4S4 



FOREST V AND STREAM. 



[May 18, 1898. 



World's Fair Dog Show. 



World's Columbian Commission, Department of Live 

 Stock, Chicago, May 10.— Editor Forest and Stream: I deem 

 it best to call the atteution of those iuterested in the keTinel 

 exhibit of the exposition to the fact that the committee on 

 awards of the National Commission under the general plan do 

 not desire tomake precedent that might be injurious to other 

 exhibits by naming the judges for the kennel exhibit in ad 

 vance of receiving entries. They appreciate fully the force 

 of custom and their desire in common with the breeders, and 

 this department, is for the best show possible. I can heartily 

 indorse their interest and can assure exhibitors that the 

 judges for this exhibit will be persons whose ability, integrity 

 and prominence are S'Uch as will render them acceptable to 

 exhibitors. I have waited until this late date for' such a de- 

 cision, hoping that I would beabletoprintareAdsed premium 

 list containing some additional classes and corrections, with 

 a list of judges. The late date at which this decision reached 

 me renders it inadvisable to do this, consequently no edition 

 of the premium list for the kennel exhibit will be issued 

 other than the one now in force, until near June 1, when a 

 new edition of the entire live stock premium list will be 

 issued containing all corrections up to June 1. Copies of the 

 present list with entry blanks can be had by addressing the 

 undersigned. I deem it important to state that the date for 

 clo.sing entries in the kennel exhibit has been extended from 

 May 20 to June 1, a,nd in addition to state that the depart- 

 ment of livestock has authority to create such additional 

 classes in any division as in its judgment will add to the in- 

 terest of the exhibit, and that this course will be pursued in 

 the kennel division. Wherever a sufficient number of en- 

 tries (ten) in any breed not mentioned in the printed premium 

 list is oifered, an additional class will be created with such 

 premiums as seem proper. 



Breeders and owners of dogs will, I trust, appi-eciate the 

 earnestness and desire of this department to maKe the kennel 

 exhibit one worthy of the kennel interests of this country, 

 and I as!5iire them t will do whatever lies in my power, either 

 in the creation of separate classes or in any other way to make 

 the kennel exhibit an unqualified success. 



Mr, James Mortimer, superintendent of the exhibit, can be 

 addressed on and after the 15th day of this month at Chi- 

 cago. 



I sincerely trust we shall have the continued encourage 

 ment and ai'd of all clubs, and take this manner of thanking 

 the clubs who have generously offered special preminms and 

 trophies, and who have so frequently taken opportunity to 

 show their interest and support of this feature of the Live 

 Stock Department. 



Any information desired by those interested will be gladly 

 furnished by this department. W. I. BiJCiiANAN, 



Chief Dept. of Agriculture (in charge Dept. of Live Stock). 



The Latest News. 



FoKEST AKD STREAM OFFICE, Chicago, May 17 —Special to 

 Forest and Stream: Nothing startling in World's Fair dog 

 show. Only fifteen entries so far and ten exhibitors. Of course it 

 is far too early yet for many entries. The Canadian entries are 

 all expected in' a lump. Thos. .Johnson, of Winnipeg, will 

 enter two pointers and three setters. Mr. E. Edmond, of 

 Yarmouth, England, cables to know whether or not his 

 entry has been received. He enters the crack great Dane 

 Earl of Warwick. No other European entries heard from at 

 this date. The time for entrance having been extended till 

 June 1, the great crush of entries will naturally be about 

 June 1 to June 3. E. Hough. 



Spaniels in Hot Countries. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



My own experience leads me to fully indorse all that your 

 correspondent says, in Forest and 'Stream of March 33, 

 about the merits of the old br^ed of cocker spaniels Their 

 small size makes them less objectionable in a house than 

 setters or pointers, and so if allowed to live indoors with 

 their owners, their intellects can be cultivated to a degree 

 that is difficult with dogs which are always kept in kennels 

 outside. While pointers or setters are certainly better than 

 other breeds for special kinds of sport, the little cocker 

 spaniel is like a pocket rifle, a constant companion, always 

 at hand and ready to do his best at anything. The breed has 

 been neglected in England during the last thirty or forty 

 years, in consequence of the battue system having been ex- 

 tended to woodcock shooting. In many or most of the large 

 coverts these birds are put up by lines of beaters, a method 

 preferred by those sportsmen whose chief pleasiu-e consists 

 m making large bags. On the other hand, those who care 

 for well trained spaniels derive half their pleasure from see- 

 ing the intelligence and intense enjoyment displayed by their 

 little companions wliile searching. 



