FOREST AND STREAM 
809 
Womens £olnnm. 
SPORTSMEN AND SPORTSMEN’S 
WIVES. 
Editor Forest and Stream ;— 
I had not expected that my article on a “ Sportsman’s 
Wife’s Tiibulatious” would meet the approval of sportsmen 
generally : andainnot surprised that “Diana” who ad¬ 
mits that, a “taste of sporting was bom in her,” should 
endeavor to defend their course. 
1 trust, however, that she will not make herself mis¬ 
erable for fear that I will not permit my husband to go 
gunning as often as he desires ; it never occured to me 
that I might prevent it. Enduring from my husband's 
setter that which even “ Diana” admits she would not, 
tolerate is, I think, sufficient evidence of my submis¬ 
siveness. 
“ Diana” writes : “ I think the duty of a good wife is 
to enter into a husband’s joys and sorrows, and to sym¬ 
pathize with and aid him in all his pursuits as far as 
possible.” 
Knowing this full well, and having learned by sad ex¬ 
perience that it was with me a physical impossibility to 
accompany my husband upon his gunning trampB, not to 
speak of the baby, which can neither be taken or left, but 
must be staid with, 1 made for him a wondrous “shoot¬ 
ing coat,” whose labyrinthian pockets are his pride and 
joy. And many a night I’ve sat alone and waited, and 
kept the supper warm for that belated hunter: and as 
the weary hours dragged by, excuse me if I’ve sometimes 
felt that a “ kid glove party" with my husband by my 
side might be preferred to this ; sometimes, I think, un¬ 
known to him, I’ll write this up for his beloved paper, 
and to read it there may help to see the other side : but 
this is not the time, so I dismiss the thought; and place 
his supper on the table, and as he does it ample justice, 
I take those lovely birds from out their hiding places, 
and praise their size and beauty ; and though I dread to 
kill au insect, and have been ridiculed for rescuing com¬ 
mon flies from death, I listen with seeming interest and 
delight, to his tales of bloodshed, wounded birds, etc. 
ll£ thinks that as I cannot accompany him on these grand 
hunting exploits, I will enjoy hearing his adventures. 
Nevertheless, when the baby gets old enough to take 
care of himself, if my health will permit, I may act upon 
“ Diana’s” suggestion and endeavor once more to culti¬ 
vate a taste for field sports. 
That there are worse means of recreation than gunning 
I am well aware, and I am thankful that of two evils my 
husband chose the least, but like every other good thing 
it is too often carried to excess ; and, I doubt not, there 
are many ladies and good wives too, whose circumstances 
make it impossible for them to accompany their hus¬ 
bands on their hunting trips, who will find’ themselves 
guilty of yearning for a portion of their husband’s society, 
even during the “ open season.” Lena." 
Editor Forest and Stream :— 
~My husband, alas I is a sportsman, one who owns a 
dog,’ a shot gun, a rifle, and a revolver. He is, I believe, 
considered something of au expert with them all, but 
having bad several years’ experience with having them 
all in the house, am not afraid of either ; in fact I edu¬ 
cate the canines in a measure, and so they become ac¬ 
quainted with my wishes and try to please "me. I never 
shall forget the first puppy my husband owned, a. pointer 
six weeks old, which he brought home one day in his 
overcoat pocket, and said it would soon grow and be so 
much company for me ; but I found before morning what 
excellent company, and so did the neighbors. 
My husband hired a tenement in a block in the city of 
N. B., and of course there was not, or seemed not, to be 
a place for the dog ; so when it came time for retiring 
lie t ied him to the kitchen door-knob. Talk about a dog 
howling, I never heard such howls in my life ; and as I 
told my husband it would never do, he arose and carried 
the pup to the garret and put him in an empty flour bar¬ 
rel. Soon grievous cries were heard from that direction. 
