FOREST AND STREAM. 



A WORD FOR THE HORSE. 



Editor Forest and Stream:— 



Will yon let us give you an article on horses? Much has been written 

 and said in their praise, but can we overestimate them? We say, no. A 

 horse is the noblest beast upon earth. We fancy some friend who dotes 

 npon his beautiful dog will say, "Hold! You must except the canine 

 race. Our setters, pointers, shaggy Newfoundland, and even the tiny 

 'black and tan, are not they all equal to the horse in intelligence P We 

 are a dear lover of dogs, and consider some of them almost marvels of 

 intelligence, but the horse, in nobility, certainly excels . The Book of 

 Books speaks everywhere of the former in terms of contempt, but listen 

 to the glowing description Job gives of the war horse: "Hast thou given 

 the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with thanks? Canst 

 thou make him afraid as a grasshopper: the glory of his nostrils is terri- 

 ble. He pauseth in the valley and rejoiceth in his strength. He goeth 

 on to meet armed men. He mocketk at fear, and is not affrighted; 

 neither turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against 

 him, the glittering spear and the shield. He swalloweth the ground with 

 fierceness and. rage; neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trum- 

 pet. He saith among the trumpets, 'Ha, ha!' and he smelleth the battle 

 afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting." Among the 

 Orientals the dogs rau in troops, hungry and without owners, but the 

 horse has always been held in high esteem. We know people who have 

 a great antipathy to dogs, but have never known a person who really dis- 

 liked the horse. Many fear him, and he is certainly "a vain thing for 

 safety," but oh! how many cherish a strong affection for him. We know 

 a gentleman who has had great success in training horses and have no- 

 ticed his mode of management. It is firmness mingled with kindness. 

 His love for this animal is almost intense, and he believes that its intelli- 

 gence is but little inferior to man's. He helps the beast over hard places 

 by speaking persuasively and in a reasoning tone to it; tells" it of the 

 necessity of the case, and that he loves it, and will do all he can to aid 

 in the matter. When the animal will not yield to kindly treatment it is 

 whipped, not because the master loses his patience, but because he is 

 obliged to conquer the stubborn will; and it is wonderful to see the ef- 

 fect of his very voice upon a horse accustomed to its sound. Three 

 years ago when the epizootic prevailed this friend had the misfortune to 

 lose a beautiful horse that he had trained from colthood upward. "Ah!" 

 said the mournful man, "to me this is losing a friend, and he "was my 

 friend; we understood and loved one another;" and the tears trickled 

 down his cheeks as he spoke to tell the sincerity of his grief. The horse 

 to which we refer was of choice breed, a sorrel in color, with a handsome 

 head, clear, bright eye, which seemed to speak of knowledge, an arched 

 neck, and graceful form. He was a great favorite, and was taught many 

 curious tricks, such as faking off his master's hat with his teeth and re- 

 placing it again, shaking hands, following a person round and round in 

 a ring, and other tricks. He was raised on a farm, and many a time 

 svhen a colt has he walked into the large farm kitchen, helped himself to 

 some bread from the table, lifted the cover from the boiling pot upon the 

 ;tove, and then walked out again, not at all disturbed by the commotion 

 le had created. When driven before any sort of vehicle he was lively 

 ind pleased to go, but has been known to stop and stand stock still in 

 he road because his master was eating an apple behind him, and no urg- 

 ng would induce him to start on until he was given a piece of the same 

 This is no fiction, but a fact. 



