FOREST AND STREAM 
*r 
Dbv°tei) to Field and Aquatic Sports, Practical Natural History, 
..Fish Culture, the Protection op Game, Preservation of Forests, 
and the Inculcation in Men and Women op a healthy interest 
in Out door Recreation and Study : 
PUBLISHED BJr 
S°rezt md publishing 
17 CHATHAM STREET, (CITY HALL SQUARE) NEW YORK, 
[Post Office Box 2832.] 
and 125 SOUTH THIRD STREET, PHILADELPHIA. 
Terms, Five Dollars a Year, Strictly in Advance. 
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sending us two subscriptions and Ten 'Dollars will receive a copy of 
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extra. Where advertisements are inserted over 1 month, a discount of 
10 per cent, will be made; over three months, 20 per cent; over six 
months, 30 per cent. 
NEW YORK, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1874. 
To Correspondents. 
All communications whatever, whether relating to business or literary 
correspondence, must be addressed to The Forest and Stream Pub¬ 
lishing Company. Personal or private letters of course excepted. 
All communications intended for publication must be accompanied with 
real name, as a guaranty of good faith. Names will not be published if 
objection be made. No anonymous contributions will be regarded. 
Articles relating to any topic within the scope of this paper are solicited. 
We cannot promise to return rejected manuscripts. 
Secretaries of Clubs and Associations are urged to favor us with brief 
notes of their movements and transactions, as it is the aim of this paper 
to become a medium of useful aim reliable information between gentle¬ 
men sportsmen from one end of the country to the other ; and they will 
find our columns a desirable medium for advertising announcements. 
The Publishers of Forest and Stream aim to merit and secure the 
patronage and countenance of that portion of the community whose re¬ 
fined intelligence enables them to properly appreciate and enjoy all that 
is beautiful in Nature. It will pander to no depraved tastes, nor pervert 
the legitimate sports of land and water to those base uses which always 
tend to make them unpopular with the virtuous and good. No advertise¬ 
ment or business notice of an immoral character will be received on any 
terms ; and nothing will be admitted to any department o the paper that 
may not be read with propriety in the home circle. 
We cannot be responsible for the dereliction of the mail sty vice, if 
money remitted to us is lost. 
Advertisements should be sent in by Saturday of each week, if possible. 
CHARLES HALLOCK, Managing Editor. 
WILLIAM C. HARRIS, Business Manager. 
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR THE CUR¬ 
RENT WEEK. 
Friday, July 31st.—Northern Ohio Fair Association, Cleveland, Ohio 
—Westchester county fair grounds, near White Plains, N. Y.—Boston 
vs. Athletic B. B. C. at Manchester, Eng. 
Saturday, August 1st.—Saratoga running meeting, Saratoga, N. Y.— 
Westchester county fair grounas, near White Plains, N. Y.—Practice 
day Harlem boat clubs, Harlem, N. Y.—Athletic vs. Boston B. B. C. at 
Sheflield, Eng. 
Monday, August 3d.—The English twelve of 1872 vs. Eighteen of 
America, at Prince’s Grounds, London, Eng. 
Tuesday, August 4th.—Saratoga running meeting, Saratoga, N. Y.— 
Buffalo Park, Buffalo, N. Y.—Buckeye Shooting Club, Cleveland, Ohio 
Trotting at Lawrence, Mass. 
Wednesday, August 5th.—Buffalo Park, Buffalo, N. Y.—Match day 
Hoboken cricket grounds, foot of Ninth street—Buckeye Shooting Club, 
Cleveland, Ohio—Trotting at Lawrence, Mass. 
Thursday, August 6th.—Buffalo Park, Buffalo, N. Y.—Open regatta 
at Oakland beach, near Providence, R. I.—Buckeye Shooting Club, 
if any point of difleience arises that cannot be decided by 
the rules as adopted, let the majority of the regular fre¬ 
quenters of the ground decide it once for all time, and 
have it entered in the rules. But we hear some one say, 
“this is making a very serious matter out of a subject only 
intended for a little recreation.” Others say, “we do not 
believe in surrounding this simple game with such strict 
rules, and so many of them that no person of ordinary 
ability can learn them.” 
