FOREST AND STREAM. 



265 



this has been given away by the United States in the last 

 ten years. An army of two hundred thousand farmers, 

 each one exulting in his own broad acres, are cultivating 

 them. Between 1860 and 1870, the Nebraska Report tells us 

 that the number of farms in the whole country increased 

 more than half a million, and during the same decade Ne- 

 braska farms increased from 2,789 to 12,801, and that dur- 

 ing the last three years it has more than doubled these last 

 figures. Is it not something wonderful to think that only 

 nine years ago the Homestead claims were a beggarly 191, 

 and that last year they were over twelve thousand? 



From the report of the Commissioner of the Land Office, 

 published this week, we have an excellent opportunity of 

 judging of the amount of land disposed of by the United 

 States ending June 30th, 1873. During the last year this 

 . amount of land was no less than 13,030,606 acres. During 

 the fiscal year, ending June 30th, 1873, preliminary home- 

 stead entries were made, covering an area of 3,752,347. 

 "In almost all cases," says the Nebraska Report, "each 

 man or woman (for there are many female homesteaders) 

 is head of a family, if not actual, yet hoped for in the near 

 future— {the italics are ours). Speaking of the early at- 

 tempts of the Nebraska settler to build a shelter, the re- 

 port expatiates about what it calls a "Nebraska brown- 

 stone front." There is something cheerful, Mark Tapley- 

 ish, to a degree, when one learns that a sod house, the 

 sward cut with a breaking plow, and the green turf used as 

 shingles to cover an excavation, is the primitive dwelling 

 used by the settlers, iftid the report affirms that "it is both 

 warmer in winter and cooler in summer than any house 

 which can be made of lumber." 



Descanting on the methods oi migration to this happy 

 Nebraska, the report tells us of westward trains full of 

 wives carrying their little ones to their husbands who 

 have gone to Nebraska at first alone to rough it, and amus- 

 ingly speaks of a car load of babies, shipped, we suppose, 

 by Adams Express, C. O. D., all the little ones being pos- 

 sibly Japhets in search of their fathers. It is as easy to get 

 to Nebraska, according to the report, as it^ was for the 

 prince in the Arabian Nights who owned the flying-horse, 

 and who only had to press a button in order to be trans- 

 ported some thousands of miles. A Massachusetts man, 

 according to our report, can charter a car at Cape Cod, 

 put on board his clock, his provision of beans, his pump- 

 kins, his wife and children, and without once breaking 

 bulk, keeping house all the time, can be landed in the 

 middle of Nebraska in the midst of the far land, before he 

 is aware of it, with a stock of beans still on hand. It is 

 but forty years ago since the first white family entered 

 Iowa; but to-day, of its twelve hundred thousand inhabi- 

 tants, but one-third of the present population was born in 

 it, two-thirds have come to it, and one-half were born in 

 the more sterile East, and why should not Nebraska very 

 shortly exult in her millions? Do you want to get rich? 

 Only have money enough to buy some few horses and 

 break prairie at $3 an acre. You can earn that way $6, 

 for the keep of yourself and horses will be only $1 50 a 

 day, and you will be thus enabled very soon to buy all the 

 land you want on this larj^ margin of profits. 



