Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-08-19
AT PIERRE D
Hills Naturalist Shows Doane Robin
son Wonderful Weather Record
lRY Qoane Rohinsonl.


1t is astonishing to observe how
faithful a history of meteorological
conditions is recorded in the hea is of
the big pine trees OF the Black Hills.
My attention was called to it by o.
H. Larson, a s~elf-educated old noun
taineer, who uses his eyes to about
the best advantage of n one l have
met. Mr.. Larson has lived for a quar-
ter of a century in a little park on the
crest of the Black Hills, and if any
thing has escaped his attention l have
not discovered it. There are trees
there three hundred years old, and
every departure from normal weather
is clearly revealed in the annual
growth circles. The proof of the &C
curacy of the record is verified by the
observations of the weather since the
Ellis were settled. Walking through
of the gulches l asked Larson
what the saliva-like deposits on the
plants, known popularity Is Snake
spit or frog Spit" really is. He told
me without hesitation that it is q
protective secretion for a low order of
animal life. Placing a branch cover
ed with it in a closed spice box with
a small opening in one end to admit
the light we found in a few hours that
Nv q liiSNSu oP ~ 49, oAS
Placed near a fire 1t moved away from
the uncomfortable heat. No plant or
flower of the mountains, or other
phenomena seems to have escaped his
attention and analysis. The other
day upon a little walk about his home
he brought in forty-three varieties OF
Towering plants native to the region.
II nieroo o r1ip~ fnohrioo1 rao1NOu -Nfh-
ing could be more interesting than q
popular study of the rocks of the
HiNs- The tremendous up
thrust which reared these mountains,
throwing a thousand qualifications
into inextricable confusion, twisting
at times, ten-foot thick courses OF
quartz into cylinders, carving great
gulches and greater canyons, leaving
topography terrible yet picturesque,
which has been softened by leap!ng
trout streams, birch-covered glades
and pine forests, makes of the region
a book for instructive study and a
retreat for rest and recuperation and
since railroads have made it more &C
cessible to the world, increasing mum
bers avail themselves of the delights
and the health restoring opportunities
afforded.
The state sanitarium for tubercul-
GUS patients which has been located
at Custer is being pushed forward as
rapidly as possible. The rules for
its conduct have not yet been wholly
formulated, but it was the understand
ing in the legislature when the law
was passed that it is not to be alto
gether a benevolence, u that patients
- ~ %ok~n1-A
will be required to do SO. Aside from
the Sioux Indians there are not a large
number Of consumptives in the state.
although about two hundred persons
annually succumb to the plague. A
vigorous effort is being made to secur
from the government a separate sani-
torium for the Indians.
Professor Perisho's statement that
less than three percent. of the arte-
sian flow Of South Dakota is utilized
for practical purposes, has aroused
Wasta-There is complaint Of the
shooting of stock in this vicinity. 1t
is the old trouble between stockmen
and homesteaders where the range
law yet prevails. The homesteader
claims the right to protect his crop
by any mean he may require, and
the stockmen claim the right to allow
his stock to feed where they will.
The question of continuing free range
in this county will be voted
at the fall election and if thu home
steaders. can have their way, the
stockmen will have to get off that
particular part of the earth after the
votes are counted.
~Sturgis-Upon his return to this city
from Rapid City where he had been
with his associated counsel A. X.
Gardner to make application for bail
for Nellie Mcmahon and Nary HIaniiffy
charged with the murder of David
Thomas, Attorney Alwater prepared a
$500 bond for Mrs. Hanify. In a
short time many leading citizens
came forward and offered bail. The
bond was finally executed by Charles
Francis, w. D. Hail, S. E. Perkins,
E.. Jones, c.. p. Meyer, Henry Kytl
tenbach and Joe Meyer, each of whom
qualified for entire mount required.
The same was Immediately approved
and Nrc Hanifv Moe dicoborUod ~ f