the farmers of our own State, if properly awakened to the greatt 