, The horse, as well as the dog, is a social animal. He loves company 

 3 fond of his own kind, but will associate with other brutes rather than 

 ive alone. One poor old beast who was kept because of its former use- 

 ulness, would anxiously watch when the other horses were driven away 

 nd trot joyfully to meet them when he espied them returning. The 

 lemory and affection of the horse are very strong. Our own dear father 

 old one to a friend, w ho has since visited us, driving the said horse It 

 ! curious to see the delight of this animal when brought to his old home 

 nd also curious to observe his memory. He knows the old stable the 

 asture, the spring where he has been wont to slake his thirst the' tall 

 ak under which he used to stand, and even distinctly remembers the 

 >ad to and from church. He needs no guiding, but takes the right turns 

 ithout hesitating or making a mistake. That the horse is a faithful 

 sast is a well-established fact, and when we see the great, strong beau 

 fal creature bending his neck to the burden we are often touched to the 

 3art. There are, it is true, what we call baulky horses, but how 

 sw they are; the many will try and toil with a faithfulness and perse- 

 ffance that is wonderful to see. Tramp, tramp, tramp, go their iron- 

 ad feet over the hard roads. If well kept, they are grateful; if ill kept 

 «>y are uncomplaining; and many a poor, faithful beast suffers martyr- 

 >m from starvation and neglect. Great men of all ages have had their 

 vonte steeds, which goes to prove that the horse is worthy of love and 

 teem. Let us give this beast his due of praise and love. Feed him 

 ell, caress him (for he is very fond of caresses,) and tenderly care for 

 m, for "he is worthy for whom we should do this." A. D. W. 



§h* Urnm!. 



SETTERS, POINTERS AND SPANIELS. 



TN regard to the relative merits of setters, pointers and 

 X spaniels for ruffed grouse and woodcock shooting, we 

 can say, that many years ago, while residing at Trenton, 

 N. J., where game was very abundant and we were doing 

 much shooting, we secured a brace of thoroughbred 

 cocker spaniel pups of a choice strain, from the. kennel of 

 the late Samuel Forman, Esq., of Philadelphia, a gentle- 

 man who gave more attention to the importation, breeding 

 and breaking of such dogs than any one in his day. Those 

 pups we raised with the greatest care, and broke them 

 merely with the view of ascertaining practically their use- 

 fulness. 



The opinion we then formed, after a full and fair trial, 

 and which we still retain, is, that for ruffed grouse and 

 woodcock shooting no variety of spaniel is to be compared 

 with a good, steady, well broken setter or pointer. The 

 only places we found where our spaniels were better than 

 setters was in coverts where the shooter could not follow 

 his dog. A properly broken setter will do anything in the 

 way of hunting that any spaniel will do, except giving 

 tongue when the game rises; but we consider that the 

 pointing of the setter is far more important and satisfac- 

 tory to the shooter than the noise of the bark, and then, 

 the setter being much the stronger dog, will do much more 

 hard work. 



For those persons who reside in a section of the country 

 where impenetrable "thickets" abound, a strong, well bro- 

 ken spaniel is an exceedingly useful dog to have; and then 

 again, for those who use dogs to tree ruffed grouse and 

 shoot them sitting, a spaniel would be the best dog for the 

 purpose— but it has always been a question with us if such 

 a shooter will reach the "Happy Hunting Ground." We 

 cannot agree with our correspondent below that the spaniel 

 is the coming dog for this country. 



™ ™ New Yokk, Nov. 22, 1875. 



