430 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Dec. 23, 1886. 



boasted modern type of hunting rifles? Can it be used to degrade 

 with impunity the miizzleloader? And after your test of them, 

 are they noM' entitled to any more hearing or any fui-ther test 

 with muzzleloadei-s until they shall undergo such radical changes, 

 together witli their ammunition, as possihly to entitle them to it? 

 Most clearly not any more so than a plug horse once tried on the 

 track and distanced can claim the right to enter it agaiu. "Rule 

 them all out" woiild he the public cry. Example: Under the rule of 

 "adversely" the speed of the Merrill rifle stands as 4.955 to the 

 speed of the Stevens "Hunter's Pet" l.SOfi, or comparatively as 

 three miles and seven-tenlhs speed lor the Merrill rifle to one 

 mile for the Stevens ril^e. Or reverse the fuunj^ scene, and let 

 two horses which are in fact racers go round the track about three 

 and seven-tenths times, while all the "31" other's, under whip and 

 spur, are ^-ariously coining in, but each more than distanced at 

 best by the ( wo on the first rouad. Tliis refers tci tlie UKiyds. trial, 

 and includes the English racer. Tlie Merrill rlfie speed for lUOyds. 

 would be just as f unny. 



As the muzzleloaders have been false! > assailed tor want of 

 accuracy, steadiness of shooting or wliat else it may be eallecl at 

 the trial, I hope the above will be greatly relished by these critics. 

 1 know the public generally vrill greatly relish sucli striking 

 illustrations of facts, for thej' have seldom, if ever, thought of 

 them. Come on! 1 have yet just a thousand and one more t^-Ji:!i> 

 things to say; all 1 want is more liiie invitations to say them. 

 Hitherto my deep sympathies iov a down contestant have greatlj- 

 curbed and restrained me, but in the future I will be free to 

 speak. 



Note well that trajectory aecurci-y lea vt-.- IJie que.stiou of target 

 and screen accuracy entirely out; it kiavc-s the latter to he .'•■ettled 

 in this case as a separate thing, the report so svatas it and slates it 

 correctly. TJierefore, tij tiie superior i rajci' Cory tu'curacy of the 

 two muzzleloaders, whiclt is a living iiuantity under like cii'cum- 

 stance of range, loitd and aim, musi, Ix- added lai get accuracy also. 

 Combijrmg those two in my article and in ?xureswine my opinion, 

 1 said: "That the beat of the muzzleloaders iu Svc:;d,\ r-iiotitiiig 

 would have been much greater than the gifi btui in tint cui\cs 

 (as I stated it), and not much short of 50'J tier cent. I>si!t on a gen- 

 eral average for the 31 rifles. 300yds. range, and of SiW per cent, for 

 the 100yds. range." And I nov,^ reatlirm my opinion, which I slated 

 was based on "my own experience as well as on the remarks made 

 by the editor in Forest A^'D Stream, and also in the pamphlet 

 report." 



Here is the summary 1 mads in ray article: "The two muzzle- 

 loadei's individually beat all (..32) the breechloaders individuoJly 

 from the beginning to the end of the trial mo,;t wondeifuJly" (i lie 

 Blandrifle only excepted from a bad beat). Ileve1svh.a point i cred- 

 ited to the Bland ritle: /'Bland & Sons' English douijie Express, i-j- 

 cal. breechloader beat (and very badly too)'t]i(^ 31 American in-cccij- 

 loaders. It shot strong; very strong, and amies!, t ciual to tlie muz- 

 zleloaders" in this respect, i novv roaf/irm tliis tact. For proof 

 that I made my points corretly and mos'ly truly, I again refer to 

 your pamphlet report and to Fokes'c a^so .STHri.sM. ilr. Burn,? 

 and his followers have denied the tnujis and lcs>uns of your re- 

 port and my true comments on it us v. cil. Your reprirt must and 

 shall be respected, not ignored nor traduced. 



