‘Z

IMELY NOTES UN TOPICS CONNECTED WITH

. Silver Fox Farming

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Yesterday was the first iudring m. or the fox exhibition at the Maritime Winter I'll‘. Amherst. N, S.. and it will continue today, gonday and ‘ltioaday. ‘The best breeders oi the mritimes meet l; friendly competition and no doubt some very fine silver fox nnd mutations will be shown. We understand the Jude: is John isahoney. Manager Hudson's Bay gompany, Montreal. and if this l; correct the management have “rtainly secured a men who glows his business thoroughly.

The first fox Zflition we have recollection otf took place in Montreal November. 1900. I-t was open to the Dominion of Canada but at least three-quarters of the exhibitors‘ and foxes were from Prince Edward Island-The auth- orities in Montreal were very co-operative and an excellent bliildin! was provided for the foxes nnd for judging. The show was attended by large crowds of people to whom a silver fox fur was then an almost‘ priceless art- icle of adornmeifl The classes were black. dark silver, medium diver. light meditun and pale sil- ver and these were divided into males and females. adults and

pups.

‘rile Judges were W. Chester S. McLure of (Xiarlottetown and P. l. Drolet of Montreal. and m. . A. Allen, who was then investi- gating diseases oi foxes 1n Prince Edward Island. was the health oi- ricer. It was a very well run show and as we can picture the foxes they were very beautiful indeed and surprisingly good color con- ddcring that most: of them had been removed from holes in the ground prior ‘to shipping.

‘Ins dark and medium foxes ex- hibited by Tom Hamill of Tl!- eish were among the tops and his [gmale Queen Sybil won the championship for females. Billy Agnew also had some very fine dark foxes that won prises and those oti Joseph Oailbeck. Bilin- merside, were tops among the sil- m-g, Tho Bovyer foxes: won some prizes although i-he Exhibit was small. Practically all the prizes were won by Island foxes.

Islanders did not take part in an Exhibition in teal but a show was put on at Muskexon. Michi- gan; probably the first that was ever held'in the United States. mo me llicgos were W. Chester s. Monure. Charlottetown. and George Brackett of 8051011. M!" A score card which Mi‘. MCI-ii" bad made up (for the Montreal show was used at Mus-Intim- There were points for size. color. tle-nsity oi fur, brush. ill! Ind Mb‘ n- attributes and it was remark- m how well the iudm. placed foxes with this system. The next his show was the inaulililllim °7 the Royal Winter Fair fox show st Toronto in November. 19m. Some 200 foxes were ehiefflfl b!’ island farmers and there was also a lei-go representation 0i Ontario and some Quebec foxes rat- Island foxes won practically all the important prizes includ- int: the then world's champion- ship. Valuable cups were Rive“ as trophies and quite l numb" ci foxes changed hands for big prices.

Among the prominent buyers was A. M. Doyle. a young lawyer n‘ Winnipeg. formerly of Victoria- l" E. 1.. who had also bought most of the foxes exhibited by Tom Hamill at the Montreal show two years previously. milliliters we can reanember were John A. Lea. Peter 0. Clark and the nut-v- (‘median Oommtlv. n-"Iliill" 7"“ Peters, George A. Outback. l7!‘- Urn Frank. Sim Coll. Franww" liovyer and the writer. Tl‘! "does wove, W (‘heater F V".- Lurc and P. .1. Dr-Aiet.

It was at this show that the

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FURS‘

Tito trapping season it again "Na and ea usual we are in the

practice of cleaning the foxes with alcohol. washing their tips in a1- .chol and making them generally very handsome in, appearance was inaugurated by the writer. This led to a protest being lodged with the management as the foxes we enhibited were carrying 0d! a lot oi prizes. so the regulations were changed. Tile marks were all taken off the crates and other numbers substituted by tho man- agement ‘and the judges placed one at each 221d oi the judging room. and their scores handed to un official appointed by the Royal Winter Fair who added them up and the fox with the highest combined score won. e chang- ed conditions did not ake any difference in the result and fin- ally everybody started cleaning up. which practice is continued to the present day. By the way. when the matter was brought be- fore the-president of the Royal Winter Fair he considered the ob- jections puerile and said that cat- tlemen and everybody else who exhibited always endeavored to have their animals look as at- tractive as possible.