Editor Forest and Stream:— "* w * 



My experiences in shooting this Autumn have confirmed me in the 

 opinion that, for covert shooting in the Middle and Eastern States, 

 where the undergrowth is usually thick and often very briary, we require 

 a dog more of the spaniel breed, or better still, a cross of the spaniel and 

 setter. I think that "Viatores," (in your issue of 4thinst.,)is correct 

 in his remarks concerning the employment of clumber or Sussex span- 

 iels" in ruffed grouse, woodcock, and all covert shooting!" Unless very 

 well kept in hand, which can only be maintained by daily training in the 

 field, a setter ranges too widely and fast and puts up the birds too far off, 

 while a slower dog with a good nose, as the cross above would have, can 

 be kept working nearer the gun without so much exercise of restraint 

 and command, and thus leave the sportsman more at liberty to use his 

 own eyes and ears. This is especially the case with ruffed grouse, who 

 take alarm so easily and get up so far off; so that sometimes in partridge 

 shooting I would almost prefer to walk the birds up myself, reserving 

 the dog for retrieving, etc. I am persuaded by what I hear from brother 

 sportsmen that the spaniel, or a cross between clumber and Sussex span- 

 iels and the setter, is the "coming" doc In regard to snaring birds in 

 Connecticut, can't it be stopped? It is bad enough anywhere, but in that 

 State it iB becoming more and more prevalent and unendurable, and is 

 openly practiced. I think you are wrong in the use of glue or mucilage 

 over wads in cartridges. The heat of the discharge melts the gum or 

 glue, and thus fouls the barrels with stickiness as well as accumulation 

 from the powder. Manhattan. 



If your dog should show lameness in either foot, look thoroughly for 

 a thorn. I have taken them frequently from my dog's feet an inch long 

 after hunting for it a long time, in consequence of being broken off close 

 to the pad and difficult to discover. Attend well to these matters, and I 

 assure yon no human being would appreciate the kindness more than 

 your canine friend; Tours truly, J. H. Fttohet- 



— We are in receipt of a line from Mr. F. W. Lawrence 

 of Brookline, Mass., owner of the famous setter, "Flip," 

 who secured the Forest and Stream Cup at the Spring- 

 filed Bench Show? saying that he has kept a brace of or- 

 ange and white pups by Flip, out of Kate, a very fine, high 

 bred setter, both from the fennel of our Field Editor, and 

 that the youngsters are very beautiful and promise to be 

 equal to their illustrious predecessors. 



—The "Squire" indignantly denies that the pup men- 

 tioned in the following paragraph was an offshoot of his 

 kennel:— 



"A Covington lady desired a setter pup. Her husband 

 bought her one and she named it Ed. Ed has been at the 

 lady's house just two weeks. Up to this time he has 

 killed nine chickens, chewed up one matrass, carried off 

 two pairs of shoes, and destroyed one parasol and two 

 pairs of stockings. The pup has also run every cat from 

 the place and eat the pig's tail off, besides poking its mouth 

 into every dish and plate of eatables which has been 

 cooked on the place. No eggs have been found since the 

 first day the dog arrived, In a month Edward will be 

 large enough to kill sheep, and then the good lady will 

 have a few hours of peace." 



■ ■ ^«» 



Kennel Produce.— Dr. Webb's black and white pointer, Whisky, 

 whose portrait and pedigree were published in our last issue, whelped 

 on the 27th inst., the produce being four dogs and two gyps, sired by 

 Mr. Schuchardt's Jim. Four of the puppies are marked like the moth- 

 er, and two are dark liver-colored. 



(§mtje §xg mxi $nn. 



GAME IN SEASON IN DECEMBER. 



Moose, Alee Americanus. 

 Elk or Wapisi, Cervus Canadensis. 

 Red Deer, Cervus Virginianw. 

 Caribou, Rangifer caribou. 

 Hares, Levorince-. 



Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, 

 "Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umbellm. 

 Pinnated Grouse, Cupidonia cupido. 

 Quail, Ortyx Yirginianw. 

 Wild Ducks, Anatinm. 



-«*♦♦- 



Fond op Horses.— The Contra Costa Cal., News tells the 

 rtlowing: "Little Charley Van Anden, who is not quite 

 iree years old, resides in San Francisco, and is occasion- 

 ly brought to Pacheco on a visit. He betrays an extra- 

 •dinary fondness for horses, and when at home can hard- 

 be kept away from them, where he plays with a pet 

 >rse without fear, and, as it seems, without danger. He 

 Jliglits in crawling beneath the horse and between his 

 et, while the animal moves only his head and extends his 

 irsashe watches the child's gambols. Charley was in 

 >wn the other day and tottled off surreptitiously. When 

 8 absence was discovered he was sought for in alarm and 

 as finally found in a stable stall with an unbroken and 

 iruly colt. The child had fastened a short rope around a 

 ad leg of the colt, and when found was 'playing hoss' 

 itn the utmost glee. 'I would'nt have tried that trick for 

 ■W , said the hostler. «If it was'nt a baby that did it he'd 

 ye been kicked to death, sure.' Well, now, it does seem 

 u horses, liks dogs and good-hearted men, are fond of 

 .lldren." 



