NEBRASKAland
March 1973 50 cents 1 CD 08615 how to improve your stock pond wildlife under glass
NEBRASKAland Magazine invites all readers to submit their comments, suggestions, and gripes to Speak Up. Each month the magazine will publish as many letters as space permits. Pictures are welcome. NEBRASKAland reserves the right to edit and condense letters. — Editor.
I AGREE - "I have read For the Record (The Giveaway Game, November 1972), and I agree with Mr. Barbee's statements that we must put a stop to the giveaway game. If a person can afford the necessary equipment and transportation for hunting or fishing, then he can afford a few dollars for a license,"—Colonel G. H. Dahl, San Diego, California.
UNAPPRECIATED-"If I were a pheasant and happened to see the cover of the September 1972 issue of NEBRASKAland, I would pick myself up, gather all of my kind and fly to a neighboring state that did appreciate my beauty." —Frank J. Vogel, Omaha.
CONCERNED —"I was deeply concerned over several letters in Speak Up, November. These letters express anti-hunting sentiment and thoughts of cruelty to animals. I do not think these people realize that the problem of our wildlife is habitat, not hunting. The hunters, through financial support of the Game and Parks Commission, Ducks Unlimited and the Izaak Walton League, provide the necessary cover and feed for wildlife with the help of the sportsman-farmer.
"Part of the help from farmers comes through such fine programs as Acres for Wildlife and the Cropland Adjustment Program.
The elimination of hunting would not result in more wildlife, but less. Winter cover and food would not be sufficient to sustain MARCH 1973 the additional demands of unharvested wildlife and would result in mass starvation and winter kill.
"Those who oppose hunting have forgotten or have never eaten a pheasant dinner." —Mike Brockwazel, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
FITTING TRIBUTE- 'Your article, Mallards Meant Money (October 1972) was a fitting tribute to a fine old gentleman. Many people, young and old, will remember Carl Wennersten for a long time to come." —Dan Timm, Juneau, Alaska.
COMPLAINT-"| would like to know why the State of Nebraska can and does require a person of 16 to buy a hunting license, duck stamp and upland game stamp to hunt, but does not allow the same person to buy a box of shotgun shells until he is 18.
"It seems to me that this is like selling a 16-year-old a car and then not letting him buy gasoline. I would like to see this tried in court." —Larry T. Sullivan, Grand Island.
Nebraska hunting permits and upland game stamps are required by law to regulate the harvest of game in the state. Duck stamps are required by federal law since migratory waterfowl hunting is governed by those agencies applicable. Both were instituted before the Gun Control Act was passed by Congress in 1968, thus the discrepancy in age requirements. The analogy between cars and gas and guns and ammunition does not hold true. An automobile may be purchased for cash (a 16- year old is considered a minor) and titled in the youth's name. A gun cannot be purchased by anyone under 18. — Editor.
OOPS —"I am an ex-Nebraskan who used to live in Silver Creek. I have shot a lot of ducks over decoys during the past 75 years, but never yet have I had to call a pintail decoy a mallard (Cover, October 1972). How come?" —Thomas E. Adams, Lynnwood, Washington.
The mistake is a clear case of not seeing the duck for the feathers. Our apologies to the artist and our readers. — Editor.
DANGER —"For various reasons, people in rural areas have to use roads during the fall hunting season. Your day starts like any other. There is some type of errand to run, so you take to the road. You pop over a hill or around a curve and there, in the middle of the road ahead of you, is a four-wheeled vehicle of one description or another with all four doors swinging wide as the occupants of the vehicle are in gleeful pursuit of a pheasant or two. They are totally unaware of the death trap they have set for some unsuspecting person.
"This is not an isolated case. It happened several times during the 1971 season. Not just on the same road the same day. That is the frightening thing. This ugly trap is being set more and more often.
"We need help with our idea of educating those hunters who are careless and thoughtless, (Continued on page 7)
NEBRASKAland
VOL. 51 / NO. 3 / MARCH 1973 Published monthly by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Fifty cents per copy. Subscription rates $3 for one year, $6 for two years. Send subscription orders to NEBRASKAland, Box 30370. Lincoln, Nebraska 68503. commission Chairman: William G. Lindeken, Chadron Northwest District, (308) 432-3755 Vice Chairman: Gerald R. Campbell, Ravenna South-central District, (308) 452-3800 Second Vice Chairman: James W. McNair, Imperial Southwest District, (308) 822-4425 Jack D. Obbink, Lincoln Southeast District, (402) 488-3862 Arthur D. Brown, Omaha Douglas-Sarpy District, (402) 553-9625 Kenneth R. Zimmerman, Loup City North-central District, (308) 745-1694 Director: Willard R. Barbee Assistant Director: William J. Bailey, Jr. Assistant Director: Richard J. Spady staff Editor: Irvin J. Kroeker Editorial Assistants: Ken Bouc, Jon Farrar Lowell Johnson, Faye Musil Photography: Greg Beaumont, Bob Grier Layout Design: Michele Angle Illustration: C G. Pritchard Advertising: Cliff Griffin Circulation: Juanita Stefkovich Copyright Nebraska Came and Parks Commission 1973. All rights reserved. Postmaster: if undeliverabte, send notice by form 3579 to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Box 30370, Lincoln, Nebraska 68503. Second class postage paid at Lincoln, Nebraska Travel articles financially supported by Department of Economic Development Stan Matzke, Director John Rosenow, Tourism and Travel Director Contents FEATURES IT SEEMED TO BE THE SAME OLD STORY-HABITAT 10 ROUNDUP OF FORTS 12 SWEET CLOVER FILLS THE BILL 14 GEMS IN THE ROUGH 16 ALONG THE WIDE MISSOURI 20 PATTERNS IN WOOD 24 KEEP FISHING 28 PERSPECTIVE ON WEEDS 30 WILDLIFE UNDER GLASS 32 A SIGN OF OUR TIMES 42 HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR STOCK POND 46 DEPARTMENTS SPEAK UP 3 FOR THE RECORD: NATIONAL WILDLIFE WEEK 8 NOTES ON NEBRASKA FAUNA: COOPER'S HAWK 44 WHERE TO GO: PLUM CREEK 51 WHAT TO DO 56 TRADING POST 65 OUTDOOR ELSEWHERE 66 COVER: Pronghom diorama in Morrill Hall LEFT: Cranes over Platte River; photos by Greg Beaumont
but we don't know just how to get the job done. Legislation is not the answer. There are plenty of laws now that make this situation illegal, so more laws wouldn't correct it. Help!" —Mrs. Herbert Frerichs, Pilger.
Mrs. Frerichs' comments are taken from letters she sent to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the Nebraska State Patrol and Radio Station WJAG in Norfolk. We are printing them with hopes that hunters who frequent country roads during the season will see it and police their own actions. Such a situation is dangerous to everyone involved, and the sooner it is rectified, the better off both hunters and rural road users will be.— Editor.
FASCINATING BIRD - "I have always been an avid hunter, especially the past 4 seasons which I have spent at Wayne State College. I have bagged more than 50 birds a season, and would like to relate my experiences and feelings about this fascinating bird to the many thousands of pheasant hunters throughout the state. At times, I'm sure, they have felt the same as I. To that end, I have enclosed a poem about the ringneck." —Frank M. Cantania, Omaha.
AN ODE TO THE ROOSTER As the sun peers over the horizon, and the frost glistens on the brome, I silently enter the battlefield, in search of the rooster's home. He haunts me in the morning with his cackle of "good day", He intimidates me to stalk him out, in every imaginable way. He lures me to the north, then flushes from the south. He causes me to rant and rave, to throw my hat and pout. But just as soon as I lose hope, and lower my barrel to the ground, He bursts from my feet into the air, I quickly pivot around. I raise my gun up to my shoulder, and aim as my target flies Up into the crisp, cold air —upwards in the sky. And the exact moment that I pull the trigger, I notice a gleam in his eye For as he escapes to his fields of golden, he seems to say goodbye. As the sun sinks on this November day, I hear the ringneck shout His victory cackle fills the air, again he has won out.MISSING — "Upon reading the January, 1973 issue of NEBRASKAland, I noticed that the Nebraska index map was missing from the contents page. This was a unique and helpful addition to the magazine. Also, I could not find the How To page or Notes on Nebraska Fauna."—Mike Butkus, Ralston.
for the record
National Wildlife Week
Discover Wildlife! It's too good to miss! It's all around you —in the vacant lot and on woodland, prairie and marshland, or at a backyard bird feeder.
And, what better time to enjoy it than during National Wildlife Week, March 18 to 24? The National Wildlife Federation founded the annual observance to focus attention on our diminishing wildlife resources.
A healthy, natural environment, including all wild creatures, contributes to our quality of life and is essential for our own survival. An en vironment which does not support diversified wildlife cannot provide the ecological base for the meaningful survival of man. Like the canaries miners carried underground to warn of poisonous gases, wildlife today warns us of the buildup of poisons which threaten our lives.
"Ecology" was not part of our common vocabulary a few short years ago. But in the last few years it has become a household word. Apparently, however, the movement's popularity does not denote brevity, as is so often the case with popular causes.
According to the federation, the environmental movement is not faltering —Americans are as concerned as they ever were. A recent Gallup survey actually showed an increase in the number of people who are deeply concerned about claims that our natural surroundings are being spoiled by air pollution, water pollution, soil erosion and destruction of wildlife. The federation has authored an annual Environmental Quality Index to keep the world's people posted on progress and regression in the world environmental picture.
The Gallup survey showed that about three out of four adults are will ing to pay additional taxes to improve environmental quality. But more people favor living more simply as an alternative to paying the costs of cleaning up pollution.
Living more simply is now bringing many Americans back to some basic delights that have been pushed aside in our sophisticated develop ment. Today many people are again becoming explorers of the mini-worlds of insects and wild mammals. They are using cameras to capture the flight of birds, or hiking and camping in the animal's own environment. More and more people are testing their skills against those of an elusive buck or a wily trout with firearms, bows and arrows, fishing rods, or even cameras. Perhaps it's not unreasonable to hope that the present concern will continue, that wildlife really has a chance to survive in today's world — and tomorrow's.
But if the challenge is to be met, those concerned individuals must do something. They must help convince others that wildlife does, indeed, deserve a chance. That's what Wildlife Week is all about. It's a chance to draw attention to the many aesthetic and practical values of wildlife. It's a chance to reevaluate our outlook on ecology and the environment which supports us and our fellow creatures.
National Wildlife Week is a good time to plan for the future, for each of us to decide what we can do for our diminishing resources, be it recycling of household garbage, using less water, purchasing a less powerful car, or joining a campaign to curtail the use of harmful pesticides. Now is the time, and you can help.
It seemed to be the same old story
Habitat
CHARLIE WEDDEL is 85 years old, and his worst vice is that he likes to hunt and fish. In his words, he has "a good pair of legs and can still tramp the fields five or six hours a day." Charlie is the kind of man, though, who doesn't just hunt and fish. He has taken such an interest in wildlife that it prompted him to contact the Game and Parks Commission 10 or 12 years ago about planting a wildlife plot on a spare five-acre corner of his land near Arcadia. Today that small tract of land is a wildlife haven.
Charlie invited Willard Barbee, director of the commission, to share the fruits of that early planting. So. on December 1, 1972, Charlie and Willard found themselves in the middle of the plot hunting pheasants.
The day was perfect for tramping the fields. The sky was brilliant with scattered clouds drifting across. Winter's first snow was piled up in weedy draws and fencerows.
As the two men walked from the road, Charlie pointed out an irrigation ditch which runs along the south and west sides of the plot. They inspected the variety of vegetation there and discussed some of the reasons for plant ing. Black locust and Chinese elm provided protection in extreme weather, and the 100 or more red cedar were excellent escape, winter and roosting cover. In the branches of the cedar, probably one of the best wildlife ever greens, such wild creatures as pheasants hid from predators. Cedar berries provided food for many birds, especially robins and waxwings.
Their discussion of the cedar was interrupted by the explosion of a pair of hens flushing from across the canal. Somewhere behind the tangle of trees and shrubs there was a saucy cackle, but neither man saw the cock.
They turned north along the row of cedar, hoping to kick something out of the grass. The native switchgrass was good loafing cover. The switchgrass, which also provided food for wildlife, was mingled with bluegrass — good nesting cover. Such forbs as ragweed were scattered throughout the area, adding highly nutritious seeds for both birds and mammals.
