172 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Mat, 
Obtaining Credit under False 
Pretences.— If a man obtains possession of a lot of 
books from us under a false representation, he will, if 
convicted, be sent to the State Prison. A scoundrel of 
this kind, knowing the risk he runs, shows a certain 
amount of daring, and we have for him something of the 
rwpect that we have for a highwayman — that small 
amount which misdirected courage will command. If 
there can be a difference in thieves, we hold the highway- 
man who boldly demands " your money or your life " far 
above the sneak thief, who steals in at the hall door and 
tak - our great coat. On a par with these sneak thieves 
arc those who. by garbling our writings or by putting 
what we have said in a false light, make ns appear to say 
just the opposite of what we did say. We will give an 
illustration of meanness, mingled with audacity, which 
defies common law as well as common decency. The 
"Independent." a professedly religious newspaper, al- 
lowed a vender of quack medicines to advertise his nos- 
trum in a way that no journal should tolerate, unless its 
readers are of a different class from what we take those 
of the Independent to be. Nastiness in many of the 
daily papers does not surprise us : but such stuff in a paper 
professing to lead people in the right way. induced 
not only the Agriculturist, but the Christian Intelligencer, 
N. Y. Evangelist, and other papers, to speak ont, and in 
no measured words, concerning this outrage upon pro- 
priety and decency. In rapping the Independent over 
the knuckles, we were o bliged to allude to the quack med- 
icine. This was " nuts " for the vender of the stuff: his 
name was not mentioned, and he was only concerned in 
our notice by inference. As some dogs thank you for 
any attention, even if it be a kick, this fellow, with a 
meanness parallel to that of a sneak thief, and an impu- 
dence almost equal to that of the highwayman, advertises 
his nostrum in the daily papers, and there says, " The 
American Agriculturalist (he had better go to evening 
school and learn how to spell). Orange Jndd & Co.. Pro- 
prietors, having seen my advertisement, are fully acquaint- 
ed with its uses and merits.'' He quotes other papers 
also, and adds: "The editorials in the above papers 
were entirely unsolicited by me : in fact I have no 
personal acquaintance with any of their publishers, and 
sufferers will do well to call on them before purchasing, 
in order to obtain further information." As this fellow 
pretends to refer to us, we say if any one has any nasty 
disease for which this nasty medicine is advertised, don't 
follow the pamphlet which is sent about privately and is 
to be had by addressing this quack medicine vender's 
New York or Philadelphia shops. Don't buy the medi- 
cine, but go to a regular doctor. But if you think the In- 
dependent's endorsement, by admitting the advertise- 
ment, outweighs our condemnation, and will buy his stuff, 
take out the exact price and leave your pocket book at 
home. Our "good name" having been stolen, we really 
don't know what might happen to your "purse." The 
fellow is quite right in saying he has "no personal 
acquaintance with the publishers," and we give him 
the benefit of the only truth he has stated about as. 
IMgreoMs Destroying <»rain. — "H.," 
of Hometown, N.J., gives us the following figures: Hav- 
ing shot a pair of wild pigeons on a wheat field, after they 
had had time to pretty well fill themselves, he counted in 
the crop of the hen 420 grains of wheat: in that *tfthe cock, 
3*il- Afterwards a tame pair were shot under nearly the 
same circnmc-tances, and 271 grains found in the hen 
pigeon, and li? only in the cock. 
Mulchiugr Apple Xrees. — "6. L.," 
Warwick. R. 1. We have no experience in the matter, 
but hare u nlon -utility. Pear trees are very much 
benefited by a mulch daring the summer. Capt. G. 
Pierce, of Arlington, Mass., spreads about a ton of salt 
hay to the acre :u his apple orchard, and thinks it pays. 
Worms -±z\ Trees.— "H. C. T.," Lansinir- 
bure. The English sparrows have cleaned the trees of 
■worms in New York and vicinity, wherever they have 
been welcomed. They are sheltered in small boxes, are 
fed on seeds and watered constantly in winter, and in 
summer take care of themselves. Just how much damage 
they would do in a garden we cannot say. They would 
certainly keep the insects in check, and if the birds 
became too numerous they could readily be disposed of. 
Wfcy !T*e "3 ii< .* ia Barns and Sta- 
ble* ( "O. D. T.." Fairfield.— Mainly to prevent the 
waste o !iie most valuable pans of the manure. Muck 
or peat absorbs the ammonia, adds to the bulk and value 
of stable manure, and for most farmers its cartage pays. 
Chimney Tops.- 11 H. J. S.," Hestonville, 
Pa., advises to lay the bricks of chimney tops in Roman 
cement, in order to prerent (measurably) the corrosive 
action of coal gaa and Of the weather on the morUr. 