I am acquainted with no European breed equal to the 

 cocker for working well in a tropical climate. I never heard 

 how the Southern States of America agree with dogs, but 

 imagine that the heat must have the same effect there as in 

 South Africa and India, when nearly all those of foreign 

 breed are so liablei^to various diseases, especially of the liver 

 and skin, that they rarely survive many years. If they; do 

 live they often become listless and useless. This is particu- 

 larly the case with foxhounds, pointers, curly-haired retrievers 

 and in perhaps a less degree, with setters; but the small 

 breeds of spaniels, and above all cockers, can be kept in good 

 health and full of energy for field work without difficulty. 

 One of my friends in "India owned a short-legged and not 

 very heavy spaniel which, besides finding and retrieving 

 winged game, would follow the trades of a deer and hang on 

 tp its throat if it tried to escape. 



I had a highly bred cocker of a deep orange red color, in 

 the plains of India for seven years, during which time she 

 was never ill for an hour and never lost her enthusiasm for 

 sport. I bought her when a puppy, and the knowledge of 

 field work was hereditary in her to such a degree, that the 

 first time I took her out with the gun, at the age of about 

 eight months, she quartered the ground during a whole 

 afternoon like an old trained dog, keeping well within range. 

 She would put up quail, partridge, hare or snipe, and retrieve 

 ducks from_ water. (This last accomplishment is, however, 

 hardly desirable in many hot countries, on account of the 

 danger from alligators.) 



The little dog had one peculiarity that I never saw in any 

 other spaniel. Occasionally when scenting a snipe hidden 

 in a tuft of grass, or a quail in a thick bush, she used to stand 

 with one foreleg raised, exactly like a pointer. 



Many sportsmen prefer large spaniels because their weight 

 enables them to push through heavy cover with less fatigue 

 than smaller ones; but a cocker spaniel can glide through 

 many places where a large dog cannot force his way. In 

 England rabbits often hide inside the thorn hedges which 

 grow on the tops of banks dividing fields, or else in dense 

 clumps of gorse, the spines of which touch the grass on every 

 side. One of my cocker spaniels used to drive" them out of 

 the gorse by dropping flat on her stomach and crawling 

 underneath. "When I was searching for them along the 

 hedge-rows she used to push her way between the stems of 

 the thorn bushes and drive them down into the fields. 



Not infrequently a rabbit ;\vould keep a short distance 

 ahead and refuse to leave the cover. In that case the spaniel 

 would come outside, gallop forward .50 or 60yds., re-enter the 

 hedge and di-ive back toward me, so as to force out the rab- 

 bit between iis. 



She gave tongue for rabbits in a different manner to that 

 used for other game, so that I always knew when to expect 

 a shot at the former. 



While almost every animal can be managed more ea.sily 

 by kindness than by severity, this is pre-eminently the rule 



with the cocker spaniel. He has a very excitable and 

 affectionate disposition, so is apt to lose his head if flogged; 

 but only make him thoroughly love you and_ he becomes 

 eager to oblige you, and if he makes a mistake it is through 

 his over eagerness preventing his waiting till he exactly 

 understands your wishes. Even vviUful disobodience I have 

 found less easily cured by beating than by speaking in a 

 serious tone and emphasizing each sentence by a tap on the 

 nose with a finger. 



As wild animals are very liable to sneak away on hearing 

 a man's voice, I have always trained my dogs, as much as 

 possible, to work by signs alone; to come to heel, for in- 

 stance, when a hand is waved backwards, or to range for 

 game when it is waved forward. The spaniel mentioned at 

 the beginning of this letter understood signs so completely 

 that she would go a considerabe distance to and search any 

 particular bush at which I pointed a finger. If necessary to 

 attract a dog's attention to a sign I give a low whistle in- 

 stead of speaking. 