Sand and chokecherry, intermingled with other plants, gave low, brushy cover for birds and mammals, and provided fruit for both animal and human consumption. Rabbits and field mice ate the bark, too, as winter food.
It was obvious that rabbits inhabited the area, and several small songbirds flitted just ahead of the men.
After walking the perimeter, Willard and Charlie swung along a nearby fencerow, then cut back toward the pickup. As they plodded back, Willard pointed out the contrast between two cornfields, one on each side of the fence they were following. The field to the north was nothing but stubble, the result of a new harvester designed to cut the stalks about six inches from the ground, shell the corn, chew up the refuse, and drop it back onto the field. On the south side of the fenceline, the cornstalks still stood, providing good wildlife cover. In Keokuk County, Iowa, he remarked, many farmers had refused to purchase the new machines. They felt their game should have cover to hide in. As they rode back into Arcadia, Willard reviewed the events leading to his meeting with Charlie.
This Valley County pheasant hunt had begun with the invitation Charlie had sent to the commission in February. In that letter Charlie had described the wildlife area, and had told about his arrival in Arcadia.
"I came up here with my dad and mother on February 22, 1909," he had written. "We came with an immigrant car bringing four horses and mules, farm machinery, household goods, five milk cows and some chickens. I was 21 years (Continued on page 59)
Roundup of Forts
IT ALL began with Fort Atkinson, perched on the bluffs above the Missouri River near present-day Fort Calhoun although it was still called Cantonment Missouri at the time. The year was 1819, and even then it was evident the United States Army was on the frontier to stay. In the decades that followed, other outposts sprang up across the state, straddling emigration trails and nestling among the hills settlers found so attractive. Two Fort Kearnys, Fort McPherson, Fort Hartsuff, Fort Niobrara, Fort Sidney, Fort Robinson, Fort Omaha and Fort Crook carried on the tradition that Atkinson began. They were only the major reservations, however, the posts that bore the brunt of the Indian Wars in Nebraska and lived on to find a place in the present as well as in the past. But there were others. Insignificant by modern standards, each was a bastion of defense for those in the immediate neighborhood, and each was as unique as the age that spawned it.
To name all of the lesser military posts in Nebraska would be an impossibility. Doubtless, many were so small and/or so short-lived that even their existence has been lost to time. Almost every encampment troopers established on field maneuvers carried the name "fort" or "camp." There are those whose memory remains, though, despite the fact that their physical presence has long since vanished. And there were a number of "forts" (Continued on page 59)
sweet clover fills the bill
Sometimes old methods prove the best. This time-tested legume restores soil structure and fertility while creating habitat
TWENTY YEARS of cheap synthetic nitrogen fertilizer have caused many Nebraska farmers to forget a practical, down-to-earth method of putting more pheasants in the pot. I know, I was one of those farmers. There was a time, though, when most of our nitrogen for row crop production didn't come from pressure tanks. It came from legumes —alfalfa and sweet clover.
For pheasants, sweet clover is what it's all about.
With today's land-retirement, feed-grain diversion programs and technology, you can improve soil structure and water intake, add some nitrogen, cut costs, AND raise pheasants by planting and managing sweet clover. The power choppers now available make easy work of handling the crop residue when it is time for the land to go back to row crops. When every tillage operation costs money, real savings can be achieved by switching from clean summer fallow to sweet clover. It works —I tried it.
Back in the heyday of sweet clover, up-to date irrigation farmers tried to keep 25 to 40 percent of their land rotated through legumes for maximum corn production. Alfalfa is fine feed for livestock or a cash crop where there is a market, but a bushel basketful of research shows that alfalfa cut for hay just doesn't raise pheasants. Managed sweet clover does.
If a farmer is "in the program" today, 15 or 30 percent of his feed grain acres are out of production. That usually means clean fallow, with resultant expenses and possible wind erosion problems. At a time when every operational expense means less net income, the farmer can realize significant cost savings by going to a "semi-permanent cover."
Research shows that across much of the pheasant belt, most birds come from nests in winter wheat or road ditches. Roadsides are attractive nesting sites for pheasants because of their residual cover. Corn, milo or alfalfa fields just don't produce many broods because they lack one vital requirement —being left undisturbed. Second-year sweet clover, however, provides the essential nursery for this popular game bird.
Here's how to put more pheasants on your farm. Choose with care the idle acres slated for sweet clover. Don't plant clover on land treated with atrazine the year before. The atrazine carry-over will swat young sweet clover dead before it has three leaves.
Plant sweet clover in April on a good seed bed and make sure that soil lime and phosphorous needs are met before planting. Proper levels of lime and phosphorous will pay off on the sweet clover and even more when the land is returned to row crop production. Plant eight to 12 pounds of good sweet clover seed per acre and inoculate it. While any sweet clover is good, white blossom varieties are best because they are bigger plants, have more stalk strength, and thus provide more winter protection for the birds.
About the only insect pest on sweet clover is the sweet clover weevil. A thick vigorous stand of young sweet clover can easily stand a moderate invasion of these pesky bugs but heavy populations in young sweet clover call for control measures. Weevils eat the leaves of sweet clover in a half moon or crescent pattern. One and a half pounds of active ingredient of the safe insecticide Sevin in 10 gallons of water, preferably sprayed in the late afternoon, is the answer. Sevin has a short active life, leaves no problem residues, and has no bad effects on warm-blooded animals.
In the second year of its growth, sweet clover comes into its own as a pheasant nursery. The undisturbed clover provides pheasants with nesting, roosting, escape and vital winter cover. By fall, second-year clover serves as a magnet for many pheasants from surrounding sections. You will have better hunting, and your neighbors may be convinced to plant their own sweet clover.
You may want to leave the sweet clover undisturbed a third year, thus providing more nesting cover and often a good volunteer stand from the second year's seed.
If every section of land in Nebraska's pheasant belt had 40 acres of undisturbed second year sweet clover, the good old days of pheasants aplenty would return.
With a little care, pheasants can abound again on your'farm, and to bring that about sweet clover certainly fits the bill in today's farming practices. I did it —so can you!
14 NEBRASKAiand MARCH 1973 15
An old house, deserted and ignored, holds an appeal all its own
gems in the rough
TREASURE, or at least its conception, is many things to many people. There are those who search out ancient bottles, finding in their imperfections a satisfaction and frequently a profit. Others spend lifetimes ferreting out sunken steamers which once navigated the Missouri River and gave up their cargoes and often their crews to the whims of the waterway. Then, there are those who firmly believe that the Spanish conquistador Coronodo entered Nebraska in his fabled search for the Seven Lost Cities of Gold. For that select group, finding the pommel of a Spanish saddle or a spur bearing even the slightest likeness to the Latin 16 varieties brings the epitome of contentment. Many who search out such remnants of the past are solely in pursuit of profit. But there is another ingredient which creates a common bond —adventure. It is the promise of a unique experience which lures every treasure hunter into the fickle world where castoffs or hidden riches spell the ultimate in satisfaction.
I must confess that treasure hunting holds a certain attraction for me. Maybe that's why the mere mention of an article for NEBRASKAland jarred me to attention. It's not that I planned to get rich off what I found, but then, who would pass up a pot of gold should it be lying around for the taking? At any rate, NEBRASKAland assignments were being made. I must have said something in the heat of the moment because I was given the story. Greg Beaumont, NEBRASKAland photographer was selected to record the event.
The initial idea was to send a writer-photographer team out with two subjects who would comb a deserted farmhouse or, better yet, a skeleton town. I should explain that a skeleton town is a community, not necessarily devoid of residents, where unused buildings remain standing in varying states of disrepair. Ghost towns, on the other hand, are those which have simply disappeared —population, belongings and buildings —each in their turn. Skeleton MARCH 1973 towns are rare in Nebraska, but ghost towns abound here just as they do throughout the Midwest. There was one flaw in the original concept, though. Regardless of whether they are skeleton or ghost, towns be long to people, and few owners relish the idea of someone scouring their land, occasionally removing a few boards from windows and doors or a ton of earth to get at something of value. Besides, the object belongs to the person on whose land it is found.
So, Greg and I came up with what we figured would solve all problems. We figured that rather than carting off someone's valued-but-neglected Tiffany lamp, why not substitute photography for larceny?
17
camera suitable for our purposes. All we needed was a spot to visit.
NEBRASKAland photographers get around quite a bit, and Greg remembered seeing several old houses in the southeast around Tecumseh, Syracuse and Cook, so we headed out. In this day and age, many old houses in Nebraska are owned by city folk, despite the fact that they are 20 miles from nowhere. And, with the state's trespass laws being what they are, it is necessary to obtain the owner's permission before foraging through unfamiliar buildings.
We hit two or three spots without success before noon on a chilly but bright October day. Neither of use realized at the outset the myriad uses an old, deserted farmhouse must endure. One fellow had turned stately dining and living rooms into a barn in which he stored a few tons of bailed hay. That said a lot for the floor supports, but it didn't leave much room for photo possibilities. Another had gutted the original structure, probably intending either a similar use or planning to tear it down in the near future. Either way, that abode was out, and the lunch hour was upon us! After a quick meal, we were back on the road, headed north on Nebraska Highway 50 from Tecumseh to NEBRASKAland ward Syracuse. We sped past the turnoff to Cook and were making good time when we shot past an all-but-deserted driveway. Greg is a quiet sort, but he can get his point across when he wants to, and he had me turned around and on my way back in short order. We wheeled off the blacktop into a cutback drive that looked like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock thriller. Aging cedars and skeletal oaks stretched branches overhead as if to shield the road way from the elements, creating an eerie sight.
Once out of the lane, we could see the whole layout. On either side of the road stood a house. It was impossible to tell exactly how old either was, but MARCH 1973
Along the Wide Missouri
The old river never stops, but you will find many reasons to linger a while
HIGHWAYS ARE happy ways, or so the old song goes! Such is especially the case when you talk about roadways that wind through country as picturesque as Nebraska's Missouri RiverValley. U.S. 73 is such a highway, for it parallels the route of Lewis and Clark as it meanders northward along the state's eastern border. At the same time, it connects with various major east-west routes, including Interstate 80 (at Omaha). You can begin your tour anywhere you wish, but if you start in the southeast corner of the state the first sizable community on the route is Falls City, where oil was first discovered in Nebraska. Legend also has it that Falls City was once a stop on the Underground Railroad for escaped slaves en route to Canada. Wending its way north, a short jog takes travelers to Brownville. This historic river town is one of the oldest in Nebraska and offers a wide range of summer activities from country music festivals to meller-drammers. For a special treat, take time for an excursion aboard the Belle of Brownville, one of the last sternwheelers. The old steamboat is available for short excursions or all-day adventures.
This is some of the richest farmland in the state, and straddling the Nemaha-Richardson county line is Nebraska's newest state park, Indian Cave. While the park is still in its primitive state, it is open to the public, and development is proceeding to make it one of the major parks in Nebraska.
As you continue from Falls City through Dawson, Auburn and Nebraska City, your course plies the heart of Nebraska's apple valley.
Travelers will find Nebraska Highway 2, which intersects U.S. 73 at Nebraska City, a handy shortcut to Interstate 80. Nebraska City provides a splendid introduction to the "Good Life" of Nebraska. This seemingly sleepy river town was home for J. Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day. The lovely, tree-lined streets are but a preview of the sights in store for those who take the time to stop at Arbor Lodge, Morton's hilltop home. An enchanting, antique brick drive traverses the 65-acre area, which is now a state historical park. The 52-room mansion boasts an exceptional array of period furnishings, relics and Morton memorabilia, while the nearby carriage house shelters an unusual collection of horse-drawn vehicles. The surrounding arboretum includes hundreds of varieties of trees and shrubs, a fitting memorial to the father of Arbor Day. While the grounds are open year-round, the buildings are open to the public only during the summer months. While at Nebraska City, visitors can also tour John Brown's Cave, which was also a stop on the famed Underground Railroad.