Combined Trial.— A trial for both iraieotorj and turgei Hct-nni cy 

 may be combined in one, as was the case in the Lo.aion Kng!i-li 

 trial in 1883 (but tliis trial v.as to a i;er:ain extent a failure) or it 

 may be separated, wa::; tlie case in liie FOKBST AJiD Sthkam 

 trial in September and Oclnljor, IHS5. 



Illustration.— Now suppose tJie rifles of A_ .-iud B slajot enual'y 

 steady and close on the target at the cud of lhi> range («!.'. at m or 

 200yds.) and that both center a dollar for nO con-^eci;-. i -i.i.i -,. 

 What then? Wliy, here at the end of the range both ride:- arc 

 credited with equal accuracy, target accuracy. But now doc-s 

 it stand at SOyds? Answer : Kifle A beats B on the same crUicr 

 aim (normally) every shot , say mo per cent, more or lcs~, -lijcording 

 to the more flatness of curve A than of curve B. T > "change the 

 arm" from the center in the test would lie to beg tise question— it 

 is not permissible. 



Point.— Nor is this bc-iii. at TiUyds. or at midrauge only, but a very 

 small portion of it in hunting. It beats all tin? way along the 

 range (and beyond it too) between [he ■ w u points Hank. i. c.. be- 

 tween the "near point blank," v, hich is alioiit ^vds. fi'om the muz- 

 zle in a range of 100yds. (and les.-^ in .■.'nu .'ds.) 1 1.; tin; uoint iilank 

 proper at 100yds. (or SOOyds.) thus making over tiUvds. in this lOt.'vds. 

 range where, strictly speaking, rifle A bea Ls rifle B: and alwavs 

 remembering that "a miss is as good as a niilc," fniii tliat small 

 game often scuds away unharmed to the credit of a miss of less 

 than one-fourth the diameter of the bullcl . rt membeiiug all tliis 

 and applying it to rifle A, you ^ill i-eadil\ see how, during a day's 

 hunt after squirrels and the like, that it will bring m great lots of 

 game, where rifle B will :iot bring in any perhaps. Rifle A vrjll feed 

 a camp where B will starve it. 



Standing Merits. —And note well that the superior close and 

 strong shooting made by rifle A over rifle B, as resulting from its 

 flatter curve, is a standing merit in favor of rifle A over ride B 

 which always belongs to it and remains with it, to tell the joyful 

 hunter at each crack of it the same sweet tale of its fidelity and 

 unswerving constancy even to the vei-y end, always constant, 

 never fickle. 



Power and Velocity.— The velocity and velocity powers of the 

 rifles tested by you may be taken to be adversely (not directly) as 

 the heights of the curves .at midrange, 1. c. the greater the velocity 

 or velocity power, the less the height of the cur\ es. And the 

 comparative accuracy of the rifles tilso are (almost) as the heights 

 of curves. Now see the pamphlet table. 



Example.— Thus under the rule of "adverselv" the velocity of 

 the "Stevens's Hunter's Pet" as the height of the Stevens curve, 

 4,955in., is to the height of the Merrill curve, 1.306in. Ratio of 

 velocities as 3.794 to 1. Excess of Merrill a elocity or beat over 

 Stevens equals 279 per cent., which is just as I stated it in my 

 article. In the same way all the other cur\^es may be compared." 



And now, in closing, Mr. Editor, I wish to say to" you personally, 

 that your report should and must be sustained in all its integrity, 

 and to this end I now send you this article. In the meantime, tlie 

 Integrity of my last article has been assailed, and its facts flatly 

 denied by designing critics, and I must, therefore, crixve the right 

 and privilege, through >'our generous columns, to defend myself 

 against this overt attack by Mr. Burns and all cithers. In so doing 

 I feel very certain that the cause of rifle shooting will be advanced 

 by the information imparted in this letter. Some of the points 

 here presented for the first time are new to your readers, and I 

 think they Avill enjoy them much. Napoleon IVLehrill. 



Wisconsin, Nov. 22. 



Httd Miver 



Addrm all mmmunimtiam to tlie Forest and Strmm Pub. Co. 



