APRIL 80, 1891.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



293 



he is not subdued. As we start from the rapids on the 

 fourth trip I avow that it will be trout or no trout this 

 time when we reach the sand bar, as the fatigue that has 

 supervened has long since eliminated the element of 

 sport and excitement from the unequal contest, I give 

 him the butt of the rod and succeed in getting his nose 

 out of the water. He throws all his weight on the rod 

 and the pUant thing permits him to dive well below the 

 surface. 



Again I get his head out of water and again he dives, 

 but with less strength and detarmination : and he sooner 

 yields to the pressure on the rod. His strength fails and 

 yet he is game and a very unwilling captive. We reach 

 the bar and 1 step out, followed by the crew. The'oanoe 

 is beached and I reel in. The boatmen, armed with a 

 paddle, surround his kingship and follow him in until I 

 land upon the sand this foeman worthy of our steel. He 

 tipped the scales at 4ilbs., and while many a larger one 

 has fallen victim to the tempting lure and human skill, I 

 cannot conceive of and never expect to have, a greater 

 battle than I had, with this monarch of the pool. 



If any reader of Forest a^'d Stream would like to try 

 his luck and test his skill in this attractive and romantic 

 region, which is outside the beaten path and yet easy of 

 access, a line of inquiry addressed to L. M. Gerrish, Bur- 

 onville. Me., will secm-e all needed information. Mr. 

 Gerrish was our guide and clief, and we cannot say too 

 much in his praise. ' Geo. MoAleee. 



WoBGESXiSB, Mass. 



APRIL TROUT. 



THE April fishing for trout in Connecticut, New Jer- 

 sey and Pennsylvania has not come up to the expec- 

 tations of the anglers. The fish liave not reached their 

 prime condition and show very little interest in anything 

 except the worm. In Connecticut a sentiment in favor of 

 changing the date of the open season from April 1 to May 

 1 appears to be growing. A great many small trout have 

 Been caught and few large ones; the largest recorded is 

 one of 23oz., taken by Mr. Potter, of Forestville. Con- 

 necticut ptreams have been depleted by over-fishing and 

 the use of explosives. 



In Pennsylvania large trout have formed a greater ratio 

 of the catch; the good work of the Fish Commission in 

 restocking natural trout streams which had been fished 

 out is attracting universal attention and the anglers are 

 reaping the benefit of the State's liberality. The Schuvl- 

 kill valley has yielded a goodly number of fine trout, 

 among them numerous specimens of about fib. in weight] 

 "When the balmy air of May is fragrant with the per- 

 fume of apple blossoms, and the meadows are bright 

 with the golden buttercuj); when the pale anemone lifts 

 its modest head in shady woods and the busy hum of in- 

 sect life mingles with the plaintive notes of nesting birds, 

 the angler may seek his favorite streams and match his 

 choicest flies and consummate skill against the cunning 

 of the vigorous and wary trout with reasonable assurance 

 of rare enjoyment and am]3le reward. 



Missouri Valley Association.— Kansas Citv, Mo., 

 April 21— Editor Forest and Stream: It is im'portant 

 that the sportsmen generally shotild know that we (Kan- 

 sas City sportsmen) are working just as hard as our 

 friends and neighbors are. We have used our best efforts, 

 and by the aid of our worthy representative, Mr. Coots, 

 for wbich we thank him very much, will have a law in 

 about sixty days which we intend shall protect the fish 

 and game of our section, at least. We want the public 

 t-o know that in the last threee months we have perfected 

 an organization known as the Missouri Valley Fish and 

 Game Protective Association, and at our last meeting it 

 was shown to have 807 members in good standing. Uncle 

 Joe Er win, one of the oldest veterans as an angler, is our 

 permanent president, and we are fully satisfied that there 

 is no one in our State that is more earnest in the matter 

 than Uncle Joe. Some time in the future we shall give 

 you the joke he played on some of the Down East anglers 

 before he emigrated to this country. He being in such a 

 position as to prosecute the law breakers, and having the 

 money to back him, we feel sure that we shall soon have 

 better fishing than we have had in the past. James 

 Whitfield, who is connected with our leading daily paper 

 and is a great rustler, is the secretarj^ of our organization, 

 and is very active and a well-informed man. The season 

 for angling here has been very backward, and so far we 

 have not heard of any great catches having been made; 

 but if this season is as favorable as the last, no doubt we 

 shall be able to give you an account of some of the great 

 game fish procured in the West before the season is over, 

 —Scott. 