But to any one accustomed to such exhibitions of tem¬ 
per and ill feeling as are constantly occurring on croquet 
grounds in consequence of the want of some definite au¬ 
thority to settle disputed points at once when a question 
arises, the matter assumes a serious aspect. Further, it 
does not in the least simplify a game to attempt to play it 
by a few simple and general rules, because in a game as 
susceptible of scientific playing, as is croquet, many fine 
points must arise demanding settlement by some definite 
authority. Therefore, we repeat the advice, to be sure and 
have it understood by all the players what rules shall gov¬ 
ern their playing. When it comes to the selection of the au¬ 
thority, of course great difference of opinion will be devel¬ 
oped, and we wish here to advocate a few points which we 
believe tend to add largely to the interest of the game. 
In nearly all of the manuals the booby is a recognized 
feature. A ball missing the first bridge is declared a booby, 
and some special rules are given regulating the disposition 
of such a ball and the playing of other balls in connection 
with it. In some authorities the booby is not recognized; 
and why should it be? Why should the failure to make 
the first bridge confer a favor or inflict a penalty on a 
player anymore than missing any other bridge in the grand 
round? There seems to be no good reason for this formerly 
almost universal complication of the game. Hence we 
suggest the immediate abandonment of all recognition of 
a booby, thus treating a ball as fully in the play after the 
first stroke. 
The question of restricting the use of the roquet cro¬ 
quet, or loose croquet to the rover, was a much discussed 
one a few years ago, but the Americans were not willing 
to yield to English authority in such a restriction of this, 
the most scientific stroke of the whole game, and at the 
present time the roquet croquet is allowed to all players 
on nearly every ground in this country. But still many of 
the published rules either restrict its use (being originally 
copied from the English), or else, in answer to the popular 
demand, they have changed this rule, but have left others 
that were originally based on the former custom. 
One of these cases is in the treatment of a flinch. Form¬ 
erly, when the tight croquet only was allowable, of course 
some penalty was necessary for a flinch, which was nothing 
more nor less than an accidental loose croquet. But now, 
where the loose croquet is allowed, why put a penalty on 
a stroke combining the two allowed strokes? i. <?., the com¬ 
bination of the tight croquet with the roquet croquet. 
To ignore the flinch and all of its penalties again sim¬ 
plifies the game as much, perhaps, as the abolishment of 
the booby, and both seem to be superfluous complicities. 
In these suggestions we have not exhausted the questions 
liable to great difference of opinion, but simply mentioned 
a few of the most important. But we again say that the 
most impartant matter is, to adopt*fully some consistent set 
of rules, and stick to them in the smallest particulars. 
Above all things, play honestly, and keep your temper. 
We believe no one is justified in losing his temper except 
upon the discovery of an attempt to cheat on the part of 
another player. In such case any one is fully justified in 
refusing to play another game with that person. It may 
by some be considered shrewd to cheat in business, but we 
believe all will allow it to be the height of meanness to cheat 
in a friendly game. 
TOUCHING SOFT CRABS. 
Cleveland, Ohio—Trotting at Lawrence, Mass.—Prince’s club eleven 
with professionals vs. Eighteen of America, at Prince’s grounds, Lon¬ 
don, Eng. 
HOWTO PLAY CROQUET. 
A LMOST every reader thinks that it is simple enough, 
and that one who does not know how to play cro¬ 
quet must be an old fogy, or the inhabitant of some foreign 
isle; and yet we venture to assert that this same game is 
not played correctly—according to any one published and 
consistent code of rules—on one ground in a dozen through¬ 
out the country. This is all wrong, and is enough to have 
killed any game less meritorious than croquet. For the 
best interests of the game there should be one uniform set 
of rules adopted by some recognized authority for the 
whole country, and this has been the aim of many lovers 
of the game for years; but thus far they have failed to 
realize their hopes. 