The Royal Winter Fair became the mecca ior Island fox exhibit- ors for years following, with the world's championship and other high awards always coming to this Province. In ION A. I-l. O. Mitchell, of Boston. who was greatly interested in fox breeding. promoted an international fox exhibition open to the United states and Canada. which was held in the Mechanics Hall, Bos- ton, Mai. December 12-18-14. It was a very fine show and there were classes riot only for Stand- nrd Silvers but also for Alaskans. Island exhibitors were well repre- sented and practically ‘all the In- ternational Championships came here and the Alaska prizes went largely to livfllllgan and Morrison The Americans were splendid sports. provided good judges and It was a grand show in every way. Mr. Mitchell was one of the fin- est men we have ever met. thor- oughly wrapped up in foxes and editor and proprietor of a fox magazine. His untimely passing saddened many friends.

Among the melt ‘we met at that show that we have a very distinct recollection oi is C. M. Daniels, who had a fine ranch in the Adirondacks. He had been the world's champion swimmer a few years previously and was a splendidly built man. one whom you would pick out as a top ath- lete at first. sight. We created considerable attention by the fact that owing to the press of ex- hibits that had to go through the veterinarianh hands the examina- tion of our foxes was postponed until the evening and when we started opening them up there was a great crowd to view them. When we came to the last box I remarked to my assistant that it znight be s good ides to leave this fol; in its crate over night as tie was a shy, timid little ‘fellow. However we changed our minds and proceeded to pull out the Bun-bury Giant. one of the larg- est foxes that ever lived and cer- tainly one with the biggest brush and tip. He won the Internation- al Dark Bilver Championship.

Of the 15 International Cham- pionships for which Prince Ed- ward Islanders competed the Vimy Ranch won seven. Mr. Peter C! Clark, Summerside, one, the Pure Canadian Silver Fox Com- pany, Btmtmerside. four. Mr. Charles l". White, Maiden. Mien. who exhibited the foxes of Mir. John A. Lee. Summeraidl. "10- and Mr. .1. P. Duffus. one. The remaining." International Chantil- lonships went to the Marlborough Silver Black Fox company. vi liisrlborcugli. Mass. 0i ill! "'0- pmss open to Canadians ior com- petition the Gran-d Ohamlllmlihll’ trophy carrylnfl ivllh it ‘he world's championship. W“ W” by Oanuck Jane. owned by "it mire Canadian SilveriBlack For co. The President's trophy which went to the highest scvrins iv! o; m, Qppofltg sex. was won by the annual-v Giant. owned by 0°1- D A. MacKinnoii. oharlottetown. 1nd bred by Mr. Franklyn 30W"- guplsury. The various other c“!!! my; practically all won by 0i" Island exhibitors

Jrom than on until 10D iandm continued eithibitinl

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market t» ...‘...*..... of row,

fsv. crate and ntam mailed daily. from valuation on IIILI‘.

l. 0. JINHNS ‘Illa iieystfacltiag‘ Go.

Ivevysltipmnt kept sep- -

Important steps in the srvwlne of tobacco in Canada “BIB the "touring" and "Win11"! °P°"' glans, fleyg g, WOTXQI‘ K181110118‘ tilates topping which assists g9 gun and r141}; growth of 9 plant. f .

the Royal winter Fair but gradu- ally oompetltion Bot keener from Ontario althoutil ml! ,. Pmvm“ remained tops. In 1000 the 1118i Charlottetown show was held in the Main Building at the BX- hibition grounds and it had in entry list of over ‘I00 10x9!- 111° greatest number ever exhibit“! at any show in the world. A s.ow has been held ever?’ Y"? since with two eiocePil°ll5"1m and 1944-these being camelled title to an outbreak of distant?"- Fox shows at the R00“ wlm“ Fair were discontinued in 1N9 owing to the grounds being ti!“ w“, but the Ontario breeders found quarters elsewhere M"! h!" been garrying on year after year and probably improving the vX~ nibits. certainly they are showinfl many new types not envisioned bi’ the fox breeders of 1910.

