—— 
198 
a 
FOREST AND STREAM. 


Your first and greatest care is to secure a good wide base 
at the start; then let your beautiful green, compact hedge 
fence rise gradually and evenly, and train it into whatever 
form your fancy or taste may suggest—always avoiding the 
system called the ‘‘ topiary trimming.” 
By the use of the foregoing rules and observations, any 
skillful farmer can have a splendid hedge of the above 
named plant. It is not necessary for him to raise his seed 
plants, for he can secure them ready to hia hand of any 
responsible nurseryman. But as all may not be able to 
procure plants, who can procure seeds, we have given at 
considerable length our own experiencé and knowledge of 
this hardy, reliable plant and our manner of handling it. 
OLLIPOD QUILL. 

toe 
BEST TIME FOR EXTERMINATING 
BUSHES. 
ae ES 
FARMER in Western New York says:—‘‘Having 
been brought up on a farm I used to hear much said 
by farmers in regard to the ‘best time for cutting bushes,’ 
ete., and remember well the many uncertainties that ex- 
isted and the various opinions given on the subject. Some 
recommended to cut at one season, some at another; some 
regarded the ‘moon,’ others the ‘signs,’ etc. 1 also remem- 
ber that the same kind of underbrush, if cut at one season, 
would start again and grow luxuriantly, but if cut at an- 
other would be completely used up. I have also, within 
the past few years, had opportunity to notice the same 
facts, and the conclusion that I have arrived at is, that dif- 
ferent shrubs may be cut at different seasons. Some are 
killed by cutting at the first of August; others in October 
or November. ‘The rule is this: ‘Cut any plant or shrub 
about the time it has done growing for the season, an:! its 
destruction is almost certain.’ If cut before this it will 
generally start again the next year. The exceptions are 
few. So much for the fact; now for the theory. First, in 
the spring of the year all roots are vigorous; hence, if a 
tree or shrub be cut at this time, or while in full growth, 
the root will send forth anew set of shoots. The excep- 
tions are—tfirst, evergreens generally, as pine, hemlock, 
spruce, etc.; second, those that have a copious flow of sap 
in the spring, as the maple, birch, etc. Yet even some of 
those will start again if cut soon after the buds have 
opened; that is, after the spring flow of sap has ceased, 
except in the case of old trees, in which the root appears 
not sufficiently vigorous, or the evaporation from the new 
stump too rapid, to allow of the formation of new shoots. 
Second—in autumn, when a shrub or tree has done grow- 
ing for the season, the active energies | of the root cease, 
being perhaps somewhat exhausted by its summer action. 
If, then, the bush or tree be cut, after it has done growing, 
but while the stem and leaves are fresh and full of sap, 
the vital force of the root will scarcely be sufficient to 
cause a new growth; but if left till the foliage is dead or 
dying, the energies of the root are restored by the return of 
the sap, and are ready for action as soon as the season of 
growth shall return. Hence, too early or too late cutting 
will be equally unsuccessful. Cut ycur underbrush, then, 
at the time above specified, and it will rarely start again. 
If it does, the growth will appear stunted and sickly, and 
soon die of its own accord, or a second cutting at the 
proper time will insure success. The same rule applies to 
all plants, as Canada thistles, milk weeds, etc., with greater 
or less certainty, according to the greater or less vital force 
or tenacity of life peculiar to the root of each kind of vege- 
table. The ‘proper time’ can easily be determined by ob- 
serving whether new leaves continue to appear at the ends 
of the prominent branches. If deferred long beyond this 
time, or till the leaves begin to turn yellow, or fall, cutting 
will be of little use, as the root will be ‘strong’ for a new 
start on the opening of a new spring. 
oe 
NATURAL GROWTH ON THE PRATRIES.—A correspondent 
to Appletons’ Journal, writes as follows :— 
Irvine, Kansas, October, 1873. 
‘* Having read in the ‘ Scientific Notes’ for the issue of 
October 11th the opinion of Dr. Newberry, of Ohio, that 
prairies are the result, and not the cause, of a diminished 
rainfall, will you allow me to state what I have observed, 
during a residence of four years, in the heart of the district 
put down as having the minimum rainfall, and lying be- 
tween the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains? 
1. Hundreds of magnificent oaks, from one to three feet 
in diameter, far from any perennial streams, but protected 
by a rocky hill-side from the fire. ‘ 
2. Many groves of cotton-woods (preéminently a water- 
loving tree), the product of chance seeds blown up on the 
high prairies, and which now are often to be found thirty 
feet in height and a foot in diameter. 
8. Groves of young trees, oftentimes covering an area of 
a hundred acre: and more, and as thrifty as any I ever saw 
among my native Catskills. 
4, Thousands of acres, now covered with: tall, long-joint- 
ed grasses, which ten years ago, produced nothing but the 
short, wiry buffalo-grass.” Respectfully, 
Levi Caase, M. D: 
et 0 —— 
Notep Eneiish TREEs.—On the picturesque domain of 
Sir George Cornwall, of Moccas, a tree known as the 
Monnington Oak, measures 31 feet in circumference, at the 
height of 5 feet from the ground, which exceeds by 6 f2et 
the largest growing at Longleat. It is in a somewhat de- 
cayed state, but still a splendid specimen of antiquity. 
The belief is common in Herefordshire that the true old 
British Oak (Quercus robur) lives upon an average to the 
age of twelve hundred years, and which is not inaptly ex- 
pressed in the following somewhat quaint lines:— 
Three hundred years the oak expands in growth; 
Three hundred years in majesty stands forth; 
Three hundred years declines and wastes away. 
And then takes three hundred to decay. 
Solo, MSS. 
A very beautiful elm in the rectory garden, at Stretton 
Sugwas, near Hereford, 21 feet 2 inches at 5 feet from the 
ground, and running up as one mass of timber, without di- 
minishing much in size, for 35 feet, and there dividing into 
two principal stems, it ascends to a total height of 92 feet. 
A picturesque elm at King Acre; in the same vicinity, 
has a girth or 18feet 8 inches at 5 feet from the ground, 
and 95 feet high. And a noted elm, very full foliage, at 
Trevil, near Whitfield, 17 feet 8 inches in girth, 86 feet 