Ti^ht Barns.— "R. S.," Walpole, Mass. 
— Modern barns are made tight, and furnished with ven- 
tilators at the top. It is of great importance that the 
ventilation should be regulated, which is quite impossi- 
ble with wide cracks between the planking. It saves a 
great deal of fodder to have the temperature kept above 
freezing point in the stables, and this is quite practicable 
with tight floors and good ventilation, even in New 
England, and other places, where the winter is severe. 
Salmon Hatching in !\e^v Hamp- 
shire.— The impregnated eggs in the hatching works at 
Charlestown, deposited by the fish commissioners, have 
been successfully hatched. Only one per cent failed. 
These fish will be artificially bred until the spring of 
1869, when they will be ready to go to the sea. It is de- 
monstrated that fish can be raised cheaper than any other 
animal food, and can be made abundant even in the 
densely populated districts of Central Europe. 
"Whitlock's Horlicultnral Adver- 
tiser.— Mr. Whitlock, in connexion with his " All Nurse- 
ries in One," publishes a journal which is in the' main 
devoted to advertising, but has always much interesting 
and valuable reading matter. The increase of Mr. W.'s 
business has made it necessary for him to engage the 
editorial assistance of Mr. A. S. Fuller. Mr. F. is one 
of the few "practical men," to use the current phrase, 
who can write well. He will doubtless give increased 
value and interest to Mr. Whitlock's useful journal. 
A Handy Garden Trellis.— It is often 
convenient to give tomato vines and other plants a low 
support, and some neat trellis is required.—" Reader," of 
Brooklyn, N. T., sends us a 
drawing of a neat and easily 
made trellis, which, though 
not new to us, may be to some 
of our readers. He says: "I 
take a stave of a barrel, and 
split it into three pieces, 
sharpen one end of each and 
drive them into the ground, 
^;U- about a foot deep, in the form 
>.§?" * of a triangle, just so far apart 
that when a barrel hoop is 
the outward strain will hold it in 
tie on the hoop to the sticks, as shown in the 
I use small tarred rope or "Ratlin" to tie 
with. These frames are made very easily, and when only 
a limited number of vines are kept, are very desirable." 
^tlanure Shed* vs. Cellars. — The same 
correspondent also asks : " Are not manure sheds gener- 
ally preferable to cellars?" "We do not know that they 
are. It is a question of convenience. No system, either 
of cellars, sheds, or open ground, is best in all places. 
And the best rule we can irive is to adopt the plan that 
most economically provides a "tidy barn-yard" and a 
pure atmosphere. Good taste and good management go 
together, at least in this case. 
Mohr on the Grape Tine. — This little 
work on the vine has pleased us so much that we feet it a 
duty to call the attention of grape growers to it, as the 
most intelligent presentation of the principles of grape cul- 
ture yet offered. Those who have read the articles in the 
Agriculturist on the vine, in the issues of the present year, 
will see that we have drawn upon this work for some in- 
teresting illustrations. To those who wish a set pattern 
by which to try to grow their vines, we do not commend 
this work, but to those who desire to study the habits of 
growth of the vine, and to know just what they are doing, 
the book of Dr. Mohr cannot fail to afford instruction. A 
most useful chapter on the propagation of American va- 
rieties is appended by the translator, " Horticola." A 
neat illustrated volume, sent by mail for $1. 
Applying Manure to Growing- 
Crops. — " J. T. A.," Onondaga Co., N. T. If from any 
cause broadcast manuring has been neglected, it is fre- 
quently desirable to apply manure to growing crops. 
This should be done before they are half grown. We 
have often used concentrated manures upon the grass 
crop with excellent results. It is easy to double what 
would be a liirht crop of hay. by applying Peruvian guano, 
or the fine ground fish guano, in the month of May. A 
great change i~ seen in the color and vigor of the grass, 
within two or three days after the application, if it is 
made in rainy weather. Ashes alone, or ashes and plaster, 
are good top-dressings for potatoes. Any of the con- 
centrated fertilizers, if honestly made, will pay on the 
corn crop, at the first or second cultivating. All garden 
crops are benefited by top-dressings, and if these are 
applied in the form of liquid manure, bo much the better. 
.Manure from fifiarn Cellars.— A cot. 
respondent has seen it stated in an agricultural paper 
that the manure from a barn cellar " contains an injurious 
acid that needs to be corrected by frost," and asks the . 
Agriculturist if such is the case. We know of no such 
acid. There are several organic acids formed during the 
decomposition of straw and manure, but the ammonia 
formed at the same time from the nitrogenous mat- 
ter, urea, etc., neutralizes them, in part at least. And 
they are thu3 very useful in "fixing" the ammonia. 