So “ that husband" made a second pilgrimage to the gar¬ 
ret, where he labored a while with the dog, only to re¬ 
peat it several times, till finally his patience and strength 
were exhausted and he slumbered-, I was left awake to 
wonder what the neighbors would think, and at last 
arose and made my way to the garret. The first thing I 
saw was an old umbrella staff, which I grasped and made 
a plunge with into the barrel; of course the music in¬ 
creased, and I kept on churning it in the barrel till all 
noise ceased, and then I pulled it up to see if I had a dog 
on the end of the staff, but had not ; supposed I had 
really killed the dog. So I again descended and retired, 
and strange as it may seem, we heard no more till morn- 
The next day there was a convenient bam found, where 
he could stay nights. Like all sportsmen, my husband 
likes puppies, ancl as we now live in the country he has 
owned seven at once. I am not fond of dogs, but am get¬ 
ting quite used to them, and, if I would allow it, our dog, 
like Zena’s, would sleep under the bed. 
I am not gun shy, and often shoot at a mark with either 
rifle or revolver, so these do not trouble me in the least. 
My great trial now is this: my husband is one of a club of 
twenty who camp out for two weeks in the fall for the 
purpose of hunting and fishing, and as my husband is 
quartermaster, all their tents and stores are stored in the 
garret of our house. Well, for about two weeks before, 
and as many after their return, the house is in complete 
confusion; first tiling is a barrel of hard tack, then jars 
of pickles, and a jar of butter, and papers of sugar, and 
rice, aud oatmeal, and onions, and potatoes, and every¬ 
thing pertaining to camp life, and when the time comes, 
all get together and load up ; you would surely think we 
were moving. A big farm wagon is drawn up to the 
door, and a string of men from the door to the attic ; first 
come down tent poles and big rolls of tents, and pieces of 
canvas, and camp stoves and chairs, then thn jars, etc., 
etc.; all are packed on the load, and then my trouble com¬ 
mences ; it is, where are some bed quilts I can have ? and 
where axe some flannel shirts ? have you got any bed 
ticks ? we want some cleaning rags and wool socks, and 
hunting suits, and big hoots that oome above the knees, 
and don’t forget a lot of handkerchiefs and fishing tackle; 
aud do you know where tins thing is, aud that thing—bill 
they are gone. a,ud I am alone. I am all tired oulfbut no 
matter, the house must be put in order again, swept from 
the attic, remember. And then the home coming—all to be 
done again, only tin plates must be scoured, audeupsand 
spoons and knives also; oil emptied from lamps, tents 
rolled up dry, bedding washed, and in twelve months 
away they go again : they do nothing, have no cooking 
to do, just hunt and fish, and lie about camp, aud enjoy 
themselves. I forgot to say that they take a cook, and, 
of course, do not expect to work. I presume I shall grad¬ 
ually yet used to this, the same as to having dogs and 
guns. I am sure my husband will know who this is from, 
as he reads every word in the Forestand Stream, and he 
never can mistake the facts, but as Zena has said, I am 
glad to know they are doing no worse. Kuth. 
to ©cu'vfsiiaiulmt^. 
No Notice Token of Anonymous Communications. 
BKtlfe no chargo for answering ingntries hi this column . 
0. M., Monsou, Me.—Send your fura to 0. G. Gunther & Co., 
Union Square, New York. 
Athletic Club, New York.—Tor rules of)Hare aud Hounds ap¬ 
ply to the Harlem Athletic Club. 
Hutukkfobd.—'T he India rubber recoil pads which you in¬ 
quire for can be bought of Chas. L. Ritzmann, 913 Broadway, oity. 
H. C. S., Bloomfield, N. J.—You will find duolc Bhootlng at Toms 
River and Point Pleasant, N. J. Quail shooting there in season. 
Cast it A, Boston.—Can you inform me where and hy whom the 
Ward-Burton gun is manufactured? Ans. The Ward-Burton 
rifle is not being manufactured™ our knowledge. 
J. S., Washington, Pa.—What make of gun did P. J. Lauritzen 
use In his shooting Oct. 18 til Tat Washington. D. C., and whut cali¬ 
bre ? Ans. He used a .41 caliber Heiufngton rlfie. 
Hammhrlkss, Cazenovia, N. Y.—Whatlsthebestmap of Florida? 
aud how much does It cost ? Ans. Aphthorp’s map, price 81.50, 
for salo by Columbus Drew, Jacksonville, Fla. 