Less than an hour's drive to the north is Omaha, the hospitable queen of the prairie. She swings her gates to reveal a delectable array of sights to see and things to do. The easiest route to the many interesting attractions in Omaha is the Old West Trail-approved Gateway City Trail. It leads to Boys Town, the famed "City of Little Men"; the nation's largest stockyards; Ak-Sar-Ben, with its vast agenda of activities; Henry Doorly Zoo, one of the nation's finest; Offutt Air Force Base, home of the Strategic Air Command and the Strategic Aerospace Museum; the cultural world of Joslyn Art Museum; the Union Pacific Museum with its Lincoln memorabilia; the final berth of the famed mine-sweeper, USS Hazard; Florence, site of the Mormons' winter quarters during their determined westward trek; Bellevue, one of the state's oldest and most historic cities.
For gourmets, there's palate-pleasing fare awaiting. You can choose from dining amid swank splendor to intimate and cozy, out-of-the-way cafes. For night owls, too, there's plenty on tap from dinner theater to dancing (Continued on page 63)
22 NEBRASKAland MARCH 1973 23
Patterns in Wood
A million forms in a million shapes turn the silent world of nature's sculpture into a panorama of imagined creatures
IT HAS BEEN said that we see with our minds instead of our eyes. And, all too often, that is true. Think about it for a while. Remember the optical illusion of a table which seems to have three legs, when actually it has four? Or, how about a stream that appears to flow uphill when it is geographically and physically impossible? Both are the result of frame of mind, familiarity and surroundings. We see what we want to see —no more, no less.
So it is that objects as familiar as fenceposts, trees, and vines take on a whole new aspect under given conditions. In the minds of men, anything seems possible, and even the most bizarre becomes plausible.
On a lonely stretch of cattle-country road, a gnarled fencepost suddenly catches the eye of a passerby. Perhaps it was simply a fallen limb when, decades ago, it was propped into the fencerow to support sagging wire. Now an extended knot which formerly held no significance becomes the muzzle of an imagined beast. Through the years, wind and rain gnawed at the top of the post, eroding a section from its center. Now, remaining projections on either side remain as erect ears, completing the symbolism of a coyote head which gazes with hollow eyes across infinite acres of sandhills grassland.
A vine, twining to the top of a slender bush, suddenly becomes an exotic serpent foraging its leafy domain for prey. Passed again and again in daily routine, its supposed identity comes only with the tiny spark of recognition in an off moment. Then, with each glance and every angle, the
A twisted root, frozen in time and space, tenaciously clings to a sheer cliff face. Poised as though climbing, it becomes a pattern for the children who scramble before it. And, rooty legs and torso become protective shields for youthful adventurers.
Other objects ignite sparks of recognition, yet the viewer is hard put to categorize them. A solitary piece of driftwood on a barren beach resembles a fallen warrior, arm outstretched for help.
If a log falls in the middle of a forest and there is no one to hear, does it make a sound? For years, scholars have wrestled to no avail with the answer. In this instance, if the root of a fallen tree strikes the pose of a basking lizard and no one sees, does it exist? The answer lies only in the fertile imagination of man. And, he won't know until he sees the root.
Keep Fishing
The secret of angling success is very simple...
THIS IS RATHER familiar conversation wherever you fish, whether you catch just one big fish or a stringerful. They want to know where you caught them and what you used for bait. "What have you got?"
"A bass," is your reply.
"What did you catch him on?"
And so on.
I've read many articles in magazines such as Sports Afield or Outdoor Life on sure-fire methods: "How to Catch Fish."
I've studied Alden's Solunar Table, checked pocket calendars which indicate best days with green- and red colored fish, and studied various ads that guarantee fish by this method or that. But I'm firmly convinced that my method beats them all — keep fishing.
I'm a school teacher and my chief hobby is fishing, despite the fact that many of my friends say it's the other way around. I do a lot of fish ing in the summer and manage to get in a few pretty good licks during weekends, or even after school in early fall and spring. I've had my share of good luck, both in limit catches and real lunkers, so I think I can speak with some authority.
Sure, I have my own way of fish ing for a certain species just like everyone else, and there are some species that require pretty much the same technique all the time. But even the most unorthodox methods will catch them if you just keep fish ing. Let me cite a few examples.
I'm firmly convinced that a light line, an even lighter leader, a No. 6 hook, one small split shot, a small minnow hooked just under the dorsal fin and a very light bobber make a conventional rig for 90 percent of all crappie fishermen. Yet, I was fishing with this same setup one evening at a reservoir when a party of three men approached my backwater retreat from the opposite shore and immediately began preparing gear for crappie fishing. One vociferous fellow was giving free advice to everyone on where all the hotspots for crappie were, just what lures to use, and how to get those blankety blank crappie. At the same time he assembled a heavy casting rod, heavy line, no leader, a large clincher sinker, and a cork two or three inches in diameter. I don't know what size hook he had, but I could see that he stabbed the hook through a minnow about three inches long. Then he wound up! That's right! He waved the rod The secret of angling success is very simple... around his head twice and cast clear across the water to within six feet of the end of my little pencil bobber that was being towed around by my tiny minnow. Almost immediately his cork bobbed once, twice, and disappeared. A few seconds later that fellow horsed out the biggest crappie I have ever seen. I know his crappie weighed at least three pounds if it weighed an ounce. I've caught hundreds of crappie, but never one that big.
Another time I was fishing a rocky bottom for sauger in the same reservoir when every other fisherman was casting daredevils for northern pike from shore. Suddenly my reel started to sing, and 10 minutes later I was the proud possessor of a 15-pound northern. Now I wasn't fishing for northerns, but I was fishing.
During one fishing trip to the Niobrara River I fished for cats from early morning until almost midnight. During that time I caught exactly one 14-inch cat. The next morning I tried tempting them again. I was fishing the same channel around the same rock and using the same kind of bait. In less than five minutes I hooked a 10 1/2-pound cat, beaching it a few minutes later. Catfish are moody fellows, but not too fussy. There are times when they seem to prefer certain baits, but whether you use frogs, minnows, entrails, or soap, if it's in the water, Old Whiskers will likely grab it.
I don't care much for Mr. Carp's flesh as a table delicacy, but I do respect his fighting spirit, so I go after him quite often with my flyrod for the sheer delight of it.
Now I have always believed that you must be reasonably quiet when fishing for carp. One morning I was catching them in the Elkhorn River's south fork, when two men arrived to do some spearing. They plunged into the water about 100 feet below the dam and slowly worked their way upstream toward me. I figured that was the end of my fish ing. But not so. They seemed to chase the carp right to my hook. The carp kept right on biting until the spearers were within 20 feet of my spot.
Another of my favorite camp haunts is Lake Ericson just where the channel slows to meet the reservoir's backwater. As it is a rather long cast from shore, I usually use a heavy slide sinker and a No. 6 hook baited with three or four kernels of sweet corn. One evening, with just this kind of rig, I began catching blue gill. When my corn was gone I had as pretty a stringerful of bluegill as anyone ever brought home. Now this certainly isn't the way I would normally go after bluegill, but that's just the way I caught them —I was fishing.
My brother-in-law lives in Grand Island and comes to my place several times a year to fish. When we arrive at a chosen lake, pond or stream, he says: "How do you fish for these fish?"
"Oh, I don't know, just fish," I say.
"Aw, come on," he says, "You fish all the time. What's the best way?"
"No, honestly," I repeat, "I don't know. Just get to fishing.' And that is a fact. I don't know. Sometimes I think I know, and then some novice comes along who doesn't fish but twice a year, who doesn't care whether he catches anything or not, and then goes away with the prize of the day. That's what you call poetic justice.
But this I do know. If you go fishing often enough you're going to catch fish, and someday you will get that big one. The whole secret to this business is simple —just keep fishing.
28 NEBRASKAland MARCH 1973 29
Perspective on Weeds
Often cursed, these plants also have many beneficial values to offer
WEEDS! What do you think when you hear the word? The traditional definition usually says something about "a plant growing out of place" or "an unwanted plant." Using this line of thought, the suburban homeowner would refer to crabgrass and dandelions as weeds. Similarly, a farmer in the Corn Belt could name several un wanted plants in his corn or soybean fields. A rancher in the Great Plains would have still another list of weeds on his range or hayfield.
References to unwanted plants occur in ancient writings, including the Biblical parable of the "tares among the wheat." Observations of Greek and Roman naturalists often dealt with descriptions and characteristics of plants competing with grains or grapes. Poisonous plants played prominent roles in history and mythology-toxic effects were sometimes imagined, often real.
As recorded observations continued, European naturalists, herbalists and agricultural writers accumulated a considerable amount of knowledge about uncultivated plants. Some German and English herbals of the 17th Century are excellent examples in which art, botany and medicine are combined. In addition to herbals and pure art, technical illustrations became common after a uniform system of plant classification started in the mid-1700s.
No one can say how long ago the first weed-control efforts occurred, but removal of plants by hand or with a crude hoe were probably part of early agriculture. As equipment and methods improved, control of unwanted plants became somewhat easier but was still carried out on a small scale.
In the late 1800s, chemical control of plants became possible to a limited extent. Some of the chemicals used in those early experiments included compounds of arsenic, dilute sulfuric acid, petroleum products and copper sulfate. All these materials were applied on imited areas and required much hand abor.
A number of chemicals developed during and shortly after World War II made it possible to apply control methods on larger areas. Machinery for 30
Other methods using insects or plant diseases to control vegetation are being investigated. These methods are sometimes lumped under the term "biological control,' where effects of insects or plant diseases on a particular weed species are deemed agriculturally desirable. The term "integrated control" also turns up in reference to vegetation management. This type of program uses a variety of methods, including herbicides, biological control and tillage practices.
Where do our weeds come from? Are they native plants, or were they introduced? One study of this subject, published in the late 1930s, shows that about 40 percent of north-central U. S. weeds are native while most of the remainder originated in Europe or Asia. About 50 years after colonies in Massachusetts and Virginia were first settled, one author reported that quackgrass, dandelion, and sow thistle were already established in the New World. The Russian thistle is said to have gotten started in the late 1800s in southern South Dakota. Seeds had hitch-hiked in a bag of flax brought over by a Russian immigrant. The so-called Canada thistle is also one of the Eurasian introductionswhich iswidespread in the northern Great Plains.
Sometimes plants that become weeds did not start out that way. The Yearbook of Agriculture (U.S. Department of Agriculture) for 1901 carries an article entitled "The Hemp Industry in the United States." This is the same hemp that is also known under the names of cannabis, (Continued on page 55)
31
Wildlife under glass
Dioramas' meticulous detail makes a stroll through the State Museum seem like a year-long expedition in search of elusive beast and fowl
A CENTURY ago, you would have to had to trek across the state four times —once each season —to have seen as much wildlife as you can observe during an afternoon stroll through the Hall of Nebraska Wildlife, and even then you wouldn't have ferreted out all the species displayed in this unique gallery.
Today you might stalk an antelope for hours or trail a bobcat for days before coming close to them in their natural habitats. Other animals you would not see at all —the passenger pigeon is extinct, the bison exists only in captivity, and the world's few remaining whooping cranes traverse the state only during migration.
The alternative, then, if you want to get a total picture of wildlife as it inhabited Nebraska Territory before pioneers broke the sod, is to visit the University of Nebraska State Museum where 17 life-size dioramas provide a microcosmic glimpse of the state's animals in natural, seasonal settings. Located in the lower level of Morrill Hall (14th and U streets,
Protected by glass from inquisitive fingers, each part of each diorama shows meticulous handiwork from professional taxidermy to natural realism in each scene right down to the autumn colors of fallen leaves and the hues of cloudless skies. Rock, tree, soil and plant specimens were
Completed in 1963, preparation of the gallery was coordinated by Dr. Bertrand Schultz, the museum's director since 1941. It involved cooperation from a team of experts —botanists, anthropologists, paleon tologists, geologists and zoologists. Preliminary settings were drawn by the museum's artist Nathan Mohler. He also painted the first background. Three artists were commissioned to paint the other 16. Some natural plants were preserved one way or another —others are artificial. Some real tree trunks were used —others are imitations, but only a termite can tell the difference.
Taken as a whole, the dioramas in this gallery represent a selective tour of the state as it was a century ago when herds of bison still rolled across the plains. Today, unfortunately, natural habitat is giving way to the gross national product, and some species are disappearing. Thanks to museums, however, they are being preserved forever, even if only under glass.
