trust this explanation will suffice to serve those who are anx- 

 iously inquiring why their articles do not appear. 



Should the pressure continue, we shall be compelled to be 

 more critical in our discrimination, thereby raising the stand- 

 ard of our literary merit at the expense of disappointment to 

 many faithful friends whoso contributions it would grieve us 

 to decline. In the acceptance of stories and sketches of adven- 

 ture, it has been our custom to estimate them by the value of 

 the information which they contain, rather than by scholarly 

 composition. To combine hereafter the qualities of novelty, 

 elegance, and useful information will place a severer test 

 upon our future selections. But we shall print all of the ac- 

 cepted articles now on hand. 



Another consideration which we may mention in connection 

 with the closer criticism proposed, ib the time and labor which 

 we shall be spared in preparing illiterate and ungrammatical 

 articles for the printer, as well as the reduction of contribu- 

 tions of tedious length to the limit of space at our disposal, 

 by cutting out extraneous or redundant portions. Pruning an 

 article often calls forth severe remonstrance and sometimes 

 abuse ,- these flagellations we shall also be spared. We find it 

 safer to decline an article outright than to attempt to doctor it, 

 although we have hitherto applied the adage of " half a loaf 

 better than no bread," hoping to spare our friends any feeliDg 

 of dissatisfaction that might result from having their manu- 

 scripts returned outright. 



The Flowse Mission. — The ladie3 of the New York 

 Flower and Fruit Mission opened the doors of their rooms at 

 239 Fourth avenue for the season's work last Monday. "We 

 published last year an extended account of the purposes of 

 this charity, its method of work and the admirable results 

 attending it; and we again take occasion to heartily endorse 

 thilission and to commend it to the good will and co-opera- 

 tion of our readers. More than 150,000 bouquets were dis- 

 tributed last season. Contributions of flowers, wild or culti- 

 vated, fruits, vegetables, etc., are always acceptable no matter 

 how humble they may be. Individuals, church societies, 

 schools and towns send in their floral gifts, and whether it is 

 a single bud or a huge wagon load, each is received with 

 thankfulness. 



Most of the express companies will take charge of contri- 

 butions addressed to the Flower Mission, and deliver them 

 free of charge. 



If one would know with what hunger eyes may look upon 

 a flower, let them take a wild violet plant from its uook in 

 the woods, and walk with it through some of the New York 

 streets and alleys. We tried it the other day, but we did not 

 go very far with the blue treasure. First one flower was 

 plucked, and then another, and another, until nothing but 

 the plant with its native bit of earth and unopened buds was 

 left ; and finally this went too It is blooming now. 



College Equestrianism. — Any one who has ever driven 

 his horse over a dangerous road, in a pitchy-dark night, 

 knows that the safest way is to resign the reins and let the 

 creature follow his own nose. Nowhere is this implicit, trust 

 in equine sagacity more touchingly illustrated than in the 

 sublime faith reposed by the college student in his steed. In 

 the classic parlance of academic halls, to "horse" or to 

 " pony " Greek and Latin texts means to employ a transla- 

 tion of the same. To be borne on flowery saddles of ease 

 over the ruts of the Greek and through the puddles of the 

 Latin, by an intelligent beast which has been over the road 

 before, is far more satisfactory to certain dispositions than to 

 grope unguided in the mud and fog. But now that the Har- 

 vard students have adopted the bicycle, we may naturally ex- 

 pect a change in the collegiate idiom. If he keep abreast of 

 the fashion the Sophomore must discard his " horse " for the 

 faster bicycular steed. To " bicycle " Greek sounds awkward 

 at first, but it will become natural enough by-and-bye. The 

 new expression will be useful in another way ; for the in- 

 genious bicyclist wheeling bis way with giddy speed toward 

 the Commencement sheepskin may truthfully assure his 

 prof's that he never — no, never — uses a horse. 



THE GREAT MEDICINE LAKE. 



HEALTH TO MEN AND ANIMALS -DEATH TO PISH AND IN- 

 SECTS. 



