1877.] 
A]VIERICA:^r AG-RICULTURIST. 
127 
containing a great variety of Item?, including many 
good Hinis and Suggestions which ue throic iiitn smalUi- 
type and condensed form^ for want of room dsewhere. 
publishers' Notices, Terms, etc. — The Annual 
Subscription Bates of the American Agriculturist, postage 
prepaid bj the Publishers, are : One Copy, :J1-G0 a year ; Two 
Copies, |3 ; Three Copies, ^^ '$1.40 each^ ; Four Copies, 
$5..^ (11.30 each i ; Five to yine Copies, $1^ each ; Ten to 
Ifineteen Copies, J1.20 each; T^ce/zty Copies and upwards, 
$1.10 each ; Single ^N" ambers, 15 cents, post-paid.— The abore 
terms are for the United States and Territories, and British 
America. To the above add 14 cents extra per year for 
papers delivered by mail in X. T. City, and for copies sent 
outside of the TTnited States and British America, ex- 
cept to Africa, BraziL British Honduraa, the East Indies, 
and Mexico. For the last named five countries the extra 
charge is 38 cents per year, to cover extra postage ; Single 
Numbers. 17 cents, poat-paid B-emittances, payable to 
Order of Orange Jndd Company, may be sent in form of 
CheclvS or Drafts on N. T. City Bants or Bankers ; or P. O. 
Money Orders ; or in registered Letters, ench letterB to 
have tue money enclosed In the presence of the Postmaster, 
and his receipt taken for it, and the postage and registering 
to be put on in stamps. Money remitted in any one of the 
above three methods is safe against loss. .Bound Tolames 
from Vol. 16 to 35 inclusive, supplied at $2 each, or ?ii.50 if to 
be sent by mail. Seta of numbers sent to the office will be 
bound in our regular style for 75 cents (50 centa extra If to 
be returned by mail t. ilisaing numbers for such volumes 
supplied at 12 cents each.— A ny Xumbers of the paper Is- 
•ucd for 20 years past, sent postpaid for 15 cents each 
CInbs of Subscribora can be Increaeedat any tlme.at theclub 
rates, If new members begin at same date as original club. 
Every Oerman Ciiltivafor and 
liaborer on the Farm, or in tbe Garden, 
OUGHT to have the German edition of the American 
Agriculturist. It contains not only the Engravings, and 
all the essential reading matter of the American edition, 
bnt an additional Special German Beimrtment, edited by 
the Hon. Frederick Miinch, of Missouri, a skillful and 
■= snccessfni cultivator and excellent writer. No other 
German Agricultural or Horticultural Jonmal in America 
has been so long- issued ; no other one contains so much 
nsefnl information, or a titlie of its engravings. The 
Germans are a reading, thinking people, and know how 
to make good use of what they read. Many Americans 
supply it to their German laborers and gardeners, and all 
would find it pay to do so.— Nothing else can compete 
with it in ch<-*apness of price for the same amount of 
material, engravings, etc., because the expense of collcct- 
incr and making these is largely borne by the Amt-rican 
edition, and no separate office or machinery is required 
beyond a couple of German editors and the printers. 
Its terms are the same as the American edition, singly 
and in clnbs ; and clubs can be composed of subscribers 
for either edition in whole, or in part.— ^^" Please call 
the attention of your German neighbors to this paper. 
Ir will do ninch to help new comers to a knowledge of 
the system and modes of culture used in this country. 
Handy^ JIJSX >O^V, and Eaclprsol. 
To have exactly the right thing at band, at exact- 
ly the right time, is very satisfactory, is helpful, is prof- 
itable. Several inUXJons of people, in the country 
and in i-illages, are planning what to do in ttieir fields 
and gardens. It would be very handy and helpfnl, 
if each, one of these millions had right before him, or 
her, the numerous hint?, suggestions, and directions 
abontwork that are found in this and last month's num- 
bers of this paper, and which will be given in other num- 
bers, all summer. For example, the list of the best 
varieties of seeds, etc., and the "Hints about Work,"' 
are not guess-work clippings ; they are prepared with 
great care by practical men who have been thoroughly 
testing the plants, and crops, and methods, and who 
speak from large experience and extensive observa- 
tion. We claim that each of our readers will do a good 
work, will positively benefit others by. just now. in this 
month of April, calling the attention of their friends and 
neighbors to the valuable aid they can get from these 
pages, and inducing them to supply themselves with the 
paper. Moreover, those who do thi-* will be remu- 
nerated by the Publishers, who off'er nt^t only some 
promising potato seed, but a great vari'\v of valuable arti- 
cles to those who forward names of subscribers. See what 
they offer in the lT,LrsTR.\TET> Premttm-List. (If you 
have not a copy at hand, ft postal c,^rd request will bring 
a free copy.) It is worth looking into. Over 
18«000 Persons have already procured eome of 
these valuable articles free, and every one else can do 
the same. This month of April is a good time to fi^nish 
up premium lists began, and make up new clubs of a 
few or many names. Our books show that a great num- 
ber did this in April last year, hard as the times were, 
Now we are on the eve of better times, and the reading, 
-thinking people are going to be the most prosperous. 