GUT FROM AMERICAN SILKWORMS. 



Editor Forest and Stream; 



I have read Mr. Charles F. Orvis's statement of his 

 experiment in the prejjaration of gut from American silk- 

 worms -with some interest, the more so that the subject had 

 previously occupied my attention. This experiment lias 

 proved a failure, not because American silk works cannot 

 elaborate a strand of the required quality. That is set at 

 rest, not only by the evidence of Dr. Garlick, but by the 

 strand now in tlie possession of Mr. Orvis, which is far 

 too long to have been yielded by the Chinese worm. 



Ml-. Oi-vis is apparently disposed to attribute his failure 

 to his ignorance of the most stiitable food for the womis. 

 Without going- into the discussion of this question, I 

 would suggest that he may set his mind at rest on that 

 point. The quality of an elephant's tusks is tlie same 

 whether the elephant feed on wild saccharum or the 

 leaves of the sacred fig tree, and the quality of the gxit of 

 any given species of silkworm will be the same, what- 

 ever the food, provided it be such as to maintain the 

 worm in health and vigor. 



There appears little room to doubt that the species ex- 

 perimentecl with by Mr. Orvis were the same species from 

 which Dr. Gar lick "procm-ed "strands of nnusual strength 

 and great length. '* The catises of failure are hence nan-ow- 

 ed down to the manipulation of the gittin course of prepara- 

 tion, and here, I thiaik, it is to be regretted that Mr, Orvis, 

 with the raw material at command, did not undertake a 

 series of experiments in modification of the treatment. 



The eeseiiiial feature of the troatment is the ixomei'Sion 



of the wonn in vinegar. Its success is determined 

 by the sti-ength of the vinegar and duration of the steep- 

 ing. The treatment is empirical, its value was doubt- 

 less discovered by accident. No scientific theory can 

 gtiide us in regulating the streng-th of the vinegar or 

 period of immersion; om- only guide is the practical ex- 

 perience of the Spanish makers, Avhich should be adhered 

 to closely, and its adaptability to the treatment of the gut 

 of American worms demonstrated or disposed, before ex- 

 perimenting in other directions. 



On tills point 1 am disposed to doubt that Mr. Orvis has 

 adliered closely to the Spanish treatment. He says he 

 soaked the worm in dilute acetic acid or weak vinegar 

 for a few liom-s. The Spanish ti-eatment as perscribed in 

 Ure's Dictionary of the Arts ;ind Sciences is to steej) the 

 worm in strong' Aanegar for a period varying from five to 

 eig) it liours, according to the temperature, five hours being 

 enongli ijt very hot weather. 



Mr. Orvi.s's dilute acetic acid or Aveak vinegar is very 

 indefinite, and Ure's strong vinegar would not be much 

 more definite were it not that we know that the Spanish 

 vinegar in common use is all ma de from wine and that 

 the best quality contains from live to six per cent, of 

 acetic acid — vinegar of this strength can be conveniently 

 made w ith sugar. 



Our vincgttrs in common use are made from beer, cider, 

 wine, alcoliol and wood vinegar, and the standai'd Btoength 

 is live \)er cent, of acetic acid. The bulk of the vinegar 

 of tJie .storey i^ below this strength, and the weakest of 

 them not infreqttently forliiied with sulphmic acid. 



The impression created by the perusal of Mr. Orvis's 

 paper is that he has used a vinegar inferior in strength to 

 that used f ru- the purpose in Spain and possibly a vinegar 

 adulterated willi sulpliuric acid. 



Mr. Oi-vis's few hours for the .steeping is vei-y indefinite 

 and apparently Kucce^s or failure depends on this time, 

 being very cai'ef ully regulated by the temperature. 



