VOL. LV.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., OCT. 27, 1900.
NO. 43
%xpgxltut» gcjrarlwent
What Changes Would You Advise in   the   Fish
and  Game  Laws of Indiana?
lst Premium.—Law has its defects.     I
v. ill attempt to point out a few defects
in our giime and fish laws now in force,
ln the first place I would give the quail
i't.d grouse full protection for what good
they have done, if not for what good they
will do.     This I believe would be one of
the  greatest  laws  the  farmer  has  ever
known on the subject of the quail.       The
General Assembly has    met year    after
year at Indianapolis, and (hey have made
nearly every experimental change from n)
protection to half protection,  or through
the breeding season; a^d to-day we hav.;
about one quail to every 80-acre farm, or
as many quails as dogs. Was it that way
20 years ago?     No.      Then  there were
thousands where there are hundreds today.     Is it not time to change when it
is claimed that man cor.ld not live on thn
beautiful earth two years if it were not
for the birds,  because the  insects would
eat everything up?     It is also claimed on
good  authority that we would not have
our wheat  failures  if we  had  an  abundance of quails, which we would have if
they  were  protected  like  our  less  useful
dogs, and our other animals.     The sporting associations  come up  and  say,  "the
birds game and fish are the common property    of the    people."     I do not believe
ony land holder will  accept that statement as the fact, for whon the president
signs his name to a land warrant he gives
the  purchaser full  right    to    everything
from the starry heavens to the middle of
the earth.     How can a sportsman come
along and  say that  a  quail  is common
property any more than he' can the land
upon which the quail vests?     You might
say the sportsman holds the same relation
towards the farmer that the saloon-keeper
di.es toward the Christian world.     They
do not represent the majority of the voting class and yet every bill that has become a law on game has had their approval before enactment; if not it was defeated.     I firmly believe that if the farmers of the State of Indiana would make a
solid fight for the protection of the quail
we would see it accomplished next spring.
In regard to the fish laws:      From the
the fishes standpoint I do not think it is
much better than two years ego. Tbe way
it now stands practically all of the fish
over two inches across that are not caught
in the spring are seined   out    in the fall,
thus destroying all of the law's protective
influence.     The only benefit is to pay for
using the seine. I believe the best editing.,
Ihat can be made in the fish law is to prohibit fishing with hook  and  line  except
from March 15 to June 30.     Also to prohibit fishing with seine, net or by others
means except a fish hook.     I believe if we
could enforce such a law we would have
plenty of fish to catch in the spring    and
early summer. The reason I would change
the law to prohibit fishing in the fall    is
that it is the unhealthy season of the year.
If people could not fish during that season perhaps they would not frequent the
streams and in a great many cases would
save doctor bills, if not deaths from malaria  fovers. C.  B.
New London.
2d Premium.—The most important
change needed in our fish and game laws,
is a provision to make them more effective. My experience is that a law is observed in proportion as it bears en our interests. Therefore, to make the fish and
game laws more effective make them of
more direct interest to both  the farmer
and the law-breaker.     This may be dono
by  Increasing  the  present  penalties  and
charging  up   an   additional   amount,   say
$10 to be given to the prosecuting witnesses  for time  lost,  and  all  other  expenses incurred.     As it is now the farmer
cannot afford to lose a day or two of valuable time, to say nothing of the monoy
for expenses incurred.     And if it is likely
to cost the violator of the law $25 or $30
for a little fun, it will be to his interest to
tirst see the farmer about it. But in view
of the ever increasing destructiveness of
our insect enemies there should  be     no
"game" birds in the State.     We have no
birds to spare for any  reason or cause,
much less to gratify that remnant of sav-
ngery, the desire to kill something.     The
prohibition   of the killing   of birds would
not be to the interest of the farmer alone.
