~ 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



209 



For Forest and iStream. 

 MAGNOLIAS, 



AS the season advances we are apt to weary for the first 

 flowering shrubs of spring. The pink mezereon and 

 the golden forsylhia come first, followed rapidly by the 

 i ege magnolias. This recalls the fact that neither 

 the native nor exotic species of the magnolia are half so 

 plentiful, either in our city yards or country grounds, as their 

 merits deserve. Perhaps one barrier to their more extensive 

 ; been their high price, but this is in some meas- 

 ure obviated by the increase in the number of growers, tend- 

 ing of course to competition and lowering of price, Another 

 obstacle to their culture is the great fare necessary to make 

 the trees live when transplanted; not that the operation is 

 bo very difficult, but certain care is necessary to success. 

 The roots mast never be allowed to become dry or in the 

 least shrivelled during the time of removal; neither will it 

 answer to puddle the roots, as is frequently practiced on 

 more hardy kinds of trees. Then, again, it is not safe to 

 plant magnolias in the fall, where the wounds made on their 

 Boft, spongy roots, are exposed to cold, wet, or frozen earth, 

 during the long winter. But if carefully taken up, and as 

 carefully packed in moss or some similar material while 

 being transported to the place where they are to be set out, 

 followed by good care in planting, there is very little danger 

 of their dying. The Chinese species are, as a class, far more 

 showy than our native varieties, although they do not grow 

 so large as M. acuminata, or M. mucrqpliytta* Magnolia Cbn- 

 ,11 is ime of the very best of the Chinese species, its 

 flowers being large, pure white, and appearing before it 

 leaves out in spring, making a grand show at a season when 

 such sights are more admired than at any other. Next 

 SmieS M. sQitangeana and M. purpurea, both of the same 

 origin, the latter being more purple on the outside of the 

 petals, and later in appearing than the former. M. norberti- 

 am, another variety, has deep purple flowers, otherwise it 

 is very similar to the parent. M. lenni is a comparatively 

 :!. -'. ;- : i. with reddish flowers, often blooming freely in the 

 fall, and promising to be of considerable value. Among our 

 native spec i. . K rand&loTa, of the Southern States, is a 

 supeTb evergreen tree, not hardy in our latitude, but fre- 

 quently met with in gardens in the South of England and 

 the Southern part of the European Continent. M, aaumi- 

 mla, the cucumber tree, is quite hardy; the flowers are 

 creamy yellow, appearing late in spring. It is an elegant, 

 rapid growing, ornamental tree, readily propagated from 

 seed, and is much used as a stock upon which to graft the 

 more desirable and slower growing sorts. M. imcropkyUa, 

 the large-leaved magnolia, though also a Southern variety 

 js hardy here; the flowers are pure white, fragrant and very 

 large, usually from ten to twelve inches in diameter. It is 

 a noble, tropical-looking tree, and well worthy of culture. 

 31. vinln-IJa is something like the foregoing, but the leaves 

 and flowers are smaller. M. frazen or awiculata, forms a 

 handsome tree, with flowers, and is quite hardy. 31 glaum, 

 often called sweet bay or laurel magnolia, is very common 

 in swampy places all through the Northern States, and is 

 far too seldom seen in cultivation. The flowers are about 

 two inches in diameter, pure white, and deliciously fragrant, 

 as any one conversant with the lower part of Broadway or 

 Pulton Street, where so many are sold daily during the 

 summer months, can testify. It should be in every garden, 

 and even plants taken from the swamps, if severely pruned 

 when removed, will in time prove a joy and sweetness to the 

 possessor during the whole summer. M. glaucn var. Thomp- 

 son!, a supposed hybrid between 31. ifauca and M. tripelala, 

 is equally desirable, being very like M. jfcsuqo in general ap- 

 pearance, equally fragrant, and often blooming late into the 



fall. 



