
FOREST AND STREAM. 
265 


this has been given away by the United States in the last 
ten years. Anarmy of two hundred thousand farmers, 
each one exulting in his own broad acres, are cultivating 
them. Between 1860 and 1870,the Nebraska Report tells us 
that the number of farms in the whole country increased 
more than half a million, and during the same decade Ne- 
braska farms increased from 2,789 to 12,301, and that dur- 
ing the last three years it has more than doubled these last 
figures. Is it not something wonderful to think that only 
nine years ago the Homestead claims were a beggarly 191, 
and that last year they were over twelve thousand? 
From the report of the Commissioner of the Land Office, 
published this week, we have an excellent opportunity of 
judging of the amount of land disposed of by the United 
States ending June 30th, 1873. During the last year this 
amount of land was no less than 13,030,606 acres. During 
the fiscal year, ending June 80th, 1873, preliminary home- 
stead entries were made, covering an area of 3,752,347. 
“In almost all cases,” says the Nebraska Report, ‘‘each 
man or woman (for there are many female homesteaders) 
is head of a family, if not actual, yet hoped for in the near 
future—(the italics are ours). Speaking of the early at- 
tempts of the Nebraska settler to build a shelter, the re- 
port expatiates about what it calls a ‘‘Nebraska brown- 
stone front.” There is something cheerful, Mark Tapley- 
ish, to a degree, when: one learns that a sod house, the 
sward cut with a breaking plow, and the green turf used as 
shingles to cover an excavation, is the primitive dwelling 
used by the settlers, and the report affirms that “‘it is both 
warmer in winter and cooler in summer than any house 
which can be made of lumber.” 
Descanting on the methods ot migration to this happy 
Nebraska, the rejort tells us of westward trains full of 
wives ca:rying their little ones to their husbands who 
have gone to Nebraska at first alone to rough it, and amus.- 
ingly speaks of a car load of babies, shipped, we suppose, 
by Adams Express, C. O. D., all the little ones being pos- 
sibly Japhets in search of their fathers. It is as easy to get 
to Nebraska, according to the report, as it was for the 
prince in the Arabian Nights who owned the flying-horse, 
and who only had to press a button in order to be trans- 
ported some thousands of miles. A Massachuseits man, 
according to our report, can charter a car at Cape Cod, 
put on board his clock, his provision of beans, his pump- 
kins, his wife and children, and without once breaking 
bulk, keeping house all the time, can be landed in the 
middle of Nebraska in the midst of the far land, before he | 
is aware of it, with a stock of beans stillon hand. It is 
but forty years ago since the first white family entered 
Iowa; but to-day, of its twelve hundred thousand inhabi- 
tants, but one-third of the present population was born in- 
it, two-thirds have come to it, and one-half were born in 
the more sterile East, and why should not Nebraska very 
shortly exult in her millions? Do you want to get rich? 
Only have money enough to buy some few horses and 
break prairie at $3 an acre. You can earn that way $6, 
for the keep of yourself and horses will be only $1 50a 
day, and you will be thus enabled very soon to buy all the 
land you want on this large margin of profits. 
The geological data given in the report are most intcrest- 
ing, and fossils abound in Nebraska. in the Mesozoic age 
lived in Nebraska no less than five species of those reptiles, 
the Demosaiuis, as much as forty feet in length, and as to 
Tchthayosauri they are discovered assuming the proportions 
of a whale. Here, too, are found the remains of that an- 
omalous creature, the Rhamforynchus, half lizard, half 
pird. As to fossil animals, Nebraska is a complete geolog- 
ical menagerie. No less than twenty species of the 
Oreontide have been exhumed in the tertiary deposits. In 
anatomical peculiarities they partook of the character of 
the camel, the hog and the deer. The early Nebraska 
buffalo or bison was, too, a third larger than the present 
animal. At that period, too, lived the alewrodon ferox, an 
animal as large and savage as a tiger. The subjects dear 
to the Forest AND STREAM, such as the preservation of 
the forests, and the methods of planting treesare treated, 
not only with singular merit, but exhaustively, in the re- 
port. Mr. James Morris has an admirable article on this 
question, recommending the planting of the filbert, the al- 
mond, the chestnut, the walnut, the pecan and the hickory, 
and states that in regard to the cottonwood, the buckeye, 
the white poplar, the elm, the beach and the ash, there 
would be no difficulty in making forests of them all over 
the land. No less excellent is a paper on the same subject 
by Mr. C. 8. Harrison, entitled ‘‘Tree Culture.” Mr. Har- 
rison, after a most philosophical argument proving the 
many great blessings tree culture produces in a country of 
plains, scientifically and practically discusses the entire 
subject. 
