1877.] 
AMERICAN AaRTCULTURIST. 
320 
more money than usual into farmers' liands ; it would be 
a good tiling to pnt some of it into such permanent ini- 
proveineuts as drainlni^, by which the value and produc- 
tive power of the laud may in mauy cases be doubled. 
A Useftil Oi-a,iig:e Meeting,— Our re- 
marlt, made at the outset of the institutiou of Granges, to 
the effect that in time they would most probably develop 
into useful " Farmer's Clubs," as these meetings are gen- 
erally understood, is exemplified by the proceedings at a 
meeting of tlie Palmyra (N. Y.) Grange, held on July 21st. 
Samples of wheat were exhibited, the best of which were 
of the Post and Claw-on varieties. Specimens of currant 
jelly were shown, made by squeezing the juice from 
ripe currants, and adding to it an equal quantity of white 
sugar. Tlie mixliire was then brought to a boil, and 
boi'ed only 5 minutes. Others were made without boiling, 
by exposing the su'jared juice for one day to the heat of 
the sun ou a tin roof. Samples of fruit, including a new 
seedling cherry ; conversations about qualities of differ- 
ent wheats, in which the red wheats were chiefly recom- 
mended, and re arding a Fire Relief Association, also 
helped to fill up the time of the meeting. Here was a 
prai^tical and useful way of occupying time which, how- 
ever, scarcely needed the costly formalities of a Grange 
establishment; but if this was a necessary condition for 
8uch ft meeting, there is then a good excuse for it. 
Poisoiiiiig' l»y l*aris i^reen — Aiiti> 
tode. — " W. F. H.^aeks, "What to do in case of acci- 
dental poisoning by Paris Green."— Paris Green is so 
deadly a poison that the utmost care should be taken to 
prevent, accident, and every one should know what to 
do in case poison has been taken into the stomach- 
There is but one tolerably certain antidote, the 
freshly prepared llydraUd Peroxide- of lion, or Ferric 
Hydrate. This cannot be kept on hand long, as it soon 
changes and becomes inert. All well managed drug 
Btorns keep on hand the means of preparing it at once. 
In case of poisoning by Paris Green or any other form 
of arsenic, give an emetic. Mustard is always ar hand ; 
give two tablcspoonfuls of Ground Mu8ta?'d stirred in a 
quart of luke-warm Tfa^f?*.— Drink freely, tickling the 
throat with the finger to induce vomiting. When the 
stomach is emptied, give Calcined Magnesia in table- 
spoonful doses, stirred in milk, repeating every 15 min- 
tites. When the vomiting ceases, give a large dose of 
Castor Oil. But send first to the nearest physician, and 
also to the nearest apothecary for Bydrated Peroxide 
of Iron ; the doctor will want it ; if he is not present, 
give it in tablespoonful doses every 10 or 15 minutes until 
the patient is relieved. It is in the form of pulp like 
Indian-red paint. No harm can come from giving too 
much. When the doctor comes, follow his directions. 
The CSreat; Value of Aslic*^, Iieach* 
ed and TJnlearlicdy and the reasons therefor, are 
pretty fully discussed by Prof. Atwater, on page 330. It 
will be worth while for ail to read the article. Those using 
hard coal, use more or less kindling wood, producing 
good ashes; and the hard coal itself having been origi- 
nally from plants, supplies a little potash, etc., though 
the greater heat melts and vitrifies the alkalies so much 
as to render them not immediately available to plants. 
We have seen good results even from bard coal ashes, 
though as a rule they make such excellent covering for 
foot-path^ and roads, that they aro most useful for this 
purpose. They are well worth preserving for one or the 
other of these uses. We have materially improved the 
texture of a heavy soil by a free application of them. 
ITInchiiies for deaiBiug* Oi-fiin. — 
•'J. H. P.," Armstrong Co., Pa. Various kinds of fans 
or windmills, forcleening graiuand seeds of all sorts, are 
made by many of the manufacturers whose notices are in 
our advertising columns. These parties will be happy to 
send cataloi^ues of their goods to any one who asUs for 
them. See also notices of various catalogncs menlionud 
nearly i-very month. If these notices and advertisements 
were examined regularly by those in need of anything 
whatever, the desired information would be almost cer- 
tainly found. There is no more comprehensive list of 
usefnl articles to be found anywhere in print, that wo 
know of, than the advertising columns of the American 
AgriculturiH throughout the year. They arc worth read- 
ing, if only for the varied information they give. 
