The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-02-07

This is done by felling few trees
 across the bed of the stream and filling
 in with dirt or stones. In this way the
 water is held back so that two or three
 acres of land are flooded. Along the
 banks of the stream and around the l pond, wire netting from two to three
 foot high is placed, enclosing all the trees that can possibly be taken in.
 Now and then. however, farmer loses
 some of his colony, which escape up or down the stream by burrowing under
 the fences, but he has the chance of get
 ting some of his neighbors animals
 and he makes no complaint.
 A colony of twelve females and four
 males is sufficiently large to start with. The animals are purchased in the Sas- katchewan valley in Manitoba, where
 they are' trapped. A colony of sixteen
 costs $160. They are placed in the ponds
 in the spring when the water is high;
 and all the farmer has to do is keep
 his dam and fences up and prevent hunters from killing the animals. The
 farmer experiences but little trouble
 with the poachers, for 1t is generally
 understood that man caught in the
 act of beaver hunting on land that
 doesn't belong to him is to get bullet
 in his skin rather than trial by jury.
 It takes the animals but a short time
 to become accustomed to their new sur
 roundings. I'm a few days they begin
 building the huts of mud and sticks.
 They work vigorously op the trees and
 some of the smallest ones are gnawed off. The first year the farmer receives no income. The animals propagate rap- idly, and by fall in the second year the colony has greatly increased in numbers.
 The first two years on beaver farm is tedious existence. The farmer di- vides his time between caring. for his colony and hunting. Upon the latter he depends principally for his food. But little money is spent in the construction of dwellings, First an excavation five or six feet deep is made in the ground, and around this stakes are driven close ly together When fixed in the ground they stand about six feet high. Two tall, strong posts are set in the center at each end. and running from one to the other is ridge pole. Long poles are slanted from this over the ends of the surrounding stakes, projecting sev- eral inches. On the roof thus made cakes of sod are laid, dirt is then thrown over 1t, and the whole Is cover ed with sod Around the outside dirt is heaped until the ends of the roof poles are covered. The whole, from distance, looks like tent-shaped up- heaval of the ground. The entrance is a square opening in one end. Although there is nothing attractive about the architecture of this abode, it is very dwelling, and protects the occupant against the winter freezings perfectly. Bear skins and deer pelts scattered over the floor and pieces of | rough furniture covered in the same | way, add to the comforts of the place.
 The best of feeling usually exists be- | tween the residents of this out-of- the | way corner, and the long winter eve | nings are passed in playing a moderate | game of seven-up or draw poker. The | farmers are, for the most part. men whose lives have been passed on the western hunting grounds They are [ hardy, slow going men, who take kindly | to the hermit life they live, but when the time comes for selling the product of their farms they go down to Cairo or Memphis and engage in a couple of weeks of high living that makes the good citizens tremble and the saloon keepers richer. They spend their mon " like water, and, not infrequently, go pack to their farms with empty pockets. their rough ways, hey are good hearted, and they extend he warmest hospitality to visitors.
 The slaughtering season begins in De- 'ember and lasts through January. If here are several farms on one stream he farmer whose corral is nearest the mouth of the stream kills first, When le has finished, the next above him ,egins, and so on to the last farmer. The work begins by drawing off the ,onds by means of floodgates that are overed with wire netting to prevent he animals from passing through. When the mud houses of the beavers re exposed the farmer goes from one o the other and taps on them with