D.E.C.-
a sign of our times
As pollution grows, so does this agency's vigilance
WHEN AWAREHOUSE filled with pesticides and other potentially dangerous chemicals burned, threatening to contaminate a city's water supply, specialists from the Department of Environmental Control were on hand to advise and coordinate cleanup and disposal operations. When a feedlot operation contributed to a substantial fish kill in one of the state's trout streams, the Department of Environmental Control initiated action to force the operator to take corrective measures or face court proceedings. When a manufacturing concern exceeded legal standards for smoke-stack emissions, the Department of Environmental Control helped develop abatement techniques.
Most Nebraskans, even if they are aware that a Department of Environmental Control (DEC) exists, have little idea of its origin, structure or function.
Beginning with the words, "Whereas the water, land and air of this state are among its most precious resources and the pollution thereof becomes a menace to the health and welfare of each person, and the public in general...," the Environmental Protection Act was signed into law on May 26, 1971, creating the Environmental Control Council and the Department of Environmental Control.
The Environmental Control Council, consisting of 16 governor-appointed members, is a group with representation from various fields, including agriculture, industry and conservation. The council is responsible for the adoption and promulgation of standards, rules and regulations governing environmental matters in the state.
The Department of Environmental Control is the actual working body created by the act.
Structurally, the department is subdivided into four working divisions-Water Pollution Control, Air Pollution Control, Solid Waste Control and Administration.
Consistent with the priority of maintaining Nebraska's high water quality, the (Continued on page 61)
42 NEBRASKAland MARCH 1973 43
NOTES ON NEBRASKA FAUNA... COOPER'S HAWK
Even though it is sometimes damaging to man's interests, the "chicken hawk" is an integral part of nature's scheme, and is now a protected species
44 NEBRASKAlandTHE COOPER'S HAWK, also known by such names as hen hawk, blue darter and quail hawk, is one of the accipitrines, the other two being the goshawk and the sharp-shinned hawk. The Cooper's, Accipiter cooperii, is most commonly called the chicken hawk, sometimes hated by poultry farmers, and is the primary cause of widespread antipathy toward hawks in general.
Important field identification characteristics include short, wide wings, long tail and a body not quite as large as that of a crow. Adults have blue-gray backs and rusty, irregularly barred underparts. Immatures have brown backs with heavy streaks of brown on a white belly and breast. A rounded tail will usually distinguish the Cooper's from the smaller, but almost identical sharp-shinned hawk, whose tail is notched in flight and square when folded.
The Cooper's is found throughout Nebraska, especially during the winter months. It sometimes breeds in the MARCH 1973 northern portions of the state where suitable habitat occurs. It is partially migratory. A few overwinter as far north as central New York, while others reach Costa Rica and Columbia. It sticks rather closely to cover, venturing out onto open areas when in search of food. In the eastern part of the United States it prefers mature, broad-leaved forests. It seeks out conifers in which to roost, but rarely nests in them. In Nebraska, suitable habitat is often limited to thin fringes of trees along streams, shelterbelts and small patches of woods.
In hunting, the hawk flies to an in conspicuous perch to look for prey. If it sees a ground-dwelling animal, it waits until the prey is looking the other way, then leaves its perch and, with a sudden burst of speed, seizes its victim. Many birds are caught by pursuit as they fly near a tree in which the hawk is perched. Young Cooper's hawks often crash into bushes in pursuit of prey even if the bushes are thorned. In some areas of the United States, the Cooper's hawk is an important predator of bobwhite quail. It hunts them partly by sound, at tracted by flock or covey calls. It some times walks or hops about in heavy cover to flush a quail, then flies it down. Birds are plucked before eating.
Preferred foods consist of medium sized birds such as starlings, robins, blackbirds, meadowlarks and flickers. Poultry, commonly chickens, is taken when available, an act which sometimes leads to persecution of the of fenders or any other hawks or owls in the area. Proper penning techniques, however, usually prevent predation by the Cooper's hawk. Due to an abundance of natural food, it rarely takes a large number of chickens. Frequent mammalian prey are chipmunks and squirrels. Lizards, amphibians and large insects are sometimes eaten, especially in some parts of the West.
The month of March usually brings pairing and courtship flights. Such flights are performed frequently for a month or so. A pair may nest year after year in the same tract of woods, but as a rule a new site is selected each year. The male selects the nest site and does most of the building. The nest is made of sticks and twigs and lined with flakes of oak or maple bark a day or two be fore egg laying begins. A clutch of four or five pale sky-blue or dirty white eggs are laid in a 10- to 11 -day period. Incubation is almost entirely by the female. The eggs generally hatch in 36 days. The young birds develop quickly with the males usually leaving the nest after 30 days and the females after 34. Food may continue to be brought to the nest by the parents for 10 days thereafter and the young may return periodically during that time to sleep and eat.
A very common hawk 40 to 50 years ago, the Cooper's has been decreasing in numbers across the United States during recent years. Perhaps this has been due to constant persecution or loss of habitat. More likely it has been due to the accumulation of pesticides in the primary food sources which could be affecting its reproductive success. Consequently, the future of this species bears watching. Even though the Cooper's hawk can sometimes be damaging to man's interests, the species is very important as an integral part of nature's scheme as well as being aesthetically and scientifically valued. The 1971 session of the Nebraska Legislature recognized the value of the Cooper's hawk and its close relatives the goshawk and the sharp-shinned hawk —by providing them with complete protection.
45
HOW TO: Improve Stock Ponds
Make a family project of it With minimum planning, you can transform your farm watering hole into a wildlife haven
EVERY YEAR more and more land is being put into crop production or used for grazing. In the wake of these changing land-use practices there is a constant need for wildlife husbandry. An untapped resource to foster wildlife management is available in numerous stock ponds and dugouts located throughout the state. Most stock ponds and dugouts are constructed to provide water for livestock, but with a little extra work they also attract and support wildlife.
The primary ingredients needed by wildlife for existence are food, water and shelter. Because your pond furnishes water, a management plan can be developed to fulfill the other requirements.
Ponds that receive heavy use from livestock have little vegetation around them because of over-grazing and trampling. Thus, essential to successful wildlife management of a pond, is a stand of cover developed to attract wildlife and reduce soil erosion. Approximately 75 percent of the pond can be fenced without decreasing the pond's value as a water supply for live stock.
Fencing protects the fill, spillway, pond edge and sod strips from livestock damage. Keeping livestock away from most of the pond will add years to the life of the pond. Thus, fencing is merely a good investment with many indirect benefits.
The area that is excluded from livestock encroachment can be managed for a variety of wildlife species. Fencing allows cover to grow, providing excellent nesting sites for pheasants and waterfowl. If natural cover does not return, a cover crop can be planted on this area. The best nesting habitat is a cover crop that gives maximum protection against predation; thus, a mixture of grasses, such as Western wheat grass, and legumes, such as alfalfa or sweet clover, is excellent pheasant and waterfowl cover.
If you have local populations of woodducks or geese, nesting structures can be placed in or around the pond. A new pond could also include an island as a nesting and loafing site for waterfowl.
A shelterbelt can be planted near the stock pond. It can serve as a windbreak, decrease wave action on the pond and reduce shoreline erosion. It also serves as a shelter, a nesting area and a food source for birds and mammals.
A good wildlife shelterbelt consists of a variety of tree and shrub species. Tree species available at low cost include red cedar, pines, cottonwood, oaks, ash and walnut. Shrubs that provide cover and food for wildlife include red dogwood, chokecherry and mulberry. In eastern Nebraska, you have a larger choice of shrub species such as autumn olive, cotoneaster and honeysuckles.
More exotic species, such as winter berry, elderberry, wild apricot or apple must be purchased from commercial sources. Food plants such as grain, sorghum and sunflower also attract wildlife to your pond. A variety of plant materials will increase the number of deer, rabbits, pheasants, quail and song birds that enliven and enhance your area.
As you select plant species for your site, take care in developing the list of trees, shrubs, grasses and legumes. Most recommendations are general and may not be adaptable to your soil, topography and climate situation, but personnel from the Game and Parks Commission and the Soil Conservation Service can provide on-site recommendations on plants, soils and wildlife conservation methods.
Pond enhancement for wildlife can be an enjoyable family project and can increase the value of your property.
GEMS IN THE ROUGH
(Continued from page 19)east, was in good shape and in use, but the house and a number of outbuildings were just what we were looking for. There was a catch, though. We didn't know who owned the place and it was essential to find out before we began exploring.
There are spots in rural southeast Nebraska where you can practically stand on one farmer's porch and hit his neighbor's house with a thrown stone. This was just about the case as we began a door-to-door search for the owner of our find. No one was at home at our first two stops, but the third paid off. Mrs. Philip Dowden informed us that her husband owned the property in question and that he was plowing a field just up the highway. That's where we met Mr. Dowden, doing his best to sink a blade into heavy, black soil, which clung like glue to the steel, and nursemaiding a gunky carburetor on his tractor.
I'm a native Nebraskan, but it never ceases to amaze me how downright friend ly people in this state are. Philip listened to my request without the slightest smile at what he probably figured was sheer lunacy. He nodded his assent, then indicated that he would meet us at the place to show us around.
Philip Dowden is not a man of many words, although he gets plenty of mileage out of those he uses. But, when he met us outside the aging farmhouse, he broke into a running commentary on its lineage. The house hadn't been vacant too long, half a dozen years at the most. Up until then, Philip's uncle, a bachelor, had lived there in typical bachelor style —everything a mess. Easing past the crumpled, moss-ridden boardwalk which led to the front door, all three of us trod softly across the porch. One should never step solidly on unfamiliar footing around an old house, I was cautioned. Philip led the way into a dreary kitchen. The floor was deep under a pile of refuse. Dirt, paper shavings probably left by resident mice, and a few barrels, bottles and cans lay strewn about. On the wall above the place where a stove once stood was the outline of a kitchen clock, the one bright spot on soot-and-grease stained blackness of the wall. Slipping through the kitchen door into the living room, we were met by total disarray. Papers, magazines and letters were heaped five or six inches deep from wall to wall. Philip said he used part of the room for storage, and a functional gas heater in one corner confirmed that fact, but we had found what we were looking for.
I must have looked like a kid on his first day of school at the sandbox as I dived into the papers and assorted refuse. Legal documents were interspersed with area and national newspapers, magazines and books. Philip explained that during the 1860s, the house had served as a courtroom for the area's circuit judge. At least one document I picked up was dated 1898, and there were several dating back into the mid-1860s. Mr. Dowden didn't remember exactly when the house was built, but 1864 seemed to ring a bell. Far be it from me to contest that, since even before the state was admitted to the Union in 1867, there were quite a few set tlers in southeast Nebraska Territory. By then, I was busily setting up my camera gear. The folks at home just wouldn't be lieve the whole story without documented proof.
I came out of my trance to find Greg and Philip upstairs. Three bedrooms aloft were in much better condition than the rooms downstairs, but their picture possibilities were equally as great. Doors stood ajar and faint sunlight filtered through filthy win dows into the hallway. Electricity had been provided, but had long since been disconnected. At the far end of the hall was a door which led onto a tiny balcony too far gone to support much weight, so I contented my self with photographing the hand-hewn gingerbread which supported torn-and-hanging screen. The hours that had gone into fashioning that screen door must have been a story in itself, but time has a way of not talking, (Continued on page 54)
where to go... Plum Creek Circle tour
AN ENTIRE BOOK has been written about the names sites in Nebraska once had. The places are still there, but the names have changed. For example, Lincoln was once called Lancaster, Burwell was named Hazard, and McCook and Murray shared the name Fairview. But probably the best known of former town names is Plum Creek. It is Lexington today, but there are still a lot of folks who, though they might not have been around then, have no trouble conjuring the days when Plum Creek was a rough-around-the-edges frontier town. The Plum Creek Massacre, an 1864 incident which pitted white wagon train travelers against cantan kerous Indian braves, is only one incident which keeps the memory alive. Plum Creek was also the spot where the charred bodies of homesteaders Mitchell and Ketchum were displayed after the shooting/hanging/burning in Devil's Gap a few miles north. Plum Creek is gone, but neither it nor its era are forgotten. There are a few more things to see and do in the area today, and the people of the central-Nebraska community know it, so they put together the Historical Plum Creek Circle Tour to acquaint those who follow it with their heritage —past and present.
The tour covers 37 miles, most of it over hard-surfaced roads. There are a few miles of gravel, however, but these are well maintained and should offer little inconvenience. Tour officials caution you to watch country intersections, ask permission before entering private property and leave the countryside the way you found it. From there on, all you have to do is enjoy central Nebraska's offerings.