One more point: while the Spaniards stretch the gut 

 they hold one end itx tiie \ inegai — it is the pirescribed 

 rule, and if important in the treatun^ut of short lengths 

 is presTim.'jbly much more sc lor gi pater lengths. In fact 

 T am disposed to lay so mucli sirees eui tlie importance of 

 ■iiiterriif:n to this detail tJiat I doubt if it is enough to 

 iiold o.ic end in the vinegar in the treatment of American 

 gut uiid would stTOugiy rec<jmmend the employment of 

 large, sliallow v essels which would admit of the gut 

 being stretched to its full lengtlt dming immersion and 

 then withdrawn. G. F, AmeEY. 



TiiE J'ORT Wayne Fly.— Fort Wayne, Ind. , Dec. 18.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: Inclosc-d iilcttse find a "Ijuck- 

 flv" or whatever else it uright be called, about whicli I 

 desire to say tt f (-.■>• ^.\-ords. I read the Forest .vNt) 

 Stream, and have tcr yearb, but have never seen this fly 

 described. T do v.oi find it in the "G-azetteer," Orvis and 

 Cheney's collection does not contain it, and Henshall and 

 Wells do not refer to it, neither does flarris's "Scientific 

 Angler." It is not a "bticktail," neither is it a hackle or 

 pahiR-r. I huA e made and used bucktails, and made one 

 last eA^ening vn.ih a revolving spoon to be used in trolling 

 for pik(\ ft tin's " what -is-it" is new I desire to name it 

 "Foit V\ ayiie." but if it is old jjlease credit me with being 

 slow but coming. I never saw a fly cast until August, 

 but iKiAs i can cast fifty feet with ease. I found but one 

 bunch 01 silk worm gut in our three tackle stores, and I 

 now make aU my own flies with such material as I can 

 pick up here and there. Is it new?— John P. Hance. 

 [The fly is new to us. It lias a stout orange body wound 

 with gold; tail of red, yellow and strip of wood-duck 

 feather; a large lock of deer's hah", which extends as a 

 wing beyond the end of tlie tail and is the most prominent 

 part of the fly. This hair is not put on like a hackle but 

 like a wing.] 



The NewYoric Trout Law, — The sentiment in this 

 section is very much in favor of protectmg 6in. trout. 

 Tlie law as it was in 1885 was a good one and met the ap- 

 provafof all whom I met in the northern counti-y. Unless 

 we get sucli a law again I fear tliat there will not be much 

 stocking done by private subscription here in Utica. I 

 ]ia\ e been in the woods in the vicinity of Morehouseville 

 ever}' winter for the past five years to put out young 

 trout; have driven and trampeil tiirougli snow and worked 

 like a beaver to bring tlie fishing up to the old standard, 

 and have seen the good results from it, only to see the 

 law repealed and the little fry exposed to the mercy of 

 the trout hog. The idea in regard to a dividing line is 

 good, if it can be made so trout will not be exposed for 

 sale in the southern part of the State before May 1, the 

 time when the season should open in the northern section. 

 The ice is out about May 6 to 13 each year, tlien we get 

 our best lake fishing. Make it all points ncn'tli of tlie sec- 

 tion of the New York Central R, R. May 1, and south of 

 it April 1, trout to be accompanied by owner, same provi- 

 sion as in the deer law. — D. C. M. H. 



Numbering of Fish Hooks.— Roxbtu-y, Mass., Dec. 14. 

 — Editor Forest and Stream: I have read -with some 

 interest an article in issue of Dec. concerning the num- 

 bering of fish hooks. The style of numbering of the 

 small manufacturer, viz: '30 to 1. is no more meaningless 

 than the Redditch, viz: 1 to iO. which simply sig-nifies 

 that some party — Stubbs jxnhaps — has tiled a notch in a 

 piece of steel atid called that size No. 20, Avithout refer- 

 ence to any measm-ement whatever. If the small manu- 

 facturers' hoolis No. 10 had signified t«(To of an inch 

 diameter, No. 20 tCi}tt of an inch, etc., thus giving hook 

 putchasers some imderstandable means of buymg or 

 ordering- what they wanted, then the Redditch left- 

 handed method would soon disappear, zeros and all. 

 Wire manufactiu-ers in this country are fast being driven 

 to adopt intelligent numbering. — Mechanic. 