Pasturing; the flis;li-*vsiys.— One of 
the greatest nuisances of rural localities it* the pafturing 
of stock upon the roads. The road is the private proper- 
ty of the owner of the land (m each side of it ; he gives 
only the right to nso the Innd for travel to the public. In 
law, when thi;* use is no longer exercised, the land re- 
verts to the owner. The grasf, fruit, trees, etc., growing 
ou the road-side, are the property of the owner of the 
soil, and not of the public, and he may plant his trnrden 
there, if he does not interfere with the convenianec of 
the public In passing to and fro upon the road. No man 
then should use the roads for pasturage. No one has a 
right lo do this; and when cows are permitted to graze 
upon the road-sides, they may do much damage, by en- 
tering gates that may be left open, and destroying garden 
and field crops. Localities, in which the roads are made 
commou pasturage, are to be avoided by all persons 
seeking new homes, for whatever the attractions of a 
place, this nuisance would neutralize them all, aud leave 
a large balance on the wrong side. 
** Snow-hill I>urhams.^'— *' W. V. C," 
Troy, Ind. There is no breed of cattle of the above 
name. The Durhams are the Short-horns, as they are 
now universally known. Various breeders, who have 
carefully kept up a strain, frequently name their herds in 
the manner referred to, and there may very probably be 
a herd so called, which we do not remember. 
Oo the Fairs— 'Why?— "Fair "is not just 
the word for our autumn shows — "Exhibition" would be 
better— but the word haa come by use to mean exhibiiion, 
when it don't mean a "horse-race" exclusively. We 
say, go to the lairs. Just as reading,' other's thoughts en- 
larges and stimulates one's own thinking, so contact with 
other men, seeing what they do, what they show, asking 
how they produced this or that good thing, can not fail 
to afford some new hints and do one good. A day at the 
fair lifts one out of daily drudgery ; the sight of so many 
people engaged in the same calling, helps one out of that 
low view which the great mass of farmers set upon their 
own pursuit. However much farmers may talk of the 
dignity of their calling, there is in thejr hearts too low 
auut^timateof it. If a son goes into a store, or a daughter 
marries a merchant, or professional man, they will speak 
of it as something to be proud of. This is wrong. Agri- 
culture, from Adam down, has been and is the noblest 
pursuit. Going to the fair will help in this and many 
other ways. Go early in the day. and have a quiet look 
at things, before the horse-races disturb the general and 
good order of the day. 
Clothing-. — A CiSreat Convenience, 
as well as economy, for a multitude of people living re- 
mote from business centers, is afforded in the present 
improved plans of sending out cloth samples with prices 
affixed, adopted by some large dealers, so that any one 
can examine the fabrics at home, know the cost of any 
garment, and have it forwarded directly to them. The 
carriage by the mails of parcels of not over 4 lbs. at the 
cost of a "cent an ounce, or IG cents a pound, brings a 
store to one's own door. (Wc remember sending a silk 
Wi'dding dress l>y mail, a few years ago, to one of our sub- 
scribers in the interior of Kentucky, which cost 9C cents 
a pound for postage, and even then it gave great satis- 
faction'). Those wanting men's garments are referred to 
the advertisement of Foote & Richardson, pigo 349. 
Letters from our readers who ordered of thera during 
the summer, express great satisfaction with the result. 
Basket Items continued 
on page 353- 
A Hundred Per Cent Interest! 
*' G. W. M.," writes from Iowa : "... Some talk about 
their good luck in receiving 9U percent, or nK)re, for a 
little money invested. I can tell how I got not otily lUO 
percent for an investment, but many times that, and I 
believe hundreds of tUonaands of others can do the same. 
During five years past, I have bought, at a total cost of 
$34. i), eighteen books on farming and gardening, stock- 
raising, and fruit-growing, iuclnding one volume on farm 
hnildings, one on draining^, and one on housekeeping, 
(Youmau s Household Science). I have read these, about 
one in three mouths; my sons have read them; my 
neighbors have borrowed and ri ad them, and there they 
stand in a neat row on a shelf, always ready not only for 
reference, but the finest ornami-ntwe have in our humble 
dwelling. We feci proud of them; they give an air of 
int<'lligence ; we feel our dignity as a reatling family; my 
sons talk Intelliu'cnlly, aud they iufcnsihly appreciate a 
calling that has even 13 booksi treating of it. They don't 
talk about leaving the farm for a * higher calling.* When 
at work they talk about what such and such an author 
says. I know they are happier for it. In these respects 
I know the books have jiaitl a thousand per cent. That 
jni.Oj would buy one pmall animal, or a cheap set of fur- 
niture, but none of my family would vacate that book 
shelf for a dozen of animals. I will not pretend to say 
how much good these book?* have dotn^ among our neigh- 
bors, in elevating their tastes and their dignity, as well 
as in givini: useful information— how much scandal has 
been nvHided, because the readers of the books have 
something to think aud talk about, gathered from these 
books ; how many demoralizing ' novels ' have not been 
read because these books took tlieir places. There are: 
fewer candidates among o»r larrnera' sons for city life, 
where,as we know, 95 ont of every hundred tail to succeed. 