The Dawson County Historical Museum at East 7th and Taft streets in Lexington is a good place to start the tour. Full of historical artifacts recalling the area's pioneer days, it is open throughout the year, or may be seen by special appointment by calling the telephone
Head south of town on U.S. Highway 283 to begin the official, mapped portion of the tour. Some five miles south and 1 V2 miles from the indicated turn is the Oregon Trail stone marker (No. 1 on the map). From 1830 to 1869, it is estimated that half a million emigrants averaged 12 miles per day over the trail. Trains of 26 wagons or more, each unit drawn by six yokes of oxen, used the Oregon Trail until the completion of the Union Pacific Railroad forced its abandonment.
The Canaday steam power plant is visible from Interstate 80, but the map will take you to the site (No. 2). The 100,000-kilowatt, natural gas-powered generator is open to visitors day or night and a call from the box just outside the main gate will insure entry. From the fifth floor deck of theCanaday plant, you will be able to see the original ruts of the Oregon Trail (No. 3) about 1 1/2 blocks southwest.
Robb Memorial (No. 4) sits atop a high hill just a few miles south of the power plant. The memorial was built by pioneer rancher William Robb in memory of his 15-year-old daughter. It is not open, but its uniqueness is well worth the trip.
The historic Platte River (No. 5) is next on the schedule. In pioneer times, the Platte boasted few trees and little water, but all that has changed. Summer visitors might consider a picnic beside the river, while sping and fall travelers will find the massive flights of migratory waterfowl a sight almost be yond belief.
The Plum Creek Massacre Cemetery (No. 6) lies just south of the Platte. Here lie the 11 men and women who were killed. Here, too, is the site of the Freeman trading post which was abandoned and razed during the hostilities, and Fort Plum Creek which was established
Turn south at the first turn past the Josselyn Alfalfa Mill five miles west of Overton. Spring Creek School (No. 8) stands west of the road. Built in 1916, the school is still used by farm children from the immediate area.
Not far away, the Dogwood Wildlife Area lakes (No. 9) are stocked and fishing is good. Still a primitive area, there are only refuse barrels for facilities. Exploration in the area will uncover, how ever, endless varieties of plants, birds and wildlife. From there it is only a few miles to Overton and the return trip into Lexington where Western hospitality is yours to enjoy for as long as you like. 12
GEMS IN THE ROUGH
(Continued from page 49)even though our host was drawing my interest more each moment.
Besides serving as a courtroom, the house had also been the local post office on the horse-delivery run between Nebraska City and Beatrice, he said. In fact, the old mail box was still around —out in one of the other buildings. Philip moved pretty well in the old house, but I practically ran over him trying to be the first one out the door. Once outside, it was only a few steps to a ramshackle building which is used as a granary. Just inside the door hung what must have been the postmaster's pride and joy. Aged from years of service as a letter holder, and many more as a catch-all for nuts and bolts on the farm, was one of the most beautiful pieces of frontier woodwork existing outside a museum. Two rows of open-ended boxes, used to hold mail for area families, dominated the upper portion of the shelf. Three drawers spread side by side across the bottom. Two nobs were missing and had been replaced with stove bolts, but most of the mailbox was there, trying to reconstruct the days when it actually served its original purpose. Soon shutters were snapping, and I was ready to move on. It is best not to wear out your imagination on a single item when a whole bevy of others awaits.
In all, there were about half a dozen major buildings on the Dowden property, not counting the three-hole outhouse. It stood stoically beside a tree behind the house, a remnant of the era when Montgomery Ward meant more than just wishing.
Attached to the back of the house near a covered porch was a summer kitchen where the hot work of a century ago took place. On the east end, a wheel of iron demanded attention. Investigation showed a rod which extended through the wall and about half way down the length of the interior. The whole setup was the running gear for an ancient gyrator washing machine which had long since disappeared. More recently, a gasoline motor and a series of belts provided power to turn the wheel, then the rod, and then the agitator in the washer.
It was hard to imagine that we had spent most of the afternoon combing through what Philip Dowden had simply taken for granted for years. The cedars were casting long shadows as we converged on the last object of investigation.
To stand back and look at the building, it would simply be a corn-storage shed. Philip, though, explained that it was actually one of the first houses in the neighborhood —a two-room affair —built well over a century ago. The windows were tightly shuttered with blinds whittled by hand when white men were still scarce in these parts. Wall paper inside, obviously added much later, hung in multi-sized strips from the worn walls. Half of the building was jammed with corn, but the rest was empty. I squeezed through the door over a wooden barricade designed to hold the building together under the stress of crops, and made my way to the window. I worked the shutters open and found that, despite their age and rusted fittings, they worked like new. Philip, I am told, simply shook his head in amazement as I went over the place inch by inch, taking pictures as best I could in the dim light and searching for anything previous tenants might have left behind. Both attempts proved futile.
Darkness was rapidly overtaking us as we made our way back to Lincoln that evening. Philip had given us the grand tour of his holding, taking the afternoon off from his work. At first I figured he was so cordial because we were from NEBRASKAland, but the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that his hospitality goes much deeper. Mr. Dowden is proud of that place in his own special way, just as any number of others across the state take pride in similar possessions. We had taken the time and trouble to find out who owned the buildings and land, and then asked permission to enter. Philip noted that far too few people do that. He has a lion's share of trouble with trespassers, and many relics
DEAN HOHNBAUM, Mgr. In Grand Island, hospitality means the YANCEY and the YANCEY means hospitality. So whether you win or lose on the ponies at Fonner Park, make the YANCEY your racing headquarters. There, you can only be a winner! WEEKEND RACING FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS MARCH 2 & 3, MARCH 9 & 10, MARCH 16 & 17 RACING MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MARCH 20 THROUGH APRIL 28 NEW ROOMS-AMBER LOUNGE-GRAND ISLAND'S CONVENTION CENTER Call 382-5800 For Reservations "where people meet people" —at 2nd and Locust Street GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKAwhich once were in the house and outbuildings are gone now. He once locked the house, but that didn't help. So, it was probably refreshing for someone to ask his permission before stomping through the premises. Philip, just like everyone else, doesn't relish having his possessions carted away. Maybe, I thought as we neared home, that is why there are fewer and fewer such links with the past open to the public. And, if things keep going the way Philip Dowden says they are, his property will probably be closed before long, too.
As I said, though, treasure is many things to many people. For me it is enough to know that I didn't destroy anything during the search, and I have my pictures —such as they are —to remind me that I don't have to hold an antique in my hand to appreciate its value.
PERSPECTIVE ON WEEDS
(Continued from page 31)marijuana or grass in various vocabularies today. The original purpose of introducing hemp was to provide a domestic source of fiber for rope and similar products. The Yearbook article identified Fremont and Havelock as the most important hemp growing centers in Nebraska.
Another example of a plant becoming undesirable can be found in seed catalogs under the name of "burning bush." In some parts of the country, seed can be obtained which the suppliers claim will make a beautiful hedge in one year. They neglect to mention that the hedge breaks off at ground level and blows away in late fall or early winter. Burning bush also goes under the names of kochia, summer cypress and fire weed.
Uncultivated plants are still sources of food and medicine in many parts of the world. In primitive societies, almost all food and medicine of plant origin came from natural gardens. In other more advanced cultures, wild plants served as either supplementary or emergency foods. Examples of wild plant products used in the U. S. in clude various herb teas, dandelion greens, cattail shoots, prickly pear jelly and dandelion wine. None of these can be classified as regular fare on most American dinner tables, but any of them would be a change of pace.
Weeds can present a dilemma to agriculture at times. The use of soil moisture and nutrients by wild plants is beyond dispute. On the plus side, however, drought-resistant weeds can provide ground cover to reduce soil erosion where other more desirable plants can't grow. One such drought-resistant plant —Russian thistle —was often cut for hay during the 1930s. If cut when the plants were young, fairly good hay resulted. True, it wasn't much compared to alfalfa or red clover, but thistle hay kept cows —and farmers' family hopes —alive. The use of (Continued on page 58)
What to do
MARCH ushers in the spring season, bringing with it the beginning of the shift to out door activities, but the emphasis is still on indoor entertainment. Symbolic ofthe onset of milder weather, however, when thoughts turn to out door recreation, is the photo on the opposite page of horseback riders traversing the Sandhills, taken by Jack Curran.
Speaking of horses, track racing begins this month —March 2 —at Grand Island's Fonner Park, continuing to April 18.
On stage, Butterflies Are Free is presented at the Omaha Community Play house March 1 to 4, Abelard and Heloise in Lincoln's University Theater March 2 through 10 (except Sunday),and the musical Of Thee I Sing at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln March 3 and 4.
One of the outstanding events for outdoor enthusiasts, although it still takes place indoors, is the Omaha Boat, Sports and Travel Show February 27 to March 4. The show features professional entertainers and the latest in outdoor sports equipment. The Lincoln Homebuilders Association sponsors its Expo 73 in Pershing Auditorium March 22 to 25.
In the field of music, the Lincoln Symphony's concert March 6 features cellist Zara Nelsova, and the Omaha Symphony's performance March 13 features violinist Zvi Zeitlin. On March 27, guest conductor and pianist Yuri Krasnatolsky appears with the Omaha Symphony. Two recitals are scheduled at Wesleyan, one March 27 featuring contralto Mary Kusek and organist Jeanette Cook, the other March 29 featuring Robert Morrow of Wesleyan's faculty. Also at Wesleyan, the Univer sity Choir Program takes place March 25.
In the world of art, two shows take place simultaneously March 1 to 25 in Lincoln's Sheldon Art Gallery, one featuring serigraphs by Richard Wiegmann, the other showing art by students attending the University of Nebraska. Works by members of the Nebraska Art Association are on exhibit at Sheldon March 1 through April 28. This year marks the association's 85th anniversary. At Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, selections from its permanent collection are exhibited March 4 to 18. The Norfolk Fine Arts Fair takes place March 5. Noted artists from Colorado and Nebraska are featured at Joslyn March 23 to April 22.
Three dog trials take place at Malcolm during the month-the German Shorthaired Pointer Club trial March 10 and 11, the Nebraska Vizsia Club trial March 1 7 and 1 8, and the Missouri Valley Brittany Club trial March 23 to 25. At Mead, the Open Breed Pointing Club of Nebraska fun trial takes place March 25.
A big event on Lincoln's university campus in the annual ball in the Student Union, climaxed by the Miss University of Nebraska and the Miss Lincoln beauty pageants.
At Red Cloud, the annual kite flying contest is to take place March 25.
Art Springer of Tampa, Florida will be the caller for the 23rd Annual Omaha Area Square Dance Festival to be held March 31 at the Livestock Exchange Building Ballroom. Jerry and Midge Washburn of Mexico, Missouri will be the round dance instructors.
The Omaha Knights play seven hockey games on home ice during the month. And, the professional basketball schedule includes two contests in Omaha, with the Omaha/Kansas City Kings versus Baltimore March 8; versus Portland March 19. The State High School Basketball Tournament takes place in Lincoln March 8 and 9.
There are several special dates during the month, the first being March 7 — Ash Wednesday —the beginning of Lent in Western Christendom. March 17 is Saint Patrick's Day. March 20 is the first day of spring, and National Wildlife Week is March 18 through 24.
Taken as a whole, the March agenda of events offers a wide variety of activities to occupy your leisure time. From the world of the arts to the thrills of spectator sports, Nebraska is the place where you can enjoy the "Good Life" to its fullest extent.
