410 
AMERICAN AG-RICULTURIST. 
[November, 
ask " Why is it not broken ;ip ? "—As we do not know 
the relations between the directors of those places and 
the directorsof the police force '■'we give it np."—" What 
a wicked city New York must be ! "—will be the comment 
of many a good person who reads this. It is a wicked 
eity, but no city gives more, in proportion, to every relig- 
ious, charitable, and other good work than this. It is 
only more wicked than other cities than it is larger ; 
every city has its sewers and slums, both material and 
moral. Take a smaller city, like Chicago for instance, 
this is celebrated for its 
BUNKO-GAME. 
In former articles we have given an account of the rascals 
inN. Y. who accost strangers on the streets, claiming 
acquaintance with them for the purposes of swindling. 
In Chicago this is reduced to a system. These fellows 
called "Bunko steercrs " are around hotels and other 
public places, and carry on their game openly. They are 
very glad to see Mr. Jones.—'' But my name is Johnson." 
says the victim.—" Oh yes. Johnson, ah I had forgotten, 
both begin with J. Well, how did you leave all the 
folks? Your wife was a little ailing v.hcn I was down 
at your place."—'' What," asks the innocent, ''were j'ou 
ever in Prairievillc? "— "■ Prairioville ! I should say so, 
S:naw it all to pieces ; and old dt^acon— deacon— I have 
forgotten his name just now, he keeps a store just at—" 
" Oh, you mean Deacon Simpson."—" Ah yes— bless me 
2iov.- 1 do forget names." And so they walk along and 
talk about the people of Prairieville, the Bunko man 
adroitly drawing out enough to enable him to make the 
stranger think that he knows him and all his surround- 
ing-^. At last they stop in front of a stairway, and the 
BuuUo chap says: "By the way, you have heard of our 
Young Men's Christian Association, walk up and I will 
introduce you. Capital place to come and rest when you 
are tired. Doing a good work here," aud much more. 
Stranger goes to the rooms, is received by a chap in 
spectacles and a white neck cloth, who is " superintend- 
ent ; " another chap still more clerical in dross come^ in, 
and is introduced as manager. At last Bunko man asks 
the others, "How about that Slickville church enter- 
prise?"*— '* Three hundred coming to you," is thereply.— 
"You see," says the Bunko man, as he pockets the $300. 
"we have a little scheme for helping these needy 
churches. We take shares among ourselves, and then 
to make it interesting, we have a drawing; if we lose 
it is all for the good of the cause, and if we gain, we 
have so much the more to invest on the next one. Now 
as I have made §300 on the Slickville church, T will spend 
$300of it on— what churches are we helping, Mr. Smooth? 
Ah, the Hardscrabble. yes, I will take a chance at the 
Hardscrabble. Capital place that, people poor but pious, 
aeed help ; good society, excellent pastor, but the 
church is a disgrace. I will put $200 into the scheme, 
and perhaps my friend Johnson here would like to help 
by taking a share. It is a little plan that a few of us 
have. Ah, $*25, Mr. Johnson will invest. The beauty of 
this plan is its quick returns. We make a distribution 
«very day by this system. We soon will know the result. 
Ah I here it comes, one hundred to Mr. Johnson for hia 
$25, and I only get my $200 back again. Well, good 
morning, Mr. Smooth."— Stranger has by this time be- 
come interested ; he thinks this a capital way to help 
poor churches. He wishes to benefit them some more 
at this rate ; he Icarus that there arc two cliurches to be 
aided to-morrow, and he invests $50 on each. To-mor- 
yow he is on hand promptly, he notices there are more 
persons present than he saw the day before, aud they do 
2K)t all look BO clerical ; at last the result is announced ; 
he is informed that this scheme is a "double ender,'' 
and this time he has lost $500. He sees that he is a vic- 
tim, and will leave in disgust, but finds he is a prisoner, 
and must pay down the $500 or what money he has, and 
leave his watch or any other valuables, to help make up 
the deficit. When liberated, minus all hia valuables, the 
stranger goes to the police office, and they will "see 
about it." These Bunko places are as well known to the 
police and residents of Chicago, as are the gambling 
holes to those of New Y'ork. A merchant of our ac- 
quaintance took up the cases of some of the victims and 
tried to prosecute them. He soon was convinced that 
the Bunko men had more influence with the police than 
he had, and after he was obliged to abaudon the cases, 
he was called upon by the Bunko men to congi-atulatc 
him on his success in breaking up their business. All 
the rascality is not confined to New York, " For where- 
Boever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered 
together.'" 