Dr. James A. Henshall and Judge Longwoi-th, of 

 Cincinnati, sailed for Havana on the 16th inst. They 

 will spend a short time there and then sail for Valencia, 

 and will cruise on the Mediterranean during the -winter. 

 In the spring they -will spend the season salmon fishing in 

 Scotland, after which they %vill return. Diu-ing the Doc- 

 tor's absence he will occasionally drop a line to Forest 

 AND Stream. His many correspondents will please bear 

 in mind that the Doctor wiQ be absent all winter, which 

 will account for their not receiving replies to any letters 

 which may have been sent to him lately. His departure 

 was quite sudden and he has not had tiine to notify all of 

 his frieadss 



Restigouche Salmon Club.— The annual election of 

 officers of the Restigouche Salmon Club took place in this 

 city Dec. 11. The following gentlemen were elected 

 directors for the ensuing year: Messrs. John L. Cadwala- 

 der, W. Hall Penfold, Hem-y W. DeForest, James C. 

 McAndrew, Arthtir D. Weekesj Fi-ank Thomson, Goold H. 

 Redmond, Francis Bartlett and Heber R, Bishop. At a 

 subsequent meeting of the board of dhectors the follow- 

 officers were elected; Mr. John L. Cadwalader, Pres- 

 ident; Mr. Goold H. Redmond, Vice-President; Mr. Henry 

 W. DeForest, Secretary and Ti-easurer, and an Executive 

 Committee consisting of Messrs. Redmond, DeForest, 

 Weekes and Bishop. 



Trout in a Flume.— a large salmon trout 35ui. long. 

 Sin. deep, was taken from the flume at the Wood Board 

 Mill, Wednesday morning. It weighed ISlbs., and was 

 dead when found. Several of these very large trout have 

 lately been f otmd in the mill flume, one iSlbs. one was 

 taken out alive last week and put into the river above the 

 fishway, but he missed the fishway, and got liack into the 

 mill again and was dead when found the second time. 

 We have heard it said no fish could find its way up or 

 down tlirough the fishway, it i,s so bHnd and ill-contrived 

 a place. — South Windham. (Me.), CorrcsjjondeMce Port- 

 land Globe, Dec. 11. 



AdOrm da c(/immMcat>iom to ttie Foreat and Stream Puh. Co 



OTHER PISH TO YRY. -Editor Forest and Stream: 

 Before I had read the last issue of your valuable pjiper I had 

 written to Mr. Seth Green, Superintendent of the Caledonia 

 station of the New York Fish Conrmi.ssion, for a blank ap- 

 plication for young fish. A printed application was sent me 

 together with a letter which asks rue trj have tliis application 

 indorsed by a member of the State Legislature. This is a 

 coudi tion tliat ^vas new to me, but I see it appended to Mr. 

 Green's card in your last issue. I have carefully looked over 

 the laws relating to the appointment of the Commissicmers, 

 and iind nothing there which warrants this, and I am in 

 doubt whether there is any such law on the statute books, 

 and it seems to me that the Commissioners of Fisheries are 

 needlessly imposing a burden upon those who may apply for 

 fish produced by the State. I shall address letters to the 

 other State Superintendents or to the Commissioners them- 

 selves, and leaiii if there is any authority for this order, or if 

 it is an arbitrary rule introduced by Mr. Green for purposes 

 best known to himself. I Avas, however, greatly surprised to 

 find inclosed in his letter, under cover of postage presumably 

 jjaid by the State, an advertisement of a priv.ate enterprise, 

 of which the following is a copy: "The Seth Green Club. 



By inclosing S2..50 and this card to the you will receive the 



paper for one year. The regular subscription is $3.00. Mr. 

 Seth Green has editorial charge of the flshcidture depart- 

 ment of the ." I was aware that some time ago Mr. 



Green had, in his capacity as Superintendent, lent his name 

 and that of the Fish Commission to advertise a patent medi- 

 cine, but supposed at the time that it was mainly for the 

 sake of seeing his name and portrait in print, of which he is 

 known to be very fond, and never suspected him of being a 

 sleeping partner in the concern. Now, hoAvever, he does not 

 hesitate to send out advertisements under the stamp of the 

 Fishery Commission covered by postage charged to the State. 