List of Events 1-4 —Omaha Boat, Sports and Travel Show, Civic Auditorium, Omaha 1-4 — Butterflies are Free, Omaha Community Playhouse, Omaha 1-15 —Muskrat Trapping Season, Statewide 1-15 —Mink Trapping Season, Statewide 1-25 —Richard Wiegmann Serigraphs, Sheldon Art Gallery, Lincoln 1-25 —Student Art Show, Sheldon Art Gallery, Lincoln 2-4 —Miss University of Nebraska and Miss Lincoln Pageants, Lincoln 2-10 (except Sunday) — Abelard and Heloise, University Theatre, Lincoln 2-April 28 —Horse Racing, Fonner Park, Grand Island 3—Omaha Knights vs. Tulsa Oilers, Ice Hockey, Omaha 3-4 —Of Thee I Sing, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln 4-April 1 —Nebraska Art Association 85th Anniversary, Sheldon Art Gallery, Lincoln 4 —Omaha Knights vs. Seattle Totems, Ice Hockey, Omaha 4-18 —Selections from the Permanent Collection, Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha 5 —Fine Arts Fair, Norfolk 6 —Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln 7 —Ash Wednesday 8 — Omaha/Kansas City Kings vs. Baltimore, Basketball, Omaha 8-9 —State High School Basketball Tournament, Lincoln 10-11 —German Shorthaired Pointer Club of Nebraska Trial, Malcolm 11 —Kite Flying Contest, Red Cloud 11 —Omaha Knights vs. Fort Worth Wings, Ice Hockey, Omaha 13 —Omaha Symphony Orchestra, Music Hall, Omaha 14 —Omaha Knights vs. Salt Lake City Golden Eagles, Ice Hockey, Omaha 17 —Omaha Knights vs. Dallas Blackhawks, Ice Hockey, Omaha 17-Saint Patrick's Day Celebration, O'Neill 17-18 —Nebraska Vizsia Club Trial, Malcolm 18-24-National Wildlife Week 19 —Omaha/Kansas City Kings vs. Portland, Basketball, Omaha 20 —First Day of Spring 22 —Omaha Knights vs. Portland Buckaroos, Ice Hockey, Omaha 22-25 —Homebuilders Association of Lincoln Construction Expo 73, Pershing Auditorium, Lincoln 23-25 —Missouri Valley Brittany Club Trial, Malcolm 23-April 22 —Colorado and Nebraska Artists, Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha 24 —Omaha Knights vs. Tulsa Oilers, Ice Hockey, Omaha 25 —Trophy Trap Shoot, Papillion 25 —University Choir Program, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln 25 — Open Breed Pointing Dog Club of Nebraska Fun Trial, Mead 27-Mary Kusek, Contralto, and Jeannette Cook, Organist, Recital, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln 27 —Omaha Symphony Orchestra, Music Hall, Omaha 29-Robert Morrow, Recital, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln 31 -Annual Omaha Area Square Dance Festival, Omaha
PERSPECTIVE ON WEEDS
(Continued from page 55)weeds by wild animals can be observed readily by anyone. The hunter who makes a habit of examining the crop contents of a quail or pheasant he bagged is carrying out his own food habits study. His curiosity can result in extra birds in the bag in the long run. With binoculars and a little patience, he can get an idea of what a bird or rabbit is feeding on without having the animal in hand.
A wide variety of weed seeds are important food items for upland game birds, waterfowl, songbirds and small mammals. Ragweed seed can make up five percent or more of the food volume of bobwhite quail, Hungarian partridge, pheasant, and about 20 species of songbirds. Sunflower seeds are equally important to the same group of birds. Sunflower heads are used extensively by deer and pronghorn during the summer, and a variety of other resinous plants are also used at that time of the year by big-game animals.
Smartweeds and knotweeds occur over most of North America. They are so diverse that some kinds grow in shallow water while related species occur on very dry sites. Seeds of various smartweeds are important foods for such waterfowl as mallard, pintail and teal. Quail and pheasants also feed heavily on smartweed seeds when available. Other widely distributed types of wildlife food plants include the foxtails (also called pigeongrass), pigweeds, various wild legumes and sedges such as nut grass.
The uncultivated plants provide numerous other benefits for wildlife in addition to food. Ground-nesting birds, including up land game species, rely to varying degrees on weeds for concealment and actual nest material. Escape cover, night-roosting cover and loafing cover are some of the other roles played by weeds of many types.
The special use areas, recreation areas and state parks administered by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission each present unique cases in vegetation control. The comparatively small areas with intensive human use are usually mowed short from late spring to early fall. By way of comparison, special use areas where hunting is the primary activity have minimum vegetation control.
Nebraska law contains provisions which touch on weed control in various situations. Some regulations deal with seed purity, or freedom from foreign material, including weed seeds. Other sections provide the framework for electing county weed boards, contain the list of noxious weed species, and provide for enforcement of weed control regulations under the jurisdiction of various agencies.
Game and Parks Commission areas are subject to provisions of state weed control laws, so a certain amount of equipment and manpower must be available for such activities. While a farmer or rancher might want to do all that is economically feasible to keep wild plants down, it may be just the opposite on state wildlife areas. As previously noted, many common weeds are important food or cover sources for wild life. In that sense, weeds constitute a "crop" for the area's wild "livestock."
In recent years, principal weed control efforts on Game and Parks Commission areas have been directed toward some of the primary noxious weed species. In east ern Nebraska, musk thistle has received the most attention, while Canada thistle has been the prime target in western Nebraska. The extent and acreage of musk thistle on Commission-controlled tracts has declined during the past few years, primarily due to control efforts. On some areas, warm season native grass mixtures are especially effective in long-term control of several kinds of unwanted plants, including musk thistle. Methods of controlling vegetation on wildlife areas include limited applications of herbicides, mowing and hand chopping of scattered stands.
On all the Commission's wildlife areas,
the ultimate goal is to establish vegetation, including trees and shrubs, which is useful for wildlife, prevents soil erosion and serves to enhance the attractiveness of the area for public use.
Weeds! A short word; but a broad subject. There are many ways of looking at the subject. Whether you are a farmer, a rancher, a backyard gardener, a sportsman, or a wild-food experimenter, it is obvious that uncultivated plants play many roles. Cussed as garden pests, esteemed as gourmet treats, recognized as important food sources for wildlife, or remembered as the only pasture plants during the 30s, weeds have a prominent place in the scheme of things.
ROUNDUP OF FORTS
(Continued from page 12)thrown together in time of need by area civilians. The two —military and civilian mingle to form a fascinating patchwork of the lesser outposts of historic Nebraska.
The practice of establishing sub-posts to regular army installations was relatively common in the 19th Century. For one reason or another, it was impractical to field patrols constantly; the only plausible alternative to the sub-post. In the case of Fort Laramie, the major problem was size. The commander at that Wyoming post had the territory under his control from South Pass east to Ash Hollow. Consequently, sending out patrols and scouting parties to police this vase expanse would have kept the garrison dangerously low. So, a series of out lying posts was established and in 1864, Captain J. S. Shuman was sent out to form another in the western shadow of Scotts Bluff. For lack of a better name, the captain tacked his own to the site and Camp Shuman was born. Under the commanding officer's directions, troopers of the 11th Ohio Cavalry began cutting sod for the buildings and by October 30, about 100 men called Camp Shuman home. Since the surrounding countryside was teeming with thousands of surly Indians, that must have been something of a dubious honor.
Camp Shuman wasn't much to look at. Its buildings were of rough sod with adobe trim, and they surrounded a central parade ground with their outer walls forming a 90 by 140-foot defense perimeter. One witness recalled the officers' quarters, enlisted men's barracks, stables and a warehouse for supplies. Each was either open-fronted or had windows facing the courtyard while portholes for rifles dotted the exterior.
Somewhere along the line Camp Shuman became Fort Mitchell, named for the then commander of the Military District of Nebraska. The move was hardly original, since there was one other site in the territory with the same name, though it was named for D. D. Mitchell of the American Fur Company. There were, too, at least seven other Fort Mitchells in the United States. Captain Shuman's was the sole survivor of this family of forts in Nebraska, however, since the other one, located at the confluence of the Niobrara and Missouri Rivers, was evidently abandoned about 1837. For years afterward, its palisades provided firewood for steamboats on the big river. The fort at Scotts Bluff wasn't to die so easily, however.
Although the War Department never recognized it as a military post, Fort Mitchell was to figure prominently in at least two campaigns. On November 20, 1864, Colonel John M. Chivington, a minister turned soldier, led his men into the Massacre at Sand Creek in Colorado. More than a little peeved at such goings on, the Sioux returned the favor in 1865 by sacking Jules burg, just over the Nebraska line in Colorado. In February, Fort Mitchell's garrison was ordered out against some 2,000 hostiles at Mud Springs near what is now Bridgeport. In what might be called a miracle amongst military happenings, fewer than 150 soldiers combined marksmanship and guts to turn the enemy. Battle reports record 40 Indians and two soldiers killed.
With Mud Springs behind him, Shuman could only wait: for what he did not know, but it came soon. Some 1,500 Sioux were being transferred from Fort Laramie to Fort Kearny under a column commanded by Captain W. D. Fouts of the 7th Iowa Cavalry. Near Lyman, the Indians picked up reinforcements and made a break for freedom. Fouts and three enlisted men were killed and four others were wounded, while an estimated 30 Indians were killed. Captain Shuman and the 11th Ohio are generally credited with figuring in the Battle of Horse Creek, but they actually arrived too late even topickupthetrailof the fleeing Indians.
In the years it stood on Nebraska's western border, Fort Mitchell could probably be likened to a solitary barrel of gasoline in a match factory. There were thousands of Indians ready (Continued on page 64)
HABITAT
(Continued from page 10)old, footloose and fancy-free. It took me six long years to find a Valley County gal who would have me, and I still have the same gal. We have four fine sons..." In a P.S. he had added that he had raised five sons, but one wouldn't hunt and fish "so I shot him."
In his reply, Willard had agreed to visit Charlie, but prior commitments would not allow setting a date. "I'm afraid you may have made a rash mistake with that fifth boy of yours," Willard had continued. "If he didn't hunt and fish, he might have been kept around to clean the critters you and the other four bagged."
It was December 1 before Willard finally broke away from the office. As he rode southwest from Ord airport, he observed some drastic changes in a part of the state he had known well 15 years earlier as a land manager for the commission.
Using road kills as an indicator, he concluded that game populations had declined over the years. But why? It seemed to be the same old story. Habitat. The draws and canyons throughout the area had once been full of fireweed, but today they were clean. Where once the weedy cover had been at least chest deep, there was nothing now but short grass. He noticed that the tops of trees were showing the effects of aerial spraying. Where plumb thickets had once been impassible, only an occasional scrubby growth remained. Acres and acres of yellow blooming sweet clover had formerly covered the hills. From the air, in spring, the whole area had been masses of yellow. Now there was little clover left.
Descending into the Loup Valley toward Arcadia, he turned his thoughts to finding Charlie's house. He turned at the Congregational Church just as Charlie had instructed, continued one block south and
turned east. Sure enough, there was Charlie's place. Once there, he was ushered into the house by Mrs. Weddel, and he and Charlie were soon planning their day's activities over coffee and cookies.
Bouncing back toward Arcadia in the pickup, Charlie described to Willard how his hunting had changed over the years. "Now I just mosey along at my own pace," he remarked, "and kind of look things over as I go. I can hunt all day that way."
After lunch the pair headed east of town toward Jim Holmes' farm. As they approached Jim's yard, they could see that he wasn't enamored of modern farming practices. It appeared that he appreciated wild life cover more than whistle-clean lots. Several acres behind the house were full of fireweed and, as they discovered later, pheasants.
Entering the driveway, Charlie and Willard quickly noticed that Jim was an avid deer hunter —his fence was lined with skulls in varying stages of bleaching. But, it soon became evident that Jim, like Charlie, was interested in maintaining wildlife as well as hunting it.
Once introductions were out of the way, Jim began talking about pheasant hunting on his land. A few years ago, he said, he realized he had only a dozen birds on the land he farmed — about 900 acres. That had struck him as a bad situation, he continued, so he had started leaving little plots untouched, like the fireweed patches near the house. "I don't let the cattle graze it off," he added. "I just let the birds use it."
Jim's insight had paid off. As they tramped across a field with Jim and his dog, Buster, they kicked up five cocks. The birds, however, flushed wild that day, and they got a shot at only one. As Charlie remarked later with a grin, "I would have hit him if he'd have put on his emergency brakes. I was shooting at where he was, not where he was going to be."
The hillsides in that pastureland were a maze of grasses and forbs, and the draws were waist deep in firebush. It made for tough walking, but the birds were in there, doubling back and laying low.
Walking back toward the house, Jim continued his comments on declining game populations. "Parathion is one chemical I think ought to be outlawed," he said. "It's so effective it kills everything within range."
Willard agreed, adding however, that commission studies have not turned up much. "For one thing," he said, "no one can enter a field sprayed with parathion for at least 72 hours after spraying without taking his life in his hands. We can't ask our biologists to take that risk." Secondly, he said, the studies have been carried out on small areas and don't show the effects of large-area spraying. Results often change as the test area grows.
