FOREST -AND STREAM. 
[April 28, 1900. 
volving cylinder of wire cloth. Make disks of 18 inches 
with four strips to stiffen the cylinder and cover this 
with No. 2 wire cloth. Run an axle through it and set 
it so that it will revolve in the current, with 6 inches 
of water to turn it; i. e., set it in water to that depth. 
A half inch below the cylinder set a board edgewise under 
its center, and all leaves and fine trash will be passed with- 
out clogging. This can be made to fit a trough or box. 
A coarse screen should be placed in front of it to catch 
sticks. 
ANGLING NOTES. 
Feeding Fish. 
Mr. G. H. Richards, of Boston, sends me a letter from 
which I make the following extract: "I appreciated some 
remarks which you made in your 'Angling Notes' in 
Forest and Stream some little time ago as to the prog- 
ress in fishculture abroad compared with that in this 
country. X acted long ago on some hints received 
through you, partly from Mr. .Von Scheidlin's communi- 
cation, which you lent me, and from other sources. As 
a result, I have entirely avoided liver, horse and meat in 
' general in feeding the fish raised from a small hatchery 
which we run for stocking some club waters. The differ- 
ence in the appearance of our fish compared with those 
of the ordinary fishculturist is very marked. We turn out 
most of them as fingerlings, but a few yearlings, which 
we kept over until last fall, had all the brilliancy of wild 
fish in the spawning season. We have some European 
sea trout eggs now hatching, and I hope in. a few years 
to know whether they will run to the sea and return to 
the same streams in this country, as they do abroad." 
The Von Scheidlin method of feeding fish, particularly 
trout, is to feed them natural food, bred for the purpose, 
and the inventor of the method has written me some 
wonderful accounts of the success he has met with. In 
fact, it is so wonderful we can scarcely comprehend it. 
The method is a secret one, and I have already referred 
to it in this journal so far as I was able to do so, as Mr. 
Von Scheidlin, an Austrian civil engineer, and his part- 
ner, Mr. Rakus, a fish breeder, desire to sell the secret 
of their method of fish feeding, which is, in brief, to breed 
natural foods in certain proportions — different foods at 
different ages of the fish — to produce with one propor- 
tion fat and with another proportion muscle. When J 
say that Mr. Von Scheidlin has told me that by his sys- 
tem of feeding he has reared trout that at twelve months 
of age weighed 2 pounds, it will be understood why I 
say it is so marvelous that we on this side can scarcely 
comprehend it. 
Mr. Richards' mention of sea trout, Trutta, reminds me 
to say that some sea trout have been planted in the waters 
of New York State, and if they have remained where 
planted it is possible that some may be taken this year. 
They are descended from a lot of eggs I imported for a 
newspaper with which I was at one time connected, and 
several generations were reared in fresh water before any 
of the yoimg were planted in wild waters. In Europe the 
sea trout is landlocked in several districts, and it is one 
of the finest of angling fishes, and I wonder that further 
effort has not been made to introduce the fish over here, 
particularly the landlocked form. A friend who has taken 
them in Scotland tells me that he considers the sea trout 
the finest game fish that swims. " 
Fish aad Game Repottt. 
Sir Herbert Maxwell, writing me from London about 
the third annual report of the Fisheries, Game and Forest 
Commission of the State of New York, mentions the 
illustrations in this wise: "You certainly have the art 
of making your official publications more exciting read- 
ing than those in this countrj'. Your third report is not 
less interesting than the two preceding volumes. The fish 
portraits are admirable. Those of birds and mammals, if 
I may be critical, are less satisfactory in color — e. g., the 
wood duck (p. 256), of which the exquisite plumage would 
have received more effect if shown on a quieter back- 
ground." 
I happen to know that the Commission has made an 
effort to have the fish and birds accurately represented, 
and to this end no expense has been spared; and yet there 
have been some failures in a minor degree, as Sir Her- 
bert points out. The deer in the first report, for the 
year 1895, show just what the figures were taken from — 
stuffed specimens — and the artist was so accurate in his 
reproduction that it did not require to be labeled 
"stuffed." The artist and all concerned regret that the 
illustration was used. No backgrounds are used for the 
fish, and in the bird illustrations a background is only 
worked in. (and is of secondary importance) to bring 
out the figure more plainly, but at the same time give 
an impressionable idea of the haunt of the bird figured. 
The bird drawings for the forthcoming report were sub- 
mitted to an expert in bird life, and upon his sugges- 
tion some changes were made, which the artist conceded 
were proper. 