■+•*■ 



FORESTRY CIRCULAR. 



delicate parts would thus be Injured, they may bo pinned to a cork, 

 : he bottom of a small box, and thus sent by mail; or while 

 still fresh, they may bo folded in a pieeo of very thin paper, and placed 

 in a box strong enough not to be crushed in the mail. Every speoimen 

 of insects aonl should be accompanied by a statement of tbo time and 

 place of collection, dates of appearanco and disappearance (if periodical), 

 the kind of trees affected, differences noticed ou particular soils, or in 

 certain situations, extent of ravages, facts concerning former appear- 

 ance, measures that have boon tried to prevent the damage, with the 

 results, and such other facts as may nave been observed. 



Fungus growths supposed to be the cause of injury to trees may be 

 usually determined from speoimeua. Many small coleoptnra live upon 

 tbo fnngua parasites of trees, and may bo oasily confounded with 

 those that actually mine under the bark in the living tissues, or per- 

 forate the wood. If there be any such growths near the part of the 

 bark under which the specimens are collected, a specimen of it should 

 accompany the piece of wood and bark Injured by the. insect. 



Communications in answer to thia circular should be addressed to the 

 undersigned at Lowvillo, Lewie County, N, Y, 



Respectfully yours, Fhankt.in B. Hocgh. 



April 1, 1877. 



|*a nnd §iver <#*/«># 



FISH IN SEASON [N MAY 



Trout, Salmofontinallt. Salmon Trout, Salmo confinti. 



Salmon, Salmatalar. Stind, Atom mpitliuima. 



Land-locked Salmon, Sulnio tebago. 



r issue of April 26th. 



***For trout flies In season in May s< 



Xo Botanists, Entomologists, and Otheb OusEnvEns rs NarnBAi. 

 Bistoby. 

 Tho undersigned baa been appointed, under an act of the late Con- 

 gress, to prepare a report upon forestry. It will bo published by the 

 General Government, under the direction of tho Department of Agri- 

 culture. Many subjects of observation arise in connection with these 

 inquiries which come within the proviuce of students In natural his- 

 tory, and more especially of botanists ami entomologists: and thia cir- 

 cular is sent with the earnest request that those who receive it will 

 communicate such answers to the following inquiries as tboy may be 

 able, in tho hope that by a consolidation of the data thus furnished im- 

 ant facts may be arrived at. In answering this circular, it will be 

 BUfllcient to mention Its number and the numbers prefixed to the sev- 

 eral inquiries. Full credit will be given to the authors of any commu- 

 nication thatmay be used. 



1. Name of correspondent and post-office address. Please givo some 

 account of the district reported from, mentioning tho general elevation 

 aoove aea-level, character of tho surface, as to whether level, hilly, 

 pr mountainous, prevailing winds, annual rainfall, general character of 

 the soil, etc. 



2. What are the principal native timber trees of your vicinity? Thoso 

 may bo mentioned in the order of relative abundance specifying those 

 that are particularly valued for lumber, timber, fuel, or other other 

 purposes. To aid in this inquiry, a special blauk will bo sent upon ap- 

 plication. 



3. Havo instances been noticed in which, Bfter a growth of timber has 

 been destroyed, another kind has come up 2 If so, of what spoclos was 

 the former crop? aud by what was it succeeded V 



i. Have facts been observed in your region tending to show that for- 

 ests have an effect upon the climate, and that changes follow tho clear- 

 ing off of woodland or the growing of trees upon lands formerly 

 cleared ? 