Jim then turned to deer populations, asking Willard about the experimental deer unit in Keya Paha County. The unit was set up to help maintain a balance between white-tailed and mule deer. Bucks-only NEBRASKAland permits allow the hunter to take a buck of either species. The holder of a doe permit may take a white-tailed doe, or a buck of either species. Willard explained that the first year of the season hadn't produced any spectacular results and that it would take a few years to determine the results of the change.
Jim said that he had noticed more and more whitetails in his area, and mule deer had become more scarce. He looked at the new type of season as a way of restoring the balance in his area.
All in all it had been a pretty good day. Though no one had bagged any game, the weather had been nice and Willard had had the opportunity not only to get out in the field, but to meet and discuss wildlife with a pair of men who were concerned enough to do something about it.
SIGN OF OUR TIMES
(Continued from page 43)Water Pollution Control Division is the department's largest working unit. Three sections further divide the division into specific areas of concern — surveiIlance and enforcement, engineering and agricultural.
The surveillance and enforcement section, in addition to providing information for the other sections on matters of water quality, conducts various activities. One of these activities is the monthly or quarterly monitoring of 286 water sampling stations located on streams and rivers throughout the state. The information is filed in a computer bank and used to establish water quality baselines and determine trends in water quality.
Another of the section's activities is documentation of all point sources of possible pollutants within each river basin. This is accomplished by two crews of three men each which conduct a comprehensive stream quality monitoring and surveillance program to determine the effect of each point source.
Other section activities include the bacteriological study of high-use recreational lakes throughout the state; a thermal study of power plants; the investigation of 200 to 300 pollution complaints annually; the operation and coordination of emergency pollution investigations, such as oil spills, fish kills and toxic material spills; and initiating and coordinating enforcement actions for the division.
In the immediate future, section personnel will develop a state wastewater discharge permit program as a result of the new Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amend ments of 1972. This act, a comprehensive water pollution control bill, requires that everyone discharging waste into surface or groundwater must obtain a discharge permit which requires that waste meet certain federal and state standards. When the bulk of the permitting is completed, section activities will be geared to the periodic monitoring of the permitees and insuring compliance with the conditions of the permits. Future section activities may involve water quality studies in the areas of stream biological studies, groundwater quality monitoring, and small localized water quality problem studies.
The engineering section is primarily concerned with the review of plans and specifications for wastewater collection and treatment systems and inspection of these facilities on a periodic basis. Personnel help communities obtain federal and state matching funds for the construction of treat ment facilities. In conjunction with the in spection of treatment facilities, technical assistance is provided to the operator in order to enable him to obtain the best possible treatment of the wastewater. Also, in the interest of proper operation and maintenance, several training opportunities are provided to upgrade the skill of operators. These range from classroom work to on-the-job training to home study correspondence courses.
The agricultural section's primary area of concern is the control of livestock waste runoff. During a five-month period in 1972, section personnel inspected 2,007 of some 20,000 livestock operations in the state and found that 23 percent required corrective measures to bring them into compliance
with state regulations. Many of these operations experienced periodic runoff of un treated animal wastes which flowed directly into surface waterways —the same waters that supply recreational and community needs.
If, during an inspection, a livestock operation is found to require livestock waste controls, a compliance date for the submission of plans is issued. The operator must then submit plans to the Department of Environmental Control for review and approval. The construction of a system consisting of a debris basin where effluent is held until solids settle out and liquid waste can be drained into a holding pond is the usual solution.
A second compliance date is set for the completion of construction of waste control facilities. Though court action is a recourse available to the Department of Environmental Control if the dates are not met, cooperation with operators has been good to date. Following completion of facilities, section personnel make periodic spot checks to insure that they are properly maintained and operated.
The Air Pollution Control Division is the second major unit, responsible for the monitoring of 20 air quality sampling stations across the state. Air impurities, collected by a filtering system 24 hours a day, are analyzed bimonthly. First-year samplings indicate that, while most sites in outstate Nebraska can now meet federally established standards, they do have potential pollution problems. Because of a legal interpretation of one clause in the Nebraska Environmental Protection Act, the Air Pollution Control Division has been forced to proceed with tied hands. Accord ing to this clause, no standards, rules or
A substantial portion of an air quality engineer's time is spent consulting with manufacturing concerns, helping them develop pollution abatement facilities that, while not economically prohibitive, will eliminate problems.
The Solid Waste Control Division is the third major unit. The initial objective of this division was to supplant some 400 open dumps in Nebraska with state licensed and inspected landfills. Finding themselves in a position similar to that of the Air Quality Control Division, personnel of the Solid Waste Control Division have been handicapped by inadequate legislative support in their attempts to improve the community disposal programs of the state. An amendment passed in the 1972 legislative session exempted all second class cities and villages from the sections of the Nebraska Environmental Protection Act of 1971 pertaining to the licensing and control of solid waste disposal areas. The impact of this amendment was to remove roughly 95 percent of the state's disposal sites from any major regulations or supervision.
Solid waste planning personnel are now active in developing a comprehensive solid waste management plan for the state. This planning effort will provide the format to develop area-wide solid waste management systems. Each county, or group of counties as proposed by this plan, should develop a storage, collection and disposal system that will optimize the use of equipment and manpower, and eliminate the necessity of the individual community dump. The resulting solid waste management system will alleviate health and safety problems at improperly operated dumps.
The fourth and final subunit of the Department of Environmental Control is the Administrative Division/responsible for the department's overall activities and for the coordination of the other three divisions.
During the last year, DEC's first, the agency was involved in laying the foundation-adopting rules and regulations, establishing procedures of operation and generally building a new organization from the ground up. During upcoming years, it will be more active in surveillance, enforce ment and the administration of permits to all individuals or firms that discharge materials into the environment. Beyond that, the Department of Environmental Control will become more involved in research for ways to maintain and restore the state's most valuable resources —clean air, pure water and uncluttered land.
ALONG THE MISSOURI
(Continued from page 23)until dawn. There is something special for everyone.
Northbound motorists, in no particular hurry, will enjoy the scenic route that U.S. 73 offers parallel to the Missouri River between Omaha and South Sioux City. As it meanders along Nebraska's eastern border, intersecting county roads along the way provide access to the shoreline and some intimate and solitary views of Mighty Mo. The route will also take you past Fort Atkinson, the oldest frontier outpost in the state. It is now under development as a state historical park.
At Blair, you can cross over on Highway 91 to the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge. The area encompasses an oxbow of the river in Nebraska, but access is available only from the Iowa side. In any case, the refuge provides some exceptional viewing not only of the river but of a variety of wild life as well. In addition, fishermen can have a field day there, and there's some excellent mushroom hunting at the DeSoto refuge in the spring.
Following U.S. 73 north, you will cross the Omaha-Winnebago Indian Reservation. Visitors can find more good, scenic views of the Missouri on the reservation, particularly at Blackbird Hill and Big Bear Hollow. During the summer, the two tribes hold their annual powwows, recalling an ancient heritage and days of past glories.
The next major stop along the way is South Sioux City, where routes divide. Minnesota-bound travelers turn east across the river, while those headed for South Dakota bend northwesterly on Nebraska Highway 12, which leads to Lewis and Clark Lake, the state's second largest reservoir and the water playground of northeast Nebraska.
Lewis and Clark offers all the action a water-sports buff could want, plus some spectacular scenery along its 100-or-so miles of shoreline. The west end of the lake abuts the Santee Sioux Indian Reservation, and at Niobrara, you can ride one of the few remaining ferryboats in the country. This is one of the most picturesque areas in the state, and many historic sites, liberally interspersed with campsites, dot the lake's southern shore.
Along the way, you will see the rich bottomland and majestic bluff country of the Missouri Valley. En route to Lewis and Clark, you may want to pause at Ponca State Park on the banks of the mighty river. While offering such things as camping, hiking, fishing and horseback riding, the park also provides some breathtaking views of the river.
From Lewis and Clark, northbound motorists pursue their course on Highway 1 2 and Highway 281, where they cut north. And, there ends the trail along the wide Missouri.
ROUNDUP OF FORTS
(Continued from page 59)to remove it from the map at the slightest provocation, and the post seldom boasted more than 150 men. In fact, the largest documented garrison was two companies of the 18th Infantry, one of which was mounted, under the command of a Captain Huges. Nevertheless, their job got done. They kept the roads open for emigrant and freight trains, protected stagecoaches and road ranches and managed to keep the telegraph intact —most of the time.
All things must end, though, and so it was with Fort Mitchell. The only problem is that no one seems to know when the end came. The post was abandoned, presumably, with the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 which brought peace to the North Platte River Valley. The only sure thing, however, is that nothing remains of Fort Mitchell, possibly one of the most colorful of Nebraska's lesser posts.
Plant corner posts in the ground, raise walls around them and most any structure in 18th- and 19-century Nebraska could have been called a fort. That's what Manuel de Lisa did in or around 1807. Fort Lisa was actually a trading post, largely because the man for whom it was named was a trader besides being Indian commissioner. He must have been pretty good at both, since he is reputed to have built a relatively lively business from furs and trinkets plus keeping the Pawnee, Omaha, Ponca, Sioux and Otoe off the opposition's payroll in the War of 1812. A fort Fort Lisa was not, at least not in the common sense of the word. It didn't have a stockade as far as anyone knows, and it wasn't a military installation, but it did figure in Nebraska history.
Helvas Canyon of northwest Nebraska was the site for Fort John. An American Fur Company establishment, it was put together after Fort Laramie was sold to the government for a military base of operations. As the fur trade dried up in Nebraska, though, so died Fort John, and today nothing is left of it. That seems to be the lot for any number of non-army reservations around the state, but even a quasi-military post wasn't to fare much better.
In 1868, a year after Nebraska became a state, Indian trouble flared up again. So, the militia in the Hebron area decided to be prepared just in case the need for protection should arise. They set about constructing a sod fortress, piling two-foot-thick slabs on all four sides of the position and adding native oak doors made from logs cut in Rose Creek's canyon. Warring Indians, though, weren't too interested in the Hebronites, and they left them strictly alone. Fort Butler, as the structure was called, was abandoned about a year after it was built, and today only a boulder and plaque mark the spot where it once stood.
Equally gone, but much better remem bered, is William Stolley's Fort Independence. The founder of Grand Island, Stolley wasn't too enamoured with the idea of having his hair lifted when, in 1864, rumors began kicking around that the Sioux, Cheyenne, Kiowa and Arapahoe were banding together to kick the whites off their land. So, he went to work in September, completing a place where he could hold off the
In going through the material about early forts in Nebraska, it becomes evident that this might have been a pretty good place to live if there hadn't been any Indians around. Think of all the progress that could have been made if residents hadn't had to take time out to build forts for every scare. Fort Montrose, located near the town of the same name, is a case in point. During the Ghost Dance scare of 1890-91, South Dakotans and Nebraskans started looking for a place to hide. They selected a pinnacle some 90 feet above the plain to the north and dug a trench around the top. Breastworks protected more accessible points and behind them was a door which led to a 20 by 35-foot underground room seven feet high for the women and children. It also made a fantastic root cellar when the In dians were persuaded to stop dancing at Wounded Knee.
Fort Montrose was something of a pilot project for prairie forts of the day. Another was constructed on a table southwest of Valentine, and a sod imitation of a military blockhouse sprang up on Mirage Flats southeast of Hay Springs. In Beaver Valley near the old Spotted Tail Agency, builders went so far as to add rifle pits to their fortification.
Of late, fort building has fallen on hard times in Nebraska. Few residents board up their split-levels or cache stores of Indian corn for use under siege. But there are still those who remember when a dark corner could spawn a hatchet-wielding red man. For them and interested moderns, Nebraska is a veritable treasure trove of forts.