The State printer spares no expense in reproducing the 
colored drawings,* and the work is done by lithography, 
requires from twelve to eighteen stones to get the exact 
colors in the originals, but when- completed it is difficult 
to separate the lithographs from the original drawings. 
The demand for these reports is so great that not half 
of those who apply for them can be supplied; but the 
number of copies is limited by law, and when the edition 
for any one year is exhausted the Commission is power- 
less to supply more. Just here T will give an extract from 
en.editorial in a Rome, N. Y., newspaper, the Sentinel; 
"The Fisheries, Game and Forest Commission of this 
State has issued the complete report for 1897, and it is a 
model of art as well as of information — a worthy suc- 
cessor to the reports of other years. These reports have 
been more elaborate than any others in this State, and 
no doubt have been so wisely. Their influence has been 
toward arousing the public to an appreciation of fish, 
game and forest protection. By making the documents 
attractive by illustration and by neatness, the facts have 
gained vastly more attention and deeper lodgment in the 
public mind than would dry statistics. Considering how 
important it is that all should reaHze what great gain is 
possible from development of our woods and,|tre||nSj ft 
IS worth going a long way to accdmpHsh that realization." 
The press of this State and other States and Europe has 
commended this report without a single criticism of the 
cost of preparing the volume. The foreign newspapers— 
the Times, Daily Mail, Pall Mall Gazette, Academy, 
Field, Land and Water, Fishing Gazette and other jour- 
nals — have reviewed it in different years and urged that 
the British Blue Book be modeled after it. Many public 
documents are printed only to go in large part back to the 
paper mills, or are piled up unused in the departments that 
issue them; but the Fisheries, Gaine and Foi'est Com- 
mission reports are read and preserved, and to-day the 
Cimmissioners that issued them find it impossible to get 
copies of past reports when they urgently desire to do 
so for special purposes. A. N. Cheney. 
New Jersey Shore Fishmg'* 
AsBURY Park, N. J., April 21. — Not within many years 
has fishing been slower than is the case along our coast. 
While shad are very plentiful and are being taken each 
day in the pound nets, nothing of interest to the angler 
has developed. Herring too are very abundant, and it is 
ordinarily understood that the bass move in company with 
both of the former species, but very few have been taken 
in the nets and none on the hook. The winter flounder 
usually so abundant at this season of the year, is very 
scarce in our rivers, not more than a dozen so far as I 
can learn having been taken. They are taken freely in the 
nets at sea, but apparently are holding aloof from our 
tidal streams. White perch are, however, on the move 
and are beginning to take the hook freely, and that affords 
some relief. 
Sickness has prevented my visiting any of the trout 
streams, but reports are fair. Some good catches have 
been made, and the fish are reported to be in fine condition. 
Manager Harson of the Eatontown hat factory one after- 
noon recently took four 34-pound fish, casting from his 
office into the stream which passes directly underneath. 
This I believe to be one of the most unique experiences in 
the history of trout fishing. Leonard Hulit. 
San Francisco Fly-Casting; Club. 
Medal contest, series 1900. contest No. S, held at Stow 
Lake, April 15. Wind, east; weather, perfect; 
Event Event Event 
No. 1, No. 2, No. i; 
Distance, Accuracy, . Event No. 8, . Lure 
Feet Per cent. Acc. % Del. % Net % Casting^J 
H Battu 80 93 91.4 75.10 83.7 75 
W E Brooks.... 80 89 87.4 65.10 76.7 54 
E Everett .. 93.4 89.4 71.8 80.6 
H C Golcher. . .103 92.4 93 70 81.6 
F M Haight.... 69 89.8 89.4 75.10 82.7 
S A Heller 61 .. 74 57.6 65.9 
C Huyck 91 92 87 63.4 75.2 
A E Lovett 100 94 93.8 75.10 84.9 78 
W D Mansfield... 95 94. S 75.10 85.3 90.3 
H F Muller 90 92.4 85 76. S 80.10 ^5 
E H Reed 85 92.8 91.4 66.8 79 70 
C C Stratton... 73 89.8 77 65 71 68 
Judges, Everett, Muller and Haight; referee, Mansfield; 
clerk, Huyck. 
Contest No. 5, held at Stow Lake April 14. Wind, west ; 
weather, clear. 