For if he raises only one bushel of corn
instead of two, the difference or shortage
will be charged up to the consumer. Thus
we see that not only does the farmer suffer, but the hunter himself and everybody
else.     A minor should not be allowed to
hunt at any time.     Not because he is so
distructive to "game" birds. But because
he has an  uncontrollable desire  to  kill,
and he will shoot at every bird that comes
his way.     His gun should be confiscated,
and his parents be subject to suffer the
penalties of the law.     There should be a
good reward offered for the conviction of
fish dynamiters, to be paid by the dynamiter, if he is worth it; if not, to be paid
by the State.
Jefferson Co. J. W. T.
same  time keep  up  the  full  fertility  of
the soil?
No. 246, Nov. 24.—How will you spend
Thanksgiving day? Tell all about the
family reunions and the good cheer on
the national holiday.
%ixxo Qtpnvtnxmt.
Conducted by Charles B. Clarke, lawyer, 822 Stevenson Building, Indianapolis, Ind.
3d Premium.—Under the past and present game laws, Indiana's forests have almost become depopulated. Very few
squirrels, pheasants, partridges or song
birds do we see any more. The owners
ef the woodlands in most instances,, have
given all the protection to the game they
could, as farmers regard the squirrels ami
birds as ornamental and not enemies to
be destroyed. It is a class that do but
■ittle except "hunt" that are killing the
game. The weakness of women in ornamenting their hats with the carcasses of
dead birds has almost exterminated all
ihe birds of beautiful plumage. The song
bird needs protection the same as game.
The change in the game law we would
advise is the protection of the game and
song birds the entire year instead of part
of the year. In regard to the fish laws,
we would suggest the changes of allowing
fishing with ordinary hook and line the
entire year, except Sundays, and provide
protection by prohibiting shooting and use
of explosives in killing them in the water.
Should also prohibit the seining of small
iish, and also large ones, in certain seasons of the year. W. W.
Washington Co.
1. Is it against the law for a township trustee to loan the funds of the township?
2. If so, what is the penalty for so diving?
3. If a trustee received notes in part
settlement from his predecessor and some
of the notes prove to be worthless are hlj
predecessor's bondsmen responsible for
the same?
4. Is a married woman's signature on
a note or bond good provided she has
property of her own with or without the
signature of her husband, also?
M.
1.   Yes.
2. Upon conviction, he may be imprisoned in the State prison for any period
not more thau 14 years nor less than two
years: fined not exceeding double the
value of the money he loaned (embezzzled)
and disfrancised, and rendered incapable
of holding office of trust or profit for any
determinate   period.
3. No.
4. A married woman can be held for
her signature on a note or bond given in
the prosecution of her own business without  her husband's  signature.
tion of her bond or note; but all notes and
bonds given by her, by way of suretyship
for others, are void. She can not make
any contract to encumber or convey her
real estate, which would be binding without her husband's signature.
Premiums of $1, 75 cents and 50 cents
are given for the first, second and third
best articles for the Experience Department each week. Manuscript should be
sent direct to the Indiana Farmer Company and should reach ns one week before the date of publication.
Topics for discussion in futnre numbers
of the Farmer are as follows:
No. 243, Nov. 3.—How keep the boy on
the farm?
No. 244. Nov. 10.—Give your method
of butchering and putting up pork, and
show how you make the most of everything.
No. 245, Nov. 17—What is the best
way to rent a farm so as to be satisfactory to both tenant and owwr, and at the
<5ue*S nnil ^nsmsv.
L. C. EL, Jefferson Co., asks for a plan
for a poultry house for one to two hundred fowls.
—So much depends upon what amount
he is willing to expend on the house that
it is impossible to make a satisfactory estimate. But a few suggestions may be
helpful. The house should front south to
get the benefit of the sun in winter, and
should be well lighted on that side. It
should stand on a slope to avoid standing
water. Keeping dry is a prime requisit.:
in poultry raising. While ventilation is
necessary, there should be no currents of
air in the house. It must be made warm
ami comfortable, and should be kept dry
and clean to keep the hens in laying
humor and condition. As a general rule
10 feet square is the smallest space allowable for 100 hens.
ge>od; butter 10 cents; eggs 18 cents and
hard to get; potatoes mostly in, from 35
to 40 cents per bushel. "bur Indiana
Farmer is the best paper to be found on
"Uncle Sam's farms." Thanks to its
l.ble editors. Mrs. B. A. Davis.