When a great deal of peat is used in the cellar, large 
quantities of organic acids will be present in the manure, 
but on soils free from excess of water they will do good 
rather than harm. In case the manure has been kept so 
water-soaked that only imperfect fermentation has taken 
place, the best way, we think, to correct this would be to 
draw ont the manure to the field, where it is to be used, 
and pile it for a few weeks to ferment, before spreading 
it on the land. In cold cellars, and where the pigs tread 
it very firm, it is not improbable that little or no fermen- 
tation takes place. But even in such a case, we think 
no acid would be formed from the manure. There are 
acids in peat and muck which resist decay, unless acted 
on by frost, by a ferment like animal manures, or by al- 
kalies, like ammonia, ashes, lime, etc. By piling the 
manure, however, and turning it over once or twice, or in 
any way subjecting it to the influence of air as well aa 
water, all difficulty of this kind would be overcome. 
Cheap Homesteads in Missouri. — 
D. S. Donegan, of Licking, Texas Co., Mo., sends an 
earnest invitation for settlers to come to that county. He 
says there is plenty of good, improved laud to be bought 
at $5 to $10 per acre, with an abundance of cheap timber 
available, and other conveniences to match. The people 
are friendly, and glad to see settlers of all political creeds 
come among them. Churches and school-houses are 
springing up all over the county, as if by magic, and the 
whole region is rapidly filling up with a desirable class 
of residents. We receive many similar letters from differ- 
ent parts of the South, though this one is exceptional, in 
welcoming persons of all political creeds, as most of the 
writere stipulate that only "conservative" people, or 
those who will say nothing on "politics," are invited. 
Sundry Humbugs. — Iu our raids upon 
Humbugs, we have frequently set forth that all "Lot- 
teries " are considered as hnmbugs. From time to 
time we have shown up the plans upon which they are 
operated ; also how in every instance, where we have 
taken the pains to investigate any particular ones of the 
hundreds that come to us every month from all parts of 
the Union, we have found them to be entirely rotten and 
worthless. The worst are the medical humbugs, for they 
not only rob one of his money, and, in nineteen cases out 
of twenty, of his health, but they also poison the soul by 
evil teachings and false physiology. Their pamphlets and 
circulars are generally sent to the young and thoughtless 
of both sexes, and do mischief by working upon their 
passions by highly wrought pictures and glowing descrip- 
tions. We give a list of some humbug concerns without 
comment: Lotteries— C. A. Taylor & Co.. New York; 
France Smith & Co., Cincinnati ; Alex. Pope, Michi- 
gan ; Murray, Eddy & Co.. Cincinnati, Ohio; Perkins, 
Fisk & Co.. Boston; Alonzo B. Chubb, Chicago. J. C. 
French & Co.. Buffalo, N. Y., "Pictures." A. G.Judd, 
Springfield, "Bal Honey." G:-o. Howard & Co.. New- 
York City. Curtin, nail & Co., A. Weaver & Son. Eureka 
Print Works, cannot he found at nnmbers given. Broad- 
way Publishing Co.. New York. Books; Hill, Porter & 
Co.. New York. Watches; Chas. Elmer, Williams- 
burg, N. Y. ; T. Seymour & C ■.. Nass&u-st., New 
York; &c., &c, all belong to the same class.— A few days 
ago. we made a journey to K^Iley & Co., of Kelley's 
Weekly, to get our prize, valued at $1-35. said to have been 
drawn for ns at their first distribution. March 12th. 1863. 
Upon enquiring what the prize was, and if it was con- 
vertible into money, they state:! that they did not know 
what the article was, but that they would send it to our 
address in fifteen days, if we vronld pay them their 5 per 
cent on the amount, or, if we preferred, we mi^ht call on 
April 10th. and it wonld then be opened to our inspection, 
to he taken at the same rate, if we chose. Wonder if it is 
Sandy River Petrok-nm Sto,-k— which they havegiven in 
other instances! Has anybody received a valnable prize 
from A. A. K 11 -y A Co., either from their " Grand Gift 
Concert,'" or "Illustrated Weekly?"... Washington 
Library Co., or Geo. A. Cooke & Co.. Bankers. New 
York. This "grand award of premiums." this "noble and 
patriotic cause," in the behalf of Soldiers' Orphans, said 
to be acting under a chan-r from the State of New Jersey, 
is a humbug R. H. Homan & Co.. Astoria, N. Y.. 
we have only to notice as venders of vile Medical 
Books, and to put our readers on their <mard. . . Hallett. 
Moore & Co. can't eell us any of their "Unclaimed 
Prizes" for $10.00 percentage, or any other price We 
have seen enough of the Sandy River Petroleum Stock. 