Battu 90 87 89.4 62.6 75.11 83.4 
Brothertoti 105 79.4 83.4 68.4 75.10 51 
Brooks 92 72.4 80 58.4 69.2 
Everett .100 89.4 86.4 66.8 76.6 
Golcher 116 86 88.8 72.6 .80.7 
Lovett 115 94 91.4 76.8 84 73.1 
Mansfield 93.4 92.8 75.10 84.3 83.1 
Muller 100 90.8 74.4 73.4 73.10 
Skinner 81 81.8 84.4 68.4 76.4 58 
Young 91 88 87. S 73.4 80.6. 
Judges, Brotherton and Muller; referee, Everett. 
Wlw Mmml 
Fixtures. 
FIELD TRIALS. 
Nov. 13.— Chatham, Ont.— Twelfth annual field trials "of the In- 
ternational Field Trials Club. W. B. Wells, Hon. Sec'y. 
Mov. 18.— Newton, N. C— Eastern Field Trial Club's twenty- 
second annual field trials. S. C. Bradley, Sec'y, Greenfield Hill, 
Conn. 
As to Field Sports. 
Man has ever been a hunter or a fisherman. The pur- 
suit and capture are dear to him in practice and cherished 
in memory. In the world's literature, the part devoted to 
the sports of land and water is far from being insignificant 
in volume, in universality of interest, or the genius and 
numbers of its contributors. 
From the earliest dawn of history, man has been en- 
dowed with a passionate fondness for the fatigue, excite- 
ment, danger and success or defeat incident to the chase. 
This impulse was a necessary instinct, for by it in his 
earlier days savage man was impelled to seek a sub- 
sistence. Nor even then- was the chase dcA^oid of sport: 
for who can portray the delights which profoundly stirred 
man's being when pursuit was rewarded by capture, after 
strength and craft were taxed to the' utmost in the strife 
for conquest? 
The successful hunter must needs be strong, brave, en- 
during, with a good nerve, a steady hand, a true eye, and 
keen intelligence withal. Are not these the qualities of 
the men best fitted for the battle^ of life? Savage man in 
his rude way and civilized man in his gentle way, alike 
prize them. He is proud of the success of his most valiant 
ancestors; proud of the success of his friendly compeers, 
and proud of his own success. Since the time when 
savage man could first put his thoughts in words, his 
traditions were of the deeds of mighty hunters and mighty 
fishermen. 
When he evolved into higher planes of life, and the 
pen enabled him to give his thoughts permanency, the 
literature of dog and gun, of rod and reel, was not neg- 
lected. It has grown with civilization. It has been en- 
riched by the contributions of the ages. 
The time came when all men could not be hunters. In- 
stinctively man was a hunter, but the necessities of life 
forced him to become a tiller of the soil. Still, while his 
hand was on the hoe, his fancy could be roaming where 
the birds and beasts had their habitat. Being gifted vi^ith 
imagination, he talked of them and wrote of them, and 
found that there was a pleasure in it all, even though he 
was denied their pursuit. 
With a higher civilization came a better understanding 
of nature and nature's creatures. Savage man was bur- 
dened with superstitions of deities and demons of moun- 
tain and valley; civilized man adores the infinite handi- 
work spread before him on every side, so majestic in scope 
and so beautiful in its details. There are all the deli- 
cacies of texture, variety, harmony and beautiful coloring 
to please the eye, let it gaze over the landscape whither it 
may ; and the hunter of the present day has a refined sense 
of enjoyment far removed from the savage joy of primi- 
tive man who killed and was happy. 
At the present day the artistic features dominate the 
sport. Guns, rods, costumes, boats and the thotisand and 
one other things which make up the tools of sport are 
works of art. Their application is artistic too. Whether 
a man fishes or fowls, he, if up to modern standards, must 
have an artistic equipment and apply it in an artistic, skill- 
ful manner. The artistic features are what please man 
most. Pie demands them. The appreciation of the beau- 
tiful and the skillful dominates the sport. Man thus has 
learned to take his sport in better ways. It is idealism 
with barely enough realism to give it tangibility upon 
which to rest. 
As to Its Literature and Art. 