S. What experiments have been made in your vicinity in forest plant- 

 ins or the introduction of new species, aud what has been the result of 



the lalteri 



C. Wiiotil 

 disease, or 

 vicinity i J 

 noticed. Si 

 insects, -. ■ 



■traction of limber from climatic causes, 

 -ravages, have been observed in your 

 nature and extent of sn.-h injuries if 

 rood bark, or other parts injuiod by 

 ,s well as tho insects themselves. The 

 ii iu vials tilled with alcohol', and ae- 

 boxes; but where the wings or other 



Pise in Maeket. — At this season commences the abundance 

 and variety for which Fulton Market is noted. Tho past 

 week has brought along the bluefish and sheepshead from 

 North Carolina, and the weakfish, pompano aud Spanish 

 mackerel from Pensaoola, Fla. At Blackford's we noticed a 

 pompano weighing five and one-fourth pounds; a young 

 salmon caught at Martha's Vineyard weighing oneand three- 

 fourths pounds, and a magnificent bass weighing fifty 

 pounds, taken in the shad nets near Governor's Island. Our 

 quotations are : Striped baas, 15 to 20 cents per pound; smelts, 

 10 cents; green, do., 15 cents; bluefish, 15 cents; salmon 

 (frozen), 50 cents; Kennebec, 75 cents; green, do., 50 cents; 

 mackerel, 10 to 15 cents each; shad (southern), 25 cents each: 

 native, do., 50 cents; Connecticut Biver, 60 cents; white perch, 

 15 cents per pound ; Spanish mackerel, 75 cents; green turtle, 

 18 cents ; terrapin, $15 per dozen ; frostfish, 8 cents per pound ; 

 halibut 18 cents; haddock, Scents; codfish, 7 cents; black- 

 fish, 15 cents; herrings, 5 cents; flounders, 8 to 10 cents; sea 

 bass, 20 cents; eels, 18 cents; lobsters, lOcents; scollops, $1.50 

 per gallon; whitefish, 15 cents per pound ; pickerel, 15 cents: 

 salmon trout 15 cents; Long Island trout, $1; Canada do., 

 50 cents; hard shell crabs, $4 per 100; red snappers, 18 cents; 

 weakfish, 18 cents; sheepshead, 25 cents, pompano, 75 cents. 

 — May is par excellence the trout fisher's month. Those 

 who expect the cream of the season, without, the vexation of 

 black flies and mosquitos, should go to tho stream at once. 

 In many waters the first of June is too late. Do not put off 

 your fishing until then. The trout are now in the swift, run- 

 ning waters, eager for the ptvptB and larva} and full-blown 

 flics that hatch at this season, and which the spring rains 

 wash into the brooks and streams with other abundant food. 

 They are eager, active, hungry, and cannot wait for the ang- 

 ler's most artistic cast. The bungler can catch them now. 

 The streams are full— giving a good depth of water through- 

 out; neither swollen, nor so shallow as to drive the fish to 

 the deeper pools and basins, exposing every movement of 

 the angler. In the cool air of May, the exercise of rambling 

 along the streams and casting is exhilarating; the budding 

 spring puts on its new life, and develops its verdure in 

 shades of color most grateful -to the eye; the birds are mating, 

 and too busily engaged in nest building to be weary of 

 human presence — so that one can easily study their habits; 

 besides, the foliage is not so dense as to conceal them, as in 

 summer time. There js much to be seen in the woods and 

 fields in spring, and the young blood of the fisherman 

 should leap in his veins as he goes forth, like the sap and 

 the vigor that is mounting to the tree-tops and circling 

 through every branch and twig. 



This is the month, too, for land-locked salmon, next to the 

 true salmon the most satisfying of gamo fish. The ice is 

 out of the Maine lakes two weeks earlier than usual, and at 

 Sebec and the Grand Lake streams everything is ready and 

 awaiting the advent of the angler. Boats and guides are 

 there. We have already feasted our eyes with the lithesome 

 form of this beautiful fish, and tasted its toothsome flesh, 

 and long for our old-time trips to the hills and sparkling 

 shores of the Schoodics, but as wo cannot go ourselves, we 

 shall generously implore others to partake of these unaccus- 

 tomed delights of which few persons know. Our duties de- 

 mand our constant care for a month or more yet. For two 

 long years we have been preparing a Sportsman's Gazetteer 

 and Guide, by which both the angler and gunner may not 

 only learn to capture e.very principal animal, bird and fish 

 in North America; but we have designated over 4,000 resorts 

 which he may visit, and having the volume before him, can 

 make his own selection. Two hundred pages are now in 

 type, and 400 more will be added early in June, by 

 which time we hope to see the book between its covers and 

 in tho hands of every sportsman in the country. Friends, 

 we are weary of labor, and await the coming of the end and 

 your congratulations at our approaching relief. 