Editok Forest and Stbbam : 



I think this place can pass for one of the most remarkable 

 places in the world. It is the most celebrated watering place 

 in Texas; it is a curiosity, indeed. It consists of a pool or lake 

 as round as a well, an acre to two acres in extent, from two 

 to sis feet in depth, and its waters are sour. The bottom of 

 the lake is for the most part hard asphaltum, making a splen- 

 did floor for bathers. The lake is continually bubbling and 

 boiling, caused by currents of gas escaping from the bowels 

 of the earth. This is readily proved by taking an old fruit or 

 oyster can, open at one end and with a small puncture in the 

 other ; then plunging the can half way into the water where 

 it is bubbling and applying a lighted match to the puncture. 

 It burns like a gas jet, and unless blown out by the wind will 

 continue to burn as long as you hold the can in that position 

 Nothing lives in t bis lake except a small bug. It is almost 

 instant death to fishes, or snake3 that may enter or be put in- 

 to it. Even a mosquito does not fly over it. If he attempts 

 it and breathes the issuing gas it will fetch him down certain 

 —kill him as dead as a boiled mackerel. Sometimes the lake 

 n the morning is quite covered with the carcasses of adven- 



turous mosquitoes who came to take a drink, or disport 

 themselves over the water. But this gas has not that effect 

 upon man. Instead of killing him it makes him feel good all 

 over and gives him new strength and life. It is delicious to 

 plunge into the buoyant water and feel the gas jets streaming 

 against you. Neither is it hurtful to ducks to float upon this 

 water. Every morning since I have been here I have scared 

 a flock of wild ducks off the lake. 



But now comes the singular part. This lake is sur- 

 rounded by a multitude of wells or springs, nearly all in a 

 great state of ebullition, and these wells, though but a 

 few feet apart, differ remarkably in the taste and prop- 

 erties of their waters. Eere you will find a group of 

 wells that are as sour as a crab apple, and right next to these 

 comes another group which has no sour at all, but are 

 strongly alkaline. Floating on these alkaline wells is a sub- 

 stance that looks like crude petroleum and gives the waters a 

 strong taste of tar. I uo not like these alkaline and tar wells ; 

 they affect my bowels too much. But commend to me the 

 bout wells. Their tumultuous waters are delicious. I some- 

 times drink a whole quart at a swig. They affect the kidneys 

 greatly, and cause one to throw off globules of air from his 

 stomach at a great rate. These waters are of a milkish color, 

 caused by the abundance of white sulphur they contain. They 

 produce a ravenous appetite. I really did not know what 

 grand pleasure a man may have in his stomach until I came 

 here. At the table I sit in the midst of a group of ladies and 

 sometimes feel ashamed of myself, but when I look around 

 and see that the ladies eat just as heartily as I do I take new 

 courage and eat on. There are also springs of iron, magnesia, 

 alum and many others whose properties are not well de- 

 fined, but all full of mineral. There have been thirteen dis- 

 tinct varieties of water discovered so far, and I have no doubt 

 that many more may be discovered yet ; for go where you may 

 around the lake you will find many jets of gas and water is- 

 suing out of the ground, snd it is only necessary to dig a hole 

 at such places to secure a fount of mineral water. How easy 

 it would be to light all these premises at night with gas pour- 

 ing out of the ground! Isn't such a place worth visiting? 

 To him who is a little infiltrated with the love of nature it 

 is a place of never ceasiDg wonder. How did all these differ- 

 ent waters get here, and for what purpose were they thrown 

 together ? I propounded these questions this morning to Hon. 

 R. C. Downing, of New York city, who is stopping here. 

 Said he, " Undoubtedly they were placed here by the living 

 God for the healing of the nations." And I believe so too. 

 It is undoubtedly the drift of the scientific mind of to-day to 

 doubt, all things of a religious nature, and even to reject the, 

 God himself. But as for myself the more I see of nature the 

 more I see of the God. It looks to me that one must be blind 

 who does not see Him here. And I have seen many other 

 places where He seemed as distinctly manifest in special in- 

 terpositions to do something for man's benefit. 



I hear many wonderful tales told of the healing virtues of 

 the waters. They are undoubtedly a sure cure for dyspepsia 

 and chronic diarrhoea. They are also a certain cure for many 

 Bkin diseases, and I have known some remarkable cures of 

 rheumatism. A lady was brought here last summer who had 

 not walked a step in fourteen years. After using the waters 

 a few weeks, drinking and bathing, she could walk very well. 

