By Ferd. J. Sudow, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 



41 



^■$■1, 



HYBRID GAME BIRD OF ENGLISH 

 PHEASANT AND PARTRIDGE 



Another large pheasant farmer we find in Illinois. He began raising pheasants when 

 he was nine. He started with three birds that he was forced to keep in an aviary twelve feet 

 square in the backyard of his family home. Within ten years this boy has built up the larg- 

 est single pheasantry in the world. In the breeding 

 season he has from 4,000 to 5,000 birds on his great 

 preserve, situated within twelve miles of the very heart 

 of Chicago. His father raised pheasants in Wales; 

 thus the boy had a natural instructor when he took up 

 the industry at the age of nine. This young man 

 studied and talked pheasants, attended his flocks and 

 from his insignificant start has become independent, 

 with thousands of dollars now invested in his farm. 



The person who wishes to raise pheasants should 

 select, if possible, a lot that slopes to the south, though 

 this is not a necessity. Build a shed of matched boards 

 on the northern end of the lot, the shed facing south. 

 The front may be partly boarded up or left open. The 

 roof should slope from the front to the back and must be rain-proof. In front of the shed 

 construct an outdoor runway as large as convenient, say twelve by fifteen feet, of wire net- 

 ting. This netting should be of one-inch or less, but not under three-quarters of an inch. The 

 netting around the inclosure should be sunk into the ground about ten or twelve inches, to pre- 

 vent rats or other enemies of the birds from burrowing in and killing the fowls. Over the top of 

 the runway there should be wire netting, so as to make sure of the confinement of the pheasants 

 Cedar trees or grapevines may be planted on the west exposure of the runway to break 

 the heat of the sun in summer and the strong winds of winter. Shrubbery and grass may be 

 grown inside the runway, affording coverts for the pheasants to hide under and green food 

 for them to pick. Inside the shed there should be fine sand, perhaps six inches deep, but no 

 board floor. Pheasants like dust baths and the sand keeps them in excellent plumage and 

 healthy. It also enables them to free themselves from vermin, if any chance to attach them- 

 selves to the fowls. 



Having decided to raise pheasants and construct the shed and runway, the prospective 

 farmer must settle the question whether to breed birds for the "fancy" market or as stockers 

 for game preserves and country estates. Then he must procure the kind of pheasant most 

 suitable for his purpose. 



The English ringneck and the Chinese ringneck are the only pheasants suitable for liber- 

 ation in game preserves in this country. The Chinese variety is known under several names, 

 such as Mongolian, and "Denny," the last name applied only in the United States for reasons 

 that will appear later. The Japanese, the Reeves and the Bohemian pheasants are well 

 adapted for the covert, but the others mentioned have proved the greatest success. 



Recipes for Something Good to Eat Besides Pheasants 



Most delicious Almond Pie. (It tastes different from all others. Once relished it will 

 never leave your memory.) 



^ lb. flour; }£ lb. sugar, J^ lb. butter; a little baking powder; yolks of 4 eggs; 4 

 tablespoonfuls of milk. Prepare to a dough. 



FILLING 



1 lb. fine mashed Almonds; 1 lb. powdered sugar, whites of 5 eggs beaten; juice of 3^ 

 lemon or 1 tablespoonful of brandy or arrac. (To mash almonds, use meat chopper.) 

 Bake about 114 hours in slow oven. 



A DELICIOUS ALMOND CAKE 



1 lb. butter; 1 lb. powdered sugar; ^ lb. almonds, ground fine; 4 eggs; 1 lemon; 

 1 lb. flour; 2 teaspoonfuls baking powder. Bake from IJ/^ to 2 hours. 