New Brunswick. while a little later in getting into the show game. have fully held up the Wa- utation of that Province as a 10X breeding centre and for several years they were away ahead oi other parts oi Canada in the showing oi‘ platlnums and white faces. p ally due to the won- tlerful exhibits of the coiplt" family of Saliwuryx In Maniwbl. Saskatchewan and Albefll "W" are an annual occurrence and the great breeders of these Piill/lnce‘ are as equally keen to win in the show ring as our own exhibitors.

one thing we have noticed in the many years we have foilowfli the exhibitions ls the good 8190"!‘ manship that prevails and the good “mes which g0 with it. Pet‘- na-pg the most. pleasant feature is the banquet which comes It")? the close and is usually an 0o- casion for throwlne vii’ Fe-"tlilml and giving vent to one's feelings o! hilarity. Of course the Pl!!!)ofl of all fox shows like all 0th" shows is to bring tvilPlhef H" production oi’ the leading breed- ers so that comparisons can be "pads and a standard of excel- lence set up for each type T! we did not have the shows-and this includes all kinds oi shows- tng high standard oi oreedins which now prevails _a.mong ti: registered animals of I111 b!” could never have been. dill-infli- There is also the fact that the shows brine out 11"’ "P" “d ti...“ that do not posses-s them ha" m opportunity oi evaluat- m‘ mm and ‘deciding whether or not. they would be a mi I4- tlition to the herd.

‘Ib show how lllliolll! l n" type spreads 011B h“ "Y1? l° n‘ mefnber that it is iii-st elm" i°“' or five years ago that w. Raoul Rcywnorxi snowed the first all inurn which he had 911"?" i“ " high figure. Now practically ev- ery breeder has Plflllllum! “all? mum’. “ggd one; tOO. as is 8G ‘ by the fact that the hlshH priced platinum pelts in Amerilc: came from a Prince lltlfliétl _ land ranch and We're will F lion in Montreal by m9 B’ d adlan National Silver Fox ee - err Association in the Jaivuary sale, 1940. Island Dllllnun“ fm" also led many other sales iii N" past few years and it is a fact that our soil and climate and o‘ silver breeding stool: clicks well with LaIoi-est and Not-wel- ians that we P1041!" u" "M" platinum: marketed-not Ill W any means but certainly a in‘!

at popoetion oi them-

- NEWSY NOTES -

WEATIIIII LORI FOR NOVEMBER

In Britain this is undoubted a gloomy month, and there erg sev- eral warnings against severe weatli- er to be expected. November 11th (New Style) is Old Halloween and tho ancient rhyme says-

“If ducks do slide at Bollantlde, At Christmas they wlli~ swim; g If ducks do swim at Rollantivls At Christmas they will slide."

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And "if the ice bear a man before Christmas, it will not bear a goose afterwards."

Shakespeare tells us to "Expect It. Martin's Bummer." Martlnnsas is November 29rd, New Style. In the Midlands there is a saying that if the wind is SW.. at Martinmas it will continue in that art till af- ter Christmas. As that wind is often a rainy We. the prospect can hard- ly be cheering.

On this side of the Atlantic we expect the "Indian Summer." but it does not appear to be associated with any pflttiililldf‘ date. The old people used to say it was "a spell of fine weather after the first snmv flies."