Xlii'ee ]TIoiitli!» More remain, in which 
Premium Lists begun can be filled up, and new lists be be- 
gun and completed. Take a new start at it, in this spring 
time. The free Premium Ai'ticles, too numerous to men- 
tion, contain several things that you much want, and can 
easily get without cost, for there are many people all 
around you that would be benefited greatly by this Jour- 
nal, and who will take it if it is properly set before 
them, as its present readers can do, and for which they 
will be duly rewarded by the Publishers, as explained in 
the Premium List, that will be forwarded free to all who 
have not a copy. 
*'A BHack Slieep,-' or one a little ** discol- 
ored," may, perhaps, at remote iuten'als, by some chance, 
get in among our large flock of good advertisers. If 
discovered by us, or to us, his place would be speedily 
vacated. While the advertisements help our expenses 
(the subscribers all together pay much less than the ac- 
tual cost of supplying the paper to them), this depart- 
ment is intended to be a source of valuable and re/iaWe 
inforTnatimi to the readers, and it will pay them to al- 
ways look it all through, and especially at this season. 
It is like going through a great ■'Variety Bazaar." to 
find not only what one wants, bnt what he don't want. 
When writing to any of these advertisers, hint to them 
that you belong to the great army of Readers of the 
American AgncuUuii^t^ a wide-awake family, and one 
that expect and will stan:i no nonsense. The advertise- 
ments this month, as last, crowd the Editors at this open- 
ing business season. They will get back their usual 
reading columns next month. 
I>id It Pay? — Thirty-four years ago two 
farmers settled side by side, with about equal advantages 
as to soil, markets, etc. One of them subscribed for the 
American Agriculturist^ and occasionally bought a book 
or two about his business, the whole costing him only 
$6 a year. His boys read and thougM about their work, 
became interested in and respected it, and were happy in 
their toil, because they had something to think about. 
They grew up intelligent, and settled as good prosperous 
farmers, respected and influential The other farmer 
" couldn't afford papers and books " ; (he could afford 6 
cents a day, or $20 a year, for tobacco, beer, etc.) His 
boys worked sullenly by day, and " skylarked " at night; 
they despised and hated their work, which for them was 
only exercising bnitc force, with little mind applied. 
When old enough to escape parential restraint, they quit 
the farm, one for this, and another for that, and none of 
tliom ever amounted to anything. Six dollars a year, or 
even $1.50 a year, would have made a wonderful diflcr- 
cnce — would have changed their whole course of life. 
Would it have paid? Please show this item to some 
of your neighbors, who have perhaps not thought of 
this matter, and invite them to tr/ this or some other 
good journal for the present year. You may do them a 
positive good by ijuch a liint. 
Imperial Eg-g: Food.— " H.," Stafford's 
Springs, Conn. The Imperial QgQ food you inquire 
about, is intended for. and should be used as a condi- 
ment only, and not as a sole article of food ; as a stimu- 
lant, occasionally given, it is useful. To give Cayenne 
pepper to poultry, without great c^iution. is dangerous. 
It is too heating and stimulating, wiien given often, or 
liberally, and becomes injurious to health. A mixture, 
properly compounded by a practiced poultry man. would 
be preferable, and the fact that this costs something, 
would doubtless have a nseful tendency to make people 
properly economical in its use. 
Shape of Harrow.— " F. W. F.," Preble 
Co., Ohio. The h.arrow described on page 417. American 
Agrioiltnrist ^ ISTfi, figure 2. is not exactly square; it is 
longer than it is wide, bnt the comers are square. 
Oreat Increa!«e fi-oni Potatoes 
Planted.— New varielies of potatoes are produced 
from the seed of the seed balls. In planting a thousand 
seeds, no two seeds will produce tubers exactly alike. 