While the literature of the dog and gun and rod and 
reel has been of rare excellence, and increased with the 
passing of the years, the pictorial talent, till within a com- 
paratively modern period, has lagged behind. Not that 
there has not been diligent and repeated attempts, and 
not that there has not been abundance of enthusiastic ap- 
preciation of the value of true art, but that the gift of 
good painting apparently is rarer by far than is the gift of 
good writing. I'here are thousands who have a gift which 
enables them to appreciate the beautiful, but of these 
thousands there may not be one who is able to create a 
work of art. The writer of a beautiful idea may ex- 
press it in a handwriting devoid of all pretense of beauty, 
and yet the idea itself is not thereby marred. The painter 
of a beautiful idea is conceded no such indulgence. His 
work is in the domain of realism, and it must impress the 
beholder accordingly. 
While the true genius in art has always been rare, there 
were certain special considerations in field sports which 
therein barred the way of the artist. ' Some artists excel as 
draftsmen, some as painters of landscapes, some as paint- 
ers of animals, some as colorists. He who succeeds best 
as a painter of field scenes must excel in all. He must 
have a correct knowledge of the anatomy of man and dog; 
otherwise what he strives to consider serious will appear 
as simple caricatures to the educated eye. Man and dog 
being right, the setting of field and forest must be right 
too, else there is an essential missing. Then all the 
technical details of the sport mu.st _be right — the man must 
hold his gun right, and with an air of purpose and alert- 
ness becoming the situation; the dog must be doing 
his part correctly and showing a proper spirit, and there 
must not be any incongruities of detail which negatives 
the whole, such as woodcock shooting on sand and rocks, 
or snipe shooting on a rocky ttxountain side, 
As to Mr. Edmund H. Osthaus' Great Work. 
These thoughts came to me not long since when I had 
the fortunate privilege of gazing upon a grand painting 
from the brush of the famous artist, Mr. Edmund H. 
Osthaus, of Toledo, O. This magnificent work is owned 
by Mr. S. Murray Mitchell, and adorns the office of the 
Aldine Hotel, Philadelphia, of which he is the proprietor. 
It is 6 X i6 feet, and is divided into three panels, on 
which are painted life-size portraits of Mr. Mitchell's 
dogs— ten in all. In color, the dogs are black, white and 
tan, and orange and white. So true is the portraiture that 
any one who knows the dogs would recognize them one 
from another in the picture at a glance. In the right 
hand panel is the black, white and tan dog Signal, lying 
down, while close by, side by side, sit Maggie and May, 
serenely contented. In the middle -panel is the orange and 
white field trial setter, Sandy Gladstone, on point, sup- 
ported by Pink, Jan and Doskey, all in spirited pose, as is 
becoming to dogs which are at the climax of capture or 
escape. The left hand panel contains portraits of Ida, 
Thacker and Helen, one of which in the foreground is in 
the act of picking up a quail which she is hurriedly 
gathering to retrieve. A sportsman stands in the back- 
ground. Thus, besides being excellent, lifelike portarits 
of the dogs themselves, there is such a deft composition 
that there is a theme of both home and fields interwoven ; 
, the dogs contentedly lying down in one panel, the dogs 
on point and back in the next panel, and the dogs retriev- 
ing game and rallying to their master in the third panel. 
The dogs are all well-bred setters, and the texture of their 
coats and their coloring are depicted with a marvelous 
reahsm. There is a different landscape in each panel, 
yet all with such warmth and harmony of coloring as to 
form a pleasing picture in itself. Art connoisseiu-s who 
have seen it have pronounced it a faultless work in artis- 
tic technique, composition and fidelity to its subject. 
. In passing it may be mentioned that Mr. Osthaus has 
painted several other famous field pictures, one of which 
portrayed Mr. W. W. Titus with two famous field trial 
dogs, all life size, in a Mississippi scene of woods and 
fields. This picture was shown at the Sportsmen's Show 
in Madison Square Garden three or four years ago, and 
was always the center of an admiring audience. 
He has painted the portrait of nearly every field trial 
dog of note whicli has run within recent years, and his 
work is always marked by the same elegance and ac- 
curacy, whether in oil, water color or pencil. Incidentally 
he paints equally well in other branches of his_ art. He is 
an indefatigable worker, and apart from his hours of 
recreation has no idle moments. Being a thoroughly 
practical and finished sportsman himself, he knows how 
every detail of a field scene should be composed. The 
chicken shooting of the prairie, the quail shooting of the 
North and South, the woodcock and snipe shooting, are 
all as an open book to him, for he has passed days and 
weeks with them all. He also is an adept with the rod 
and reel in matters of the bass and trout. 
But one ipight be with him for days or weeks and 
never J<noV that he knew how to fish, or sh.oot a bird on 
the wing, or paint a p'icture, fo'r he is the last one or all 