From your correspondent's description of the cockers at 

 dog .shows in America, they seem to me to he crossed with 

 the Blenheim or King Charles breed. Without professing to 

 be a very good judge, I may say that the cockers I have 

 known have had noses inclined to be sharp, ears rounded 

 and not very long, and a coat rather short without curls, or 

 long tangled hairs to catch in thorns. Eyesight extremely 

 fine, the eyes being neither sunken nor very prominent. 



louring the last few months there has been some corres- 

 pondence in your paper about the treatment of gunshyness, 

 so I will describe a method which was quite successful in 

 curing the only dog I ever possessed with that failing. The 

 friend' from whom 1 bought her warned me that she was 

 useless, invariably bolting at the first shot and never stop- 

 ping till she reached home. I employed a man to lead her 

 with a strong cord so that she could not escape, when 1 was 

 out shooting, and carried a quantity of sweet cake in my 



Eocket. After each shot I stroked and .spoke soothingly to 

 er, gave her a piece of cake and allowed her to mouth the 

 bird if one were killed. In a little more than a week she 

 lost all fear of a gun, and soon began to be wild vrtth de- 

 light if I took up one while in the house. J. J. Meyrick. 



POINTS AND FLUSHES. 



[By a Staff Coo-respondent] 

 World's Fair Bench Show. 



Chicago, May 13.— By some mischance a telegram I sent 

 to Forest and Stream on May 9 miscarried, and the latest 

 news concerning a judges' list, etc., did not appear last week. 



Mr. Buchanan informed me that a revised premium list 

 would not be published. 



In Forest and Stream of May 4 I wrote: "It is rumored 

 that Mr. Buchanan will accept Canadian entries regardless 

 of any action of the Canadian clubs or exhibitors." This 

 rumo'r is misleading. Mr. Thos. Johnson, of Winnepeg, 

 Man., very kindly inclosed me information on the subject, 

 which he received direct from Mr. Buchanan. I quote such 

 parts as are pertinent to the subject, as follows: 



"I have to advise you that under the rules of the Exposition 

 all foreign exhibits are under control of the Commissioners 

 representing the several countries, and of course no individual 

 exhibits of dogs can be made from your province except 

 through them. 



"Understanding that the Canadian authorities place the 

 number of dogs from the Dominion at about two hundred, 

 which I understand to be entirely satisfactory, I am not dis- 

 posed to interfere with such internal arrangements in the 

 selections of these as the Commissioners deem best to make, 

 and must therefore respectfully decline to receive dogs except 

 through that medium." 



A Possibility. 



There is now an earnest movement with a formidable sup- 

 port, it is more than rumored, toward establishing a new or- 

 ganization of clubs in the West, with a policy which will be 

 more in sympathy with the people. This, however, as I un- 

 derstand it, is not the impelling force of the movement. The 

 multiplication of bench show organizations, the geographi- 

 cal features of this country as they affect bench show cir- 

 cuits, and the natural pressure which the wide growth of 

 canine interests gives are the most important reasons for the 

 contemplated movement. I hope to be able to give more 

 specific information next week. 



The Mongfolian Pheasant. 



This new game bird is growing in popular favor and its 

 cultivation is receiving more attention. On the northern 

 part of the Pacific coast they are well established, probably 

 permanently so. In Illinois they have been introduced and 

 there are most favorable reports that they will thrive. Dr. 

 M. F. Rogers, of New Albany, Miss., made an attempt to 

 raise some from eggs imported from the Northwest, but 

 failed on accoimt of bad weather, I believe, although I am 

 not positive. Mr. N. Wallace, Farmingtou, Conn., has had 

 excellent success in cultivating them. They will be a most 

 valuable addition to the game birds of America, but it will 

 be many years before they become common enough to afford 

 sport to the shooters in general. 



In a pleasant letter, Mr. L. F. Bartels writes me that the 

 St. Patrick Kennels have about concluded to send Monk 

 Bishop and the Pearl of Pekin to the World's Fair .show. 

 He also mentions that Mr. I. N. Porter, formerly of Denver, 

 has moved to Salt Lake City to engage in mu'sic business. 

 He intends to indulge in greyhounds, as soon as he is properly 

 located, and will try some coursing on Utah jack rabbits. 

 Mr. Porter is noted a admirer of coursing and famous in 

 Denver as a most successful wolf hunter. 



Mr. W. J. Beck, Columbus, Ohio, has sold the setter dog 

 Ightfleld Rhwilas to Mr. B. H. A^Tiitely, Springfield, Ohio, 

 for .|200. The price was incorrectly given in a contemporary 

 as being $400. 



Entries to the Northwestern Field Trial Club's Derby 

 close on June 15. Entry blanks can be obtained of the sec- 

 retary-treasurer, Mr. Thos. Johnson, Winnipeg, Manitoba. 



