FOREST AND STREAM. 



261 



joice in forty-dollar reels and sixty-dollar rods with agate- 

 mounted tips and rings, are somewhat disgusted. 



The line ordinarily used is nearly as thick as a cod-line, 

 and about 50 yards long. A sinker, weighing about a half or 

 three-quarters of a pound — with a hole through it — is strung 

 on the line, and is kept there by a large knot 

 on its end. Below this knot, and attached to the 

 line proper by a somewhat smaller cord, is the hook 

 — a cod-hook being generally used, or one a little smaller. 

 The fisherman is usually clad in an old flannel shirt, 

 woollen trousers and old, loose boots — with a broad-leaved 

 straw or felt hat. 



The bait used is a string of mullet, procured at the early 

 market — (price five cents) — which is cut into chunks about 

 an inch square. 



Thus equipped, and with the end of the line tied around 

 the waist, or to his wrist, to prevent its escape as it flies 

 out, and neatly coiled in his left hand, to run off easily, and 

 with a yard or two above the sinker hanging from his right 

 hand, the fisherman wades into the surf, about waist deep, 

 and, swinging the sinker around his head, launches it out 

 as far as he can, and then draws it gradually in, so as to 

 keep the bait moving. 



When he feels a bite, he gives a jerk, to hook the fish, 

 and, if successful, he puts the line over his shoulder and 

 starts for the beach, going as fast as he can — for if he lets 

 the line slack, he will probably lose his fish. 



On emerging from the water he runs out on the beach 

 and drags the fish upon the sand, where he secures it — and, 

 re-baiting his hook, starts for another throw. 



The hook, or hooks, (sometimes two or more are used), 

 are put on a smaller piece of line, on account of the abun- 

 dance of small sharks, which literary swarm in the break- 

 ers, where the bass and other fish most do congregate, and 

 are very apt to seize the bait and break the line, carrying 

 off sinker and all, if it breaks above it. 



The sinker is perforated so that the bite can easily be felt, 

 the line readily slipping through it. 



The surf is about fifty yards from the edge of the beach, 

 there being a line of shoal about that distance, over which 

 the waves break. Between this and the shore the water is 

 shallow, about thigh-deep at low tide, and the fisherman 

 wades out to the bank. 



As the tide rises he is obliged to come in, the surf break- 

 ing all the way to the shore when the water is two or three 

 feet deep on the bar. 



It is not a very comfortable feeling to turn when on the 

 shoal, and see a shark or two swimming up and down be- 

 tween you and the shore— especially, if you have a bite and 

 are making for the beach. But they are very shy, and 

 quickly get out of the way. I never heard of anyone being 

 bitten. They are usually about three or four feet long, 

 and are often caught. 



Still they are unpleasant neighbors. I remember one 

 day, before a storm, when the water was dark and I could 

 not see, while standing about waist-deep in this "middle- 

 ground," and fishing busily, feeling a sudden sharp nip on 

 the ancle. I sprung clear of the water, for I thought it 

 was a shark. But it was only a large sea-crab, which 

 pinches powerfully. Fortunately, I had on very heavy 

 pantaloons, so no damage was clone — but the shock was 

 tremendous, for sharks are very bold in dark water. 



There are many large sharks and sword or saw-fish in the 

 Bay, and during the summer they are caught for the oil 

 contained in their livers. From ten to twenty fish is about 

 a-fair afternoon's catch "during the season" — so they say. 



Speaking of the bass-fishing in the surf, reminds me of a 

 somewhat ludicrous incident, which is said to have occur- 

 red to one of our distinguished Generals, just after the war. 

 It seems, a party were fishing at Brazos, in the Gulf, some- 

 what in the manner I have just described, and the General 

 feeling a bite, started with the line over his shoulder in 

 orthodox style for the beach, and ran out hauling his line. 

 In course of time the fish was drawn out, and to the amaze- 

 ment of the General and the amusement of the rest of the 

 party, proved to be only about six inches long. 



It is needless to say the General's champagne suffered 

 that evening, but the story leaked out nevertheless. So 

 much for the fish. 