Ed. H., Baraboo, Wis.—The scientific name of the king rail is 
Halt us elegans. The bird is rarely seen or shot hy gunners, because 
of its shyness. It feeds on wild oats and keeps wel 1 in cover. 
W., Cazenovia, N. Y.—Please give the name and address of the 
party who manufacture the Paine fe.ather filled ball? Ans. Bo¬ 
hemian Glass Works, llagerty Bros. & Co., 10 Platt street, New 
York. 
J. McH., Canandaigua, N. Y.—Canyou inform me if the Persian 
Insect Powdor is a preventive Of museum pests? Aijs. Corosive 
sublimate is generally used and preferred for museum specl- 
Subscriber — 1 want, to get a book on small boat-bufldlog. Ans. 
** Boat-building for Amateurs,” for sale by Van Nostrand, New 
York, and Dixon Kemp’s “ Manual of Yacht, and Boat Building,” 
Field Office, 848 Strand, London. t 
T. H., Boston.—Boston has the name of elaimingmuch culture. 
You are a worthy Bostonian, for you are one of the half-dozen 
men, who of all those wo reply to in our answers, in the course of 
of a year, remember to thank ua for the same. 
S. A. S., Hammond, N. Y—Have you a book descrlbingthe dif¬ 
ferent varieties of duck? Ans. The “Sportsman’s Gazetteer" 
glve3 the scientific and common nnmBS of fifty varieties of ducks, 
and desoribes their habits and methods of capture. Price $3; for 
sale at this office. 
J. R. H., Pennsylvania—We are not famliliar with the dogs 
named in the pedigree sent, and can give no opinion as to its 
merits. For the weakness in the hind-quarters, we should gfvo a 
wine glass full of codliver oil with two or..three drops of wine of 
iron in it twice a day. 
J. R-, NelsouviUe, O.—No man can afford to make an article 
which costs $10 and sell It for $2. Whether a firm who advertise 
to do this are reliable or not your own common sense should tell 
you. Wo know nothing of the other gun you ask about. Rubber 
cement can be had of Hodgmau, whose advertisement will he 
found elsewhere. 
H. H. G., Painesville, O—Is there a hook published on canoe or 
small boatbuilding? Ans. The following works relate to canoe 
construction and canoe sailing: Voyage of Paper Canoe, Lee & 
Shepard, Boston ; Canoe and Flying Proa, and The Perfoot Canoe, 
by Harper & Bros.; Canoeing in Kanuckia, and CanoeTravelling, 
by Orange Judd & Co., New Vork. 
How! Meadcville, Pa.—Allowing a dog to remain in the house 
by a fire all day and then turning him out of doors in the cold at 
night, is not the way to keep the him in health, particularly when 
he is only four months old. From your description we cannot tell 
what ails your puppy, unless he has taken a violent oold. We 
should give him a Dover’s powder, night and morning fora few 
days. 
R, J. S. W., Williamsport, Fa.—Please refer me to any work 
containing improved ideas as to ventilation of stables; best form 
of construction, etc.? Are there any special plans published, or 
architects who have given particular attention thereto? Ans. 
McClure's Stable Guido, American Gentleman's Stable Guide, 
price 81. Bickwell’s Stables, Outbuildings, and miscellaneous 
details, §3.50, Orange Judd Publishing Co., New York. 
Willard, Utioa, N. Y—Myself and some friends propose a trip 
through the wilderness nextsummer, starting from Utica, up the 
West Canada, across to Jersey Field Lake (byway of Black Creek) 
thence to Piseeo Lake, down the Sauganunk River, into the Hud¬ 
son, and home by Erie Canal. Would suclia trip be practicable? 
We intend to canoe it. Who will furnish us a reliable map of the 
region? Ans. Would advise you to buyWallaoe’s Adirondack 
G uide, which has an excellent map. The route you suggest would 
be a pleasant one. 