Now for a few astronomical events. On Nov. 9th the Moon is "at the fuli," and the next day it ls in Perigee, and only 223.300 miles from the Earth. On Nov. 11th the Moon wi-ll be in conjunction with Uranus but the sight will not be impressive. The Moon will oa in conjunction with Saturn on the 14th at 16 hours oe mln.—too light! The "Leonid Meteors" may be look- ed for on Nov. 15th. The Moon is in conjunction with Jupiter on the 21st; with Venus on the 10nd; and with Mercury on the 8rd. On the 33rd. too. there is a partial eclipse of the Sun “visible from most of Canada." It is, of course, New Moon that day. A conjunction nf the Moon and Mars takes place an Nev- 24th. On the zstn the Moon is in Apogeq and is distant from the Earth $2,000 miles; from then to the end of the month there is nothing of outstanding interest.

The Horned Grebe.

I have two records of these neat duck-like. but smallish. div- ing birds. One was brought- in Nov. 30. 1982, and the other on Sept. 20. 1941. They were not in their summer plumage and from their duller coloring 1: judged both were females. _

3°11!“ Gfflbo. A.0-U. 8. Summer resident. Plumage varies with season-and SEX. Ill summer "'18 head is black and appears "puffy" with outstanding feathers, and there is a pair of bufiy or och- raceous ear-tufts, The fore-neck is of a rich chestnut color, while the 580k 0f the neck, the back, anti the wings, are between black and gray. The wings, however. have white secondaries, summer and winter. The under parts are mostly white. The female is duller in coloring. In win- ter these birds are blackish. above and silvery white below. Length about 14 inches; wing 5,50 incheg,

There are some structural pectil- lari-ties. The feet are no; webbed like those oi the ducks but each toe has a,“ individual web or "lobe." The bill is pointed and not fiat- tened. The tail has no stiff quills. hence some manuals say the Grebe has no tail. The legs arenet too ias- back, so that the bird walks badly, and therefore seldom comes on land. All these things make identification easier. ..

The “Birds of North Carolina” Presents this closing paragraph»- "Bearing as they do, a certain re- semblance to amall ducks, they are sometimes shot by inexperienced hunters who are due for a vivid disappointment when the birds are served on the table. "A; they fegd on fbh and shell-fish on'e can Integ- ine the flavor! _

‘hie Crneifcn (I)

The commonest of tho crucifor- ous weeds are those referred to as Wild Mustard or Wild Turnip. ‘There is always a vagueness when these names used, for I nave known them applied to four dif- ferent species, and it was eiear that the speaker did not know the dif- ference. All were members of the genus Braaaiea however. and should be recognized from the descrip- tions which follow.

‘rite first, llraaaioa arvensis, is the real Wild Mustard called in Britain. the Chariock, 1t is an an- nual, branched, erect, one to two feat high, and usually (but not a.- waya) hispld with scattered stiff hairs. This is a very noxious farm weed. The basal leavaa are pinna- tifid, with few oba the upper leaves arc thorn ic, sessile but clasping the stem, and are merely toothed. A purplp patch occurs at junction of the branches and stem. Flowers yellow. showy, about half an ‘inch broad, in el ngated ra- cemes. The pods are spreading or ascending in their attachment. and are 13 to I inches long, including a “heal”; they are cylindrical, smooth. and strongly norvad. The Indian Mustard, llraaaioa

was first identified here

y Prof. Oroh. of Ottawa, in 192d. hoislit it was no doubt present llch earlier. The term “Indian" otea itl Asiatic origin. This an-

aal ia erect, and much taller than ha preceding special: it is paler n color, rather [iaueoua and smooth teiabroaa) or nearly lo. The lower VI In long-stunned and Jyraea, about 4 or l inches long. The leaves d!» aeaaile or near-

I

M Iaaeaeiatfltp linear, and much

smaller. None of them clasp the stern. The flowers are yellow, about half an inch wide in elongated ra- cemes. Pods one to two inches long, and very slim, but with a comic- subulate empty beak one-fourth to one-third of its length, Found in waste places. roadsides, and grain- fields.

Notes on two other Braaaicaa will appear next week.