Admiring both the vigor of the report, and wishing that 
the many other agricultural reports which pass thorough 
our hands were made up of such readable and interesting 
matter, after its most careful perusal, we are more fully 
_ satisfied than ever in regard to the future greatness of this 
new State, and believe that few other sections of the coun- 
try present greater advantages for the industrious settler 
than Nebraska. 

— 2 >— 
—Persons who propose making Holiday Presents, cannot 
adopt a method more satisfactory than to avail themselves 
of the advantages offered in the Forrest AND STREAM Prize 
Scheme. Byso doing they will not only secure, through 
the paper, that which is of permanent substantial value, 
but a useful article whose intrinsic value is almost an 
equivalent for their money. You can take your choice of 
guns, rods, books, pictures, skates, and out-door games in 
_~ great variety. 
4 ik : 
bay a ee ~ 
i Saibh . on Fe. 
ae 


HOLIDAY ADVERTISEMENTS. 

HIS journal, the Forest AND STREAM, caters so direct- 
ly to the tastes and requirements of those who make 
THE HOLIDAYS a period of recreation, and has withal 
obtained so large a circulation among the refined portion of 
the community who encourage innocuous pastimes, that we 
cannot but urge upon merchants the advantages it presents 
as a medium for advertising that class of goods which come 
within the ordinary list of HOLIDAY PRESENTS. We 
aim to inculeate in men, women and children, a healthy 
interest in all reasonable recreation. We believe in pro- 
viding aliment for both mind and body, that each may be 
reciprocally benefitted. To this end we devote much atten- 
tion to reviews of books, especially to such as bear upon 
those subjects that come within the scope of our observa- 
tion and effort. Our paper has equal place in the gymna- 
sium and academy. It circulates in nearly all our colleges 
and universities. It is read by all sportsmen of refined 
taste and culture, and is sought for and referred to by 
naturalists and men of science. In fact it covers ground 
and position never occupied before by any journal in this 
country, and on this foundation is building a marvellous 
success. 
We shall during the HOLIDAYS give especial attention 
and place to HOLIDAY GOODS advertised in our columns, 
and respectfully urge upon Publishers, Booksellers, 
Stationers, and Dealers in Powder, Shot, Rifles, Guns, 
Fishing Tackle, and all kinds of Games, our claims upon 
their consideration and patronage. 
<p 
THE CULTURE OF THE CINCHONA. 
HE importance of an enterprise looking tothe grow- 
ing of the cinchona tree in sections of the world other 
than South America, can not be overrated. It isa question 
equally interesting to the botanist, the pharmaceutist and 
votary of economic science. In the last number of Nature 
there is an excellent account of the various efforts made to 
propagate this tree in India and Ceylon, from which we 
make the following brief suminary. 