—A surgical examination of the body of Lexington, the 

 I eat Kentucky race horse, has. disclosed a singular cause 



r his death. That part of the skull under the left eye, 

 i iere the ailment of the animal seemed to be, was filled 

 ! tn at least a quart of masticated food, which had been 

 ■reed into the cavity through an opening in the upper 

 jpfwi caused by the loss of a tooth. 



~ «'» — 



Indian Summer,— The question arises, "What is Indian 

 fttomer?" The Rev. John Lyon has expressed himself 



•on the subject as follows:— "The leaves generally be- 

 o i to fall in October, after the first frost, and continue to 

 ;} so during the month. Then very generally, when all 

 k leaves have fallen, there comes a cold rain and a bitter 

 «at, fermentation and decomposition of vegetation. Great 

 m is produced by decomposition, which adds warmth to 

 $ earth, causing that warm, misty atmosphere which 

 pntmues until nearly the end of November. And it is 

 .firing this warm spell in November that tradition says, in 

 ;iis latitude, the Indians laid up their corn for the Win- 



Bismarck. — We noticed recently the death of this well- 

 known dog, through the carelessness of the Express com- 

 pany who were transporting him from the West. The first 

 of the series of suits likely to arise from the loss was de- 

 cided in Philadelphia a few days since, it having been 

 brought by the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Ani- 

 mals against Jacob Brailler, the messenger who had the 

 dogs in charge. The result was that Brailler was fined $10 

 in each instance and costs, making in all $25. This decis- 

 ion is important, and indicates that Mr. Brooks will have 

 no difficulty in recovering the value of his dogs. We under- 

 stand that the Express company tendered him the amount 

 of freight paid- at the point of shipment, which he very 

 properly declined. This is a case in which all sportsmen 

 are interested, and Mr. Brooks has the sympathy and 



warm support of the entire fraternity. 



«»«»» 



HOW TO FEED DOGS. 



Game in Market.— The cold snap is apt to bring game 

 to this market in abundance, and the effects are already 

 noticed in increased receipts of Western quail. Ducks are 

 being received in vast numbers from the Chesapeake and 

 Currituck regions, and from Long Island, and prices have 

 been materially reduced. Our quotations are:— Ruffed 

 grouse (partridges), $1 25 per pair; pinnated grouse (prai- 

 rie chickens), $1 25; quail, $2 75 for Western birds, and 

 $3 25 per dozen for State; no English snipe, and only re- 

 frigerated woodcock in market. Canvas back ducks are 

 worth $1 75 to $2 per pair; red heads, $1 to $1 25; mal- 

 lard, 85c. to $1 per pair; black ducks, 75c. to $1; teal, 75c. 

 to $1; brant, $1 25; wild geese, 50c. to $1 each; rabbits, 

 55c. to 60c. per pair; gray squirrels very abundant at 10c. 

 to 12ic. each; venison, 30c. per pound for steak, and 15el 

 to 20c. for carcasses. 



: . - <-Zi£-33l ,;a^B3 



West Trot, 1ST. T., November 36th, 1875. 

 Editor Forest and Stream: — 



Being greatly interested in reading anything pertaining to the care and 

 comfort of sporting dogs, and believing much good comes from the sug- 

 gestions of different persons of experience, if in order I will give your 

 readers my way of feeding, both in and out of season. 



We all know vegetables are a healthy diet when mixed with something 

 more substantial. Out of season I feed exclusively potatoes, carrots and 

 cornmeal of following proportions: I take an iron pot and put in about 

 three gallons of water and a little salt, cut up six large potatoes and one 

 large carrot, set the pot on the stove until the potatoes and carrots are 

 well boiled, then take them out and mash them, put them back in the 

 pot, and while boiling stir in enough coarse meal to make it stiff; then 

 set aside (uucovered) to cool. Feed once a day, at night, all they will 

 eat. Dogs are very fond of it, and it costs but two cents a day for a 

 good feeder. 