The geological data given in the report are most interest- 

 ing, and fossils abound in Nebraska. In the Mesozoic age 

 lived in Nebraska no less than five species of those reptiles, 

 the Demosaurs, as much as forty feet in length, and as to 

 Ichthayosaivri they are discovered assuming the proportions 

 of a whale. Here, too, are found the remains of that an- 

 omalous creature, the Rhamforynchus, half lizard, half 

 bird. As to fossil animals, Nebraska is a complete geolog- 

 ical menagerie. No less than twenty species of the 

 Orecmtidce have been exhumed in the tertiary deposits. In 

 anatomical peculiarities they partook of the character of 

 the camel, the hog and the deer. The early Nebraska 

 buffalo or bison was, too, a third larger than the present 

 animal. At that period, too, lived the aleurodon ferox. an 

 animal as large and savage as a tiger. The subjects dear 

 to the Forest and Stream, such as the preservation of 

 the forests, and the methods of planting trees are treated, 

 not only with singular merit, but exhaustively, in the re- 

 port. Mr. James Morris has an admirable article on this 

 question, recommending the planting of the filbert, the al- 

 mond, the chestnut, the walnut, the pecan and the hickory, 

 and states that in regard to the cottonwood, the buckeye, 

 the white poplar, the elm, the beach and the ash, there 

 would be no difficulty in making forests of thenc all over 

 the land. No less excellent is a paper on the same subject 

 by Mr. C. S. Harrison, entitled "Tree Culture." Mr. Har- 

 rison, after a most philosophical argument proving the 

 many great blessings tree culture produces in a country of 

 plains, scientifically and practically discusses the entire 

 subject. 



Admiring both the vigor of the report, and wishing that 

 the many other agricultural reports which pass thorough 

 our hands were made up of such readable and interesting 

 matter, after its most careful perusal, we are more fully 

 satisfied than ever id regard to the future greatness of this 

 new State, and believe that few other sections of the coun- 

 try present greater advantages for the industrious settler 

 than Nebraska. 



— Persons who propose making Holiday Presents, cannot 

 adopt a method more satisfactory than to avail themselves 

 of the advantages offered in the Forest and Stream Prize 

 Scheme, By so doing they will not only secure, through 

 the paper, that which is of permanent substantial value, 

 but a useful article whose intrinsic value is almost an 

 equivalent fur their money. You can take your choice of 

 guns, rods, books, pictures, skates, and out-door games in 

 great variety. 



HOLIDAY ADVERTISEMENTS. 



HIS journal, the Forest and Stream, caters so direct- 

 ly to the tastes and requirements of those who make 

 THE HOLIDAYS a period of recreation, and has withal 

 obtained so large a circulation among the refined portion of 

 the community who encourage innocuous pastimes, that we 

 cannot but urge upon merchants the advantages it presents 

 as a medium for advertising that class of goods which come 

 within the ordinary list of HOLIDAY PRESENTS. We 

 aim to inculcate in men, women and children, a healthy 

 interest in all reasonable recreation. We believe in pro- 

 viding aliment for both mind and body, that each may be 

 reciprocally benefitted. To this end we devote much atten- 

 tion to reviews of books, especially to such as bear upon 

 those subjects that come within the scope of our observa- 

 tion and effort. Our paper has equal place in the gymna- 

 sium and academy. It circulates in nearly all our colleges 

 and universities. It is read by all sportsmen of refined 

 taste and culture, and is sought for and referred to by 

 naturalists and men of science- In fact it covers ground 

 and position never occupied before by any journal in this 

 country, and on this foundation is building a marvellous 

 success. 



We shall during the HOLIDAYS give especial attention 

 and place to HOLIDAY GOODS advertised in our columns, 

 and respectfully urge upon Publishers, Booksellers, 

 Stationers, and Dealers in Powder, Shot, Rifles, Guns, 

 Fishing Tackle, and all kinds of Games, our claims upon 

 their consideration and patronage. 



— . «**»- 



THE CULTURE OF THE CINCHONA. 



THE importance of an enterprise looking to the grow- 

 ing of the cinchona tree in sections of the world other 

 than South America, can not be overrated. It is a question 

 equally interesting to the botanist, the pharmaceutist and 

 votary of economic science, In the last number of Nature 

 there is an'excellent account of the various efforts made to 

 propaga,te this tree in India and Ceylon, from which we 

 make the following brief summary. 