Sullivan County Trout.— Woodbourne, N. Y., April 

 34.— Never in the history of trout fishing have the indi- 

 cations been so favorable for a great season, as everv 

 circumstance promises for the coming summer an abund- 

 ance of sport for the worthy angler. The winter has 

 been favorable, as there were no ice jams in the streams 

 to do destructive work, as is too often the result in the 

 breaking up of winter in these mountain streams. And 

 the beneficial evidences of a continual stocking have 

 encouraged the residents to greater energy. This season, 

 as heretofore, over 1,000,000 trout fry w'ere distributed 

 throughout the county at the heads of the many streams. 

 This good work has been carried on for the pa^t ten 

 years. It takes about four years for the young trout to 

 reach the desired size, whei-i they can make it interesting 

 for a 7oz. rod in the hands of an amateur angler. There 

 are about 500 miles of trout streams throughout the 

 county, convenient to the line of the New York, Ontario 

 and Western R. R., and some of these streams are the 

 most popular in the State. Among them are the Never- 

 sink, Willowemoc, Beaverkill and Mongaup. TheNever- 

 sink has its source in the Big Indian Mountain and flows 

 through a wild and romantic part of the county, it is one 

 succession of pools, eddies and rapids, in which sport the 

 spotted beauties varying in size, and frequently reach up 

 into the pounds. The largest catch for last" year was 

 made by a guide living at the village of Woodbourne, 

 who thought it no trick to fill a 13 or Ulbs. basket dm'ing 

 the day, with as fine specimens of brook and California 

 trout as one could hope to hook. The California trout 

 were first placed in the Neversink River by Seth Green 

 as an experiment, to learn if they would propagate, and 

 since the stocking by Seth Green a number of shipments 

 of the same species have been successfully placed in the 

 small brooks leading into the main streams; they gi-ow 



almost twice as large as the native brook trout in the 

 same length of time. Experienced fishermen hereabouts 

 look for the best sport during the months of May and 

 June, when fly-fishing will begin in earnest, and they 

 safely predict for this season a greater catch than has 

 ever before been known.— Observer. 



Keuka Lake.— Dundee, N. Y., April 37.— Trout fish- 

 ing in Lake Keuka has opened very satisfactorily this 

 year. Several tine catches have already been made. 

 Eighty pounds of trout were recently brought in in one 

 afternoon by the guests of the Lake Keuka House. The 

 fish are running larger than for several seasons past at 

 this time of year. Dr. Phillips, of Penn Yan, captured 

 one last week weighing I4,5lb8. and measuring 37in. in 

 length. Several weighing lOlbs. have also been caught. 

 —Guy Grundy. 



All communications must reach us by Tuesday 

 of the week they are to be published; and should 

 be sent as much earlier as may be convenient. 



FIXTURES. 



D06 SHOWS. 



April 28 to May 2.— Dog Show of ttie Galifornia Kennel Ciuh, at 

 San Francisco, Gal. H. L. Miller, SecV. 



Sept. 1 to 4.— Dog Show of the YoUTigstown Keimel Club, at 

 YoTingafo^vn. O. 



Sep). 9 to 11.— First Annual Dog Show of the Hamilton Kennel 

 Club, at Hamilton, Ont. 



Sept. U to 18.— Toronto Ir.dustrial Exhiliition Associcstion Third 

 International Dog Show, at Toronto. C. A. Stone, Sec'y and Supt. 



FIELD TRIALS. 

 Nov. 30.-Gentral Meld Trial Club's Third Annual Trials, at 

 LRxington, N. G. C. H. Odell, Sec'y. 44 and 46 Wall street. New 

 York city. 



