FOREST AND STREAM." 



229 



oving naturalist, and his efforts in deducing the kinship 

 of all the higher species of the cervida?. That he has ac- 

 complished his work in the most complete manner is quite 

 evident from his communication :— 



London-, EMOI.ANB, October, 1574, 

 Editor Forest aud Stream.— 



Some months ajo von had the kindness to publish a short, communica- 

 tion from me desxrib'ing the glandular system on the hind legs of the 

 deer, in which I pointed out some of its characteristics, and ItH great im- 

 portance in determining species. In that paper 1 spoke of the absence 

 of the metatarsal gland on onr moose and caribou, and remarked that 

 Dr. Gray had slated in "Knowsley Mouajnra" that those glands are 

 present on the European elk and the reindeer, which, if true, would 50 

 far to eslnhlish that they were distinct species. I should probably have 

 •accepted the statement of that learned zoologist as establishing the fact, 

 and proceeded accordingly, had not the more considerate caution of Pro- 

 fessor Band suggested that possibly Dr. Gray \v» mistaken in his state- 

 ment, and that it was better to wait for n confirmation or refutation of 

 that statement. One great object of that paper was to elicit positivetu- 

 formation on the subject. 



Ai my hopes in this direction were disappointed, I determined in May 

 last to examine the matter for myself , whtch could only be done by a 

 study of living subjects. 1 accordingly sailed for Norwegian Lapland, 

 and in the last of June found myself in latitude 70° -10' north, near the 

 northern continental limit of the reindeer range, and then proceeded 

 icisurcly southward through Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, 

 mid now find myself in London, on my way home, having finished my 

 researches with very satisfactory results. 



While I find slight differences between onr moose and the Scandinavian 

 elk, and also between the European reindeer and our woodland caribou, 

 which 1 will not now detain you to point out, there is not a shade of dif- 

 ference In their glands, On the outside of the metatarsus of the hind 

 leg of the European elk, there is no more vestige, of a gland or of a tnft 

 of hair than there is on onr moose, or on an ox. But oil the inside of the 

 hock there, is the same durinel glaud of exactly the same size, form, loca- 

 tion, and structure as on our moose, and ills covered with the same 

 Muck tuft of hair, occupying the s.-.me horizontal position, small at the 

 back end at the point of ihe hock, extending two fifths of the breadth of 

 the legal, that point, forward, being much broader at the forward end, 

 the hairs meeting together from above and below over the center of tnc 

 gland, there forming a sharp comb. In every subject which 1 examined 

 I found this tuft precisely the samo, both in color, form, position, and 

 structure, as it is on our moose, while in oil these particulars it is totally 

 unlike that formed on every other member or the deer family. So much 

 for the moose and elk of Europe. 



I was enabled to study many more specimens of the reindeer, both 

 wild and tame, with results entirely satisfactory, yet no more so than in 

 tho former case. I found the metatarsal gland entirely wauling on them, 

 as it is on onr woodland caribou, while the gland and tuft or hair cover- 

 ing that on the inside of the hock are present, of the same size, location, 

 and form as on tho American variety. On the wild the color is a little 

 darker than it is on ours, and so is the whole generally of a darker color, 

 while on the tame the color varies with the general coat. 



Daring my investigations, I had many opportunities of studying; the 

 red deer, or stag, of Europe {0. Elephus), and was interested to observe 

 that the glandular system on its hind leg corresponds precisely with that 

 on onr elk, (£?. Canadensis.) The corresponding size is the same, the lo- 

 cation is the same, the tufts of hair and surroundings are the same, and 

 it has the samo peculiarity, that there is no naked place over the gland 

 within the tuft, hut the whole surface of the gland is entirely covered 

 with the hair. This tuft is surrounded with the samo belt of tan which 

 extends below the tuft down the posterior edge of the leg to between the 

 accessary hoofe, and this, too, is just as consistent and invariable on 

 every individual as on our elk. Again, I find the extraordinary fact lhat 

 on Ihe red deer the dunnal gland is entirely wanting, which is also the 

 case with our elk, and it is the only American species, at least, on which 

 it is not conspicuously present. 



