HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1960-05-26, Page 3Many Letters 'fron•
Horse -Haters
Au extremely strange thing
has happened Here, and I simply
must be permitted to digress
about it. It is worth it. You see,
he who tickles the typewriter
learns early that the "animal"
is above eeproneh, and will be
defended stoutly by vast hordes
of line folks who can rally in
seconds by the thousands, I can
give you a mellow example:
Not long ago 1 did a friendly
bit here about Stubby, my cat. I
presumed a little, and was flip.
pant. It was a matter of prin-
ciple, I guess, for came the
hordes and Stubby had many
supporters while I was rude and
bellicose. Of course, nothing
could be further from the truth,
and you can ask Stubby - who
has probably yanked my pajamas
off the closet hook again and is
sleeping on them as usual. But
I made Stubby the fall guy in
some domestic situations, and had
not qualified the report. Maybe
you remember I did a sequel
piece to assure the felinophiles
that I was really spoofing, and
Stubby is not overly unhappy
with me.
I prefer to give this a literary
(sic) twist, I'll just make the
point that animals, in general,
♦when they insert themselves into
composition, had better make
out all right. Otherwise, there is
a postal horse -whipping - and I
think that means whipping the
author with a horsewhip, and not
whipping a horse at all,
I can say this is all true, You
let some uncultured billy goat
whose moral character is at a
low ebb wander into -text, and if
he doesn't get the better of man-
kind, more or less, the mail gets
excited. The circumspect writer
will therefore be respectful of
billy goats, and all other animals,
at all times. It is easier.
' Well, ignoring what I knew, I
recently did a disrespectful piece
about the Western TV horse, I
dwelt on the beasts we used to
have in the older days here on
the farm, and I pictured them as
wild, rude, mean, nasty creatures
whose entire purpose was to
make things hard on humanity.
I thought the major point being
made - that TV horses have lit-
tle verisimilitude - was more
important at the moment than
being kind to horses. I talked
myself into an exception. Even
so, as I finished the piece, I said
to myself: "Oh, oh! Now comes
the mail from horse -lovers!"
What happened was a surprise,
and from my point of view per-
haps an agreeable one, I didn't
hear from the horse - lovers at
all - I began getting letters from
the horsehatersl They seem to
run to a goodly group. Mostly,
they are older folks, those whose
memories run back to real horsy
days, and they show a high cali-
ber of wit and understanding,
as well as a deep-seated ire.
There is no false beguilement, as
when you form an opinion with-
out knowing - they know. and
they are under no illusions.
On the basis of this response,
it seems to me the horse has few
friends. If there has been a popu-
lar national opinion that horses
are nice, and ride high in pub
lic esteem, I can say this is not
so. Through the great cross sec-
tion there is a heartwood of dis-
trust, mistrust, disrespect, and
open animosity toward the horse.
This is not from good people who
sentimentally accept the idea of
"horse sense," and think of the
horse as a "noble steed." This is
from people who had horses in
their lives and have no trouble
about remembering them.
Andwhen a real old horse -
handler decides to depose and
state, you don't get any mincing
around. Most of these letters
start off about like this: "Re-
garding your Dispatch, we used
to have a weird nag ..." Then
follows a description of the
meanest, vilest, least trustworthy,.
most despi'eable hunk of flesh
ever set on paper.
Possibly only the evil is re.
membered, and many a good
Immo went to oblivion without
impressing the family overmuch.
The nasty ones are recalled viv-
idly. But there are too many let-
ters, too many bad ones! Nobody
writes (at least so far) to tell
me I ale wrong, that the horse
is a beloved creature, dedicated
to serving mankind generously,
a friend and companion, Every-
body Is writing to tell me he
used to have a horse even
meaner than mine.
I have a disturbing collection,
now, of horses that bit, kicked,
squealed, ran away and other-
wise took the joy out of life,
leaving a wide aggregation of
resentful citizens who grew up to
hate horses, and preserve their
animosity intact. Applying a sim-
ple Gallup Poll equation to my
Mail, I can say that 84 per cent
of the American people despise
horses, and that it's all the
horse's fault. This is a shocking
situation, particularly when you
stop to reflect on all the horses
now working in television.
