10 NORTH SHORE BREEZE and Reminder 
July 7, 1915 
The Phillips Bird Farm at Wenham 
FLuRRY OF WINGs and a 
darting lakeward or 
heavenward are some of the 
tokens of a North Shore in- 
dustry hidden snugly away 
by Wenham lake. 
It is here that Dr. John C. 
Phillips of ‘ ‘Windy Knob,” 
Wenham, carries on his bird 
farm along theoretical lines 
rather than fora utilitarian 
purpose. He has. conducted the place for seven years and 
has made many interesting experiments in the crossing of 
species, and has given the scientific world much of what 
he has observed through his studies in heredity. 
_Wood-ducks, pintail ducks, Canada geese, ‘ teal, mal- 
lards, common and fancy pheasants, quails, cranes and 
fancy chickens,are among the birds that find their home 
in this unique confine. 
The most interesting part of the farm is the acre of 
pond and land space inclosed by a high wire fence, sunk 
deep in the ground and with a special capping on the 
top, designed to keep out the enemies of duckdom. With 
these enemies Dr. Phillips has had many tragic expert- 
ences, and.a continual watching is in order for rats, cats, 
weasels, great horned owls and foxes. Within this island 
inclosure are seen several unique bird boxes for the song- 
sters of, Wenham lake. 
Just now among the special scientific experiments of 
the place is one aiming to increase the winter egg laying of 
poultry. The breeding of hybrids is in process all of the 
time and common pheasants are raised for shooting in the 
fall under state permit. Also the new method of quail 
introduction is uppermost in their line, for it is hoped to 
introduce them extensively in Essex county. Dr. Phillips 
considers them one of the most valuable of economic 
birds for the farmer as well as the sportsman. 
The wood-duck he considers the peer among water- 
fowl and says that it is more amenable to confinement in 
every way than any other species of wild duck, except the 
mallard. In his experiments in banding wood-ducks aad 
releasing them he has had a few returns, although the 
tendency of the present strain of hand-reared wood-ducks 
is to become local. He has had one return from Georgia 
and Cuba. Wild mallards have also been heard from. 
Par of Demoiselle Cranes With Young 
Night herons have been 
banded, and one which had 
its nest on the farm belong- 
ing to Mrs. John Phillips, 
Sr., made its return. 
Some years the birds do 
rerarkably well in laying 
eggs and raising their young. 
About 1500 are raised each 
year. Last winter, how- 
ever, was hard upon them. 
In one of Dr. Phillips’ articles in Outing he says: “There 
are numerous tricks of the trade, of course, and many of 
them never find their way into print.” 
Wenham lake is the nucleus around which the Phil- 
lips families have gathered in the summer time for many 
seasons. It is here that Mrs. John C. Phillips (Anna 
Tucker) of Boston spends a long season on her beautiful 
estate known as “Moraine Farm.” Her son’s family, 
the George W. Phillips of Sudbury, and her sons-in-law 
and daughters, Congressman and Mrs. Andrew J. Peters 
of Washington and Mr. and Mrs. Raynal Bolling of 
“Greyledge,” Greenwich, Conn., always spend part of the 
season at ‘Moraine Farm.” Another son, William Phil- 
lips, who is now third assistant secretary of state, and 
Mrs. Phillips (Caroline Drayton) have a handsome new 
home, “Highover” adjoining “Moraine Farm.” Dr. John 
Phillips makes “Windy Knob” his year-around home. 
“Windy Knob,” aside from the bird farm, is an in- 
teresting place to see. The big red brick house stands on 
a hill overlooking a pine forest sloping down to the lake. 
There are no lawns to care for about the place, for pine 
trees are everywhere, many having been planted where 
there were none naturally. The garden is on an exposed 
spot near the house and is inclosed by arbor vitae hedges 
on three sides and a vine-covered brick wall on the other. 
It is filled with mostly fall flowers. A lower garden ter- 
race has been added recently in which is an inviting bird 
basin. The view from the garden is very beautiful, ‘show- 
ing much of the lake scenery and the fine homes of other 
meinbers of the Phillips family across the lake. 
The library at “Windy Knob” is undoubtedly the 
most interesting room in the house. ‘The high, richly 
finished walls are lined with the antlered heads. of many 
victims of the hunt; and other trophies are scattered about 
the room, all showing the life and habits of a naturalist. 
A BY \RE GARDEN GEM with just the right setting is found 
“Bee Rock,’ the North Shore home of Mr. and 
Mrs ( xuy Norman of Newport. The place is occupied 
this year by Mrs. Marshall Field of Chicago and Wash- 
ington, a new-co’ner to the Shore, who comes to be near 
her niece, Mrs. Albert J. Beveridge (Catherine Eddy) 9f 
Beverly Faris. 
In writing of many of the summer places the gardeus 
and grounds blend into each other in such a manner that 
all need to be mentioned to do the place justice. This ‘5 
not the case at “Bee Rock,” for the little Sicilian garden 
is a gem of rare beauty and seemingly perched upon the 
rocks facing the sea and the sunlight and is not neces- 
sarily a part of the rest of the place. 
The garden site was formerly a rocky cliff. About 
eight years ago the place was made into the four beautiful 
terraces, and walls of rock and cement were made to hold 
the earth in place as the land was made for the plants. 
An octagon piazza of unusual artistic beauty is at the 
corner of the house and leads with unique stairways dowa 
into the garden. The most striking feature of the little 
place is the array of jars—six big Italian jars or vases 
which can be seen far out in the harbor. Stone steps lead 
down from the different terraces and when one is at the 
bottom terrace, or still better, in a boat on the water, the 
view upward is one of unsurpassed beauty. Hardy 
perennials, an assortment of annuals, roses and shrubs are 
planted on the terraces. Shrubs are also seen in pots. 
Sore fine oak trees and a handsome copper-leafed 
maple are also features of natural beauty at ‘““Bee Rock.” 
The house formerly belonged to the Cushing family 
and was built during the Civil war. It is a large dark 
green structure with green chimneys and is best seen froin 
the water. The Normans named the place “Bee Rock” 