It at first seemed a simple matter to call a Croquet Con¬ 
gress, who should adopt national laws for the game, but 
the details of such a convention were not so easily ar¬ 
ranged, because from the social nature of the game the 
regularly organized clubs were very limited in number, 
and hence there was no basis for authorized representation. 
In the absence of any established authority it becomes the 
duty of the owners of every ground, or of the company 
usually playing on it, to adopt some published laws of the 
game, which shall be strictly observed by every player on 
the ground. If any amendment or change is desired in 
any code of laws which for the most part are acceptable, 
let such change be written out fully and inserted in its 
proper place, and all conflicting rules stricken out, and 
H E was the king of the Soft Crabbers, and we caught 
him just between two tides at Fulton Market, and 
he told us all about it. “You see,” said Mr. Herbert, a 
fine looking Jerseyman, with the hale of the sea on his face, 
“soft crabs put in with a good deal of regularity from 
about the 24th of May to say the 5th or 6th of June, and 
keep on up to the 1st of October, sometimes as late as the 
10th. We catch them principally on Squan River, from the 
mouth five miles up as far as Wide River. There must be 
fully 100 men engaged in the business. We use a band 
bow net, about twelve inches across and some eight inches 
deep. The crabber sees the crab and just scoops him in. 
In order to get him you wade in half knee deep. Crabs 
mostly swim on the bottom in the shallows in clear water, 
though they like to congregate and hold caucuses-like, 
round bunches of grass, an old bush, or a piece of sodden 
wood. It requires a good deal of skill to fetch them up, 
and it’s an extra lucky day on which a party gets as many 
as 200 crabs. A full moon in the months of June, July, 
and August is about the best time for crabbing. It isn’t 
true that thunder storms kill them; that’s a yarn; but after 
you have caught them, thunder will just destroy them. It 
is generally single fishing, though two men go partners 
sometimes. A good hand can make $1 50 a day at it. I 
don’t think they have diminished at all in quantity; I even 
think there are more soft crabs now, at least in Squan 
River, than there used to be. A mighty big soft crab will 
measure eight inches across the tips of the shell. There is 
a bit of science in catching soft crabs. Now you might go 
along shore, sir, and scoop up a crab, and, going only for 
soft crabs, drop him because you thought he was hard. 
That’s just where the skill comes in, you see, and the 
knowledge of the business. A man as is a soft crabber 
can tell a shedder just as soon as he claps eyes on him un¬ 
der water, and goes for him. When a crab commences to 
shell, we call him a “burster;” just at that time he seems 
fat, and then lie backs out of his shell. Twenty-four hours 
after changing himself we call him a “buckler.” In this 
condition he is too soft for transportation, and is kind of 
watery, and wouldn’t make good eating. In about eio-lit 
to ten hours his shell hardens a little and ripens. We say 
the crabs temper. Then we pack 150 or so in a box and 
ship them to market. Now, taking advantage of this a 
crabber as is a crabber, when he can, catches his crabs be¬ 
fore they have cast their shells, puts them in his pound or 
car, and just waits for them to get ready for business. 
They will keep soft when out of water for quite a long 
time, for they can’t make any shell. Some people are so 
funny and ignorant-like; for how could a crab make extra 
shell by just living in the air? If you put him back in the 
water, in six hours he gets his back up, and isn’t good any 
longer for a soft crab. About the last run of crabs are 
always females. You can tell the difference plain enough. 
On the belly there is a kind of strap, that goes up there 
like an old fashioned pocket book strap. We call it the 
apron. When it is broad at the bottom, and tapers up, that 
shows it to be a she crab, and when it is narrow, and all 
about the same width, it belongs to a he crab. When you 
pick up a soft crab to look at him and see if he is good, 
you are apt to take him by his biters or claws. If you do 
that you are likely to lose him, for he is smart enough to 
just drop both claws at once—just fling them off; not only 
the one you have hold of, but the other that you ain’t 
touching. We don’t catch hard crabs at all, for the reason 
that fishermen kind of know that crabs breed when they 
are hard, and that would be killing the chances of a good, 
soft crab crop in the season. The demand is always large, 
and New York takes all we can find. The places in New 
Jersey that run most on crabbing are Squan village, Point 
Pleasant, and Herbert’s mill.” 