THE MONTPELIER, (VA.), FEMALE HUMANE ASSOCIATION 
seems to have got into trouble. lu answer to inquiries 
we have more tlmn once stated that it was nothing more 
erless than a lottery, and that is equivalent to saying 
that we look upon it as altogether wrong. In regard to 
this, and in answer to inquiries about other lotteries, we 
■would refer to the Humbug article in March last, where 
©nr reasons are given for regarding all lotteries, no mat- 
ter bow honestly conducted, as pernicious. We have 
regarded this Montpelicr aflair as a specially dangerous 
lottery'.— "But," it will be a.'?ked, " is it not endorsed by 
the Governor, several ex-governors, and other gentlemen 
of the highest standing? "—Yes, aud that is just what is 
the matter; a common lottery might meet with very 
little success, but the countenance of these worthy per- 
sona has lifted this above the common run of such 
schemes, and thus made it all the more dangerous, be- 
cause all the more tempting. If we are asked why these 
distinguished gentlemen gave their names to a scheme 
which we denounce, on general principles, as wrong ; we 
can only answer that it is one of the failings of himaan 
nature to sign certificates. There are very few men who 
do not feel flattered at being informed that their name 
carries such influence that it is sought to help a large en- 
terprise. This scheme being represented as one having 
for its object the relief of unfortunate females, they 
think it must be laudable, and so, without investigating 
the machinery, or thought that they are aiding a gamb- 
ling scheme, they in a moment of good nature, give their 
signatures, which arc afterwards most industriously pa- 
raded ®n show-bills and circulars in large type with full 
titles. The drawing of this Humane Female Concern 
took place on Oct. 1st, and the daily papers since then 
report great excitement at Alexandria, where it took 
place ; it is alleged that the wheel h;id been tampered 
with, and various other charges are made against " per- 
sons from New Y^ork," who it is said had the manage- 
ment.and the Alexandria correspondents of the New York 
daily papers speaks of it as '" generally believed to be 
one of the greatest swindles ever perpetrated." One 
man all the way from Montana is In distress about his 
$50,000 prize. If he does not get it we say "served him 
right." Lotteries are wholly wrong, and as to their 
being for a benevolent end, that does not help the mat- 
ter, there being high counsel that we "do no evil that 
good may come." When tempted to invest in doubtful 
schemes by an array of respectable names, it will be 
well to remember that those of the highest and best in 
Virginia did not prevent the aflFair which they so signally 
helped, from being called a "Lottery Fraud" and a 
" swindle." [Since the foregoing was written tliis Mont- 
pelicr afTair turns out to be even worse than then stated. 
—Ed.] The country is being flooded with circulars of a 
CB\.»vRAL AVERAGE SALE, 
whieh is just the '■ Prize Package" dodge over again. It 
is claimed that goods, such as they may be, bought at 
wonderfully low prices are put up in boxes, a general 
assortment, some lots being worth more and some less. 
The boxes are marked $5, $10, $15, $-20, $25, and $50. If 
any gooney sends either of these sums, a box is drawn 
from the lot marked with the value and sent to him. We 
should think these av^;ragers might have two sets of 
boxes for the two sexes ; a bachelor would be as much 
puzzled to know what to do with lace collars and cufls, 
as a maiden would should she get a meerschaum pipe, 
provided they receive anytliing so valuable as cither. Our 
opinion of unusual methods of selling goods has been 
frequently given Complaints continue to come con- 
cerning 
NCRSERT AGENTS AND TREE PEDDLERS. 
We have already devoted quite as much space to this 
subject as should be spared. Some persons finding that 
tbey have agreed to pay very high Un- the articles they 
have ordered, ask what they shall do. They have signed 
an agreement to take ccrtain'trees and shrubs at a given 
price ; if the articles are delivered in good order, there is 
but just one thing to do— stick to 3'our bargain, and look 
out better next time. If, as some have done, you have 
agrfeff to pay ,50c. apiece for currant bushes, which can 
be had of the regular deaU-rs for $2, aud at most $3, the 
dozen, we do not see how. now that you have discovered 
the mistake, tlie bargain can be repudiated. Send to the 
regular dealers who advertise, and get their catalogues 
and or.ler from tlicm the next time... One correspond- 
ent complains that he bought wild goose plum trees and 
got wild cherry trees. Well, cultivate those wild cherry 
trees, and keep them as a warning against buying any 
fruit from irresponsible parties. 