Quail are plenty in the neighborhood of St. Augustine, 

 and within a few miles deer and wild turkey are abundant; 

 while occasionally one gets a chance for a "scrimmage" 

 with a bear or panther. 



As to wild fowl, "their name is legion"— shore birds of 

 all kinds, ducks, geese, herons, eiid omne genus, can be had 

 with a reasonable degree of trouble. 



Enough sport can be found in the neighborhood of St. 

 Augustine to reward the most ardent sportsman, and I 

 know of no place, this side of Humboldt Bay, in California, 

 where so many facilities for hunting and fishing are offered, 

 or where the variety of game fish, flesh and fowl is so great, 

 or where a few weeks may be more agreeably passed by the 

 sportsman. * Monmouth. 



— A Russian naturalist claims to have found living mam- 

 moths in Siberia. He has seen five small ones twelve feet 

 high, eighteen feet long, and having tusks eight to ten feet 

 in length. The brute haunts great caves, and feeds on 

 grass, etc. 



—Johnny attends school, which will explain the follow- 

 ing short dialogue between him and his father: "Johnny, 

 I didn't know you got whipped the other day," said he.' 

 "You didn't? Well, if you'd been in my breeches you'd 

 have known it." 



—This is the season of the year wheu a boy examines 

 the wood-pile in the next yard and wonders why on earth 

 his father don't buy samlL, straight sticks,— Duibitry Mm 



foodhnd, Ekwtt mid Mm Am. 



RHODODENDRONS. 



Hardy Varieties. Kaododendkost. (Catawbietisls.) 



"Long years ago it might befall 

 When all the garden flowers were trim, 

 The grave old gardener prided him 

 On these the most of all." 



MONG the evergreen plants used for garden, lawn 

 and other decorative situations, where one, six, or a 

 larger number are to be used, commend ns to the grand old 

 rhododendron. The king of the city garden, the pride of 

 the village green, the pet flower of every ten by twelve 

 grass plot, and, grandest of all, the flowering climax of 

 . every well stocked, elegantly decorated park. 



This magnificent flower is so well known, or should be 

 to all the lovers of beautiful plants, that a familiar descrip- 

 tion of the same would scarcely seem necessary. Yet such 

 is not the case. There are many persons, ladies and gen- 

 tlemen, too, of good taste, who delight in a well stocked 

 garden, who have never seen a rhododendron in full bloom. 

 Said a lady to me one day, "I saw a very beautiful flower 

 in full bloom in front of a gentleman's house in New Jer- 

 sey the other afternoon. I wish I knew what it was. It 

 had bright glossy leaves, grew about three feet high, and 

 had about ten short limbs, all covered with an orange 

 shaped leaf, that looked like a leaf made from wax. From 

 the middle of the bunches of green leaves there sprang a 

 large pink colored flower as large as my hand, and oh! so 

 beautiful. I do much wish I knew its name. I want to 

 purchase one, as I never saw a more beautiful plant." 



This very natural exclamation of the lady would prob- 

 ably find a response in very many hearts when looking upon 

 this plant for the first time. This would be the case with 

 any one who could spend an hour in the garden of the 

 Messrs. Hovey, near Boston. There your eyes would be 

 delighted with specimens of this beautiful flower twelve 

 feet in height, and in its season of blossom all covered with 

 flowers. 



We have been told that familiarity breeds contempt. 

 Not so with the rhododendron. Beautiful! indeed, the 

 more we become acquainted with the rare qualities of this 

 valued plant of the garden the more we love its bright 

 shining leaves, its rich and enduring flow r ers, and well may 

 the term of a "thing of beauty" be applied to it. Magnifi- 

 cent is a well fitting title for the rhododendron catawbien- 

 sis. While there are many varieties of this flowering 

 shrub which, with care, can be cultivated to perfection 

 upon the lawn and beneath the shelter of the deepening 

 woody borders of our gardens, we can recommend for 

 hardy culture the catmcbiemis as perfectly reliable. Plant 

 this kind and you will have a reliable plant. And a "sure 

 thing" in the garden is a matter of much consideration to 

 all our lady friends who love these beautiful flowers. This 

 article upon the rhododendron was written at the express 

 solicitation of two of our lady friends, who know some- 

 thing about garden flowers. 



