354, 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURISTS 
[October, 
self to breeders of animals, whether on the large or small 
scale, to growers of plants, and indeed to the intelligent 
and curious generall}*. The book is one of such import- 
ance that Dr. J. D. Hooker, President of the British As- 
sociation, thus referred to it in his inaugural address. 
"Mr. Darwin's recent two volumes on "Animals and 
Plants under Domestication' are a catacomb of data, ob- 
servations and experiments, such as assuredly no one but 
himself could produce. It is hard to say whether they 
are most remarkable for the number and value of the new 
facts they disclose, or for the array of small forgotten or 
overlooked observations, neglected by some naturalists 
and discarded by others, which, under his mind aud eye 
prove to be of first rate scientific importance." The 
work has been only about seven months before the pub- 
lic, and there have been two English, a German, Russian, 
Italian and American edition already published. The 
American edition contains all the author's additions, and 
is the most complete of any. Two handsome volumes, 
illustrated, and with a copious index, sent by mail for $0. 
Splcaidid Premiums, such as have 
never been equaled in this or any other Journal, are of- 
fered by the Publishers in the premium sheet of this 
number of the Agriculturist, The premiums include 
nearly all of the excellent articles offered last year : other 
good new things, such as the Early Rose Potato, 
Watches made particularly for us, Field Croquet, etc. ; 
and especially a fine lot of Breeding animals. We would 
like to impress the fact, for it is a fact, that one or more 
of the premiums can be obtained at every Post-Office in 
the United States aud Territories, in British America, 
etc., etc. Human nature is the same everywhere. H hat 
was done in 3,000 to 4,000 places last year can be done in 
'25,000 places this year. The work will pay well, and do 
good besides. Every one read through the premium sheet. 
• 6 How Crops Grow," — This i> the ex- 
pressive title of a new work by Professor S. W. Johnson, 
of Yale College, just published by Orange Judd & Co., 
and announced in an advertisement on another page. This 
work supplies a great lack in English literature, and. in 
fact, in the agricultural literature of the world. It brings 
to the careful reader interested in the practical opera- 
tions of the farm and garden those profound results and 
views of science which lie at the basis of scientific agri- 
culture. The subject discussed is by no means all of ag- 
riculture. The book is a guide to the knowledge of agricul- 
tural plants, their composition, their structure and modes 
of development and growth; of the complex organi- 
zation of plants, and the uses of the parts, the germina- 
tion of seeds and the food of plants, obtained both from 
the air aud the soil. Very full aud accurate tables of an- 
alyses are given, and tables of the proportions existing 
between different principles, oily, starchy, or nitrogen- 
ous, in the same aud different plants. The book is an in- 
valuable one to all real students of agriculture. It in fully 
illustrated, aud will be sent by mail for $1.50. 
Whitloelc's Grape Show.— An exhi- 
bition of grapes will be held in Mr. Whitlock's rooms, in 
the Agriculturist building, beginning on the 1st inst. 
Mr. Whitlock has much better facilities for exhibitors 
than we are able to give, and we shall hold no grape show 
this year. We hope that the friends who helped ns to 
make last year's the finest show of native grapes ever seen 
in this country, will enable Mr. Whitlock to excel that, if 
possible. Interesting discussions may be expected on 
the days of exhibition, to which all are invited. 
Spring: Balances.— " J. D. K.," Toledo, 
O., asks "if the ordinary spring balances are trust- 
worthy?" Serious suspicion has fallen upon them, from 
the fact that they are so popular with retailers. It must 
be a very well tempered spring, better, we fear, than gets 
into our balances, that does not grow weak by habitual 
use. This weakness, however small, makes an error in 
favor of the seller. The Canadian government has pro- 
hibited the use of spring balances iu the Dominion, and 
we suppose they are of the same kind used this side of 
the line. It will be well for our housekeepers to weigh 
their purchases, when they get home, and for the sealers 
of weights and measures to look after the parties who 
use spring balances. If purchasers find short weight, 
they can refuse to trade henceforth with those who use 
them, and thus drive the balances from the counter. 
The Tim CEjink. ;• Papers. — Squire 
Bunker, whose letters, published through many vol- 
umes of the Agriculturist, have given farm mattersal 
Hooker town a world-wide celebrity, has collected his 
writings, and Orange Judd & Co. have published them 
in a neat volume of 312 pages. The long-time readers of 
the Agriculturist do not need an introduction to the 
Squire, as they look upon Mm as an old friend. Though 
T. B., Esquire, writes in the Connecticut vernacular, there 
is more sound common sense, and real information upon 
agricultural matters in this work, than is to be found in 
many more pretending volumes. His old friends will 
gladly welcome the collected writings of Mr. Bunker, and 
we can promise those who are not familiar with them, 
not only instruction but amusement from their perusal. 