 She is still not strong, and probably never will be, but her 

 condition is ceitainly a vast improvement on what it was. 

 For venereal taints I am told the waters are an absolute 

 specific. 



The country around here is mostly prairie, but there are 

 wide belts of timber, and the lake is in the midst of a grand 

 old grove of oaks. It is a level region, of the Pliocene forma- 

 tion. The country swarms with game, from a jack-snipe to a 

 monstrous bear. The prairies are filled with ducks even yet. 

 We have bear meat, venison and wild turkey at nearly every 

 meal. No one should come here in the fall and winter without 

 bringing his gun. The fishing is supplied by Pine Island and 

 Little Pine Island bayous, about two miles from the Lake on 

 either hand. The latter has clear water and is fine for black 

 bass, about a pound in weight, and numerous varieties of 

 perch. The other is turbid and affords monstrous cats and 

 no end of perch, but has very few bass. It is delightful to 

 get up a fishing party with ladits aEd spend a day on either 

 of these streams, as I did yesterday. There were a dozen or 

 more of us in the party and we had great fun. Afternoon we 

 bad a " fish fry" in the woods. I thought I never ate fish 

 which tasted so welL Perhaps the biggest portion of our 

 " catch" was a perch called here I he " warmoutb," from his 

 great mouth, and I can sing his praises loudly as a pan-fish. 

 They run from a quarter to three pounds weignt and make 

 very nice sport. The most successful fisherman we had in 

 the party was a Mte. Olmstead. lately of western New York. 

 She had been on many expeditions after grayling and trout 

 in Michigan and is an enthusiastic sportswoman. She un- 

 derstands the ways of the finny tribe completely. I dare say 

 she is a reader of Forest and Stream. 



Thos: who come, to Sour Lake expecting marble palaces and 

 hotels will be disappointed. The lodging accommodations 

 consist of two long rows of cottages and one large house called 

 the hotel, but all are very plain. The comforts, however, 

 are about all that, one need ask for, if he be not too fastidious. 

 When I go to watering-places I care very little for marble 

 palaces, and so en. 1 want absence from city restraints 

 and city life. Our eating here is excellent, but comes largely 

 out of the forest and streams. To reach this place you get 

 off the New Orleans railroad sixty -three miles east of Hous- 



ton, where you will always find a line of hacks ready to con 

 vey you to "the Lake," eight miles distant over the prairie. 

 Call for old Jo. Butterfield, and I'll warrant he'll make the 

 trip pleasant for you. If you want to attack an alligator by 

 the way, or a flock of ducks, or plover, or turkeys, he will 

 give you ample time and take a hand in tbesport. The charge 

 from the depot to the lake is $1.50. N. A. T. 



Sour Lake, Texas, April, 1879. 



— In our Natural History department the discussion of one 

 question brings out communications from six different States 

 as widely separated as Massachusetts, Virginia, Texas and 

 Ohio. This illustrates the wide-spread attention aroused in 

 any subject of interest broached in these columns. Our 

 readers are mutally indebted to one another for the contri- 

 butions of knowledge furnished by each, whether the dis- 

 cussion be one of science, or of practices and methods in the 

 field. By such mutual interchange of opinion, observation 

 and information the value of the Pobest and Steeam is in- 

 calculably advanced. One gratifying feature of all this is 

 that however misty the discussion is at the outset it is soon 

 cleared up and the truth arrived at. 



GAME PROTECTION. 



Pennsylvania — Catawissa, April 25.— An organization 

 for the protection of flsli and game, and to advance the in- 

 terests of the sporting fraternity generally, has been effected 

 in our town, and, by a constitution' adopted, pledged ourselves 

 to work earnestly in the cause. The title is"" Cntawissa Fi=h 

 and Game Protective Club." President, H. B. Aldrich; Vice. 

 President, Abi-1 Thomas; Treasurer, T. P. Chorrington ; 

 Secretary, G. W. Reifsnyder. Any item of interest to the 

 club will be gladly received from any and all who are else- 

 where enlisted in the cause. O. F. and G. P. C. 