In our last April number wo specified the trout flies 

 of this month. For land-locked salmon, tho rayed 

 feathers of the mallard dyed a deep yellow, and 

 mixtures of this with black, are the most killing; 

 also use a red body and grey hackle, and black wings with 

 brown body; for evening mixtures of grey and blaek, a 

 heavy fly rod such as is used for bass, with a good reel and a 

 fathom and a half of gut. casting line, is the tackle you need 

 for these fish. Now, go it ! 



—The Blooming Grove Club House will be open for memi 

 hers and their guests on the 15th of May, the commence- 

 ment of the trout fishing season, under the superintendence 

 of M. Vucassovich. 



— The introduction of black bass into the Connecticut 

 River and the subsequent destruction of the young shad by 

 them is now given as the reason for the scarcity of Connecti- 

 cut shad this season. 



Tnot-TDta in the Eastern Townships.— Mr. John Kobinson 

 of Montreal and a friend killed 150 fine trout in Conn's 

 Pond, on Monday, April 30th, and the next dav they took 

 17 large trout out of Lake Nick. Several of the last batch 

 kicked the beam at 3 pounds each, and the majority of 

 them were taken with the yellow May fly. though the' ice 

 had only just left the lake, and the day waB cold and cloudy. 

 j Stanshax. ' 



Maine. —Head of Sebec Lake, Me., April '2Vh.— The fun which 

 I had wished you to help enjoy is at its height. We arrived 

 here at a. m. ; found the stream had not been fished this 

 spring, and that the lanrl-locked salmon had just commenced 

 to run up stream. There have been taken to-dav Ivy our party 

 eighteen land-locked salmon, several of the largest weighing 

 four pounds, while about as many more have been hooked 

 and lost by some of our party who are not acquainted with 

 the fish. The ice broke up in the lake Thursday, a't 2 p. it. 

 A large amount of the sport for me was in hooking a three- 

 pound fish, while sitting in a canoe all alone up the stream. 

 where the water runs quick enough to be partly white. I 

 had no dip-net. I held him until he was somewhat, weak- 

 ened, as he was out of the water several times, when sud- 

 denly the canoe broke its fastenings and down stream I 

 went, part, of the time the fish leading me, and then I the 

 fish, until I got where T could force the canoe with one hand 

 to the shore for the dip-not. I secured him, and he was 

 cooked by being well seasoned and then rolled in several 

 thicknesses of straw paper well moistened with water, and 

 put in tho ashes and coals. 



Since writing you, on the 27th instant there has 

 been taken at the mouth of the other stream at head of Sebec 

 Lake another large lot of land-locked salmon. They were 

 caught from under a boom of logs lying in mouth of the 

 Wilson stream, some of them larger than those we caught 

 April 26th. F. M. Foitn. 



Movements of the FisHtsa Fuiet. — The Southern mack- 

 erel fleet are. now well under way, and the prospect is con- 

 sidered favorable for a good spring catch. The early 

 arrivals at New York the middle of last week landed gooil 

 fares, and prices were good, considering the almost, simul- 

 taneous arrivals of nine vessels on Thursday and Friday. 

