GAME AS A :n^ational eesouece. 43 



State game farm as it can be purchased in the open market, and 

 furthermore that it is not always possible for the State to obtain the 

 necessary stock of birds if dependence is placed upon open-market 

 purchases. The factors which militate against the attainment of this 

 ideal are frequent changes in administration, the question of labor, 

 and the constant pressure for immediate returns. Changes in ad- 

 ministration of game departments prevent consistent development of 

 definite policies and encourage the adoption of temporary methods 

 which promise showy results; the limitation on hours of labor, and 

 the necessity of hiring foremen and superintendents who have no 

 permanent pecuniary interest in the success of the farm greatly in- 

 creases the cost of maintenance; while the demand for immediate 

 results causes efforts to be made beyond the capacity of the plant, 

 and t«nds toward the distribution of immature stock. The distribu- 

 tion of eggs or of birds only a few weeks old makes a showing in 

 number's, but the percentage of loss is very high, so that the ultimate 

 benefit to the public is much less than if a smaller number of birds 

 had been raised to maturity before being liberated. This factor also 

 renders difficult a fair comparison of results on State and private 

 farms. Owing to the high initial cost of establishing a farm and 

 the short time in which most game farms have been in operation, 

 data are not yet available to determine definitely whether it is eco- 

 nomical for the State to raise its own birds. 



PRIVATE GAME FARMS. 



The breeding of game on private farms, particularly the breeding 

 of game birds, has made rapid progress in recent years and gives 

 promise not only of becoming an important factor in increasing the 

 supply of game, but of establishing an important industry. Already 

 the game breeders number several hundred, a journal devoted to 

 their interests has been established, a game breeders' convention is 

 held in New York each year, and a course in practical game breeding 

 has been provided at Cornell University. 



In addition to work done b}^ the State gathe farms already men- 

 tioned, many persons are now propagating pheasants and waterfowl, 

 and with the spread of interest in this work the hope increases of 

 raising some kinds of game in sufficient numbers to make it abundant 

 in certain localities, At least one private pheasantry has raised 

 10,000 birds a year, and several breeders have raised a thousand or 

 more wild ducks. When this work has increased tenfold an enormous 

 number of birds will be available for liberation each year. Since 

 the beginning of the war the importation of pheasants and other 

 game birds for propagation has fallen off rapidly and nearly all the 

 stock on the market in the United States -is raised in this countrv. 



