The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1935-08-01
Out-of-Doors

For the quarter ending July 1,
there were shipped from state trust
fund mines 1,313,129 tons of iron
ore for which the operating COM
panies paid into the state treasury
on July 20 the sum of $685., 257.27
for royalty and rentals, according
to F. A. Wildes, Director of the
Division of Lands and Minerals,
Minnesota Department of Conser-
walton.
To determine the status Of Am
erica's wild ducks, Erling SVEN
son, Director of the Minnesota Div
ision Of Game and Fish, will par
ticipate in a nationwide survey
that Is now under way. It was
pointed out by Mr.. Swenson that
wild duck conditions "is a subject
of concern in every section of our
country because of the disastrous
droughts for several years past in
mid-continental Canada and the
United States"
Data to be included in the sur
vey will be location of favored
nesting areas, number Of mother
ducks with broods, abundance Of
ducklings, number of nests, old
ducks without broods and total
number Of all wild ducks by spec
les. Information will also be
sought as to cause of losses on
breeding grounds and what can be
done to eliminate such losses. I'm
provement of nesting areas also
will receive careful attention.
State game wardens, sportsmen's
organizations, farmers and inter
ested individuals will be enlisted
by Director Swenson in the work
in Minnesota so that as complete
picture as possible will result
covering wild duck conditions in
the state.
Similar investigations will be
conducted in other duck breeding
states and provinces and results
tabulated for submission to the U.
s. Bureau Of Biological Survey.
Strange as it may seem, many
people who frequent wooded areas
are not familiar with poison ivy.
The Department of Conservation
issued the following statement
concerning this noxious plant:
"At this season of the year, poi
son ivy begins to appear in the
climbing or creeping stage in
many Of Minnesota's state parks
and other wooded regions.
THE plant, or shrub belongs to
the same family. It grows about
10 inches high before beginning to
creep or climb on other shrubs and
trees and often along the ground.
"The first Identification of the
noxious poison shrub is the three
leaves on one stem. There are 9TH
er plants with three leaves but
poison ivy leaves are nearly smooth
edged. They are not definitely
notched or toothed as others are.
The color Of the leaf above is light
green and is not shining. The
shrub produces a whitish green
flower. In the fall white berries ap-
pear. "a
Contact with the plant produces
a burning eruption Of the skin. A
physician should be consulted as
soon after contact has been made
as possible. Application Of ex-
tract Of witch hazel, wrapping the
inflamed parts with well saturated
cloths, will bring relief"
Pointing out that unless a fish
is Of certain length, depending up
on the kind, it has small food val
ue, DR.. Thaddeus Surber, superin-
tendent of fish propagation for the
Division of Game and Fish, urged
that fishermen return all under
sized fishes to the water where TAX
en-. He stated that there is no le-
gal limit on the size of game fish
es that may be retained except
stream trout all Of which must be
retained and counted"
Fish should be handled with
wet hands," DR.. Surber said. I'm
removing the hook from small
fish, care should be exercised that
the fish is not injured so that 1t
will continue to live after being
returned to the water"
Better fishing opportunities for
disciples of Sir Izaak Walton who
enjoy fly casting for stream trout
will result from the planting of
819, 75O trout fingerlings in various
sections of the state during the
month of June. Trout distribution
during the month was hampered
because weather conditions pro-
longed wall-eyed pike activities,
Erling Swenson, Director Of the
Division Of Game and Fish, re-
ported.
A total of 571OOO,OOO wall-eyed
pike fry was Matched and distribu-
ted in state waters during the
months Of May and June with ad-
verse weather extending the work
well into June, Director Swenson
stated.
at Is gratifying to note that
Minnesota continues to maintain
the Lead among states in the Union
in the work Of propagating fresh
water game fishes" Director Swen-
son said. with improved con-
d.tions in lakes because of the
raising Of water levels due to album
dant spring rains, fishing oppor-
tunities will be materially aug
mented."
Upland game birds and shore
birds are known to destroy amor
nous members Of locusts, grass
hoppers, army-worms, cut-worms,
beetles and other insect pests to-
gether with large quantities of
noxious wood seeds.
To facilitate fish lakes improve
ment work in Minnesota, four new
fishing agreements were entered