382 WILD FOWL SHOOTING. 
who has proven the great strength and uniformity of 
the brand, the verdict is universal in that locality that 
this certain brand of powder is the best in use. Con- 
sequeutly, they all use it. And no matter what in- 
ducements are held out, it is hard to wean these. people 
from the brand they have used so long. The price of 
powder has been gradually lowered until it seems that 
anyone who feels he can afford to hunt ought to be 
satisfied with the price he can now buy at. In this 
article Iam not going to advocate the use of one brand 
to the exclusion of all others, for I do not recognize 
that any one powder company manufactures a brand 
that is superior in all respects to that made by any and 
all others. There are some redeeming qualities in 
every brand in existence. I have repeatedly tried dif- 
ferent makes, until I believe my experiments and ex- 
periences have included every American brand. The 
American people, in fact, the inhabitants the world 
over, are a little gullible,—that is, they have a craving 
desire and constant anticipation for a change. This 
being the case, they hail with delight the advent of 
anything new, afraid something may, mushroom-like, 
spring into sudden popularity and they not be instru- 
mental in introducing it to a certain extent. In this 
way they discard old and tried powder, for the newest 
out,—the most popular craze. I have always found 
black powder a very poor kind to experiment on, and 
that which was clean, strong and reliable in years gone 
by, I find does not lose its prestige when brought in 
contact with and tried against its younger rivals. In 
buying powder then, the experienced shot knows what 
he wants, and will use no other. The beginner should 
first ascertain what he is to use, and having once 