A. P. G., Cleveland, O—Being on the point of having an extra 
pah- of laminated steel barrels, 10-gauge, fitted to my stock, said 
barrels to be used exclusively for wild-fowl shooting, 1 request 
that you will give me your opinion as t, o the length of ban-el best 
adapted to that purpose. In other words, which wfli have the 
greatest range and consequently the greatest penetration, all 
other things beiDg equal—a pair of barrels 28, 30 Or 83 inches? 
Ans. Wo should by all means have 32-Inch barrels, as they will 
burn more powder. 
F. K. W. B„ Philadelphia.-What oan I do for my setter? the 
is about eighteen months old, lias a good appetite, but is getting 
very thin; her mouth seems feverish, and she scratches the side 
of her mouth with her paw and rubs her face on the ground. 
Sometimes when t have her out she will commence to howl and 
cry, and acts as if she was in great pain, and shivers as *f she were 
cold. Sometimes will put her tall between ner legs and cry and 
run for home? Ans. From the symptoms as you describe them 
we should judge that your bitch had worms. Give her areca 
nut. 
W. C. H., Leavenworth, Kan.—I have a pointer dog one year old 
past, that is out of fix. He has become very thin aud poor, al¬ 
though lie is well fed. He at t lines has a stream of saliva or slobbers 
from the corner of his mouth, and has lost his spirit. I gave him 
a teaspoonful of arena nut for worms, and in five hours two 
tablespoonsful of castor oil, but it does not seem to help him. 
Aus. Probably worms arc the cause of the trouble. Try the 
areca nut ngain, only see that it is freshly grated and given on an 
empty stomach. After giving the oil watch the evacuations. If 
no worms appear, try codliver oil, say a wine-glassful with three 
drops of wine twice n day. 
B. D., New York.—I. 1 seo in your columns that “ A. B.” box 
135, Holyoke, Mass., has a female ferret for sale. What does he 
mean by a ferret ? 2. Where in the elty of New York, Nawark or 
vicinity can I buy lliroughbred beagles? 8. How high do beagles 
generally stand at the shoulder? aud whatisthe color? Ans. 1. 
He moans the MusUUtfuro, of the family of Mustolidte, orweasels, 
an animal with long body and short legs, used, when domestica¬ 
ted, for bolting rabbits from their burrows. 2. Address tho 
Montclair Hunt, Montclair, N. J., who have tbeui for sale. 3. 
From 9 to 12 inches; color, samo as fox hounds. 
L, I.— Syracuse. —Is there any boat made that does not show on 
the water to be used in duck shooting, If so, please describe. By 
taking a boat and covering with rushes, will it make a good blind 
anchored out in the lake behind the decoys? On our lake there are 
plenty of ducks, hut they have beonshot at so much, it is impos¬ 
sible to get near Bhore to shoot them. Ans. You can buy a Barne- 
gatsneak boatfor$50 by sending order to Baraegat Village through 
the postmaster, or send your order for a gunning skiff to Sam. T. 
QUitman, South Oyster Bay, Long Island. These boats both sit 
lowiu the water, and the combing is arranged forthatching with 
grass, kelp, or brush. For thirty-two different kinds of boats used 
for sporting, see Hollock's “ Sportsmen’s Gazetteer." 
S. M. Renoyo, Pa.—We have a greyhound here, symptoms of 
whose disease are as follows: Dull appearance In eyes, hair com¬ 
ing out in spots as large as a three cent piece, running sores be¬ 
hind the ears, sunken flanks, and badly covered with vermin. Can 
you recommend anything to relievo the poor dog. Ans. Wash 
the dog thoroughly with castile soap and tepid water. Remove 
him at'onoe to a new kennel, and rub the sore plaoes, and in fact, 
his whole skin with crude petroleum. Apply internally Fowler’s 
Solution of arsenic, commencing with six grains twice a day, and 
gradually increasing- it to ten. Continue this medicine for three 
weeks or until his eyes begin to look red and inflame, when de¬ 
crease and discontinue. Should the outward application not pro vo 
effectual In healing the sores, write and we will send prescription. 
The dog's diet should consist largely of vegetables. 