 The market opened with sales of large mackerel at 12 to 15 

 cents, but soon fell to 10 cts. for extra large, 8 cts. for large, 

 5 cts. for tinkers and 3i cts. for flinks. These prices make a 

 good commencement and the vessels did well on their first 

 catch of the season. There has been another break in the 

 market for Georges codfish, the market ruling at $4.50 per 

 qtl., although there have been forced sales, where room was 

 wanted, below these figures. The fleet has been consider- 

 ably reduced, and are making long trips and bringing in 

 light fares. The stock on hand is small, and with the ordi- 

 nary call of former years would soon be exhausted: but there 

 is no immediate prospect of improvement in demand or 

 price. The number of fishing arrivals the past week has 

 been 25, viz., 7 from the Banks and 18 from Georges. Tho 

 receipts of split codfish have been 185,000 lbs. from the 

 Banks and 210,000 lbs. from Georges. Halibut receipts 

 255,000 lbs.— Cape Ann, Advertiser, 3tayMK 



— "Grouse" writes us from Duxbury, Mass., that the cod 

 fishers have done remarkably well this season, averaging 

 10,000 pounds to a day's fishing, but prices are very low. 

 Haddock aro tolerably abundant, but no trout have been 

 oaughtyet. 



T Connecticut.— Hartford, May 5.— W. H. and F. Bulkeley 

 went to Berlin on Monday and brought home with them a 

 string of fifty-five of the speckled beauties, which averaged 

 about half a pound each. 



— E. S. Sykes, of the firm of Sykes & Newton, and G. 

 Welles Boot, caught 154 trout Saturday, in a neighboring 

 brook. Yet this splendid run of success was surpassed by 

 the Bunee brothers, Frederick and Henry, one day last 

 week, who returned from a single day's fronting* with 

 nearly 200 speckled beauties in hand. 



— April 30th an elegant striped bass, weighing thirty-five 

 pounds, was caught at Windsor Locks. 



— A salmon weighing seven and one-half pounds was 

 caught Monday night at Lyme, by Prest. Crittenden. 



— The catch of shad continues limited, and the supply in 

 market is hardly up to the demand, the prices ranging in 

 Hartford from eighteen to twenty-two cents per pound. 



T. S. S. 



New Yoke.— Henry B. Ingram of Kingston, sends the fol- 

 lowing, dated April 25th: The catch of shad, it is said, was 

 never larger than it is this season, thanks to Seth Green's 

 theory and practice. Freeman Preston captured an eight- 

 pound striped bass this morning at the Steep Books. A 

 Wall Stroet fishing party went to the Low Woods pond a- 

 fishing on Tuesday, and returned with a fine moss of fish. 



— Our correspondent, Henry B. Ingram, tells us that 

 would-bo trout fishermen had hard luck hist week in the 

 Oatskills, back of Kingston, N. Y., getting nothing but chills 

 for their trouble. 



— E. B. G., of the Ehnira Water Cure, writes pleasantly of 

 an excursion to Hemlock Lake, where good fishing can be 

 found, as well as ruffed grouse and squirrel shooting. Stop 

 at "Boss Yauman's." 



— H. O. K. of Albany sends us an account of his catch- 

 ing a three-and-a-half-pound fish by the tail; not an unusuid 

 oireumstance, however, though awkward for both fish and 

 fisher, K. is delighted with a new celluloid Hart reel that 

 he uses. 



— There is a hitch between tho Oregon salmon canners and 

 tho fishermen which has delayed operations, and only 208 

 cases of the new catch has been received here. A cannery 

 has been established at Collinsville, on tho Sacramento 

 Biver, which has already sent down 237 cases, each contain- 

 ing four dozen one pound tins. These are now being dis- 

 tributed among the trade, the price to be fixed hereafter. 

 The Oregon salmon received here this season sold at $1. 75; 



d $1.50 and $1.55 is now offer 

 Oregon oanners have sold large q 

 season, and a vessel is already c 

 lumbia Biver in May. Pacific cot 

 7 and 7J cents for selected lots in i 

 to 81 cents; Eastern mackerel are 

 for No. 1 in 20-pound kitB. 



The 



.amities for delivery this 

 lartered Up load (torn Oo- 

 , 5 cents in bundles, and 



ases; Eastern cod. Semis 

 jobbing at $2,25 to $2,50 



