The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-09-23
SEEING The FAIR
IN DETAIL

Tales Of the Woods-Porcupines Still
Throw Their Quilts at Some Folks.
Revelations From Wisconsin-A sto-
ny Of q Great Victory on Lake Erie.
Alaskan Fisheries and a Washington
Plank.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE BY
MARK BENNITT.l
Up in Wisconsin the porcupine is
known as the "lost mans food" In
Wisconsin's exhibit Of forestry a case
of these odd brethren Of the woods
look at the passing throng with that
nonchalance affected by taxidermists.
l thought it was an exploded notion
that porcupines threw their quilts, but
A. l.. Rowe. who represents Wiscon-
sin here, tells me 1t is not. Only the
other day, said Mr.. Rowe, an imagi-
native visitor stopped with his COM
panion in front Of the porcupines,
jabbed his finger into the companions
side to awaken him, pointed to the
animals and said:
"See them porkypines? Them's the
fellers that throws their quilts. See
them quilts? They're sharp as fork
tines, an they throws 'em like darts.
l had the gol blamedest time bout five
year ago you vel heerd about. l was
goin' along the road when all 'twonct
some porkypines begins throwin'
quilts. Gee, but l must a looked like
a chestnut burr when l got away from
'um. They must a throw'd 'um ten
feet for l want closter than that t.
any tree"
So the porcupine still throws his
quilts and lizards count the small boys
teeth If he holds his mouth open and
lots of other strange things happen as
Of yore.
The law protects the Wisconsin por-
cupine, and he may not be killed ex-
cept in time of stress to the forest
traveller. The Indian relishes the por
cupine's flesh, but the white man does
not take it from choice. The deer, fine
specimens Of which adorn this exhibit,
is another protected creature of Wis
consin woods. Only during the last
twenty days of November may deer be
killed legally, and no hunter may slay
more than two. AS an example for
lawmakers in other states l may men,
ton that venison cannot be sold legally
or shipped from the state except when
accompanied by the person owning it:
The badger, the emblem Of the state,
has no law back of him, but he is won
derfully self reliant in a paw to paw
encounter. "He can dig like a steam
shovel" said Mr.. Rowe. II went after
one with a shovel II day, and he kept
ahead of me, making a fresh burrow
faster than ] could dig"
The black bear still abounds in north
ern Wisconsin and knows no law ex
cept his natural fear Of man. The
state makes no fish exhibit, though few
| states can boast more opportunities for
the fisherman.
Beautiful woods are here from Wis
consin-'The best curly birch and ma
pie we have eve SEEN" says MI. Rowe,
All sorts of finishing woods and little
suggestions are here that make one
want to build a house straightway to
make use of them. Red oak and black
ash stand for the hard woods of the
state, and cork pine-the choicest of
the white pines-supplies the finest Of
materials for doors and castings. Here,
too, are beautiful burls for paneling
and other fancy uses. The enemies Of
trees AMI examples of their destructive
work are mere in cases, a score or So
which prove chat Wisconsin has her
troubles, along with sister states, and
which suggest tha1 she will need bet
ter laws for the protection of all wild
birds that live upon insects
l stopped to examine some at the
boats of modern build. Everything
here is suggestive Of life along stream
and shore OF in the dark. damp depths
Of forest recesses.
"Do you own a shotgun said 9
voice l,ehind me. Amid such scenes II
is embarrassing to- confess unfamiliar
ity with their fullest meaning and rich
est experiences.
II am fond Of boats,' said L.
'"You see that boat there? wy
that's a tub! The bulge is in the
wrong place. A boat run best on its
own foam. Makes me think O. the
time my brother an l cum it over
Englishman long the north shore 0
Lake Erie. There was a sailin' RACK
every year near us, an I seq to my
brother, Bob. let's build a boat an
60 in that race l was always grea'
ON boat models. It's a knack. So WI
cut our own logs an took EN- to thu
mill an had things made u owl
way. Besides our work that sail
boat cost us JUS $50.
when the race came off we were
On hand with plenty o. sail. The race
was in three directions, three miles
each time to a buoy and back, eighteen
milos in oil This was where we me