high, and-with a diametric spread of 93 feet, which is very 
large foranelm. In old coaching days, both the horses 
for changing and the passengers awaiting the Hereford and 
Abergavenny coach were always in shelter under this elm, 
around which there is a spacious seat, suficient to accom- 
modate some twelve 01 fourteen persons.—Landand Water. 
Blatural History. 
FOOLING A COON. 




Eprror ForEsT AND STREAM :— 
While hunting on Banana river, one day, I was a wit- 
ness to one of those episodes in animal life that seem to 
warrant the belief that many birds are possessed of higher 
attributes than are generally accorded them, and something 
more than mere instinct. 
My guide had waded a long ways ahead in the shallow 
water and was cautiously approaching a ‘‘drove” of spoon- 
bills, leaving me to follow with the boat. 
Not relishing the idea of wading about in the muddy 
water with stingrays and saw-fish, pushing the heavy 
craft before me, I concluded that such proceedings were 
not in my line of duty. and so sat upon the rail, idly plash- 
ing the water with my feet. 
My attention was called to a disturbance among the 
mangroves of a little islet near, and soon there flapped into 
view, a black duck, a female, evidently wounded. Close 
in her wake followed a sly looking coon, his attention so oc- 
cupied with the duck, as not to notice me, till fairly in view. 
Then he hesitated, but the duck brushed so near his nose 
that he again took up the pursuit, throwing a glance occa- 
sionally at me. It was interesting to watch them; keeping 
just ahead of her pursuer, the duck would beat the water 
quickly all the time in evident pain, and would so delude 
the old fellow that he finally seemed to think of nothing 
else but catching her. What a puzzled expression his 
shrewd face wore, when, after nearly placing his paw upon 
her, she would escape. Then he would stop, look at,me 
as ifto say ‘‘what the deuce does all this mean?” and arching 
his back, would again pursue with long leaps. For over a 
quarter of an hour did the duck piay with him, till having 
enticed him a sufficient distance from her nest, she flew 
away. If ever the face of a sharp-nosed coon wore a sheep- 
ish look, it was the face of that same coon. I accelerated 
his sneaking trot by a charge of duck shot. 
Frep BEVERLY. 
= ete SS pee 
RAMBLING MARTINS. 