COCKER SPANIELS AT CHICAGO. 



Editor Forest and. Stream: 



As an owner and exhibitor of dogs, I desire to protest 

 in the most emphatic way against Forest aicd STEE^m, a 

 journal which the dog-loviogpuljlic look to for accairate nnd 

 unbiased reports of the different dog shows that are held, 

 being made themedium for abusing and maligning my span- 

 iels by a disajjpointed exhibitor. My special cause of com- 

 nlaiut is yonr report of cocker spaniels at the Chicago show. 

 It is not my indention to enter into a newspaper discussion as 

 to the cocker spaniels shown at Chicago turtber than to say 

 that the dog which Mr. Bell appears desirous of setting 

 back has won at five shows this spring, nuder tour different 

 judges, six first prizes, two second prizes, cue third prize 

 and Ave special prizes. Further, that he can beat, under 

 the official judges of the American Spaniel Club, any cocker 

 dog (or bitch either) that Mr. Bell owns; for fun, money or 

 marbles. 



You say, in regard to the cocker .spaniel classes; "George 

 Bell writes us the notes on them." I am quite ready to admit 

 the statement as correct, and believe any one with ordinary 

 perception would not require to be informed of the fact, but 

 would see that there was a "nigger in the fence" after reading 

 the report. It is quite evident that Mr. Bell did not exnect 

 that his name would appear in cotmection with the report. 



[Here follows Mr. Bell's repoi-t in parallel columns accom- 

 panying his criticisms on his own dogs and those of his com- 

 petitors. Space will not permit our publishing it, especially 

 as it is only a repetition of a report already printed. In jus- 

 tice to Mr. Bell we may say that he signed his name in full 

 to the report in question.] 



Any one who will say that this report was a strictly fair 

 and impartial report is stating what is untrue. A glance 

 shows that all the dogs owned by the writer of the report 

 have all the essential points of the breed, leaving almost 

 nothing to be desired. All Mr. Bell's dogs (if you take his 

 word for it) are "world-beaters," grand movers, etc. None 

 of the other dogs appear to have been "in it." Still, Mr. 

 Kelles, who is one of the official judges of the Spaniel Club, 

 thought differently; and when Mr. Bell found that hecouldnot 

 work successfully the big game of bluff on the judge that he 

 intended, he became abusive and so impertinent in the ring 

 that Mr. Nelles finally asked him who was judging the do^s. 

 The spaniels at Chicago were placed as 'a majority of the 

 Spaniel Club judges would have placed them, and I think 

 that this report, belittling every dog not owned by himself 

 comes with very poor grace. 



This same George Bell wrote me, under date of March 13, 

 1891 (less than a month before the Chicago .show), in reply to 

 a letter of mine, stating that I desired to dispose of all my 

 spaniels, the following peculiar letter; 



TOF.OSTO, March 13.— Mr. A. Lai dlaw.— Dear Daidlaw: 

 Your letter to hand. I am showing at Chicago and Denver 

 only. I have got a strong kennel of blacks, do. reds, do. 

 livers. Would not care to buy any at present, but would 

 show about three of yours for you in my name and do my 

 best to sell them for you. Let me know wh.at you think of 

 this.— G. Bell. 



Mr. Bell has for several years never lost an opportunity of 

 abusing my dogs and myself personally. He has followed 

 the same tactics with regard to other spaniel men, tmtil 

 forbearance has ceased to be a virtue. I naA'e hopes, how- 

 ever, that he will in future devote his attention more strictly 

 to his own business, and if by doing so he can produce the 

 "world-beaters" he claims to have (but which he has not) I 

 will acknowledge the fact as quickly as any one. My 

 own opinion is that your reporter was much more compe- 

 tent to criticise the cocker spaniels at Chicago than the man 

 who supplied the notes for the report. 



Andrew Laii)la.w. 



WoonsTOCK, Ont., April 31. 



IVTASTIFFS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



iSTotwithstanding the opinion of the judge at the last New 

 York bench show that champion Beaufort was a used up 

 specimen, authority of greater weight says Beaufort never 

 looked or appeared better or was in better show condition 

 and health, "and that no one could say that he showed the 

 first symptoms of weakness in any part of his grand frame." 