THE NATIONAL CONVENTION. 
T HE project and call for a National Convention to re¬ 
vise the game laws is receiving increased attention, 
and we trust that any movement to accomplish the ends 
desired will receive attention. We copy a few extracts 
from letters. 
Central New Y t ork, July 18th, 1874. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
Permit one of your readers to express most fully his 
warm endorsement of the plan advanced by your paper for 
the formation of a Protective Association for guarding 
game birds, fish and animals, and the “forests and 
streams ” that give them birth and shelter. I remember 
with pleasure the reception the idea of a National Conven¬ 
tion (one more than National, indeed, as it seeks the co¬ 
operation of the excellent Canadian sportsmen), met with 
at the February meeting of the American Fish Culturists’ 
Association, and I feel full confidence that the importance 
of the work to be done will be seen as it is now carefully 
contemplated. 
I can also see good in forming an association in addition 
to the present State Sportsmen’s Association, one in no 
way a rival, or in any degree antagonistic, but one that 
will bring new forces into the field in reinforcement to the 
present array. 
It has been truly said that the various religious sects are 
of great value, a~s their varied forms meet and satisfy the 
various tastes and ideas of minds that are seeking the same 
elevating end, and it is beyond doubt that the general 
united power of all for good far exceeds that which could 
have been encompassed by the creeds and tenets of any 
one denomination. 
And without in any way claiming to class the movements 
we now favor with the aims of the churches, we may 
borrow, from the harmonious example of their successful 
working, hints of infinite value; none of more importance 
than the one that shows how kindly and generous people 
can, with due deference to views conflicting in minor 
points, carry on movements which all unite to forward 
and support. 
I am* not excited nor amused by hours of trap-shooting. 
I would fain get the sportsmen assembled for earnest and 
patient consultation, aided by men of experience and of 
scientific attainment, to study the mysteries of nature where 
her works are carried on as they were thousands of years 
ago when no hand had intruded rudely in her workshops, 
and to learn how best the wildwood may be kept a wild- 
wood, and how its generous offerings of bright-hued fish 
and agile game may be kept to reward in due season the 
adventurous and brave that fortune ever favors. 
Many keen sportsmen feel w T ith me. The love they have 
for the chase is born from the difficulties that render it so 
constantly a demand upon our utmost skill, boldness and 
patience. They will not take any unfair advantage. Be¬ 
fore their rifles~the tame deer of midsummer are safe, and 
the most tempting fish will not find danger from their cast. 
So far does this impulse of fair,play go that they are un¬ 
willing to shoot at a bird that has the small chance of a 
long-confined pigeon cast from a trap, and yet they are not 
in any way disposed to be critical with regard to those 
who increase their skill and find amusement in such 
shooting. Many who are faithful in daily attendance at 
pigeon-shooting trials have the most honorable sporting 
ideas, and can bring to the counsel the experience gained 
from many camps, and they will meet most warmly the 
sportsmen who will respond to your call, and most fully 
respect and appreciate the feelings that influence in meet¬ 
ing for purposes other than trials of skill and competition 
for prizes. Feeling thus, I am confident that there is full 
field for two organizations in this State; and they need not 
be antagonistic, but, on the contrary, should each forward 
the great purpose of protecting game. 
There is great need of more force in this matter. v> hue 
the guns were fifing in Oswego, deer were being shot tor 
their skins in the woods about Bog River and Cranberry 
Lake. One party is said to have killed thirty last season, 
and I hear of another party that found the bodies of deer 
piled up to decay, and understood that fourteen were 