Epiror ForREsT AND STREAM:— 
EVERAL years ago [ was going on a steamboat from 
Green Bay to Little Baie de Noquet, and while sitting 
on the deck my attention was attracted by two martins. 
They were winging in their restless way about the boat, 
now lighting upon the spars and braces, now sailing in 
circles, easily adapting their flight to the rapid motion of the 
boat. We were many miles from shore, and as they showed 
no inclination to depart, I asked the officers on duty if 
these birds were usually so companionable, and from them 
learned that these birds were in the habit of going out from 
Green Bay with the morning boat, and remaining with it 
until the boat from Baie de Noquet came in sight. This I 
verified, for when about mid-day the return boat appeared, 
the birds at once left us, and beyond doubt joined the south 
bound boat, as I was informed. This would secure their 
return to Green Bay before dark, after a round trip of over 
one hundred miles. It was in June, the nesting season, 
and as ordinarily the martin is a very domestic bird, 
devoted and courageous in caring for and defending its 
young, these gay wanderers must have been bachelors try- 
ing by change of scene to overcome their grief at disap. 
pointments in affairs of love, or to seek a less romantic 
cause for their. wanderings, they may have found their 
rural home too quiet. It is well known that they frequent 
noisy bustling places, indeed the merriest family of martins 
Iknow, live and revel amid the din of standing engines, 
and the roar of more than one hundred daily trains. 
en lite 
THe Hares AT THE CENTRAL PaRK.—On our inqiuring 
of Mr. Conklin, the Director of the Central Park Menagerie 
in regard to the English hares imported some time ago by 
Mr. Reiche for the Park, we are in receipt of the following: 
‘*T am sorry to say the hares have not increased so far as I 
can see, owing, I have no doubt, to the number of wild cats 
that have burrowed into the lower portion of the Park. 
They have eaten up the levere‘s, By wild cats, I do not 
mean the Felis Catus, but the common domestic cat, which 
have come from the neighboring shanties which adjoin the 
Park. We are shooting these pests off as fast as we can. 
The old hares have not changed their location a great deal 
from where they were first let loose on the grounds. 
W. A. Conk. 
0 

Here is evidently an authentic account of a snake swal- 
lowing her young :— 
Eprror ForEst AND STREAM :— 
In the summer of 1860 I watched the movements of a 
large striped snake, unseen by her. She crawled out of the 
stone wall into the sunshine, opened her mouth, and out 
came ten young snakes, four inches long I should judge, 
and began to play with the old one. I watched them for 
some time, then made a. movement, and the old one gave a 
hiss, and in dove the young, and before I could get a club 
she was out of harm’s way. J. L. Hersey, 
CAN TIGERS CLIMB? 
—_——~___—_— ‘ 
grey is quite a lively discussion going on in Eng- 
land in regard to the climbing capacities of the tiger, 
and as to whether he should be shot from a high platform 
or from a hole. We copy an incident of tiger shooting 
given by a correspondent of Land and Water:— 
The commissioner of the division and an officer of the 
Royal Engineers were out shooting, and were beating down 
a nullah, having, as is usual, stationed men forward in the 
trees to give notice of the brute’s whereabouts, should it 
get on foot. Of these, a Bunjara, who had taken up his 
position on a branch 18 or 20 feet from the ground (the 
exact distance was afterwards measured and was found to 
be one of the two above numbers) was the first to see the 
animal stealing along, and immediately began to wave his 
turban, and to shout to the line, then about 200 or 250 
yards off. The tigress, a small one, stopped, as the native 
afterwards related, looked up, and seeing him, made 
straight for the bottom of the tree, and began to climb it. 
Of course the terrified man screamed out, and the line, 
which had been coming on as fast as possib’e, being now 
some 150 yards off, the officer of Engineers caught sight of 
what was going on, and seeing that the man, who was too 
paralysed by fright to try to climb higher, would be sacri- 
ficed in another instant, pulled his elephant up, and risked 
a long shot—150 yards measured—and luckily dropped the 
tigress just in time to save the man. Other instances 
might be adduced, but I should think the above one ought 
to satisfy one that tigers can climb; somewhat in corrobor- 
ation, however, is the following extract from the Bengal 
Sporting Magazine: ‘* After relating an anecdote of a tiger 
who selected a tree to die in (their resorting to one is not 
uncommon), and last year, during the rains, Lieut. Nares, 
of 58d N. I., shot one who had perched himself in a tree to 
escape being drowned).” Of course if anybody chooses, he 
may say these tigers sprang into the trees, and did not 
climb; but the mere fact of their being socommonly found 
in them would be strongly in favor of their being able to 
climb when requisite, even were there no other evidence on 
the subject. , 