In every instance, these peo.
plo emphasize that the horse had
no reason to be nasty, He had
good care, pleasant accommoda-
tions, plenty to eat, and was
given every chance to be pleas-
ant, But no, he would eat his
oats and then sneer. He would
partake of every bounty, and
then kink the end out of the
stable. On the evidence I have
assembled, unsolicited, any strict
logician would have to conclude
there never was a nice horse.
And, of course, this ruins my
professional respect for the ani-
mal as a happy character. If,
following my formula, I now
write a piece that depicts a kind
and loving horse, smart and In-
telligente it's going to offend a
lot of people who know the true
horse as well as I do. Perhaps
I shall never write about a horse
again! - by John Gould in the
Christian Science Monitor.
He Doesn't Like
Those Old Hymns:
We're going to our Father's
mansion
On the Happy Day Express;
And the letters on the engine
Spell J -E -S -U -S.
When England's industrial re-
volution was bowling along full
steam the words of this muscular
hymn might have seemed quite
appropriate. But when David
Holbrook, a 37 -year-old play-
wright in Suffolk, heard one of
his three youngster singing it,
in his century and in his house,
he winced. It was, he said, "not
only in bad taste, but appalling
poetry," and he set out to do
something about hymn singing
in Britain,
With the aid of Ecirich Cun-
dell, retired principal of Lon-
don's Guildhall School of Music
and Drama, Holbrook is making
a new selection of 150 hymns
for publication next year by
Cambridge University Press,.
'Tor our new book," he said,
"we're discarding the worst
nineteenth - century dr iv e 1."
Among the discards: "All Things
Bright and Beautiful" and
"There Is a Green hill Far
Away." In their place he plans
to include American spirituals
and modern hymns by Ralph
Vaughn Willianis, Benjamin
Britten, and Aaron Copland. The
mail, which was running heavy
for the hymnal makers, has been
about 4 to 3 in their favor. In
the face of the criticises, Hol-
brook was calm, "I rather ex-
pected more,"
It's easy to make tinted cocoa-
nut. Till glass jar half -full of
shredded cocoanut and sprinkle
in a few drops of fond colour-
ing, cover jar and shake,
CROSSSv'+►'RD
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ACIROSS
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A. Mr. Hunter of
movies
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14. Armpit
15. Idle talk
17. Hare
10, Glacial ridge
21. Work oat
22. Layer •
24, Steal
•20. Take notice
27. 17ternity
23. Rampart
30. Article
11. Flower
22. Musical -tote
24. Small crown
26. In what waY
36, t.ethargie
88. ship -seared
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22. Silent
40. i+'ence pickets
42. Report
44. Worshipped
40. Pantry
42. Thrice
(prefix)
50. Chafe
62. Ointment
53, Type
measures
54, Fixed ed charge
55. Slumber
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20, Alert 31. Leafy shelter
11. Snaked to an 32. b'urtuno
alkaline 33. Wonder
solutfot, 34. hues
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perfernoi 23. Jump
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TRUNK LiNE - Stethoscopeilke plastic tube is linked with
others to tap maple trees into one reservoir. Ben Abraham
joined 50 trees with 2,500 feet of tubing. Squirrels occasional-
ly bite holes in the plastic but otherwise, it's fine.
The increasing use of varie-
ties that are resistant or toler-
ant to the more prevalent potato
viruses has reduced virus -caused
diseases in Canada's potato crop.
The three varieties most plant-
ed For certified seed in Canada,
Sebago, Katandin, and Kenne-
bec, seldom develop the undesir-
able "net necrosis" in their tub-
ers when they become infected
with the leaf roll virus, although
they are not resistant to the virus
itself,
❑ * 1:
They are, however, resistant
to potato virus A, which com-
bines• with potato virus X to
cause the "mild mosaic" foliage
disease. These varieties and Rus-
set Barbank, which ranks fourth
in popularity, are also resistant
to' potato virus Y, which com-
bines with virus X to cause the
severe "rugose mosaic"disease.
