Forest and Strea 
Terms, $3 a Year, 10 Cts. a Copy. 
Six Months, $1.50. 
NEW YORK, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 , 1908 . 
VOL. LXXI.—No. 14,. 
No. 127 Franklin St., New York* 
A WEEKLY JOURNAL. 
Copyright, 1908, by Forest and Stream Publishing Co. 
George Bird Grinnell, President, 
Charles B. Reynolds, Secretary. 
Louis Dean Speir, Treasurer. 
127 Franklin Street, New York. 
THE OBJECT OF THIS JOURNAL 
will be to studiously promote a healthful interest 
in outdoor recreation, and to cultivate a refined 
taste for natural objects. 
—Forest and Stream, Aug. 14, 1873. 
THE FOREST SITUATION. 
The pleasing news that general rains have 
fallen throughout the regions so long harassed 
by drouth and forest fires comes just as we go 
to press with this issue of Forest and Stream. 
It is still too early to predict what the general 
effect will be, but it is certain the downpour 
has brought considerable relief. 
In many places the rains were heavy enough 
to quench all fires, but it remains to be seen 
whether those under the surface of the forests 
have been drowned out. 
In parts of Canada, in Michigan, Minnesota 
and Wisconsin, and in the Atlantic coast States 
the situation is improving, but the Adirondack 
fires, up to the time of the rains, had gained 
such headway as to threaten a general conflagra¬ 
tion, and the result there is still in doubt. 
The loss in timber and other property during 
September was enormous. How the game fared 
will not be known until the shooting season is 
well advanced, but the loss is believed to be 
■ heavy. 
— 
REGARDING PHEASANTS. 
In another column a correspondent calls atten¬ 
tion to the sentiment against introduced pheas¬ 
ants which exists in northwestern New York. 
We have noticed from time to time that the fruit 
growers and farmers of that region are averse 
to the laws which protect imported pheasants 
until 1910—with certain county exceptions—but 
did not at first consider that the sentiment was 
as widespread as it seems to be now. 
In the rural press it is not unusual to read 
tirades against game laws which do not happen to 
please individuals here and there. In the cutting 
referred to the statement of the writer—that the 
I State issues ‘‘licenses for others to trespass upon 
him” (the farmer)—is a fair sample of the view 
taken by a great many persons in reference to 
all game laws. That these persons see but one 
side of a great problem is evident. To many of 
them all animals are enemies, to be shot on sight, 
just as every tree that throws a shadow on a 
field is a nuisance to be removed. The increase 
in insect pests on the one hand, and the eroding 
of the land on the other, will for years be the 
punishment of their ill-advised acts. 
In the newer regions of the West and the 
Southwest, where crops and fruits are raised be¬ 
fore the feathered and furred vermin destroyers 
are swept away, the farmers and horticulturists 
enjoy immunity from the worst insects; but with 
the destruction of bird life and the accidental 
importation of insects from the older portions 
of the country, the conditions there are grad¬ 
ually becoming worse. 
If it is true, however, that the imported pheas¬ 
ants are actually despoiling the farmers’ crops 
instead of ridding them of insects, as assumed, 
then it is high time for the truth to be known 
and the matter brought to the attention of the 
State authorities, so that an investigation may be 
made and the extent of the damage, if any has 
been done, determined, with a view to future 
legislation. 
It is a matter of record that in States which 
protect deer and remunerate property owners 
for damages done by them, these depredations 
are often greatly exaggerated, for no other pur¬ 
pose, apparently, than to increase to the very 
limit the sums to be paid. The effect of this 
practice is to discredit the protests of honest 
men and cause them to endure actual loss rather 
than be charged with attempting to secure some¬ 
thing for nothing. On the other hand, in those 
States where deer are protected but no dam¬ 
ages are paid for by the Commonwealth, com¬ 
plaints of depredations are few and may be re¬ 
garded as statements of fact. Whether or not 
a similar situation exists in New York State 
remains to be determined. 
Meanwhile it is desirable that the truth be 
known, and the opinions of our readers in all 
sections of the Union where imported pheasants 
have increased to any extent are invited. It is 
charged that the Mongolian pheasants are de¬ 
structive to corn and grapes. We would like to 
print evidence confirming or denying this state¬ 
ment, as gathered by readers in all parts of the 
country. 
Aside from the immediate benefits to be de¬ 
rived from the gathering of fish culturists, scien¬ 
tists and anglers at Washington last week, there 
is cause for satisfaction in the practical demon¬ 
stration of the ease with which representatives 
of all the great nations can be brought together 
under one roof. Let the object be worthy and 
nations and societies will respond. That fish 
cultural work and the conservation of natural 
resources are receiving close attention every¬ 
where is attested by the enthusiasm which 
marked the sessions of the Fishery Congress. 
The proposition to establish an international fish¬ 
ery society should receive support in Europe, 
Australasia, South Africa and the Americas. 
PL 
Although vigorous protests have been filed 
with the State authorities by societies and prop¬ 
erty owners, work has been started on the site 
of the new State prison near old Fort Mont¬ 
gomery, in the Highlands of the Hudson. J. 
Pierpont Morgan offered to buy the 500-acre 
tract and to give the State another tract instead, 
rather than see the region despoiled and the 
country homes of himself and other well-known 
men brought so close to the prison that will take 
the place of Sing Sing, but his and their efforts 
failed. The vicinity of the site is a natural 
breeding ground for ruffed grouse, while High¬ 
land Lake has long been famous for its game 
fish and as a quiet campsite. The so-called 
march of civilization has in a few years closed 
the islands in the Croton River, the beaches at 
Croton Point, Iona Island, Popolopen Creek, 
hardby; and Highland Lake, to the canoeists and 
vacation campers. 
PL 
If it be true, as stated,- that one of the Euro¬ 
pean rulers has encouraged the decoration of 
natural objects with names of yachts, etc., the 
average small boy may be encouraged to seek 
similar places and there carve or paint his name. 
North Cape, on the Island of Mageroe, in Nor¬ 
way, bears the names or advertisements of an 
emperor’s yacht, several steamship lines and 
commercial enterprises, each placed there, it is 
said, for a consideration. The legends are 
painted in letters so large that they may be seen 
at a great distance. The emperor, according to 
report, was the first one to sanction the dese¬ 
cration of the famous headland. The least that 
can be said of the incident is that the encour¬ 
agement of such desecration is to be regretted. 
PL 
Although a very large number of shooting 
licenses have been taken out by residents and 
nonresidents of New York State, it is surprising 
how much ignorance exists among men who 
should be well informed. Every person who 
hunts game must procure and carry with him 
a license, obtainable from any county, town or 
city clerk. Failure to do this has already made 
unhappy a number of persons who carelessly 
neglected to observe the law. The fee for resi¬ 
dents is $1.10; for nonresidents, unnaturalized 
persons and aliens, $20.50. 
Confirmation of the report of our San Fran¬ 
cisco correspondent to the effect that the Mexi¬ 
can wild turkeys liberated in California are grow¬ 
ing tame comes to us from a Southern California 
correspondent. He says ‘‘they are about all 
camped in the barnyards of San Bernardino 
ranchers” and that ‘‘it is easy to imagine what 
will happen to the fattest of them about Thanks¬ 
giving day.” This is unfortunate, for if the 
turkeys frequent ranches, it is probable wildcats 
and other prowlers, as well as unscrupulous per¬ 
sons, will find them easy prey. 
