968 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[September, 
GROUSE-SHOOTING IN AUTUMN .—Engraved for the American Aoriculturttt. 
Protection to Farmers and Game. 
No country in the world more abounds in 
game than our own, wherever the settlements 
have not driven it away. Young America 
used to be familiar with the haunts of all wild 
birds, and the pop of his fowling piece echoed 
through the woods in spring, summer, and 
autumn. Little regard had he to pairing or 
breeding time. Finally, our legislatures passed 
laws limiting the shooting, trapping, and snaring 
of certain wild fowl and game, to definite and 
proper seasons, and these laws have come to be 
regarded in a measure. The farmers are very 
willing to help put an end to the annoyance of 
gunning in their woods and meadows,' — boys 
tramping through the grass and standing grain, 
stealing messes of roasting ears, etc. All hon- 
orable sportsmen obey the laws and abide their 
time. So there is less gunning now than for- 
merly. As soon as "the law is off" for certain 
birds, so soon is all thought of protection to the 
crops against men and boys given up, and the 
farmers, glad in the protection the law has 
afforded during the summer, quietly, if not 
joyfully, " take the spoiling of their goods." 
We are much in favor of hunting, and believe 
in encouraging the use of the gun in all proper 
times and ways. Still the fact remains that if 
a farmer or land owner chooses to say No, then 
it is tresspass to go upon his land for any pur- 
pose. The owner may retain or sell the exclu- 
sive privilege to take the game on his premises. 
Were this practice common, its immediate re- 
sult would be an encouragement and increase 
of game throughout the country. The game- 
birds are all insect-eaters, and though they eat 
grain also, during a large part of the season, 
their chief-food consists of grubs, of bugs, and 
beetles, and insects generally, which now multi- 
lily to the great damage of our forest and fruit 
trees, and farm crops. These birds are of much 
more benefit than injury, in fact the harm they 
do in the grain fields is barely noticeable, ex- 
cept possibly when they are in very large num- 
bers. They seek their food on the ground al- 
most without exception, and so pick up grain 
which would be likely to escape the cradle. In 
severe winters, sometimes, the partridges devour 
the fruit-buds, in the orchards, but are easily 
driven away, and at any rate would much pre- 
fer corn or buckwheat, thrown out for them. 
Throughout Europe in the aggregate, a very 
great revenue is derived from sportmen's 
licenses, or from the sale of the exclusive privi- 
lege of hunting in specified districts. In many 
countries these hunting rights are held by town- 
ships or parishes, and are sold by them for terms 
of years, the money going to specific public 
objects, and the very same thing might be done 
in this country, wherever the landowners of any 
school district or township would combine- to 
accomplish it. The game would increase. There 
would be no difficulty in finding sportsmen to 
lease the right, provided the farmers would 
unite to secure them in the enjoyment of it, and 
they would take care that the game should not 
be so much reduced in numbers as to affect the 
next or subsequent year's sport unfavorably. 
Hundreds of dollars might in this way be 
added to the school fund, or secured for some 
other object, which would make it the personal 
interest of every good citizen to protect the 
game and the rights of the sportsman. It 
would do away with the inducement for irre- 
sponsible parties to keep dogs, equally good for 
starting a rabbit or for harrying sheep. Such 
action on the part of country school districts 
would promote sportsmanship, it would fill our 
markets with fresh and choice game, and a 
great damage would be done to the insect de- 
predators in field and forest, were it general. 
A Limerick banker, remarkable for his sagaci- 
ty, had an iron leg, " which," said Curran, " is 
the softest part about him." 
When a gloom falls upon us, it may be we 
have entered into the cloud that will give its 
gentle showers to refresh and strengthen us. 