The first three varieties have
come into prominence during
the past 20 years, largely re-
placing Green Mountain and
Irish Cobbler, which nowoccupy
fifth and seventh place respect-
ively.
Virus X, alone, usually causes
an almost imperceptible weaken-
ing of the plants, and potato
virus S seldom causes any visible
diseases. However, these two
viruses are almost universal in
potatoes and cause an estimated
10 per cent reduction of the crop.
The new variety, Saco,_ combines
freedom from net necrosis with
resistance to these viruses.
0 s 0
These are not all of the viruses
that infect potatoes. Seed grow-
ers are familiar with "purple
'top", "witches' - broom", a n d
"spindle tuber". Each is caused
by a specific virus, and each is
sometimes widespread in particu-
lar areas. Less known, and for-
tunately less widespread, are po-
tato viruses F and M, and others
that cause yellow dwarf and
calico; there are others not yet
clearly identified.
Indeed, so numerous are the
potato viruses that their isolation
and identification continues to
be a major task in plant pathol-
cgy research.
4: 0 4,
Some of the viruses now held
in cheek could quickly become
more prevalent it it were not
for seed inspection, for viruses
are passed on through tubers to
the new crop. They are spread
from diseased to healthy plant:;
in the field seine by mechanical
contacts and some by sapsucking
insects. Some viruses are har-
bored by wild plants that grow
near potato fields and would be
difficult to eliminate.
More than one-quarter of all
cattle in Canada have been
brought uneer a - national bru-
ceIlosis control program.
Health of Anlmels Division,
Canada Department of Agricul-
ture, has t toted that the pro.
main, leunceed in 1137, now in -
solves abeet 3,110,133 cattle.
* *
Twee ot se hare go:.di-
fi..1 Li L....Li:el a e s
since December 1, bridging the
total to date to 107.
Latest areas to be certified
were:
Nova Scotia - Digby, Pictoty
Yarmouth, Antigonish, S h e 1-
burne, Queens.
New Brunswick - Westmore-
land.
Ottavio - Elgin, Lanark, Lin-
coln, Russell.
Manitoba - Daly, R o l a n d,
Stanley,
Saskatchewan - Benson, Big
Arm, Caledonia, Dulferin, Gray-
son, Park, Langenburg, Wolse-
ley, Warman, Wheat Lands, and
North Saskatchewan Achninistra-
tion District 375.
Under the national eradication
program, 1.34 per cent of cattle
tested have been found to be
reactors.
For an area to qualify for
certification, not more than one
per cent of all cattle and not
more than five per cent of all
herds can be infected with the
disease.
Birds Build Nests
Of Many Sorts
The great majority of birds
build nests in which they lay
' and incubate their eggs. Many,
though by no means all, also
use the nest as a cradle to rear
the helpless young after they
have hatched. But the roosting
place of an adult bird is very
seldom a nest: only woodpeckers,
some song -birds , . and a few
others build nests to sleep in.
When you read that The Bird
hurries home to its nest at the
approach of night (or rain or
thunderstorms), your author is
ISSUE 20 - 1900
indulging in poetry;; except in
the breeding season few birds
have any pccise home.
Then where does a bard spend
the night? Towards nigllfall
many of then travel consider-
able distances to particular
woods at' thickets with plenty of
cover.,.,
The sleeper carries his bed. -
his feathers ---with him, and he
settles down and "puts Ills !lead
under his wing." In fact what he
does is to bury his beak up to the
nostrils under his shoulder -
feathers thus anchoring his long
neck, When this is done he may
end up like a ball of feathers....
To return to the nest. Here,
too, most people will immediate-
ly think of a song -bird's nest as
a neat round little tiling, open
on top and probably with a thick
and softly cushioned lining.
Many people also think that song-
birds usually nest high in the
trees. This is true for some kinds
but by no means for all. Most of.
our small birds ne: t in bushes.
Then there are the larks and
pn600buntings and
warblersipitsa, d w-1: h10 make their nest
on the ground. , . .
