1864.] 
AMERICAN ACtRICULT URTST. 
9 
The Prairie Wolf —{Canis lairans.) | 
Those of our readers who live in the far Wes -, 
or those who have travelled over the great prai¬ 
ries which lie between the Mississippi and the 
Pacific, will recognize in the above engraving 
a very familiar animal. At the East, this wolf 
is only known in confinement, it being occasion¬ 
ally seen in collections of wild animals, and dur¬ 
ing the past Summer, one has been added to 
the curiosities of the Central Park, where he 
has attracted a great deal of attention from the 
thousands who visit that popular resort. To 
introduce him to many other thousands, our 
artist has induced him to stand for his portrait., 
and succeeded in getting a most striking like¬ 
ness. The prairie wolf is found from the Mis¬ 
souri river to the Pacific Ocean, and from North¬ 
ern Mexico to Canada. Its size is about that of 
a common pointer dog; its color is a yellowish 
gray, mixed with a little black, especially on the 
tail. The face of this wolf is so much like that 
of a fox that one might at first sight readily 
mistake it for a gray fox. The voice of the ani¬ 
mal is several sharp barks followed by a pro¬ 
longed howl of the most dismal description. 
It is sometimes called the Barking Wolf, and 
in Texas it bears the Mexican name of Coyote. 
These wolves are sometimes seen singly, but 
they more generally travel in packs of 6 or 8. 
In the matter of food, nothing in the way of birds 
or quadrupeds comes amiss to them, and when 
hard pushed by hunger, they will even feed on 
carrion. They are very troublesome to settlers 
in the countries where they are numerous, from 
their partiality to chickens and mutton. In 
travelling over the western plains we have more 
than once been obliged to make our breakfast 
without meat, the wolves having crept into 
camp and stolen that which was provided for 
our morning meal. Like the fox in the fable, 
they are very fond of grapes, and they descend 
upon the vineyards at El Paso in such numbers 
tbit when the fruit is ripening it is necessary to 
keep an armed guard to drive them off. These 
animals arc remarkably swift of foot, and in 
packs of half a dozen or more they will chase 
and run down deer. It is said that the prairie 
wolf is easily tamed if taken when young, and 
that in their domesticated state they make them¬ 
selves useful as rat catchers. They burrow in 
the ground, and produce five to seven young ones 
at a litter in the months of March and April. 
Leghorn Fowls. 
J. C. Thompson, of Staten Maud, who has 
imported stock of this breed of fowls, gives us 
an account of his experience with them. He 
says: “I know of no 
better layers, and they 
are not disposed to sit. 
The chicks are very 
hardy, well fledged, and 
very precocious; the 
male birds crow when 
6 weeks old, and lhe 
pullets lay at to 4 
months old. The weight 
of the full-grown fowls 
is 5 lbs.; the} 1 ' are of all 
colors, and are often 
pure white. Their combs 
and wattles are very 
large; the face or ears 
are from a pinkish white 
to a pure'white. The 
size of the combs and wattles is an objection in 
cold climates; in the latitude of New-York City 
it is necessary to protect them against extreme 
cold weather, but they lay well in Winter when 
so protected. The Brahma Pootras are con¬ 
sidered best for cold climates,, and are said to 
be excellent winter layers. They are very large 
and remarkably quiet birds.” 
Fig. 1. 
Straw Shelters, Stables, Ropes, etc- 
The only abundant building material of the 
open prairie appears to be straw or ha}-. Shel¬ 
ters for all domestic animals are constructed of 
it. A few poles form a roof-support, and the 
straw is piled about and upon them. On the 
sides of the shed the straw is either simply a 
trodden down heap, trimmed with a hay-knife 
on the inside, or it is piled against rails. These 
are very warm sheds, (see fig. 1)—but they wet 
through, leak, and the straw' rots and must be 
removed after a short time. Accumulation of 
straw on the prairies is now prevented so far as 
the heading harvesters are used. These it is 
well known cut simply the heads of the wheat, 
leaving the straw as tall stubble. ■ Still there are 
comparatively few headers in use, and straw 
heaps, new and old, dot the prairies far and near, 
or their burning illuminates the country by night. 
Instead of the shelter now in vogue, better 
sheds might be built, using the same materials. 
Much of the tall stubble cut close to the ground 
is long enough to make most excellent and dur¬ 
able thatch, if well put on. A few bundles of 
wheat might be threshed out by hand, and the 
straw saved, or even the machine threshed straw 
might be used and answer tolerably well, if a 
sharp pitch be given to the roof. Thatching is 
understood by many immigrants and the princi¬ 
ples upon which good work depends are so sim¬ 
ple, that where heftuty is not demanded, any 
handy man will make a tight roof after a little 
experience. There are several methods of using 
straw to form the sides or walls of these sta¬ 
bles. A convenient way is to set upright poles 
about 8 inches apart, and draw wisps o! straw 
round each, so that both ends of each wisp shall 
be outside. It is best to lay these in horizontal 
courses and beat down each course as it is laid, 
keeping it uniform and tight. As the filling h 
with straw progresses, there maybe a split, pole 
woven in once in three feet or so, to hold th* 
Fife. 3.— DOOR FRAME. Fig. 4.— STRAW DCOR. 
uprights in place. The straw is finally to be 
raked down on the outside so as to shed rain 
well. This makes a tight, warm, and lasting 
wall. The inner side is quite even, and it may 
be sprinkled with-mud if there is danger of the 
, animals pulling out the straw to eat. (See fig. 2.) 
Straw Doors and Shutters.— It is a great 
convenience, where lumber is scarce, to be able 
to make expeditiously a good door or shutter of 
any kiadi Constructed of straw a door maybe 
strong, light and tight. Tie. or wire together, a 
frame of round sticks—braced or stayed by 
cross-pieces to give requisite strength. (Fig. 3.) 
This frame should fit loosely in the window or 
door-place, and one of the upright pieces should 
be strong enough to hang the door by. Then 
wind a straw-rope of IT to 2 inches in diameter 
.around the longest way so as to cover the frame 
Next, weave a tighter wound -straw-rope, back 
and forth plaiting the whole in a single mat. 
Fig. 4.) The strands on each side of the frame 
Fig. 5.— IMPLEMENT FOR TWISTING STRAA ROPE 
maybe plaited separately, forming thus a double 
thickness of the straw mat. We have seen a>. 
fairs made in this way by the soldiers, and stuf¬ 
fed with straw as the weaving progressed, anA 
when done they made very good beds. 
Straw Rope is made by twisting damp straw 
Sprinkle a heap of straw the night before. Af 
farmers should possess a set of centre-bits and 
stock. Take a large -contre-bit and attach s 
stout wire hook to it and place it in the bit 
stock. Where the bit-stock is w T anting, contrive 
some substitute. Two persons are required—one 
twists a loop of straw into the hook, (fig. 5,) and 
walks backward turning from left to right; the 
other remains a t the straw heap and feeds fresh 
straw to the lengthening rope. A sufficient 
length being attained, the rope is fastened upon 
a fence or between poleo or trees until dry, when 
it will not untwist. 
In order to reach perfection it is necessary to 
have either very faithful friends or implacable 
enemies; since we must be made sensible of 
our failings, either by the admonitions of the 
former, or the invectives of the latter. 