But there is another paying side to our library. During 
these five years we have saved at least leu animals, from 
a chicken, pig, sheep and cow, up to a valuable horse, by 
the use of the knowledge we got at once from our little 
library. I can see well, where by hints, snggeslions, 
new thoughts, avoiuance of errors, etc., which have 
come to me throngn reaamg the seven thousand pages in 
these IS books, of other men's experiences and opera- 
tions, I have myself planned my work, my sales, my im- 
plements, etc., more profitjibly. No, I would not be 
without their benefit to myself and family for a hundred 
times their cost. I wish I had got twice as many ?uch 
books, twenty years ago. I send you a list of what I have, 
and want your advice what to get more, to the value of 
$40 this fall. I did not cultivate that extra ' Book Acre,* 
we had not an extra acre left, but my second son has 
some pigs that will bring about $40, and he says ' we will 
put the money in new books, on another shelf, to be 
mine, and when I go on a farm I will take them for 
my house, and we can all read them imtil then.' — I 
have written this to re-inforco what you have often ad- 
vised. If my brother farmers coul I see the advauLage of 
such books, as I see it, and know it, there would not bea 
farmer's cabin or mansion in all the land, without at 
least a small farm-book library right off. '* 
Beings Familiar witli Oxlt Eeaders. 
The rule of this office has always been to consider the 
Readers, the Editors, and the Publishers also, as holding 
ti^ovtoi family relationship, with mutual interests to be 
guarded and promoted. What helps, aids, removes diffi- 
culties, or otherwise benefits our readers, young and old, 
should give, and we believe does give, the highest satis- 
faction to the Editors. If an objectionable or doubtful 
advertisement is offered, with ever so much money ten- 
dered loget it inserted in these columns, (for such adver- 
tisers offer big prices,) the Publishers should not, and we 
believe do not, look one moment at the profit, but how 
will it affect the readers. If they had no kindly feelings, 
no thought but how lo make the most money, yet, if wise 
men, they must see, that, in the long run, honesty is the 
best policy; that if they fill up the business pages with 
things tiat will bo unprofitable to the readers of ordinary 
judgment, they will by so much diminish the value of 
such pages to good patrons, and in the end lose by it. 
(We heartily wish all publishers, even of some of the 
"religious papers" could, aud would, take this view of it. 
How many tons of worse than useless— of death and dis- 
ease introducing medicines— would fall to find a market.) 
Ou the other hand, we believe our readei-s generally 
appreciate this family relationship, and that they take an 
interest in the Editors' and Publishers' plans. So we do 
not hesitjite to talk familiarly in the reading page;^, of the 
plans, the offers, the business arrangements, etc. Some- 
times a reader will object to these business talks— that 
there is too much of them, etc.— but we believe the great 
multitude of our readers arc rather pleased than other- 
wise, with plain talk— with our telling our plans and pur- 
poses familiarly. Wo like to have them do so with us. 
If any of them have big crops, fine farms, prosperous cir- 
cumstances, we like to hear of it, and rejoice with them, 
even if wo do not find room to pnt it down in print. 
Bee Notes for September. 
BY I,. C. nOOT, MOUAWK, N. T. 
During the present month, if the weather is favorable, 
we may reagouably expect a fair yield of fall honey. 
Golden Rod will be in bloom very freely in most parts of 
the couutry. Partly filled boxes, that are not too much 
rontulud and finished, may be completed. Those that are 
rounded over and sealed on the edges, should be removed. 
Then; is a largo proportion of such boxes at this date 
(Aug. 6th), owing to the sudden cessation in the yield of 
white honej-. It is seldom a<Ivisahle to place eniiily hoses 
upon hives so late in the season, expecting thera to be 
filled. It would be belter to take the honey from part of 
the combs with the Extractor, and let the bees refill them. 
Questions and Answers. 
Bee Foraoe.— " What trees would yon advise planting 
as affording best forage for bees?"— I think the native 
Baf*swood is best, as it matures rapidly and yields very 
abundantly. It is sometimes called Linden, aud is found 
in abundance in many States. It blooms in Central N. 
Y. about July 15th, and the honey is of the finest quality. 
"Stock and Swaum."— " What is the diflTercnce be- 
tween a stoek and a swarm of bees ? "—Wo usually speak 
of a wwarni of bees as it issues from the hive, or as taken 
separately from the hive, while a stock is spoken of as 
including hive, combs, and bees. 
Retitrnino first Swarm.— "Do you think It advie*- 