The Dutch government took the initiative steps, directing 
their efforts to the introduction of the tree in Java. The 
first cinchona trees sent out to that colony were specimens of 
the ©. Calisaya raised in Bolivia. In 1852 the Dutch 
government sent.a Mr. Hasskarl on a mission to South 
America to procure plants and seeds. The collection made 
was divided into two parts, one half being sent to Java 
direct, and the remainder to Amsterdam. In 1856, there 
were over 260 plants on the island of Java. Many serious 
troubles attended the early efforts to raise the trees, arising 
from insects, wild animals, and badly chosen localities on 
the island. At last in 1860 success crowned their labors, 
and in 1863 the total number of trees in Java numbered 
1,151,180 trees. It was found that the @. Calisaya, in Java 
was the best adapted for the locality, the C. Pahudiana con- 
taining much less of the alkaloid. The. efforts of the 
British government were commenced as early as 1839. In 
1852 the East India company sent to the British consular 
agents in South America for seeds of the various species, 
but it was not until 1859 that the matter was fully taken in 
hand. During this year Mr. Markham proposed a fourfola 
expedition to South America, and the plan being sanctioned 
by the Secretary of the State for India, the scheme was 
carried out. Expeditions were sent to Bolivia, Caravaya, 
to Cuerica and Loxa in Ecuador, and to New Grenada and 
to the Chimborazo districts. The illness and privation 
suffered by the searchers after these trees rendered the task 
a difficult one. At last a fair stock was collected, but most 
of the plants were killed during the Red sea transit to 
India. Once in India, however, the few that survived throve 
immediately. At Ootamacuna a station was established in 
1860, and in 1861 1,128 fine young cinchona trees were re- 
ported as alive. In 1863 the number was 248,166 
The efforts of the British government have not been di- 
rected alone to acclimatize the cinchona in India, for in 
Ceylon in 1868 they had 20,000 young trees. 
In referring to India matters (Blue Book of 1870) in the 
Bengal and Madras Presidencies, no less than four millions 
and a half cinchona trees are reported. 
Experiments with the cinchona have been tried in the 
South of Europe, in the Caucasus, in the Brazils, Philip- 
pines, Australia and Jamaica, but not of sufficient extent to 
have ary significance. 
Of all the fine species of trees, the following seems to 
be the results as to Alkaloids :— 
C. Calisaya, only a small proportion realises expectation 
in its yields of quinine; C. Hasskarliana (called a hybrid), 
which appears to be of little value in respect of alkaloids; 
C. Pahudiana, deficient in the same particulars, but pro- 
ducing a bark which finds a ready market for pharmaceu- 
tical purposes in England; C. officinalis, which, in British 
India, appears to be the most generally satisfactory; and 
C. succirubra, which, notwithstanding certain exceptional 
samples, has not turned out altogether well. 
In the third number of the Forrest AND STREAM we pub- 
lished some interesting matter in regard to the cinchona, to 
which we refer our readers. We should suppose that in 
some of the Southern counties of California it could be 
grown with advantage, and would be pleased if any of our 
California readers would give us information in regard to it. 
—<>-- 
—The Western Sporting Gazette recently published in 
Chicago, has succumbed to stress of hard times and sus- 
pended publication for the present. 
Ce 6 oe 
—Experiments with the Wiard gun at Boston have been 
very successful. The balls penetrated fifteen inches of 
solid iron plates. 





SMITHSONIAN InstiTuTION, November 28, 1873. 
EpItoR ForEsT AND STREAM :— P 
Judging from the article ‘‘On the Elaphure of China,” 
my manuscript, as well as that of my copyist, have “‘stag- 
gered” your printer, and several words have been so dis- 
guised that they may deceive the reader. Please make 
the following corrections :— 
The seven bottom lines on page 242 belong as a note to 
the quotation from Sclater’s remarks. Read also Cerrus 
Duvaucelli in place of O. Duvancelli. 
On page 248, line 16 from top, ‘‘natural” for national. 
On page 242, line 26 from bottom, ‘‘tines” for times. 
On page 242, line 21 from bottom, ‘‘Elaphos or Elaphus” 
for Elaphas or Elephus. 
On page 242, line 18 from bottom, ‘‘David” for Davis. 
On page 242, line 17 from bottom, ‘‘Mi-lou” for Mibou. 
On page 242, line 16 from bottom, ‘‘Sseu” for Tseu. 
On page 242, line 12 from bottom, (‘‘three year old”) for 
three year old. 
On page 242, line 11 from bottom, ‘‘Spayad” for Spoxod. 
On page 242, line 5 from bottom, ‘‘Ann.” for Am. 
On page 242, line 4 from bottom, ‘‘Nouv.” for Nour. 
On page 242, line 2 from bottom, ‘‘Trans.” for Frank. 