The B. Ponticwm, and many of the hardy varieties — hy- 

 brids — will grow well beneath the shady sides of woods, 

 but we feel that all who do not tolerably well understand 

 their cultivation had better confine themselves to the cul- 

 ture of one or two of the perfectly hardy species. There 

 are thirty varieties of the catawbiensis — all hardy; from 

 these they can choose their plants and go to work on a 

 half dozen or a dozen with a good degree of confidence in 

 ultimate success. 



Like the azaleas, the rhododendron does pretty well in 

 ordinary garden soil, but is greatly improved in size and 

 beauty of color by a skillful adaptation as near as possible 

 to its natural soil and situations. Make them as much at 

 home in their new home, by a judicious combination of 

 soils, as they were before they were lifted, and your work 

 is done. 



There is not a more superb plant than the rhododendron 

 cultivated, and our earnest plea is for our pet plant. It 

 can be planted in pots if you desire it, and you can keep it 

 in the greenhouse in the winter and bring it out in the 

 spring to beautify the plot or garden. Amateurs and others 

 desirous of trying their hand with three or five of these 

 plants, can obtain perfectly hardy varieties from any of 

 our seedsmen. 



If we could have but one "garden pet," our choice would 

 be the rhododendren. It is hardy, vigorous of constitu- 

 tion, not liable to insect attacks, possesses beauty and sym- 

 metry of growth, and when in flower it pays you a hundred 

 times over for the care you bestow upon it. We have often 

 felt a surprise at the lack of appreciation this flower 

 seemed to command, and were thus led seriously to con- 

 sider why it was this sparsely cultivated. Perhaps a prom- 

 inent reason may be found in the fact that considerable 

 care and attention is required to make an appropriate bed, 

 soil, and situation for the growth of this plant. 



In hopes of giving our lady friends and, incidentally, 

 others a few reliable hints as to how to prepare a bed for 

 the rhododendron, I will tell them just how I made one for 

 myself last week, and they are at liberty to improve upon 

 my plan as much as they please. If our friends have pa- 

 tience sufficient to induce them to make such a bed as we 

 describe, and sufficient faith in our experience, they will 

 have as good a show of rhododendrons as any of their 

 neighbors. 



First, this plant, to thrive well, requires a deep, well pre- 

 pared soil Belonging to the family ericaceo?, its rootlets 



are exceedingly delicate, and are always found very fine. 

 Now, whenever you find these delicate rootlets dry, from 

 any cause whatever, you may throw your plant away at 

 once, for however green its leaves may appear your plant 

 is dead. 



On what are called the most "unseemly places" you can 

 make your plant bed, as I did mine. The hillside upon 

 which I have prepared a bed for the next spring planting- 

 faces the southeast. I first determined the size which I. 

 designed for my bed. This I staked out in outline, which 

 I think a good plan, using sharpened sticks six inches long. 

 The bed is of an oval form, in the longest measurement 

 ten feet, in breadth, or shortest, five to six feet. Carefully 

 cutting the sod with a sod cutter, I removed all the same 

 from the top of the bed. This being done I removed the 

 earthy loam and placed it outside the excavation for future 

 use. Then I removed the gravel to the depth of four feet; 