In season, when hunting every day, get a beefs head, put it in a large 

 tin kettle with a little salt, and let boil until the flesh falls from the 

 bone and to pieces; then stir in cornmeal until stiff. Feed at night, af- 

 ter day's work. 



1 learned this from an old sportsman, an Englishman, with whom I 

 have traveled many a hundred miles, and made many a handsome bag. 

 This was years ago, when I had no home of my own and a family of 

 young sportsmen growing up. I used to leave my traps at his house, 

 and his kind lady used to do the cooking for his own and my dogs, and 

 never failed to have it ready for them upon our return at night after a 

 day's tramp. I always see my dog attended to before myself . A good 

 way to get dogs in condition for work, is to commence about two weeks 

 before season and give them a run each day behind a wagon on a hard 

 road, and also exercise them in a newly cut field: this toughens their feet 

 and fits them for field work. The reason of so many dogs giving out is 

 their feet become sore by being soft, the pads wear down thin, and 

 the grass cuts them between the toes. If taken in a stubble field for ex- 

 ercise, they soon become tough. If their feet should become tender, 

 wash them each night with brine and old beer. 



—Canada is frozen solid from end to end; navigation 

 wholly ceased last week. Snow lies several feet deep in 

 many parts, and pot hunters are having lively times among 

 the "yards." While the open season continues, venison is 

 likely to be cheap and abundant. The only practicable 

 locomotion is on snow shoes. Bird shooting is essentially 

 over, and unless Venator goes to Florida his occupation is 

 gone. Among our correspondents who have recently re- 

 turned from the hunting grounds are Messrs. Colin Camp. 

 bell and Kutherford Stuyvesant. The latter gentleman is 

 owner of the beautiful yacht Palmer, and, while at home 

 on the ocean brine, is not the less a backswoodsman for all 

 that. He is one of the most thorough and persevering hun- 

 ters we know of. He spent some portions of the angling 

 season at the Bay of Islands and other localities inNew- 

 foundland, catching salmon and sea trout, and has but now 

 returned from the Megantic district of Canada, which lies 

 back of the "Northern Vermont and New Hampshire boun- 

 dary lines. He has much to say of illicit and unseasonable 

 hunting in that section, which, however, is not as fruitful 

 in game as he riad expected to find it from hearsay. Mr. 

 Campbell is also a "thoroughbred." He is interested in 

 some mines on the north shore of Lake Superior, in the 

 Nepigon region, and came through the Sault Ste Marie jusi 

 in time to escape the nipping ice. We are indebted to him 

 for a bunch of ruffed grouse and several pounds of dried 

 venison, prepared by the Indians on Lake Huron. This 

 meat is cut down the grain, so as to keep the natural juices 

 in, and then cured by being dried on basswood poles laid 

 over a fire. It is very nice provender when one is starving 

 and cannot get anything else to eat. 



Snow lies deep in the northern part of New York State 

 and in New England. We can predicate an unusually se- 

 vere Winter upon the very large number of Arctic or snowy 

 owls that have been seen and captured lately in low lati- 

 tudes. The weather up north is too severe for them, de- 

 stroying the game they feed on and compelling them to 

 come south for comfort and subsistence. 



—Major H. W. Merrill, of New Kochelle, has just r©. 

 turned from Illinois, Wisconsin, and Northern Michigan, 

 where he committed fair havoc among the ducks and black 

 squirrels. The Major is convinced that there are black 

 squirrels in Illinios. 



—Mr. Emlen Cresson, of Philadelphia, who was acei- 

 dently shot recently by a companion, will soon recover it 

 is said. The result was from gross carelessness. We sin. 

 cerely hope for a speedy restoration 