Mr. J. E. Isgrigg, of Montgomery Ward & Co.'s efficient 

 staff of experts, has some ideas in respect to the formation of 

 a sportsmen's club which are worthy of consideration. The 

 fishing, shooting and bench show clubs, he thinks, could 

 unite and furnish a club house, which would be a place 

 where all could meet, where all the sporting journals would 

 be kept on file, and where better acquaintance and good 

 fellowship would be promoted, and where visiting sportsmen 

 could meet the celebrities of sportsman.ship. It does seem 

 strange that Chicago has no club house of the kind men- 

 tioned. Other cities of far less pretentions have developed to 

 that stage of sportsmanship. B. Waters. 



909 Seouhiiy Buildins, Chicago. 



Sam W. Vidler, steward of the Cheyenne Mountain Club 

 of Colorado Springs, Col., has taken up greyhounds. Among 

 those ali-eady acquired by him are Buenero (Norwegian — 

 Bueneritiro),' Comedy (Lord Neversettle — Partera) and Bob 

 Up Serenely (Dingwall— Miss Kitten). Bueuero is a litter 

 sister to Flying Fancy, the runner np at the recent Huron 

 (S. D.) meet. Comedy was bred by H. C. Lowe, of Lawrence, 

 Kan. Bob Up Serenely comes from the St. Patrick Kennels 

 of Denver, Col. Dingwall, his sire, and Miss Kitten, his dam, 

 are two of the dogs presented by Col. North to "Buffalo 

 Bill." 



United States Fi^d Trials. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



It is with complete satisfaction mingled with pai'donable 

 pride that the management of the United States Field Trials 

 Club, calls attention to its third annual trials, believing that, 

 as in the past, its efforts toward placing field trials of bird 

 dogs on a higher plane of legitimate sport, worthy the 

 support and countenance of the better class, will be fully re- 

 cognized. The stone wall of prejudice that was wont to: 

 encircle field trials, has, under enlightened, advanced and 

 honorable methods, crumbled away until to-day field trial 

 contests of bird dogs stand for all that is honorable and 

 refined in the field of sport. Thousands of dollars are in- 

 vested .all over the land in the breeding and developing of the 

 pointer and setter. The United States Field Trials Club 

 decided to give two meetings this season instead of one, the 

 first to be held at Bicknell, Ind., beginning Nov. 6, and the 

 second to he held at Grand Junction, Tenn. next February, 

 thereby giving a fall and a spring meeting. The club in 

 giving two meetings assumes a respon.sibility of over |5,000, 

 as $2,400 in prizes will be given at each meeting. 



The United States Field Trials Club, believing that the 

 field is the only test wherein the merits of bird dogs can be 

 correctly determined, was not conceived in the spirit of 

 money-getting. No dividends are paid, all surplus ^oes back 

 to the club's patrons through betterments and increased 

 purses in future trials. Its aim is the advancement of the 

 bird dog and the offering to the public (free of admission fee) 

 a refined and elevating sport, free from aU objectionable 

 features, and surrounded with all the safe guards due society, 

 and where busy lives may taste the fragrant air, and in the 

 fiery contests forget all toil and care. The grounds at Bick- 

 nell and Grand Junction, made memorable through many con- 

 tests (that are now matters of history), need no eulogy on our 

 part, it is sufficient to say that they are a poet's dream, and 

 rarely will one find a spot of nature's handiwork rivaling the 

 beauty of these two preserves, the hills and plains, forest and 

 prairie, make scenes worthy the admiration of any artist in 

 the land. Having in view the comfort, convenience and 

 accommodations of its patrons, the club has decided to ex- 

 tend the time of closing the entries to the Bicknell Derby to 

 June 1. They have also arranged with Mr. J. M. Freeman 

 of Bicknell, who is one of the board of governors, to secure 

 locations for each and every handler who wishes to prepare 

 his dogs in the vicinity of Becknell. Mr. Freeman will take 



Eleasure in favoring all who may need his services. The 

 otel and livery accommodations at both Bicknell and Grand 

 Junction will be first-class at second-class prices. The 

 liberality on the part of the club it is hoped will be met in a 

 like spirit by the dogmen of the country, and the number 

 and quality of the entries in both trials such as to insure the 

 best of battles and the premier meetings in the annals of 

 field trials. The club stands at the head of the field trial 

 organizations, and always being mindful of the comfort and 

 full enjoyment of her patrons and guests, she now in the 

 full fruition of her exalted sphere, hopes for an indorse- 

 ment of here fforts. P. T. MADISON, Sec'y-Treas. 