NEBRASKAland TRADING POST
Acceptance of advertising implies no endorsement of products or services. Classified Ads: 18 cents a word, minimum order $3.60. May 1973 closing date. March 8. Send classified ads to: Trading Post, NEBRASKA- Iand, 2200 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, Nebraska 68503. P.O. Box 30370. DOGS AKC hunting dogs. Irish setter, English springer spaniel. Pups and dogs. Breeding stock and stud service. Also Westie and Basenji. Kirulu Kennels, Hebron, Nebraska 68370. Phone (402) 768-6237. ALASKAN Malamute A.K.C. puppies. Healthy and clean. Call Bob Alberts, Fremont (402) 721-0077, or Hooper, Nebraska (402) 654-2480. Puppies in March, May and June. ENGLISH pointers. Excellent gun dogs. Pups, dogs, and stud service. M. D. Mathews, M.D., St. Paul, Nebraska 68873. HUNTING DOGS: German shorthairs, English pointers, Weimaraners, English, Irish, and Gordon setters, Chesapeakes, Labradors, and golden re- trievers. Registered pups, all ages, $65 each. Robert Stevenson, Orleans, Nebraska 68966. TRAINING: Gun dogs, retrievers and all pointing breeds. Individual concrete runs, best of feed and care. Year-round boarding. Champion bred stud servicer-Labrador or Pointer. Pointer pups avail- able. Platte Valley Kennels, 925 E. Capitol Ave., Grand Island, Nebraska 68801. Phone (308) 382- 9126. YOUNG English setters and pointers available. Three to six months old. Registered and have had excellent care. Darrell Yentes, 1118 McMillan Street, Holdrege, Nebraska 68949. Phone (308) 995-8570 after 6:00 p.m. MISCELLANEOUS "A" FRAME cabin. $500 for material. Any lumber yard. Completely illustrated instruction manual, including material list. Money-back guarantee. Send $2 to Dependable, Plan #1417, Box 113, Vista, California 92083. BREEDER pheasants, cocks $6.00, hens $4.00. Husker Game Farm, RR 2, Plattsmouth, Nebraska 68048. BRICK cottage for sale. Hunt, fish, vacation, re- tire. Completely remodeled. New plumbing and heating. New bath and kitchen, full basement. $200 down. Immediate possession. Three miles from lakes. Chauncey Aksamit, Alexandria, Nebraska 68303. Phone (402) 749-4016. COUNTRY Records and Tape Cartridges. Fiddle- Tunes-Blue Grass-Etc. Free Circular. Uncle Jim O'Neal, Box A-NM, Arcadia, California 91006. ENGINEERS, designers, draftsmen subscribe to the. "Midwest Engineering Newsletter," a vehicle for the classified advertising of Engineering/Manufac- turing Firms and Engineering Personnel with a compilation of employment opportunities from the papers of the Midwest's cities. Send $10.00 check or money order for year's subscription (12 issues) to "Midwest Engineering," P.O. Box 5512, Lincoln, Nebraska 68505. FOR sale. Jamesway 252 incubators, 3000 chicken egg capacity. Bevan's Turkey Farm, Waverly, Nebraska 68462. FOR sale: 1969 VW camper. 28,000 miles, $2,500. Immediate possession. Call (402) 423-3651, Lincoln, Nebraska. FREE catalog of dog accessories and hunting equip- ment. Write Bill Boatman & Co., 241 Maple St., Dept. 88C, Bainbridge, Ohio 45612. GOVERNMENT lands — Low as $1.25 acre! Buy, lease or homestead . . . Free details! Lands Digest, Box 1555-PT, Tacoma, Washington 98401. HOW much are your bottles worth? "Bottle Col- lector's Handbook—Pricing Guide" identifies, prices over 2,500 collectible bottles. $3.95 postpaid. (Guaranteed!) Infobooks, Box 5001-NL, San An- gelo, Texas 76901. HUNTING knives custom-made using finest quality materials. Firearms repaired, reblued, restocked. Mike Fisher, RR 3, Beatrice, Nebraska 68310. Phone (402) 328-0680. KRIEGHOFFS, Brownings, Parkers, Perazzis, Pre- 64 Winchesters. Write, stop or call. Buy, sell, trade. Bedlan's Sports, Highway 136, Fairbury, Nebraska 68352. METAL Detectors—Thinking of treasure hunting? Use the metal detector the professionals use, a Garrett. Free literature. Spartan Shop, 335 North Williams, Fremont, Nebraska 68025. Phone (402) 721-9438. "PREPARE for driver's test." 100 questions and answers based on the newest Nebraska Driver's Manual. $1.25. E. Glebe, Box 295, Fairbury, Ne- braska 68352. QUALITY weekend canoe trips! Niobrara, Loup, Dismal, Calamus, Platte, Elkhorn, Blue, and other area rivers! April through October. Complete food, equipment and guide service for groups of 16 to 54 persons. Send inquiries to Wilson Outfitters, 6211 Sunrise Road, Lincoln, Nebraska 68510. 600 assorted sweet onion plants with free planting guide $4.80 postpaid. TONCO, "home of the sweet onion," Farmersville, Texas 75031. SOLID plastic decoys. Original Do-It-Yourself Decoy-Making Kit. All species available. Catalog 25 cents. Decoys Unlimited, Box 69E, Clinton, Iowa 52732. TURKEY call. Cedar wood box with oak lid. Proven and reliable. $5.95, postpaid. Instructions. Gene's Taxidermy, 416 17th St., Aurora, Nebraska 68818. VACATION at Country-Lakeview Cabins, near Alexandria State Lakes. Enjoy the quiet of the country and recreation at the lakes. Cabins com- pletely furnished. Paddle boat. Country-Lakeview, Alexandria, Nebraska 68303. Phone (402) 749-4016. TAXIDERMY BIG Bear Taxidermy, Rt. 2, Mitchell, Nebraska 69357. We specialize in all big game from Alaska to Nebraska, also birds and fish. Hair on and hair off tanning. 4y£ miles west of Scottsbluff on High- way 26. Phone (308) 635-3013. CREATIVE Taxidermy. Modern methods and life- like workmanship on all fish and game since 1935, also tanning, rugs, and deerskin products. Joe Voges, Naturecrafts, 925 4th Corso, Nebraska City, Nebraska 68410. Phone (402) 873-5491. KARL Schwarz Master Taxidermists. Mounting of game heads - birds - fish - animals - fur rugs - robes - tanning buckskin. Since 1910. 424 South 13th Street, Dept. A., Omaha, Nebraska 68102. TAXIDERMY work—big-game heads, fish-and-bird mounting; rug making, hide tanning, 36 years experience. Visitors welcome, Floyd Houser, Sutherland, Nebraska 69165. Phone (308) 386-4780. WORLD'S most complete taxidermy supply house. We have everything! Big full color catalog only 50. Vandyke's, Woonsocket 18, South Dakota 57385.OUTDOOR NEBRASKAland of the Air
SUNDAY KHAS Hastings (1230) 6:45 a.m. KMMJ Grand Island (750) 7:00 a.m. KBRL McCook (1300) 8:15 a.m. KRFS Superior (1600) 9:45 a.m. KXXX Colby, Kan. (790) 10:15 a.m. KLMS Lincoln (1480) 10:15 a.m. KRGI Grand Island (1430) 10:33 a.m. KODY North Platte (1240) 10:45 a.m. KOTD Plattsmouth (100) 12 Noon KCOW Alliance (1400) 12:15 p.m. KFOR Lincoln (1240)12:45 p.m. KCNI Broken Bow (1280) 1:15 p.m. KAMI Cozad (1580) 2:45 p.m. KAWL York (1370) 3:30 p.m. KUVR Holdrege (1380) 4:45 p.m. KGFW Kearney (1340) 5:45 p.m. KMA Shenandoah, la. (960) 7:15 p.m. KNEB Scottsbluff (960) 9:05 p.m. FRIDAY KTCH Wayne (1590) 3:45 p.m. KVSH Valentine (940) 5:10 p.m. KHUB Fremont (1340) 5:15 p.m. WJAG Norfolk (780) 5:30 p.m. KBRB Ainsworth (1400) 6:00 p.m. SATURDAY KJSK Columbus (900) 6:00 a.m. KICS Hastings (1550) 6:15 a.m. KEYR Scottsbluff (690) 7:45 a.m. KICX McCook (1360) 8:30 a.m. KRNY Kearney (1460) 8:30 a.m. KTNC Falls City (1230) 8:45 a.m. KSID Sidney (1340) 9:15 a.m. KCSR Chadron (610) 11:45 a.m. KGMT Fairbury (1310) 12:45 p.m. KBRX O'Neill (1350) 4:30 p.m. KNLV Ord (1060) 4:45 p.m. KKAN Phillipsburg, Kan. (1490) 5:15 p.m. KOLT Scottsbluff (1320) 5:40 p.m. KMNS Sioux City, la. (620) 6:10 p.m. KRVN Lexington (880) 9:15 p.m. KJSK-FM Columbus (101.1) 9:45 p.m. DIVISION CHIEFS Harold K. Edwards, Resource Services Glen R. Foster, Fish Production Carl E. Gettmann, Law Enforcement Jack Hanna, Budget and Fiscal Ken Johnson, Game Earl R. Kendle, Research Lloyd Steen, Personnel^ Lyle K. Tanderup, Engineering Bob Thomas, Fish Management Delvin Whitelev, Federal Aid Jim Wofford, Information and Education CONSERVATION OFFICERS Ainsworth—Max Showalter, 387-1960 Albion—Robert Kelly, 395-2538 Alliance—Richard Furley, 762-2024 Alma—William F. Bonsall, 928-2313 Arapahoe—Don Schaepler, 962-7818 Auburn—James Newcome, 274-3644 Bassett—Leonard Spoering, 684-3645 Bassett— Bruce Wiebe, 684-4867 Benkelman— H. Lee Bowers, 423-2893 Bridgeport—Joe UI rich, 262-0541 Broken Bow—Gene Jeffries, 872-5953 Columbus—Lyman Wilkinson, 564-4375 Crawford—Cecil Avey, 665-2517 Creighton—Gary R. Ralston, 358-3411 Crofton—John Schuckman, 388-4421 David City—Lester H. Johnson, 367-4037 Fairbury—Larry Bauman, 729-3734 Fremont—Andy Nielsen, 721-2482 Geneva—Kenneth L. Adkisson, 759-4241 Gering—Jim McCoie, 436-2686 Grand Island—Fred Salak, 384-0582 Hastings—Norbert Kampsnider, 462-8953 Hay Springs—Marvin E. Kampbell, 638-5262 Lexington— Loren A. Noecker, 324-2845 Lincoln—Dayton Shultis, 488-8164 Lincoln— Leroy Orvis, 488-1663 Lincoln—William O. Anderson, 432-9013 Milford—Dale Bruha, 761-4531 Norfolk—Marion Shafer, 371-2031 Norfolk—Robert Downing, 371-2675 North Platte—Dwiqht Allbery, 532-2753 North Platte—Gail Woodside, 532-0279 Ogallala—Parker Erickson, 284-2992 Omaha—Dick Wilson, 334-1234 Omaha—Roger A. Guenther, 333-3368 O'Neill—Roger W. Hurdle, 336-3988 Ord—Gerald Woodgate, 728-5060 Oshkosh—Donald D. Hunt, 772-3697 Plattsmouth—Larry D. Elston, 296-3562 Ponca—Richard D. Turpin, 755-2612 Riverdale—Bill Earnest, 893-2571 Sidney—Raymond Frandsen, 254-4438 Stapleton—John D. Henderson, 636-2430 Syracuse—Mick Gray, 269-3351 Tekamah—Richard Elston, 374-1698 Valentine—Elvin Zimmerman, 376-3674
National Wildlife Week. Plans are be ing made by thousands of local and state groups across the country for participation in the 36th annual National Wildlife Week. Dates are set for March 18 to 24.
The theme of the 1973 Wildlife Week, sponsored each year by the 3,500,000-member National Wildlife Federation and its state affiliates, is "Discover Wilderness — It's Too Good To Miss." Focus of the week will be on the simple, yet exciting joys that can be found by Americans of all ages in the outdoor, natural world —the excitement of the environment.
The executive vice president of the NWF, Thomas L. Kimball, commented on the Wildlife Week's poster symbol, a young wood duck shown just emerging from its nest. "All that newly hatched duck has to do to break out into the natural world is take that first step outof the nest," Kimball said, "and it is just about as easy for people to take that same step, to break out into nature and see what beauty it has to offer."
During this year's Wildlife Week, Kimball urges that families "get out and enjoy our wild resources. The experience can open up an entirely new world."
"Too often," Kimball said, "American families see wildlife and the rest of the natural world only through at tractive magazine pictures. It's out there to be experienced right now and it really is too good to be missed!" Washington, D.C.