Florida.— Editor Fores t and Stream: -The game law in 

 this State is dead— repealed last session of the Legislature. 

 The only reason I have heard for it was that certain settlers 

 here and there more or less felt terribly aggrieved that the 

 deer should jump— no, not jump, for there wasn't anything 

 to jump— but eat up or down at their own sweet will the 

 aforesaid settlers' " crops " of corn or peas. Of course the 

 settlers couldn't build fences. I don't see any force in such 

 complaint, for any one by the terms of the law could shoot 

 game on his own land. It will be admitted that the law was 

 badly framed, for the close season for deer was April 1 to 

 September 1. Rutting begins in November. If they bad 

 made the close season from December 1 to July 1, it would 

 have been better. But now game will be shot the year mund. 

 Already I have known of does shot with fawn (very small) by 

 their side, and turkeys shot while laying and sitting. Nut 

 many years will elapse until game will be as scarce as at the 

 thickly settled portions of the North. But what's the odds to 

 a native ? Sufficient unto the day is the game thereof. Let 

 the future take care of itself. 



I suppose the most potent reason for the repeal was 

 that many settlers depend altogether upon game for fresh 

 meat, and felt it a hardship to be deprived by law of neces- 

 sary sustenance. o. O. Smith. 



Orange County, April 23. 



-Uniform Close Season.— New York Forest and Stream 

 recommends the making of seasons uniform with respect to 

 all kinds of game, and there is a general expression of con- 

 currence in its opinion. That would assuredly be the best 

 way to protect game. The opening of the season might, be a 

 few days earlier or later; but about the 1st of September 

 would be the proper period. Game cannot be effectively pro- 

 tected without uniformity of seasons. A variation might be 

 considered wise with reference to the different sections~of the 

 country, but we doubt whether there is much room for varia- 

 tion. The young birds cannot be properly killed earlier than 

 the 1st of September anywhere, and some States (Alabama 

 for instance) fix the commencement of the close season atSepl 

 tember 15. There can hardly be a division about closing the 

 season on the 31st of December. There is some shooting of 

 woodcock deemed allowable in August. But the danger then 

 is that under that pretext partridges and other birds are 

 slaughtered. There is no great sport in the woodcock line 

 then, and it would be far better t.o include that bird in the 

 close season. The rich in the lands where titled lords live 

 can have no better preserves than our people all will have by 

 the general protection of their game. Our republican con- 

 servatism, gathering the little chickens under its win^ will 

 shelter them for poor and rich, and when they are ready for 

 the table every man should spread before his family a com- 

 missariat that will include the most delicious gome of the 

 American "preserves." Exactly! That is it. If wc hut 

 honestly enforce bomst laws— laws that are i qua! and h.ive 

 no tincture of favoritism or exclusrveness— toe whole country 

 will b- abundantly supplied wilh enough for nil, notwith- 

 standing the exploits of the " national arms-sporting clubs " 

 The whole country should unite in passing and ent 

 proper game laws as well for fish ns birds, deer, etc. There 

 would be secured an amount of subsistence and comfort for 

 the people of which there is now but a faint conception We 

 hope all good people will give their exertion and influence to 

 the cause.— Richmond Dhpatch, April 25. 



Protection of Fish in Rivees— We have laws enouah to 



protect our rivers, but not " bailiff's" enough in most sections. 

 Sometimes preventive measures quite as efficient may be em- 

 ployed. We copy some hints from the London Fishino Gas. 

 Ktte: V 



In a river much used by anglers, and affording employment 

 to many professiont.1 fishermen, it is desirable that every 

 means should be adopted to ensure complete preservation of 

 the. fish. I would mention several methods of preventing 

 poachers from netting the river. In the first place, the sink- 

 ing of old punts in the deeps is a verv excellent plan, as it is 

 not enly a gieat hindrance { the working of a net, but gives 

 liud anu harbor to the fish. 'I be" punts, previous to 

 being laden with stones and sunk, are well bound with straoa 

 of iron and covered with tenterhooks. In my opinion no 

 plan is belter than this where it can be done without possible 

 detriment to the navigation. Mr. Frank Buckland not verv 

 long ago, suggested to me the desirability of purchasiDir a 

 quantity of oyster barrels, filling them up with stones, then 