The distinguished artist, Hoppiu has tried his pencil on 
some of the inhabitants of Hookertown, and given a 
series of characteristic illustrations. Price by mail $1.50. 
Increase In flic Consumption of 
Sugar. — There is a good time coming for the sugar pro- 
ducers, if we may rely upon the statistics given in De 
Bow's Review. The Anglo Saxon race use 1,140,000 tons 
of sugar per annum, or 41.40 lbs. per head. The Latin 
race use 12.34; the Teutonic, 7.30; the Slavonic. 3.30. The 
total consumption of the countries from which returns 
can be obtained is -2.030,000 tons; about 15 lbs. per head. 
If it were increased to the standard of Great Britain it 
would amount to 6,150.000 tons. As the nations gain 
civil and religious liberty and advance in civilization, th-v 
increase in thuir ability to enjoy the comforts and luxuries 
of life. The people of the United States use fifteen times 
as ranch sugar per head as the people of Russia, Poland, 
Turkey, and Greece. 
Black PeliinEgrg I*lant.— Those who 
have tried this variety give good accounts of it. It is a 
very vigorous grower, and bears abundantly of large aud 
almost black fruit, which is most excellent upon the table. 
Writing a Volume. — Some correspond- 
ent- ash so many questions at once that it would require 
a small volume to answer all of them. They often ask 
us to tell them " all about " the culture of fruits, or have 
a certain number of acres that they wish us to layout 
for them. While we are not only willing but glad to 
answer questions, we cannot write treatises every month. 
The American Entomologist. — The 
first number of this paper, devoted to ''bug" literature, 
has appeared. It is a neat monthly, of 20 pages, well 
printed and illustrated. The articles are exceedingly 
popular aud practical in eharacter, and have a liveliness 
not often found in writings on rrcientific matters. Pub- 
lished by K. P. Studley&Co.,St.Louis,Mo.,at $1 a year. 
The Eiimelaii Cirape.— This is a chance 
seedling which originated on the banks of the Hudson. 
Dr. Grant, perceiving its merits, purchased it some time 
ago. The grape is of first class as to quality, and ripens 
at least as early as the Hartford Prolific. 
Sundry Iliimbugs. — Congress, in an act 
" T« i further amend the Postal Law," passed July 27th, 
ISfW, Sec. 13, says: '-,iiW &■ it further enacted, That it 
shall not be lawful to deposit in a post-office, to be sent 
by mail, any letter or circular concerning lotteries, so- 
called gift-concerts, or other similar enterprises offering 
prizes of any kind on any pretest whatever.* 1 We again 
bring prominently before our readers this Section of the 
postal law, so that none need err through ignorance or 
misunderstanding. It is desired at Washington that all 
evidence bearing upon guilty parties be sent to them, 
and we trust that all will bear in mind the suggestion 
made last month, and when they receive letters of the 
Gift-Enterprise sort request their postmasters to send 
them to the General Post-office We have to notice this 
month: Hunt, Anthony & Co.: Gold Watches, valued 
$175, for sale at $10 each. Gentlemen, the design of yonr 
certificate is too old and well-known to mislead our read- 
ers. Can't you try something new ? We have thus tar 
failed in every endeavor to find the parties advertising 
very largely as C. A. Taylor & Co., and M. Noyes & Co.. 
No. SO Nassau-street. These two firms are evidently 
one and the same, apparently differing only in name. 
The person or persons who manage the thing rep- 
resent themselves as '* General Agents " for the 
"Managers." etc. Their plan proposes for $10 to rob 
their managers of $1,300, and to send the same to any 
person furnishing the original $10, provided that the 
receiver on his part will show the money to his neighbors 
and say he got it as a chance lottery prize in said com- 
pany. " You are to show the money. The result will be 
that hundreds of dollars will be sent to us for tickets, 
etc," which they, of course, will pocket. Here it is in 
a "nutshell. ■' We rail help you to $1,300 of our man- 
agers' money, if you in turn will help us to rob your 
friends and neighbors. A nice little plan this ! We 
think the proper authorities should hunt such scoundrels 
up and bring them to justice, and that whoever owns the 
building should clean it out Dr. J. S. Scoville & Co. 