—~<-2 
PRE Historic REMAINS As DESCRIBED BY THE FRENCH 
Screntiric Coneress.—From the Revue des Deux Mondes 
we take the following interesting account of an explora- 
tion in search of pre-historic remains, made by various 
members of the Scientific Congress, on the occasion of their 
late visit to Lyons :— 
“‘Salutre is a small village some twelve kilometres from 
Macon. Our expedition was under the charge of several 
scientific people from Macon, assisted by members of the 
Conseil General of Sadne de Loire. Under the guidance 
of the Maire of Macon we soon got to Salutré. The la- 
mented M. de Ferré first explored this region and brought to 
light its treasures. Here we found in hollow trenchas of three 
to four mitres in depth, stone flagging,such as are usually 
discovered in researches of this character. Whether these 
stone platforms were used as hearths, or’as sepulchres no 
one can tell. Near these platforms we found innumerable 
utensils made of flint, such as arrows and lance heads, all 
neatly cut, either lozenged shaped or resembling in form 
the leaf of the willow. Here were knives, scrapers and the 
broken remains of innumerable tools. No hatchets nor 
saws were upturned. The bone instruments were evident- 
ly used as polishers (for dressing skins—ED.) or as bodkins, 
or for the handles of their flint inplements. Any objects 
of art distinguishable by the least idea of design were 
wanting. Near the remnants of this early civilization, we 
found an enormous quantity, of bones belonging to the 
horse, the rein-deer, the elephant, the stag, the ox, the bear 
and the hare. The remains of the horse and deer were in 
the greatest quantity. Solutré is quite remarkable for the 
enormous accumulation of horse bones, which are all splin- 
tered and broken, or have been partially burnt, and which 
are found covering an area of several metres in depth and 
breadth. Calculations seemed to prove that no less than 
the bodies of forty thousand horses must have been brought ’ 
together and slaughtered at this particular place. In vain 
all kinds of suggestions, some of the most curious charac- 
ter, were advanced by members of the Association, to ex- 
plain the presence of this mass of animals. Human re- 
mains were by no means rare. They were disinterred be- 
fore oureyes. The skulls brought to light seemed to 
prove that two different races must have died at Solutré, 
the older of which was dolichocephalus and probably ex- 
isted at the close of the quatenary period. 
4-0 : 
STRUCTURE AND ACTION oF FUR.—‘‘A fur is so arranged 
that its fine hair projecting into the air intercepts all the 
heat which flows from the surface of the body by radiation 
and conduction, and distributes this heat through the air 
which circulates between the single hair-cylinders. Thus 
the air, however cold it may be, reaches the nerves of our 
skin as a warmed air. Furred animals in winter, when 
touched superficially, give a very cold sensation; it is only 
near the skin that their hair feels warm. In a severe cold, 
certainly little of our animal heat comesas far as the points 
of the hair, from which it would escape by radiation or 
conduction, as the current of the air inthe fur cools the 
hair from its points towards its roots, and a severe cold 
penetrates only a little farther into the fur, without reach- 
ing the skin of the same. This can take place only at an 
exceedingly low temperature, or when a very cold air is 
in violent motion. In a well-furred animal the changes of 
temperature in the surrounding air only change the latitudes 
at the cold and warm zones in the fur; the place where the 
temperature of the body and the air equalise each other, 
moves between the roots and points of the hair, and for 
this reason a furred animal is not warmer in summer than 
in winter. In summer its heat leaves at the points, in 
winter near the roots of the hair.” 
eth 
—Some months ago a Lithuanian lynx escaped from a 
traveling menagerie at Altona, Hoistein, and $20 reward 
was offered for its capture, but in vain. Not long ago a 
sentinel at Kiel observed a strange looking tat-like animal 
coming out of the mouth of a large cannon on the ram- 
parts, and after a short time returning with a duck in its 
jaws. The man got assistance; a net was spread over the 
muzzle of the gun, and the missing lynx was recaptured, 
together with a domestic cat and a litter of three young 
ones. These curious kittens have been transferred to the 
botanical garden of Hamburg, where they have been visited 
by many naturalists. 