I find many other points or Similitude between our elk and its Euro- 

 pean cousin, if indeed they aro not entitled lo claim a closer relationship, 

 with which, however, 11 is not necessary lo trouble you now. 



J. D. Catos. 



A HUNTING CAT. 



New York, November ISth, 1874. 



ElHTOtt For.KST AMD STREAM: — 



Your reference to hunting cal3, in No, 14, reminds me of a very intel- 

 ligent feline at Harry French's Kenosha House, South Park Road, Colo- 

 rado. His name is Webster; his color white, mottled with gray, and he 

 was originally a Thomas. On one occasion he brought in a chipmunk 

 and a small bird, both at once, alive and unhurt. He, wanted to tease 

 them both, so after due consideration he let the squirrel go, played with 

 tho bird, and ate it. Then ho caught the chipmunk and repeated the 

 amnscment. Had he let the 'iird go first it would, of course, have down 

 away. He sometimes brings in a live hare, which his mistress confiscates 

 for supper. At mealtimes, or when hungry, tins cat invnriably sits up 

 erect like a prairie dog, with his forepaws hanging down. ** 



CENTRAL PARK MENAGERIE. 



Department op ruri.ro Parks, | 

 New York. Nov. IS, 1874. f 

 Animals receivod at Oentrat Park Menagerie for the week ending 

 November 14th, 1874: 



one Brazilian Tree Porcupine, Cercotabes prehensile*. Hab. Brazil. 

 Presented by Mr Win. 11. Enroll. 

 One Red Fox, Viitpes julvtis. Presented by Sir. F. H. Webster. 

 One Raccoon, Procyon- lolor. Presented by Mr. Lavoilette. 

 Two Boas, Boa constrictor. W. A. Coxkmk. 



The Sea Serpent. — A representative of Fouest and 

 Stream went up to Hell Gate on Saturday to see the great 

 sea serpent, whose capture had been reported in a morning 

 paper. He records the result of his investigations as fol- 

 lows: — 



Astoria, L. I., Nov. 16, 1874. 

 Editor Forest and Stream :— 



The wonderful sea serpent discovered in the Ferry Slip at this place on 

 Wednesday last, proves on investigation to be only u dead Boa Con- 

 strictor, which had probably been thrown over from one of the many 

 vessels passing through the Gate. Itwould have been impossible that 

 such a snake could live any time in our waters at their present temper- 

 ature. F. Benner. 



Rather Suspicious.— First Passenger: "Had pretty 

 good sport? 1 ' Second Passenger: ".No— very poor. Birds 

 wild— rain in torrents — dogs no use. Only got fifty brace!" 

 —First Passenger: "Make birds dear, won't it?"— Second 

 Passenger (off his guard): "You're right. I assure you I 

 paid §1 a brace all round this morning." 

 ■+»+■ 



In a Boo.— The landlord of the hotel at the foot of Ben 

 Mevistold a story of an English tourist stumbling into a bog 

 between tho mountain and the inn, and sinking up to his 

 armpitB. In danger of his life, he called out 10 a tall High- 

 lander who was passing by, "How can I get out of this?" 

 To which the Scotchman replied: "I dinna think ye can'" 

 and coolly walked on. 



ffoadlnnd, ][mvn nnd (§nrden. 



HOT BEDS AND COLD FRAMES. 



WE have beforo us at this writing four letters from 

 three different States inquiring about hot beds — 

 how to make and manage them — and our auswer to one 

 will be found equally well suited to all. 



If you would have early seedlings of either plants or 

 flowers, you must take the necessary care to obtain them. 

 The principal requisites for your frame will consist, in the 

 fiisl place, of an excavated bed or pit for the reception of 

 your manure or fertilizer. Tits glass maybe of any size 

 you choose, provided you accommodate the same to your 

 frame. After selecting a well drained situation, facing Ihe 

 South, you should set some cedar posts six feet above the 

 ground in height, to which you will nail boards for a shel- 

 ter, and you have what, you want. If a good protection 

 can be found on the south side of a stable, or fence, or a 

 brick wall, so much the better. 