 Indiamapoi.is, Ind. 



The American Kennel Club. 



It is doubtful if the American Kennel Club has ever passed 

 through a more momentous period than the present. Not 

 that there is much sound of dissension or discontent on the 

 surface, but there is a strong under-current of feeling which 

 the officials of the A. K. C. must take heed of and that will 

 probably be brought home to them at to-day's meeting. 

 There is a feeling of great discontent in the -West, and the- 

 kennel interests there have become so important in recent 

 years that the time has come when breeders and ejchibifcors 

 feel that their voices must be heard not through proxies of 

 New York men, but by men who are thoroughly in touch 

 with them and their ideas. There is an old saying that 

 you can catch more flies with molasses than with vinegar; 

 the A. K. C. in its curt and rather arbitrary manner of treat- 

 ing some correspondents, should remember this homely 

 truism. That Western exhibitors have an idea of startkig a 

 Western club is an open secret. We scarcely think that two. 

 clubs would be advisable. The A. K. C, however, must 

 spread out; it has a !ot of vigorous chicks to cover now and 

 it would seem as if the least that could be done would be to 

 have one important meeting held in a Western city once a 

 year. Do away with the advisory committee, let all business 

 'be done by the executive committee in open session and 

 full accounts be published at least in the official Kennel 

 Gazette. Keep an eye on the clubs and_ allow no do^-in-the- 

 manger acts, but bow to progress, Utilize that fast-increas^ 

 ing surplus to ijromote the breeding interests of the country, 

 by giving good cash specials for the best American-bred 

 dogs, taking one or two breeds at every show held under A. 

 K. C. rules; treat all alike— they aU pay 810; then would the 

 dogmen feel that the A. K. C. had ideas beyond grabbing up 

 the spare dollars and quarters of the fancy. Clubs should 

 elect men as delegates who are unbiased and who are suffi- 

 ciently in touch with both passing and past kennel interests, 

 that they can be depended upon not to be led away from 

 tlieir rea'l wishes by any one's glib tongue. Cut the regis- 

 tration fee in two. These suggestions are probably suffi- 

 cient for the present. The meetmg to-day, we_ believe, will 

 be an important one and more than one proposition that we 

 have touched upon above will be brought forward. 



Bedlin^on Terriers. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



It is with pleasure that I note an article on Bedliugton ter- 

 riers in your columns, but doubt very much if there exists a 

 real live Bedliugton fancier on this continent. At our best 

 shows the class is filled with a mediocre, soft-looking lot of 

 dogs that resemble poodles. Competition is also dull, \vhere- 

 as in the old times it waxed warm. The only Teasf)n that 

 can be assigned for the unpopularity of Bedlingtons lies in 

 the fact that they are too hard mouthed and rather qarrel- 

 some, but apart from this they are the gamest and most dare- 

 devil terrier in existence, and their appearance certainly 

 merits as much approval as the more popular Irish and other 

 terriers that I might mention. Besides this they require no 

 docking, are hardy (I mean the old stamp), and prolific 

 breeders. 



Of those shown recently I cannot speak authoritatively, 

 but their appearances are against them and they have a soft, 

 listless expression, though several of the best appeared to be 

 bad-tempered brutes. 



I know that there are Bedlingtons (of the blood of the old 

 champions whom yon mention) in the hands of people who 

 only require to be livened up some and take more interest in 

 the breed, and I think no better suggestion could be made 

 than the formation of a Bedlingtou terrier club during the 

 World's Fair dog show. The existence and influence of such 

 a body should interest others in the breed also. 



Why not reclaim some of the old timers, such as Messrs. 

 Wm. Jackson, J. F. Scholes, etc. Surely they still have a 

 love for the BedUngton terrier. Ttnesidek. 



IVIassachusetts Kennel Club. 



At the annual meeting for the election of officers of the 

 Massachusetts Kennel Club, Lynn, Mass., which was held 

 at the Revere House, Lynn, on Tuesday evening. May 9^ the 

 following gentlemen were elected to fill the various offices: 

 Robert Leslie, Pres.; Geo. W. Glazier, Vice-Pres.; John F. 

 Williams, Sec'y; A. M. Babb, Treas. Bench Show Commit- 

 tee— D. A. Williams, E. B. Eames, C. N. Symonds, W. B. 

 Phinney and Rudolph Weimer. 