 — JohnW. Crawford (Brooklyn, N. Y.}. 



THE NEW YORK FISH COMMISSION.-The Commis- 

 sioners of Fisheries met at the otiice of Hon. R. B. Roose- 

 velt, president of the board, New York, Dec. 6. All four 

 were present. The following business was transacted: A 

 proposition from the Boonville Sportsmen's Club to tinm 

 over their hatchery on the Fulton Chain of Lakes to the 

 Commission on certain conditions was submitted to the 

 board, and it was determined to put service in that hatchery 

 and supply it with spawn from Caledonia for the present 

 season, preparatory to a final decision upon the proposition 

 made. Mr. M. B. Hill, Clayton, was authorized to continue 

 during the present fiscal year, at his private hatchery, the 

 -work he conducted last year by the authority of the Com- 

 mission, with special attention to the propagation of salmon 

 and brook trout, pike-perch and niascalonge, for stocking 

 the St. Lawi-ence River and Lake Ontario, the expenditures 

 to be under the general direction of Commissioner BoMonan. 

 Commissioner Blackford was appointed treasurer of the 

 Board. He was also authorized to exchange California trout 

 siia\vn and fry for those of the Sunapee Lake and bro-wn 

 trout. On motion of Commissioner Sherman certain 

 changes were made in the apportionment of protection 

 districts. Two thousand copies of a general synopsis of the 

 game laws of the State, which had been prepared by the 

 secretary of the Commission, were ordered printed. The 

 Commissioners have resolved to make an inspection next 

 season of all the hatcheries under their management or as- 

 sistance. 



FIXTURES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



January, 1887.— Bench Show of Poultry and Pet Stock Associ- 

 ation, at Adams, Mass. W. F. Davis, Secretary. 



Jan. 17 to 31, 1»87.— Ohio State Poultry, Pig(>on and Pet Stock 

 Association Dog Show, Columbus, O. W. F. Kuell, Superintend- 

 ents Columbus. O. 



March :22 to 35, 1887.— Spring ShoAV of the New Jersey Kennel 

 Club, Waverly, N. J. A. 0. Wilmerdlng, Secretary, Bergen Point, 

 N. J. 



March 2S to April I, 1887.— Inaugural Bench Show of Rhode 

 Island Kennel Club, Providence, R. I. N. Seabiu-y, Secretary, 

 Bos 1333, Pro-vidence. 



April 5 to 8, 1887.— Third Annual Sliow of New England Kennel 

 Club, Boston. F. L. Weston, Secretary, Hotel Boylston, Boston, 

 Mass. 



April 13 to 15, 1887.— Thirteenth Annual Dog Show of the Western 

 Pennsylvania Poultry Society, at Pittsburgh, Pa. 0. B. Elben, 

 Secretary . 



May 3 to 6, 1887.— Eleventh Annual Show of the Westminster 

 Kennel Club, Madison Square Garden, New York. James Morti- 

 mer, Superintendent. 



FIELD TRIALS. 

 Feb. l.n, 1887.— Inaugtu-al Trials of Tennessee Sportsmen's Associ- 

 ation. Entries close Jan. 10. R. M. Dudley, Secretary, No. 84 

 Broad street, NashviUe, Tenn. 



A. K. R.-SPECIAL NOTICE. 

 a^HE AMERICAN KENNEL REGISTER, for the registration 

 of pedigrees, etc. (with prize hsts of all shows and trials), is 

 published every month. Entries close on the 1st. Should be in 

 early. Entry blanks sent on receipt of stamped and addressed 

 envelope. Registration fee (50 cents) must accompany each entry. 

 No entries ineei*ted unless paid In advance. Yearly subscription 

 $1.50. Address ''American Kennel Begistet," P. O. Box 2833, Few 

 York. Kianber of ootrieig already priat«d 4G0S< 