Now make your excavation or pit, accommodating it to 

 Ihe size heretofore determined upon. Drive down stakes, 

 nnd board up the pit on sides and ends. The hoards at the 

 rear should be eighteen inches, and those at the front 

 twelve inches above the surface of the ground. Your pit 

 is now in condition to receive the manure, which should 

 be composted from good stable manure, to make which 

 you will turn the same overthrowing lightly in 1 aheap 

 such quantity as may be necessary for your bed. This 

 maybe done three or four limes at interval's of two or Ihreo 

 days, as may be somewhat determined by the temperature 

 of the season, or the dryness of (he manure, which, if 

 very dry, should receive a" little water. I have found l he 

 best way to prepare manure to be to form tho same into a 

 compact, conical heap, much like a cock of ha}', and let it 

 remain until it smokes well, and then turn it over into an- 

 other heap of the same form. This gives a good heat, as 

 it is termed. I now fill up the pit with this manure wnl.il 

 it is even with the ground, or nearly so, treading the same 

 firmly and evenly till over the bed. Then I add good, rich, 

 light soil, well mellowed, six inches in depth, over the 

 manure already placed in the pit, and place the glass sashes 

 over the same. 



You will find upon examination that it will not be a long 

 time before your heat will rise to over one hundred de- 

 grees. Now carefully watch your bed, and when the heat 

 has fallen, as it will, to ninety-five, you may with safety 

 plant your seeds. You will need to place a thermometer 

 in your bed as soon as done, and notice with care the tem- 

 perature of the heat, as much will depend upon the right 

 temperature in growing good plants, and it will be found 

 very easy for you to do after a few trials. Besides many 

 kinds of flower seeds, you may sow the seeds of the to- 

 mato, egg plant, cabbage, pepper, cucumber, melon, etc. 



In a future paper we shall tell you how to care for your 

 seedlings and plants, how to conduct them through the 

 different stages, from plant raising to plant perfection, and 

 much other information necessary to be known by success- 

 ful plant cultivators. 



Cold Frames. — A properly arranged co'd frame is not 

 made very unlike the pit of your hot bed, and may be 

 made quite as efficient as a hot. bed, after you have used 

 it for the securily of your plants from frosts during the 

 severity of the Winter months. I have htade lliem suffi- 

 ciently large to unite a hot bed and cold frame under one 

 sash. Make your cold frame as you have for your hot bed, 

 with a good exposure to sun, and place your sash over the 

 porlion you wish to use for plant-growing over good, well 

 prepared soil. You will find it necessary lo keep your 

 glasses over the same all day, particularly in the afternoon, 

 before Ihe heat declines. At night cover tho glass with 

 mats, etc. By so doing you will easily have at hand a bed 

 of warm soil, into which you can put seeds that germinate 

 quickly, and it will be found of great benefit to all such as 

 would hurry up the backward seeds. You will air and 

 treat your cold plants much like your hot bed plants, only 

 one fact you must bear in mind— keep out the frost. In 

 one portion of your cold frame you can place on the bot- 

 tom six inches of coal ashes, and upon these ashes you can 

 set your plants, which have been turned back, and by keep- 

 ing out cold weather you will keep your plants in good 

 condition, Ollipod Quill. 

 ■ -»•*■ 



Renovating Old Orchards. — In many old orchards the 

 ground needs more renovating than the trees. During the 

 war an orchard in one of our Slates was occupied and used 

 as a campiug ground for a. long period. This orchard, 

 formerly a good one, was old and unfruitful, We recom- 

 mended deep ploughing, root, and top turning, and good 

 manuring, with careful attention to ihe trees. Two years 

 afterward they were in a highly thrifty condition. In 

 pruning, cover all large cuts with grafting wax. The 

 amount of pruning will always depend upon the condition 

 of your trees. If "much old dead wood remains on the 

 trees remove it, cutting it off smoothly with a sharp saw. 