The Dutch government took the initiative steps, directing 

 their efforts to the introduction of the tree in Java. The 

 first cinchona trees sent out to that colony were specimens of 

 the 0. Calisaya raised in Bolivia. In 1852 the Dutch 

 government sent a Mr. Hasskarl on a mission to South 

 America to procure plants and seeds. The collection made 

 was divided into two parts, one half being sent to Java 

 direct, and the remainder to Amsterdam. In 1856, there 

 were over 260 plants on the island of Java. Many serious 

 troubles attended the early efforts to raise the trees, arising 

 from insects, wild animals, and badly chosen localities on 

 the island. At last in 1860 success crowned their labors, 

 and in 1863 the total number of trees in Java numbered 

 1,151,180 trees. It was found that the G. Calisaya, in Java 

 was the best adapted for the locality, the O. Pahudiana con- 

 taining much less of the alkaloid. The efforts of the 

 British government were commenced as early as 1839. In 

 1852 the East India company sent to the British consular 

 agents in South America for seeds of the various species, 

 but it was not until 1859 that the matter was fully taken in 

 hand. During this year Mr. Markham proposed # fourfold 

 expedition to South America, and the plan being sanctioned 

 by the Secretary of the State for India, the scheme was 

 carried out. Expeditions were sent to Bolivia, Caravaya, 

 to Cuerica and Loxa in Ecuador, and to New Grenada and 

 to the Chimborazo districts. The illness and privation 

 suffered by the searchers after these trees rendered the task 

 a difficult one. At last a fair stock was collected, but most 

 of the plants were killed during the Red sea transit to 

 India. Once in India, however, the few that survived throve 

 immediately. At Ootamacuna a station was established in 

 1860, and in 1861 1,128 fine young cinchona trees were re- 

 ported as alive. In 1863 the number was 248,166, 



The efforts of the British government have not been di- 

 rected alone to acclimatize the cinchona in India, for in 

 Ceylon in 1863 they had 20,000 young trees. 



In referring to India matters (Blue Book of 1870) in the 

 Bengal and Madras Presidencies, no less than four millions 

 and a half cinchona trees are reported. 



Experiments with the cinchona have been tried in the 

 South of Europe, in the Caucasus, in the Brazils, Philip- 

 pines, Australia and Jamaica, but not of sufficient extent to 

 have ary significance. 



Of all the line species of trees, the following seems to 

 be the results as to Alkaloids : — 



G. Calisaya, only a small proportion realises expectation 

 in its yields of quinine; 0" Basskarliana (called a hybrid), 

 which appears to be of little value in respect of alkaloids; 

 C. Pahudiana, deficient in the same particulars, but pro- 

 ducing a bark which finds a ready market for pharmaceu- 

 tical purposes in England; G. officinalis, which, in British 

 India, appears to be the most generally satisfactory; and 

 C. siiccirubra, which, notwithstanding certain exceptional 

 samples, has not turneft out altogether well. 



In the third number of the Forest and Stream we pub- 

 lished some interesting matter in regard to the cinchona, to 

 which we refer our readers. We should suppose that in 

 some of the Southern counties of California it could be 

 grown with advantage, and would be pleased if any of our 

 California readers would give us information in regard to it. 



—The • Western Sporting Gazette recently published in 

 Chicago, has succumbed to stress of hard times and sus- 

 pended publication for the present, 



^^ 



—Experiments with the Wiard gun at Boston have been 

 very successful. The balls penetrated fifteen inches of 

 solid iron plates. 



Smithsonian Institution, November 28, 1873. 

 Editor Forest and Stream : — 



Judging from the article "On the Elaphure of China," 

 my manuscript, as well as that of my copyist, have "stag- 

 gered" your printer, and several words have been so dis- 

 guised that they may deceive the reader. Please make 

 the following corrections : — 



The seven bottom lines on page 242 belong as a note to 

 the quotation from Sclater's remarks. Read also Certus 

 Duvaucelliin place of G. Duvancelli. 



On page 243, line 16 from top, "natural" for national. 



On page 242, line 26 from bottom, "tines" for times. 



On page 242, line 21 from bottom, "Elaphos or Elaphus" 

 for Elaphas or Elephus. 



On page 242, line 18 from bottom, "David" for Davis. 



On page 242, line 17 from bottom, "Mi-lou" for Mibou. 



On page 242, line 16 from bottom, "Sseu" for Tseu. 



On page 242, line 12 from bottom, ("three year old?") for 

 three year old. 



On page 242, line 11 from bottom, "Spayad" for Spoxod. 



On page 242, line 5 from bottom, "Ann." for Am. 



On page 242, line 4 from bottom, "Nouv." for Nour. 



On page 242, line 2 from bottom, "Trans." for Frank. 



Your printer, by his deeds, confirms what I have been 

 told, that my chirography is not very legible. 



Yours truly, Theo. Gill. 