have succeeded in swindling the public by means of 
travelling agents in some parts of the West. All persons 
will remember that no such firm can be found at the num- 
ber given, or in our City Directory. Dr. A, B. Church, 
Columbia, Ind., puts forth most infamous teachings, which 
should not be followed by any body The "Great 
Western Gift Co.," Evausville, Ind., Frederick Edwards 
& Co., Managers, are on the "make," and propose to 
send any body a "fortune for ten cents." Pretty good, 
Mr. Edwards; please send us one, marked C. O. D. We 
have carefully figured out the probable expense and in- 
come of this concern, and we give it for the benefit of 
our readers. Amount offered in prizes, $135,400. No 
blank tickets. No prize worth less than $1. Suppose 
no prize would exceed one dollar in value, then it would 
stand thus: 435,400 tickets at 10c. each amounts to 
$43,540 for $435,400 in prizes ! ! This would seem ab- 
surd enough, but far greater absurdity is shown in the 
ostensible scheme. The first 3,211 prizes represent 
$'231.\">0 at least, in prizes ranging in value from $5 to 
$50,000 each; atickct for each of these prizes at 10c. will 
bring $321.10. The remaining sum — supposing one 
ticket to every dollar would require 21)3.550 tickets at 10c. 
each— would be $20,355.00 for prizes amounting to at least 
$203,550. The total amount, then, for all tickets is 
$20,675. Fifty per cent of this is offered to agents for 
selling tickets, and then comes in the long list of ex- 
penses for printing, office rent, clerk hire, etc., etc. But 
suppose $10,000 to pay all expenses including per cent to 
agents, the net income would be $10,675, and the out-ijo 
in prizes $435.100 ! ! ! Friends, don't you want a fortune 
for 10 cents? We have given the above figures thus 
minutely to enable all to see at a glance the absurdity 
of such swindling concerns. All lotteries are more or 
less after this same plan. They offer much for a little, 
and their own schemes, if followed like the one above, 
would soon ruin them; but they don't follow them, nor 
do they even pretend to ; the sole aim of these scoundrels 
is to induce people to send them money, and once in their 
pocket, it is never seen again by the sender in any form. 
Beware of one G. W. Parsons. We are informed 
that he has been getting subscriptions at Mt. Gillead, 
Ohio, for this and many other papers. We have re- 
ceived no subscriptions from him— do not know him, 
and set him down as a humbug. 
The Comparative Value of 
Grapes, other things being equal, depends upon the 
amount of sugar contained in the juice or must. In view 
tit this fact, the Pleasant Valley Grape Growers 1 Associa- 
tion will hold atHammondsport, Steuben County, N. Y., 
a Kiecharoraeter test on the 2Sth inst. The saccharome- 
ter is an instrument for indicating the amount of sugar 
contained in the juice, and the Association proposes to 
subject all the samples of grapes to the test, that may be 
sent for the purpose. The committee is one in which the 
public may have confidence, as it includes persons inter- 
ested in grape culture from all parts of the country. The 
circular of the Association says : "A general invitation 
is hereby extended to all who have grapes of value or prom- 
ise, new or old varieties, to be present and participate. 
No effort will be spared to make the meeting both inter- 
esting and profitable to all who may attend. Persons 
wishing to have their grapes examined, and being una- 
ble to attend in person, may forward them to this place, 
in care of George W. Nichols, President of the Associa- 
tion, who will pay charges and see that they are justly 
dealt with. It is desirable that as many as ten pounds of 
each variety be sent, to insure a full examination ; but a 
smaller quantity will be accepted, and given all the atten- 
tion possible. In all cases they should be accompanied 
with a statement giving name, kind of soil, age of vine, 
&c. Truths and facts alone are sought after, therefore no 
premiums arc offered or will be awarded." 
A " Vine Borer.** — In Missouri a borer 
kills vines by cutting them off at a distance of 8 or 10 inch- 
es below the surface. C, V. Riley, State Entomologist, 
has the chap under surveillance, and we shall probably 
have his portrait and history in the American Entomologist. 
A Peach IFnii^us. — Dr. Hull, as we learn 
from the Transactions of the Horticultural Society of Al- 
ton, 111., finds a fungus upon the roots of peach trees, 
which speedily exterminates them. As it spreads from 
tree to tree, his treatment is to destroy the fungus by 
burning all diseased peach trees, root and branch. 
The Sciippernong* Grape.— Mr. M. T., 
Garret, S.C., sends us some specimens of this grape, which 
is now becoming an important fruit in those Southern 
States where the climate is suited to it. The wine has 
many remarkable peculiarities, and we hope to refer to 
it more in detail at another time. 
The Casahar Melon. —Mr. Henry A. 
Dreer, seedsman, of Philadelphia, sent us specimens of a 
melon, the seeds of which he received under the above 