 Never use a dull saw in pruning trees. Remove, also, all 

 the old limbs that cross each other, or rub one against the 

 other. Leave the tops open and light. Much depends 

 upon good sunlight and a free circulation of air. In Au- 

 tumn, apply a good quantity of stable manure. Lime and 

 wood ashes, applied before the rnantlre around the trees, 

 and well dug in, will be found of great benefit, and will 

 stimulate the growth. Do not in any caso allow weeds, or 

 briars, or suckers of any kind to accumulate mound your 

 trees, or in the corners or around the walls of your or- 

 chard. It is slovenly, and the mark of a poor farmer. 

 Sheep grazing in some of our States has been deemed bene- 

 ficial to orchards, but we do not agree with the idea, be- 

 lieving that sheep do no good to an orchard, particularly in 

 Autumn. They will browse the trees as well as shrubs. 

 We admit the droppings are as good as a fertilizer; but we 

 prefer the droppings without the sheep. Sheep will often 

 gnaw the bark of orchard trees. We have thus given you 

 the careful results of our frequent treatment of old or- 

 chards, and our success has been entirely satisfactory. 



Ollipod Quill. 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



B., of Illinois, writes to know what books he shall use 

 to obtain a good knowledge of agriculture. 



We can recommend to your aid good works upon theo- 

 retical and practical cultivation of grasses, of rotations of 

 crops, etc. Yet you must think, study, and bring forth 

 ftttfts "v-" 1 - far lit? '.nbie. Of all men, the farmer should 



be a cultivated man, and we know not why he should not 

 be an intelh ctual man. To every intelligent, farmer we 

 need only point to the Hon. Marshall P. Wilder as to ono 

 who for many years has been known as the farmer, the 

 scholar, and the finished gentleman. We say, therefore, 

 the successful farmer must do his own thinking, as well as 

 improving his land. Whilo tho great principles of agri- 

 culture remain tho same nearly all over the United States, 

 Ihe modes of applying agricultural chemistry may differ. 

 With different States come different modifications. Illi- 

 nois and Wisconsin give us ono soil, and New York and 

 New Hampshire another; Vermont and Massachusetts their 

 own peculiar features, and all have a correct manner of 

 making the earth yield her most generous increase. Last 

 Summer I was recommending a gentleman who had a very 

 large crop of weeds upon his ground, and five boys, from 

 ten to seventeen years of age, lying in the sun, to set these 

 weeds the other end up. "Well," said he, "I am going to 

 do so; the crop will not be much (the crop was potatoes); 

 I think I shall turn the hogs in and let them root." "You 

 had better turn your boys in and let them 'pull,'" was our 

 reply; "these weeds will root out all your crop if you do 

 not do so." I pointed to his neighbor's ground, a fine Hold 

 of thrifty potatoes adjoining his own. I snid not a word, 

 only pointed. His answer was "Oh, Tom has got woods 

 on the brain." Now if a man has this disease on the 

 brain, the Booner he goes into his field and goes to work 

 the sooner he will get well of it. Ollipod Quill. 



Milton, Gloucester, Mass.— How shall I plant and take 

 care of the evergreen seeds? 



The reason of your repeated failures, and which others 

 also complain of, is owing, we think, to your own lack of 

 necessary care rather than a fault in the seed. Evergreen 

 seeds generally germinate well. It is true that they rcquiro 

 a peculiar kind of treatment to insure success in raising a 

 fair crop. Where a very large quantity is not desired, I 

 have found the following among the best means of secur- 

 ing a good crop of evergreens. This plan may be extend- 

 ed from a small bed to a larger one, or three or four may 

 bo used, as necessary. Dig out a space in your grounds 

 as though you wouldlay out a hot bed. Fill with carefully 

 prepared light soil, and cover this frame with common hot 

 bed sash. Raise tins frame by placing half a brick under 

 each corner, raising it three inches from the surface. This 

 will give you a moist temperature, without which it is use- 

 less to think of raising evergreens from the seed. You 

 will be quite careful to protect your seedliugs from the 

 direct rays of the sun, while you will be equally particular 

 to see that your bed has a free, clear, circulation of air 

 throngh the plants. I have found this treatment to ba tho 

 best I ever used, and I have treated imported plants of tho 

 Norway spruce, of four inches in height, after a similar 

 plan, with som« slight modifications, with perfect success. 