The way the nest is built var-
les greatly with the species, from
the almost transparent structure
of the blackcap to the finely
woven, domed cradles which the
long-tailed tit, the s ren, and
most remarkable of all, the pen-
duline tit build for their young,
The tightly woven, felt -like nest
of the penduline tit has only a
side entrance and hangs from a
swaying poplar branch,
These are only a few examples
from the passerines. If we take a
look at other groups, we will
find many new variations. The
nightjar, for example, sits an its
two eggs on a carpet of pine
needles which lie just as they
were blown by the wind. The
nightjar relies on its remarkable
protective coloration and would
only advertise Its brood if it al-
tered the surroundings by gath-
ering any kind of a nest.
The kingfisher, bee -eater and
sand - martin bore a yard deep
into the sandy loam of a chial and
lay their eggs at the end of
this tunnel, the kingfisher on
fishbones which it throws up, the
sandmartin in a warm nest often
made of feathers. The grebes
gather all sorts of plants under
water to make their large float-
ing nests with a shallow hollow
on top, in which they lay their
eggs. If the water level rises, the
eggs lie with their undersides in
water. - From "The Birds," by
Oscar and Katharine Heinroth,
English edition prepared by
Michael Cullen.
SCENTS HER - Susie, a one-
month -old mo n g re I, experi-
ences the first spring fever of
her young life. She delicately
sniffs a daffodil.
MY SC 00
LESSON
By itcv. It. 13. Warren, 13.41., 13.9),
A Christian Influences Society
Matthew 5:10-16; 13:31-35
Memory Selection: Let your
light so shine before men, that
they may see your good worth,
and glorify your Father which
is in heaven; Matthew 5:16.
The sun was shining brightly
when we tools to the air at Win-
nipeg. But as we travelled over
the Great Lakes, darkness closed
in. From an altitude of 17,000
feet I spied a light from a boat.
How cheering it was: It was
more than three miles away but
I could see it. If I dropped my
eyes a little, all was dark. But
if I wanted to see a light, I
could.
Some people prefer to gaze
stupidly into the darkness. Da-
vid wrote. "I said in my haste,
'All men are liars.' Psalm
110:11. Elijah, in heaviness of
spirit, on learning of Jezebel's
threat on his life, said. "I have
been very jealous for the Lord
God of hosts: because the chile.
dren of Israel have forsaken Thy
covenant, thrown down Thine
altars, and slain Thy prophets
with the sword; and I, even Y
only, am left: and they seek
my life, to take it away." And
the Lord said. "Yet I have left
me seven thousand in Israel, all
the knees which have not bow-
ed unto Baal, and every mouth
which hath not kissed him."
1 Kings 19: 14, 18. Let us not
minimize the depth of the dark-
ness about us. But God has His
lights, too. We are called to
shine as lights in the world,' in
the midst of a crooked and per-
verse nation. Philippians 2:13,
We can't dispel all the darkness
but we can shine. In The Mer-
chant of Venice, Portia says to
Nerissa while still at a distance
from Portia's house:
"That light we see is burning
in my hall.
How far that little candle
throws his been*
So shines a good deed in a
naughty world."
A few weeks ago I spoke one
Friday evening to a large group
of youth. Afterward I present-
ed to the minister who had beers
our host for the evening meal,
a copy of my book, Spiritual
Strength for Today, published by
Thomas Nelsons. The minister
expressed regret that he hadn't
known about it before the meet-
ing that it might have been an-
nounced. After reading the book
Ise ordered 10 copies. Meanwhile
I was reproved, In a kind o1
false humility, I was hiding my
light under a bushel.
Jesus said also to His disciples,
"Ye are the salt of the earth."
We must help to preserve and
give savor to the good. We are
to rejoice even in persecution.
The kingdcm will go on, The
tiny mustard seed will become
a great tree. The leaven will
spread. Jesus Christ is the Light
of the world. Ultimately, every
tongue shall confess that He is
Lord, to the glory of God the
Bather.
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F' Ci!AL FOOD - A cascade of blossoms inundates the celebrated Spanish Steps in Ticma.
T.;z 0,1.•.ual floral clisplay is a major tourist attraction in the city,