 He was there as he always has proved himself in the strong- 

 est company and before all judges, king of the stud and of 

 the show ijench. 



Why has the mastiff fallen in popularity? Not from any 

 fault of the dog, for he is still the most trusty and noble of 

 all. Is it not more on account of the poor specimens that 

 have appeared with few exceptions at our principal shows 

 for the last two years? Why have not the old breeders 

 brought out anything new? Is it to be supposed that with 

 tlie best bitches that can be obtained from England in their 

 kennels and with such a sire as chamDion Beaufort has 

 proved himself, that within the past two years they have 

 bred nothing worth .showing. If yon think so visit their 

 kennels and judge for yourself. Should there be a jitdge 

 at New York next spring who is a recognized authority, a 

 breeder who has owned and bred good ones, then you will 



see a class of mastiffs that America can be proud of. It 

 wdll have the same effect on quality and the increase of the 

 mastiff classes that it did in 1888, when Mr. W. K. Taunton 

 was the judge there. Then the value of Beaufort as a stud 

 mastiff would be more plainly seen. 



Besides the quality of Beaufort's get, he has sired the 

 largest and strongest litters; besides, bitches thati have been 

 unable to get in whelp by other dogs after repeated trials 

 for the last three years, have had fine litters by him. At 

 first I regretted that there were no entries made of Beaufort 

 pups that be had sired .since he came over, but afterward I 

 saw it was best that they were away. I w^as anxious to 

 show the great value of Beaufort to American breeders 

 when properly mated. Ma.stiff breeders will remember the 

 exhibition of mastiffs given at the Crystal Palace in honor 

 of the visit of the president of the American Mastiff Club, 

 and of the presentation of the mastiff bitch Albion (cham- 

 pion Hotspur— Nita) by Dr. Sidney Turner to Dr. Derby, 

 and his remark that by the unity of Beaufort and the Albion 

 blood the finest pups should be obtained. Shortly after 

 Albion's arrival she was .sent to my kennels and was ln:ed 

 to Beaufort, when she whelped one of the most remarkable 

 litters in every respect, so far as cmality and quantity goes. 

 She gave birth to 10 dogs and 5 bitch e,s. I call this B^eati- 

 fort's great, prize litter. Well may Dr. Derby be proud of 

 it. He will stand many points ahead whenever any appear 

 on the show bench should it be before a judge who knows a 

 mastiff. J. L. WiifCHELL. 



Fair H/Vvbn, Vt., April 18. 



THE AMERICAN SPANIEL CLUB JUDGES. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I notice, in April 16 issue, that a member of the above 

 club wishes to tell some of us how to cast otir vote for the 

 two vacancies that remain on the list of judges. Mr. Hem- 

 ingway and :Mr, West, as explained, will not be on the list 

 and two others Avill lake their places. Who shall those two 

 be? I think another misht be .substituted for Mr. Nelles, 

 thereby making thrRe. Mr. Kirk, of Toronto, is mentioned 

 as one and will probably give great satisfaction, Mr. Win- 

 slow is the other. I do not hold with his nomination. 

 Should not caU him a spaniel man; he is a first-rate gentle- 

 man socially— none other like him, and a great favorite and 

 as good a point; r judge as we have in America, but I am 

 sure the last few years he has not dabbled in .spaniels. 

 Count him out and put in "long and low" Otis Fellows. Now 

 la.st, but not least, comes the best of the trio, one who has 

 proved himself time and again the shrewde.st buyer and 

 breeder of any one in the country— that is G-eo. Bell. A man 

 who bujrs Obos and such like for !S4 and makes champions 

 of them is quite qualified as a judge. So cast your vote as 

 follows and be euided by your father and vbu won't go 

 wrong— Mason, Wilmerding, Willey, Oldham, Otis Fellows, 

 Elirk, Geo. Bell and Laidlaw. Pater. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