[We are chagrined that our responsibility as editoria. 

 manager of this paper compels us to shoulder the blame 

 for such a batch of errors as is charged to our account 

 above. We shall not shirk it, however, but innocently 

 crave the sympathy of those who can appreciate the dis 

 comfort of our position. It is no small task to personally 

 supervise all the printers' proofs, and at the same time at- 

 tend to the general duties and manifold details of a journal 

 which embraces so many departments as this does. Still, 

 we endeavor to do it. In the case in point the copy could 

 not be found when the revises were read, and more fre- 

 quently errors arise from illegibility of manuscript, and 

 for these we can take no blame. If correspondents will 

 furnish plain manuscript, we will agree to double our care 

 in the proof-reading.] — Ed. 



\gortitiQ ^ewB fjrmn 



THERE has been quite a sad accident in Rossall schoo 

 in England which has received no end of comment A 

 poor little fellow of tender age, but with the pluck and 

 courage of a hero, while playing with his fellow boys in 

 paper chase, the game being over, on his journey home 

 exhausted by fatigue, was caught in a driving storm of rain 

 and hail, and was found the next day dead in a field where 

 he had wandered. The paper chase so common in English 

 schools, though rendered familiar to many by Mr. Hughes' 

 charming book, may perhaps not be well understood by 

 some of our readers. P is a test of speed and endurance. 

 The hare is perhaps the best runner in the school. Provided 

 with a bag full of bits of paper, old copy books or news- 

 paper cut into small shreds, the hare starts ahead of the rest 

 of the boys who are called hounds, and at the expiration of 

 a certain time, when out of sight, commences to leave his 

 trail in the guise of bits of paper on his track, going at the 

 same time at the top of his speed. The hounds then start 

 after him, finding his trail, and pursue him and try to catch 

 him if they can, following absolutely the track designated 

 by the bits of paper. Of course the hare doubles and twists 

 all he can, and will cross brooks if necessary to bring his pur- 

 suers at fault. The poor little fellow who came to such an 

 untimely end though but lightly clad, had fallen into a 

 brook or so in pursuit of the game, and possibly died more 

 from exposure than from over fatigue. 



It would be unjust from an accident of this character to 

 judge too harshly of those healthy outdoor sports which add 

 so much to the general English education. Such accidents 

 are exceptions. Still it must be evident that when parents 

 confide their children to the master of any school, whether in 

 the United States or England, that they depend on some 

 general supervision which every principal of an insti- 

 tution should exersise not only in regard to the mental but 

 physical training of his pupils. If children whose muscles 

 are not yet strong enough are allowed to mingle with boys 

 of an advanced age, accidents, though rare, may occur. It 

 behooves, then, masters of schools to give strict attention 

 to the amusement of their pupils, and if they have not time 

 themselves, they should delegate their authority to some 

 person competent to direct the boys' sports. To decry all 

 athletic amusements for boys from an accident of this char- 

 acter, Avould be without reason. Parents might as well say 

 to a school master, "Because a boy was drowned you shall 

 not teach my children how to swim." Yet parents would 

 do well to insist that some necessary supervision should 

 always be exerted in order to insure not only the health 

 but the safety of their children. 



—Looking somewhat statistically at the numerous hunting 

 appointings which were all undoubtedly run at the close of 

 last month iu England, Ireland, and Scotland, we 

 find that in England during November there we*e hunting 

 meets of 112 fox hounds; in Ireland, 13; and in Scotland, 7. 

 Of stag hounds, 3 in England, and 2 in, Ireland; and packs 

 of harriers who helped to swell up the grand total in Enr 

 land, there were 28 packs; in Ireland 13; and in Scotland 1 

 What a glorious baying of hounds there must have been' 

 and what a tremendous charge of huntsmen, could we 

 imagine the whole of the men and dogs to have acted in 

 unison; and what a hetacomb of foxes, for we are assured 

 that foxes were never so plenty. Your Englishman carries 

 his amusements with him wherever he goes, and even the 

 Pontine marshes resound with the sharp yelp of the En o-- 

 land fox hounds as they chase the fox in and out of the old 

 Roman aqueducts. "BriDg your mounts from England " 



