Best of
Nature

1948

Cache Lake Country: Life in the North Woods


John J. Rowlands - 1948
    After paddling alone for several days—"it was so quiet I could hear the drops from the paddle hitting the water"—he came upon "the lake of my boyhood dreams." He never left. He named the place Cache Lake because there was stored the best that the north had to offer—timber for a cabin; fish, game, and berries to live on; and the peace and contentment he felt he could not live without.Cache Lake Country is a vivid and faithful chronicle of life in the great Northern Forest and a storehouse of valuable information on woodcraft and nature. Here is folklore and philosophy, but most of all wisdom about the woods and the inventiveness and self-reliance they demand. The author explains how to make moccasins, barrel stoves, lean-to shelters, outdoor bake ovens, sailing canoes, and hundreds of other ingenious and useful gadgets, all illustrated in the margins with 230 enchanting drawings by Henry B. Kane.

Memories Of A Game Ranger


Harry Wolhuter - 1948
    Originally a hunter, Wolhuter made the protection of the Kruger’s wildlife his life’s work. Memories of a game hunter tells of his days in the bush, when rangers went on horseback and lions considered them fair game – like the infamous time Harry was ambushed by two lions and managed to kill one of them while it was dragging him off into the grass.There was very little in the way of danger Harry didn’t have to cope with – from crocodiles in swimming pools to irate hippos at ranger posts – and that’s not even taking into account the poachers, the malaria or the little old ladies wanting protection from those fearsome giraffes ...

Copsford


Walter J.C. Murray - 1948
    Written just before the British countryside was largely devastated by factory farming and the reckless use of herbicides and pesticides. Magical. The original book had photographs by the author, but this has b&w drawings for chapter headings only. Green cloth boards.

Hawks Aloft: The Story of Hawk Mountain


Maurice Broun - 1948
    This personal account by the Sanctuary's first curator shares the difficulties and discoveries he and his wife encountered during their first years on the mountain. Published in coordination with the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association.

Trees of Michigan and the Upper Great Lakes


Norman Foster Smith - 1948
    Not only are they a continuous source of raw materials for industry and agriculture but they affect the climate, water resources, and soil, purify our air, furnish food and shelter for wildlife and are indispensable to our vast recreational and scenic areas. They form a basic part of our diverse natural environment - our ""biodiversity."" Their protection and management are vital to the state's wellbeing. Industries which depend upon trees for their existence are major employers and rank high in the state's economy. The annual production and manufacture of forest products is measured in billions of dollars. The recreation ""industry,"" including vacation travel, resorts, food, lodging, hunting, fishing, and camping, is likewise a multi-billion dollar a year business. Equally important is the intangible wealth which trees bring to us through sheer enjoyment of beauty and love of nature. Whether in field, fencerow, woodlot or forest, or along highways, rural roads, urban streets, or greenbelts, this bounty is ours for the taking. We have only to picture ourselves without trees to appreciate this value.