It was with much reluctance that, during the past circuit, 

 I had to so often disagree with the awards and criticisms of 

 the spaniel classes, and particularly where the Spaniel Club's 

 cups were competed for. I always avoided saying anything 

 where I was interested in any degree, and wish to make it 

 clear with regard to Baron's competition for the cup, that I 

 carefully prevented any arrangements whereby I became in- 

 terested in his defeat or success. This is a point I wish my 

 fellow members to know. In a recent issue you had a com- 

 munication recommending certain men for the new list of 

 judges for the Spaniel Chib, which did not seem to be ex- 

 actly to the taste of many exhibitors, and it seems tome 

 that the members of the club do not require to be so in- 

 structed. I wish to say in reply that, with many others, I 

 think that some provision should be made for some one 

 competent to handle the large Irish water spaniel classes at 

 the Western shows, and that others thoroughly acquainted 

 with the Clumber, the field, as well as cocker spaniels, 

 should be on the new list. In thus insuring a good and 

 equal representation for each variety, a fair proportion of 

 Canadians should be on the list, not only because it is their 

 right and equally proper as a matter of courtesy, but also 

 because of the desirability of having the judges so located 

 that their expenses will not be too heavy for "show commit- 

 tees. ED WrN H, ilOREIS. 



New York, April 24. 



NATIONAL BEAGLE CLUB MEETING. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



An executive meeting of the National Beagle Club was 

 held at -Mi Washington street, Boston, Mass., April 35. ' 



President O. W. Brooking called the meeting to order at 

 8 o'clock, the roll call showing two absentees. Minutes of 

 la.st meeting read and approved. Committees on banc£uet 

 and decoration gave their reports and were discharged. 



Several communications were read and accepted. Mr. 

 Schellhass was further instructed to fullfil duties imposed 

 upon him at the amalgamation meeting held at New York 

 and was elected delegate to represent the National Beagle 

 Club at meetings of the American Kennel Club. Mr, W. S. 

 Gates, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, was elected a member. 



Dr. W. A. Power, chairman, Messrs. Rutter, Jamieson, 

 Clark and Turpin were appointed a committee by the presi- 

 dent to carry out the vote of the club in regard to incorpora- 

 tion under the laws of Massachusetts. 



Much discussion in regard to the National Beagle Club 

 field trials followed and the executive committee was in- 

 structed to look up and report at the next meeting any 

 grounds they may see before that time. It is exoected at 

 the next meeting the time and place may be selected so that 

 those who desire to train their dogs may be assured that the 

 field trials will be held. The prizes will be liberal and a 

 large entry is expected. Meeting then adjourned until Sat- 

 urday, May. 3. Hubite. 



THE LATE MR. PORTER, 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



By a vote of the Executive Committee of the Bulldog Club 

 of America, the following was adopted: 



miercas, The All- Wise Disposer of htiman events has 

 taken from us by the hand of death, .suddenly on the 16th 

 inst., our highly respected friend, colleague and vice-presi- 

 dent, Edgar Sheffield Porter, who was one of the prime 

 movers in the formation of our club and has been our valued 

 associate, be it 



Resolved, That acquiescing as we must in this dispensa- 

 tion of Divine Providence, we cannot but lament the loss we 

 have sustained, as individuals, and as members of this club. 



Besolved, That we express in this manner our* high ap- 

 preciation of his many excellent qualities which endeared 

 him to each one of us, and of his valuable services so cheer- 

 fully rendered to the club, and of which we regret that we 

 must henceforth be deprived. 



Resolved, That these proceedings be imblished, as our 

 testimony of the worth ot one who has been called from us, 

 in the summer of his years and usefulness, and that they bo 

 communicated to his family as expressive of our cordial 

 sympathy in their great bereavement. 



Chas. D. CtTGLE, Sec'y. 



HAMILTON DOG SHOW.— Hamilton, Canada.— Editor 

 Forest and Stream: I have the pleasure to inform you hereby 

 that the bench show of the Hamilton Kennel Club will be 

 held in this city on 9th, lOfch and 11th Sept., 1891. and the 

 club now claims these dates.— A. D. Stewart, Pres.H. K. C. 