J. N. C., Newburyport,—I. What is the greatest chargo of pow¬ 
der tiiat I can fire with perfect safetyin my W. &C. Scott gun, 12- 
gauge, eight lbs., thirty-inch, fino Damascus barrels? 2. Can No. 
4shot be fired with safetyin a choke-bore? 3. With what ap¬ 
proval did the ’’ Bt. Louis Conical Base Paper Shell,” meet? Can 
you Inform me the price per hundred ? 4. Does a full-blooded 
setter-dog ever have a split or double nose? Ans. 1 We prefer 
not to be responsible for the safety^of guns, and the charge yours 
would boar .'without the barrels bursting would probably do a 
severe test for your shoulder. A suitable charge for your gun 
for thebeaviest kind of shooting would he four or four and a half 
drachms powder. 2. Yes. 3. They are well liked for field shoot¬ 
ing, but the peon liar base being filled up so much, prevents very 
large charges being used in them. The price for No. U’s was $1.15 
per hundred. We do not know if it has been changed. 4. We 
do not believe they do, except a as freak of nature. 
American Canoes, Philadelphia.—Please inform me bow far 
up the Hudson River a party can go in a sail-boat? 2. Also 
are there any rapids on it ? 3. Are there muoh game up in 
the Adirondack Mountains? 4. Does a person have to pay to . o 
through the canal from Bordentown to New York with a sailing 
skiff, and how much? 5. How far do you go out the East River 
before you oome to the Hudson River ? 6. What wfil a 20 ft. boat 
hold to sail w itb pleasure ? Ans. There is a dam at Troy, aud an¬ 
other at Cohoes. The river is adapted for canoes as far as North 
Creek, on tho Adirondack Railroad. You might take a boat on 
by rail, and sail down. The canal charges would ho trifling, if any; 
pleasure parties are usually passed free by courtesy. The East 
and Hudson Rivers are confluent at the point of Manhattan pen¬ 
insula. Your 20 ft. boat ought to carry four persons with their 
outfit. 
W., Savannah, Tenn.—I have a well-bred pointer pup, six 
mouths old, that 1 have taught to fetch a ball and other articles, 
but cannot induce to touch a bird. I have tried him repeatedly, 
but have failed in every attempt. Can you suggest any means by 
which I can enable him to overcome his repugnance? He does 
not seem to mind the report of a gun usually; but some days 
ago I took him out with me, and after my shooting several times 
in rapid succession he became frightened and left me. Is it usual 
for dogs to become “gun-shy " at so early an age, or is this fault 
to he charged to Ills age? Ans. If your puppy has been broken 
to retrieve under the whip he should bring the bird, particularly 
If he has seen it killed; with patience he probably will in time. 
Gun-shyness is sometimes inherited, and is sometimes the result 
of careless handling. Your shooting so many times in rapid suc¬ 
cession was the cause of your dog being frightened, apd was 
rather injudicious, considering his age. As he generally does not 
fern- the gun, if be has a nose and any desire to hunt, he should 
come out all right. 
G. C. P., New York,—Please give me your opinion In the next 
issue of your paper, whether the quotient arising from dividing 
the interior diameter of a gun muzzle by the diameter of a single 
pellet of shot, could in any way assist one in selecting the size, of 
shot that would chamber the most evenly, or be of service in de¬ 
termining the right number of pellets to use at a chargo? Ans. 
We believe that practically it would be of no benefit, whatever. 
Guns seem invested with individual peculiarities, and the only 
true way to ascertain a proper chargo is by patient targeting. 
Besides, not only will all ordinary sizes shot chamber evenly, but 
itis necessary to use different sizes for different varieties of game. 
Again, in guns of the present day, there is a very considerable 
difference (in most of them) between the dlameterof the chamber, 
or interior of shell, and the muzzle, or that portion of the barrel 
near it; and a charge of shot which might, chamber ever so nicely 
In shell would be upset and mixed up before it had reached the 
muzzle, through which it could not pass in the Bamc measure as 
to diameter in which it left the shell. Of course the above does 
not refer to buckshot or other large sizes, wliioh must first, be 
chambered at the muzzle before the shells are loaded, 