 this gravel you will need to make the side of the lower em- 

 bankment of your bed, for I made the upper side of my 

 bed four feet below the level of the sod in its original 

 form. From this level, to be determined by the circum- 

 stances of the case, by those who follow these suggestions, 

 I, in making my bed, made a level bed, or plateau. This 

 was the foundation, or pit, of my bed. Now comes the 

 filling up process. On a side hill like the one in question 

 you will not often need much artificial drainage. You will, 

 as I did, prepare for a too rapid drainage, which is death 

 to your plant, by covering the whole bottom of your pit 

 with pine needles, or oak leaves, or fine meadow hay, to 

 the depth of from one to two feet, .^ow pass back again 

 into the pit your loam, and your leaves are fixed, and 

 should be trodden down to make what you have already 

 placed them, about six inches deep from the bottom. Now 

 you are ready to place old sod soil — the soil that should 

 compose the bed, and that which I used was a mixture of 

 one part peat, or well rotted leaf mould, one part of rich 

 loam, and one part sharp sand. Let these be most thor- 

 oughly mixed and let lay in a heap three or six days ; then 

 fill up all the space left of your bed, level with the former 

 brow of the hill, and outwardly forming a level at the top 

 of the embankment of some two or three feet, which 

 should be sodded to prevent the earth of your bed from 

 sliding down hill. Now you can, after doing this, leave 

 your bed over the winter, and m April, on some bright 

 warm day, spade the whole over preparatory to planting 

 out your rhododendrons. 



You can always procure good plants from reliable nur- 

 serymen. If you want the cheapest of plants there are 

 always humbugs enough to cheat you out of your money. 

 Having obtained what you believe to be good, plants, set 

 them say from one foot to fourteen inches distant in rows 

 lengthwise of your bed, or, a general rule adopted by some 

 landscape gardeners is, "so that they shade the ground by 

 their foliage just touching each other." This is as good a 

 rule, perhaps, as can be given, and I adopt it whenever I 

 set out grounds. If possible to obtain, I prefer to mulch, 

 say two inches in depth, over the plants as soon as set out, 

 with ground tan bark, always easily obtained, and there 

 can be nothing better. 



Now let your bed alone, unless the summer should be 

 extremely dry. Two copious waterings with the water pot 

 or hose pipe will be all sufficient, and nine chances out of 

 ten you will not need any water. Because why? You 

 have set out your bed as you should have done, and they 

 will probably live and thrive. 



As a protection from frost and cold in winter, we use 

 boughs of cedar, hemlock, orpine, the ends well sharpened, 

 and a crow bar to make holes to receive them, and the 

 boughs firmly set about the bed is a sufficient shelter from 

 the coldest weather. More of these plants are killed from 

 sunshine in winter than from the intense cold. Protect 

 tliem well from the winter sun. 



In the course of time, as your plants grow in size, you 

 will of course make new beds by removing from the old 

 bed every other plant year by year, until you have left one 

 or two very large plants, whose value, singly, would pay 

 a large percentage of time, care, and the money expended. 



Ollipod Quill. 



Binding Ladies' Feet in China. — Doctor Macgowan, an 

 American gentleman of great experience in Chinese matters, 

 gives a somewhat different account of the origin of the 

 practice, placing it three centuries later. The custom, he 

 says, is of comparatively modern origin, and owes its exist- 

 ence to the whim of Li Y T uh, the licentious and unpopular 

 prince of Keangnan, whose court was in Nanking. He ruled 

 from A. D. 976 to 976, and was subdued and finally pois- 

 oned by the founder of the Sung dynasty. It appears that he 

 was amusing himself in his palace, when the thought occur- 

 red to him that he might improve the appearance Of the feet 

 of one of "his favorites. He accordingly bent her foot, so 

 as to raise the instep into an arch, to resemble the new 

 moon. The figure was much admired by the courtier*, 

 who began at once to introduce it into their families. Soon 

 after the province of Keang-nan again became an integral 

 part of the empire, -from which point the new practice 

 spread throughout all provinces and all ranks, until it be- 

 came a national custom. Many lives were sacrificed bv 

 suicide; those females whose feet had not been bound, were 

 persecuted by their husbands; so much so, they hun«- 'them- 

 selves or took poison. About one hundred and ftj'tv <y< i: h 

 ifter the origin of the practice, we find a f . e'ei' Ira- 

 ting the beauties of the "golden lilies;'"' ;,r,d fron3 

 bis description it would appear that seven eenturies 

 ago they were of the same size as those of the present day 

 According to the upholders of the development theory 

 such continued compression for centuries should ba\e oc- 

 casioned a national alteration in the structure of the CI tuet* 

 foot, but nothing of the kind is observed.— Alt ifa Year 

 Bound. 