 Ollipod Quill. 



J. J., Shelby, 111. — Do uot be at all afraid of the mining 

 operations of your "thousands of moles." It matters not 

 if they do run their underground trenches all over your 

 prairie plats, as they do it for your good, and for the pres- 

 ervation of the very grass roots you think they eat. The 

 common mole, of which you write, does not eat grass 

 roots. So far from its being hurtful to the products of tho 

 earth, il is one of their most effective protections, for it is 

 in pursuit of earlh grubs of every kind. This daily and 

 nightly mining is for these insects, which aro found in such 

 great numbers at tho rools of many of onr grass fields. It 

 is the presence and action of myriads of cutworms, etc., 

 that causa grass in many fields to die and turn white at tho 

 top. The moles eat these little worms whenever they can 

 gain a ready access to them. Let them pursue their labors 

 unmolested, for they are among the good genii of tho gar- 

 den. It is stated upon good authority that a single molo 

 devours annually 20,000 grubs, and it is sure deatli upon 

 every earth worm. It is one of tho most voracious of earth 

 burrowing animals, and is always imngiy. Take every 

 care to preservo your moles. Do not trap or hunt them 

 with dogs, but let them live to kill the insects. 



Ollipod Quill. 



W. S., of Virginia. — What is the name and nature of tho 

 two insets inclosed in this box? I find them quite numer- 

 ous in a small grove of very tall pine trees, many of tho 

 leaves of the tops of these trees being entirely eaten off by 

 them, and the cuttings appear like saw dust. ' I have never 

 seen them before in any of our Virginia or Southern pinas. 

 They are new comet's here. 



We have rarely seen this insect in our own section of 

 country, and what there are of them speedily perish from 

 the visitation of different kinds of birds, who eagerly seek 

 them as food. One of them is Ihe Plialance, the "night 

 moth of the pine woods, and justly classed among tho 

 most destructive ruvitgers of the forests. The other is tho 

 Bombyx monadfta, which are bad insects when found in 

 myriads, as they are in the great pine forests of Germany, 

 where they cause a general turning out of the peasant hus- 

 bandmen to destroy" them. They aro so numerous and so 

 terribly destructive at times in Uermany that they have to 

 burn whole acres of large pine forests for the sole purpose 

 of destroying them. When in tho caterpillar state they 

 multiply w ith exceeding rapidity, and make terrible havoo 

 among the pines. They are not very plenty as yet in 

 America. Ollipod Quill. 



Ltck on Cattle. — Tho Ni>r(h British Agriculturist, iu an 

 article on vermin on cattle, gives some suggestions as to 

 how to treat the pest. Itwould take time by the fotctop, 

 and at the slightest indication of their presence make a 

 prompt examination, and if lice are detected apply a reme- 

 dy. It is useless to await until the unfortunate wretch has 

 removed the hair from his own skin, and spread his tor- 

 mentors among his fellows. The pediculi, or lice, of 

 which almost everv animal has its own peculiar species, 

 are not difficult lo "kill. A good scrubbing with soft soap 

 and water will remove them. Linseed, or any other oil, 

 prevents their migrating, and destroys them; but tho effi- 

 cacy of the oil is increased when to every pint Is added an 

 ounce of impure carbolic acid, or of Burnett's zinc cholo- 

 ride solution. Decoclions of tobacco and stavesacro also 

 poison the vermin, an ounce to the pint of water being 

 generally used. Where the animals have been much in- 

 fested, a second dressing should tako place about a week 

 after the first, and brushing, cleanliness, and Usually w 

 more libcrsl dietry nl»o enjoyed 