Your printer, by his deeds, confirms whatI have been 
told, that my chirography is not very legible. 
Yours truly, THEO. GILL. 
[We are chagrined that our responsibility as editoria. 
manager of this paper compels us to shoulder the blame 
for such a batch of errors asis charged to our account 
above. We shall not shirk it, however, but innocently 
crave the sympathy of those who can appreciate the dis 
comfort of our position. It is no small task to personally 
supervise all the printers’ proofs, and at the same time at- 
tend to the general duties and manifold details of a journal 
which embraces so many departments as this does. Still, 
we endeavor to do it. In the case in point the copy could 
not be found when the revises were read, and more fre- 
quently errors arise from illegibility of manuscript, and 
for these we can take no blame. If correspondents will 
furnish plain manuscript, we will agree to double our care 
in the proof-reading. ]—Ep. 
Sporting Jlews from Abroad. 
HERE has been quite a sad accident in Rossall schoo 
in England which has received no end of comment. A 
poor little fellow of tender age, but with the pluck and 
courage of a hero, while playing with his fellow boys in 
paper chase, the game being over, on his journey home 
exhausted by fatigue, was caught in a driving storm of rain 
and hail, and was found the next day dead in afield where 
he had wandered. The paper chase so common in English 
schools, though rendered familiar to many by Mr. Hughes’ 
charming book, may pervaps not be well understood by 
some of our readers. I is a test of speed and endurance. 
The hare is perhaps the best runner in the school. Provided 
with a bag full of bits of paper, old copy books or news- 
paper cut into small shreds, the hare starts ahead of the rest 
of the boys who are called hounds, and at the expiration of 
a certain time, when out of sight, commences to leave his 
trailin the guise of bits of paper on his track, going at the 
same time at the top of his speed. The hounds then start 
after him, finding his trail, and pursue him and try to catch 
him if they can, following absolutely the track designated 
by the bitsof paper. Of course the hare doubles and twists 
all he gan, and will cross brook: if necessary to bring his pur- 
suers at fault. The poor little fellow who came to such an 
untimely end though but lightly clad, had fallen into a 
brook or so in pursuit of the game, and possibly died more 
from exposure than from over fatigue. 
It would be unjust from an accident of this character to 
judge too harshly of those healthy outdoor sports which add 
so much to the general English education. Such accidents 
are exceptions. Stil! it must be evident that when parents 
confide their children to the master of any school, whether in 
the United States or England, that they depend on some 
general supervision which every principal of an insti- 
tution should exersise not only in regard to the menial but 
physical training of his pupils. If children whose muscles 
are not yet strong enough are allowed to mingle with boys 
of an advanced age, accidents, though rare, may occur. It 
behooves, then, masters of schools to give strict attention 
to the amusement of their pupils, and if they have not time 
themselves, they should delegate their authority to some 
person competent to direct the boys’ sports. To decry all 
athletic amusements for boys from an accident of this char- 
acter, would be without reason. Parents might as well say 
to a school master, ‘‘Because a boy was drowned you shall 
not teach my children how to swim.” . Yet parents would 
do well to insist that some necessary supervision should 
always be exerted in order to insure not only the health 
but the safety of their children. ; 
—Looking somewhat statistically at the numerous hunting 
appointings which were all undoubtedly run at the close of 
last month in England, Ireland, and Scotland, we 
find that in England during November there were hunting 
meets of 112 fox hounds; in Ireland, 13; and in Scotland, 7. 
Of stag hounds, 3 in England, and 2 in Ireland; and packs 
of harriers who lielped to swell up the grand total in Eng 
land, there were 28 packs; in Ireland 13; and in Scotland 1. 
What a glorious baying of hounds there must have been, 
and what a tremendous charge of huntsmen, could we 
imagine the whole of the men and dogs to have acted in 
unison; and what a hetacomb of foxes, tor we are assured 
that foxes were never so plenty. Your Englishman carries 
his amusements with him wherever he goes, and even the 
Pontine marshes resound with the sharp yelp of the Eng- 
land fox hounds as they chase the fox in and out of the old 
Roman aqueducts, “Bring your mounts from England,” 
é 