The Mllor’! Sol-In

Major Hoopla. in his latest ven- tuN, gavo his lingers some help by means of the Sol-fa notation, but it was the old Italian names of the notes that he used. A monk, Guido of Arezzo, Italy la slid l0 have net-med the notes of thO scale from a hymn to St. John, us- ing the first syllable of each line. This gave Do, re, ml, fa. sol. la. ut, and then do again in octave. The seventh (or leading) note “ut", being anything but euplionic, was afterwards altered to “si." These names had s long run, from the 11th century, and were probably used on the Island in our own time. When given the sound of the Italian vowels the names are not unlike those of the English system.

John Spenser Curwen, head of a publishing firm. undertook to modernize Guidc's system. about the middle of last century. He did not alter the sound of the names by spelling them Doh, ray, mg fuh, soh, lali, te, and doh octave: these are merely English equivalents. Since Curwen meant to use init- iais, lnltead of the syllables, in printing his music, tho leading note "s1" was again altered. ap- pearing this time as "te." to avoid clashing with "soh." Then Curwen thought up an easily learnt tinie- system and it was an immediate success. There wero choirs- they called them "classes" -i'ormed in all the ml-nlng villages that I knew of, and some very good classes they were. They were most- ly of grown-ups, but the altos were boys. The music was of good qual- ity. some of the favorite part-songs being from Bishop, Barnby. and Sullivan's works. For use in schools no system comes anywhere near the Sol-fa.

Island Family Names

The census of 1798 continued. Part of Lot, 16 and of Lots 14 and 13 had been settled by Scottish fa- milies; McDonald, Forbes, Cam- eron, Campbell, McLean. and "Mc- Kinnion" (so spelt) appear to be Highlanders. Here and there in those same Lots one notices other nationalities. George Blood (an Irishman?) had a family of seven. but the name has not persisted: and George Penman appears to be English. Lot 11 had two families, 13 people altogether. One family was called Linkluter, and descen- dants nre still io the fore. The other family was headed by James Smith, a very general surname, and difficult to keep track of. Lot 6 had but one settler, George Hartley, with a family of 11 persons, He was the ancestor of the Hurdles of the present day. Lot 5 had seven families chiefly Gaelic: but wnere did Jacob Vlgo hall from? Thea. Duffee was an Irishman, but his descendants do not,_ spell their name that way. The namo was orig- inally D'Urfey, being of Norman descent. Among the settlers in Lot 25 were Samuel Rix, William Wright end Jessie Strangi and in Lot 25, among others we note Wm and Peter Schurman (evidently of German origin for the name ends in -"man"); Chatterton. Hooper, Wetherall, Cole (new Coles) and Barrett, are English. Peter Monet's descendants spell the name Ma-bey, I think. Last comes "Moses Hives" from the south of England, who gave h-is name with an aspirate! His progeny are now (correctly) Ives. Daniel Woods, Dougald and John McGlnnls lived in Lot 27: both names are still extant. (To be con. tinued.)

The verb "To girn"

Dear me, it must be fifty years since I heard this word: thus I reflected when I saw it in The Guardian on Oct, Mill. It is a dia- lect word. peculiar; I think, to Scotland and Norihumberland. The Scot pronounces_it as if spelt “g-sirrn"; the Northumbtian e with his liking for coarser vowels makes it "gorn." As for its etymology girn is an altered form of grin, but not a good-natured grin! It is a twisted grin. with hart-d teeth and ending in s snarl. It carries a latent threat, so that when llfi" body glmed it was good policy to keep an eye on lihnl

‘The Saxon origin of the word is shown by (1) its brevity; and (i) the transposition of the letter "r". The transposition oi letters or syllables oi a word is known as metaheais. Here are examples: the Old English "bridd" is aow "bird"; andthe northern dialect word "brunt" is intended for "burnt,"

POULTRY

1.;-

Iuylng live and dressed fowl and chickens daily.

Phone for Pick-Up Service.

a. 1. Meooucstt, Vernon

Top: Allister McArthur par- ades the Ayrshire helfer calf class at the Wllliamstown and White championship show.