When a desirable tuber i-* obtained, it can be mnlliplied 
true to itself, to any extent, by planting the tubei's, or 
single eyes ; alpo b^ cutting the opronts into email pieces 
and planting these. As ordinarily planted, one bushel o 
^eed yields only from 5 to 20-fold increase. With care in 
dividing the eyes, several hundred pounds may be pro- 
duced from a single pound; with extra efforts in using 
the slips, the product may be run up to a,000-fold, or 
more. For example, last year Mr. H. C. Pearson, of Pit- 
cairn,!^. Y., grew 1,981 pounds of Ruby potatoes from 
1 lb. planted, and 1,70T lbs. of Alphas from 1 lb. J. L 
Salter, of St. Cloud, Minn., 
obtained from 1 lb. plant- 
ed, 1,694 lbs, of Ruby, 
and 1,665 lbs. of Alpha. 
Several others obtained 
overl,5001bs. Methods of 
cnltivation, soil, etc., and 
many other particulars, 
can be fully learned from 
B. K. Bliss & Sons' Potato 
Pamphlet, (forwarded post- 
paid for 10 cts). The an- 
nexed engraving illus- 
trates a good method of 
dividing a seed potato for 
securing a large quantity 
of sets. It is desirable 
that each eye have a por- 
tion of the tuber with it, 
to supply nourishment to 
the young plant. With 
care the *' eyes " them- 
selves can be cut through, so as to make from two to a 
dozen pieces, each of which will send up a sprout. Hold 
any potato with the stem-end down, and it will be ob- 
sen-ed that the eyes are arranged spirally around it, run- 
ning up to the top or seed end. The engraving shows 
very plainly the method of dividing. As one set to 
a hill is quite as good as a dozen, it will he seen that this 
method of dividing is not only of great importance in 
planting new and costly varieties, but that it will effect a 
great saving of seed with common sorts, now worth from 
$3 to $4 a barrel. Two barrels of seed, carefully cut, are 
abundant for an acre. Four are generally used. With 
the present scarcity and high prices, an immense saving 
can be effected by a very little CJire in preparing the seed. 
An expert hand will cut two barrels a day, and thus save 
$6 to $S, or more, in the cost of seed. 
XKY XHE .>E^^ POXAXOES.— 
Some Seed Free— The liability to deterioration and 
disease, of the important potato crop makes it necessary 
to frequently introduce new varieties. Those who first 
get hold of a good new variety, will find great profit in 
it. A little seed can be rapidly multiplied, as shown 
above, and those who have a supply of seed first, can dis- 
pose of it at many limes the price of the ordinary seed. 
Those trying two, three, four, or five new varieties, will 
find it greatly profitable if even one turns out to be of su- 
perior excellence. The most promising new variety 
offered this year is the *' Superior," described on 
pages 130 and 140 of this paper. The chances arc that 
those who have the new seed next spring, as but few can 
procure it, will command their own price. The supply 
is very limited, probably not fifty bushels, all told. 
As stated last month, we have secured a small quantity, 
which we will distribute on the plan proposed, viz.. we 
will send a Tialf a pound of it (two medium potatoes^ by 
mail, postpaid, to any present subscriber, who will ob- 
tain and forward one new subscriber to the American 
Agriculturist for IST! : or thref parcels (or If Ibs.t if two 
new subscribers are sent to us, and in the same propor- 
tion for more subscribers. (This offer is only for new 
subscribers sent after March 1.) It will be readily seen, 
from the article above, that a single pound may he easi- 
ly multiplied to GOO to 900 lbs. (10 to 15 bushels), or even 
much more during the present year, which may probably 
bo worth anywhere from $50 to $100, or more, for seed 
next spring. We cannot, of course, guarantee that thifl 
potato will prove all that is hoped for it, in aU locatitUf, 
but the chances are so much in its favor, that this offer 
is worthy of the attention of all. It will be a simple 
matter to secure one, two. or more subscribers required 
to obtain this premium. These potatoes arc sold by the 
single ponnd.at $1 a pound. (The Early Rose, when first 
offered, was sold at $." a pound, and paid very largely at 
that price, to most of those who got seed the first 
year.) We have none to sell, and only a limited supply 
to present, in the manner above indicated— probably en- 
ough for all who apply in April ; but those desiring it as 
aboTe, Bhonld act promptly, before the supply rune out 