Another Shredder Warning.
Editors   Indiana   Farmer:
Charles Haley, 23 years old, while
feeding a corn shredder near this place
"esterday had his right hand caught inthe
rollers and it and the arm were drawn in
to the elbow, and the arm had to be amputated above the elbow.
Hayden, Oct. 19.        Dr. C. C. Amick.
postal (SttwespontXtute.
Kush Co., Oct. 17 —Corn gathering progressing slowly; wheat looks tine; grass
growing nice. A. G. Reeve.
Green Co., Oct. 22—Heavy rain at noon;
wheat sowing about all done; what is up
never looked better: any and all corn is
dry enough to crib and lots already cribbed
(Vitality medium, sells at 25 to 30c, according to quality; pastures good; but little
gooel winter fruit; apples 50c; delightful
weather for any anil all kinds of work;
taxes never higher. H. B.
This Wonderful October.
Kditors Indiana  Farmer:
This October which you caleld the fiuest
October yet, was surpassed in 1808 in
some respects. I have kept a weather
record for several years, and find that the
latest first frost for any year occurcd October loth, 1898. The weather was as
desirable as it could well be. The first
frost this season was on the lOinst. Our
memory is very fickle especially when applied to the weather. It is a common saying, "I never saw such weather," when if
we would look at the record we would be
surprised to see how lately we had seen
it equaled or surpassed.
Rush Co. D. A. Alter.
—AVe had not noticed the frost on the
T.0th. It mvst have beeu very light indeed; but one fell on the night of the 17th
that killed tomato and sweet potato vines
on low ground. It is true that our mem-
enies are treacherous about past weather
but all will agree that this has be*eu one
of the most remarkable Octobers we have
over had. It has been ideal weather for
the farmer, enabling him to gather his
crops in the best possible condition and
do all the necessary repairing and fixing
up about the barns and other out-buildings, yard, eet., and get the wood al! ready
for the long winter months ahead. Wo
trust that all such work has been elone by
Indiana Farmer readers.
INSECTS IN STORED GRAIN.
All stored grain should be watched more
or less to prevent the attacks of insects or
mice during the winter. Carbon-bisulphide forms the best and most efficacious
method of exterminating these pests. It
is a colorless liquid that evaporates readily at ordinary temperatures to form a gas
with a strong odor that is a strong poison
and very inflammable. Care should be
taken never to allow any liglit in the
neighborhood of the gas and this refers
as well to lighted cigars and pipes.
For each 100 bushels of grain to be
treated employ about one pound of the
carbon-bisulphide. Place it in several
open flat dishes that are to be evenly distributed over the surface of the grain.
Cover the dishes and grain thoroughly
with blankets, oil-cloth or ether good cover and after 24 hours examine it to see if
all the mice and insects have been killed
If not apply the same treatment again.
Ils success is certain.
The carbon-bisulphide is retailed at the
drug stores at about 25 cents per pound,
but may be purchased in larger quantities
at a smaller figure.—Ex.
The sea cucumber—one ot thu curious Jelly-like
bedies that inhabit the ocean—can practically ef-
fi.ee itself when in dancer by squeezing the water
out of Its body and forcing itself Into any narrow
crack.
Laporte Co., Oct. 19.—Fine weather, only one killing frost, night of 10th: pastures
mostly good, full crop; wheat and rye
nearly all sown, and much of it up; roads
A four-year-old girl wandered away from home
near the Bonanza mine recently ar.d was lost lu
the mountains 48 hours. When recovered she
was quite unharmed. She told ot having seen a
big black dog with two puppies, which she tried
to catch, "but they ran away after their mamma,"
The ' dog ' was a bear and the "puppies" were
her cubs.