FA~R FIS yATT PIIELS-AIITS PROTECTED   J)            ~LLK 
CIOMmany farmers in the southeastern part of the State, who, only a month

or two ago, complained bitterly to the Game Coiimission because of damage
done 
to their young corn by ring-necked pheasants, and who asked that the birds
be 
removed some way or another to furnish relief, have now reversed their former

desire and are petitioning the Game Commission to close certain counties
"to the 
killing of pheasants so that as many as possible of these birds will be avail-

able to combat the dreaded Japanese Beetle. 
The best plan to reduce the corn-pulling habits of the ringneck to the 
smallest degree (as it is, this depredation amounts to ver   little as proved
by 
a recent investigation) is, for the landovmers to stop posting their lands
and 
thus permit the sportsmen to reduce -the pheasant population in the congested

areas. 
This reduction of birds in congested areas will also greatly help the 
Japanese Beetle situation, although at first glance it would appear to the

contrary.  \%[en pheasants become too plentiful in anr one area, inferior
stock 
soon becomes noticeable. Already many albino pheasants are boing noted in
the 
southeastern part of the State. Vvere no hunting permitted (and such is the

case in many sections now) it would not be long ere the birds would diminish

their own numbers by disease, inbreeding, and so on, to such proportions
that 
they would be of little help in combatin,, the beetle. A limited number of

healthy birds scattered genorallr throughout a territorr are worth more than

hundreds of birds confined to congested areas.      appears as though the
solving 
of the pheasant situation is in the hands of the faruers, themselves.