MEDICAL JIATTERS 
are unusually dull ; we always expect a stock of novelties 
for the fall trade, but find only one new nostrum in our 
budget, and tliis rejoices in the high old Latinish name 
of " Scrofcuro," and has its virtues set forth in admirable 
alternation of red and black ink. A cynical gentleman of 
our acquaintance says that he will not admit that health 
is desirable, as it then follows as a logical conclusion that 
in order to secure health he must take certain quack 
medicines. This manifesto is after the logical style of 
those wliicli meet you with the conundrum '• Is health 
desirable?" It quotes Leviticus to show that" The Blood 
is the Life of the Flesh." kindly informs us that "These 
*are the words of Holy Writ." The evils that follow im- 
pure blood arc duly set forth. We are treated to the 
stunning statement that " Nature's Laws are Simple and 
Wise," and as "Almost every one has a humor of some 
kind," (we know of some very ill-humored people), and 
what is more, " It is a melancholy fact, but true never- 
theless," various diseases result from impure blood, and 
diseases of the brain, and then comes the climax. " Such 
diseases can only be cured * * * with our Scrofcuro Med- 
icine. "—Yet this stuff will probaldy have its run. It has 
been iu our way to see all the various quack medicine 
circulars for over a third of a century, aud we have seen 
scores, yes hundreds of these " only sure cures" comenp 
and go down again, having left no more trace than the 
fashions iu bonnets of the time. Still the " certain cures " 
continue to come. This Scrofcuro circular has fur a pic- 
ture of its factory a view of the establishment of B. Bran- 
dreth, once of pill notoriety. 
Poultry lieepiiig',— " C. J. B.," Memphis. 
There is no doubt that the production of poultry may be 
made profitable. A pound of fowls' flesh may be pro- 
duced as cheaply as a pound of pork, aud it rarely ever 
sells so low as pork. Then there are the eggs and feath- 
ers for additional profit. Eggs and poultry may he seut 
with profit at least 100 or 200 miles to market. 
Bee I\otes Mill be found on page 438. 
:viakiug- Seed Oils.— "L. S.," Springaeld, 
Ohio. It will not pay a grower of castor beans or flax- 
seed, to make oil from his crop himself. The profitable 
manufacture of oil requiies heavy and costly machinery, 
and the use of much capital. It is a necessary division 
of labor for many to supi)}y the material and one to work 
it up. We know of no book specially treating of the 
manufacture of seed-oils. 
llii:<»l£iug; Corn l>y MacUinery.— 
A remark in a recei;t article in the Aineiican AgiicuUurist 
to the eflect that a perfect corn-husker was greatly needed, 
does not seem to have been correctly understood. The 
intention was to stimulate the eflforts of the thousands of 
mechanical inventors, who are continually on the watch 
for needed improvements, to produce such a machine as 
shall not only husk the corn as well as it can be done by 
baud, but shall also pick the ears from the stalks as they 
stand in the field. A machiue of this kind would lessen 
the cost of the production of corn considerably, aud is 
one of the improvements which are much needed at the 
present time. To start with, we have an excellent corn- 
husking machine, the Philips Spiral Corn-husker, which 
with a two-horse power does the work often men equally 
well as by hand. If this machine could be adapted to 
the work of picking the cars from the stalks as they stand 
in the field, the great need of the western farmers who 
grow corn by the hundreds of acres, would be met. As 
it is. this machine is very useful, and does well what it 
promises. We have recently seen it husking corn, very 
green from the field, as well as could be done by hand, at 
the rate of a bushel per minute. To do this is perhaps as 
much as we can hope for at present, aud is a very accept- 
able help, and all that many farmers will ever need. 
:?lauual lor Rifle l»ractice, by Col. 
Geo. W. Wiugate, and published by W. C. & F. P. 
Church, N. Y. The fact that this work has reached a 
5th edition, is sufficient indication of the esteem in 
which it is held by riflemen. In the present edition the 
author has incorporated the suggestions of Col. Gilder- 
sleeve and others of the famous " American Team," and 
it seems to be very complete iu everything that pertains 
to the now popular and useful practice of rifle-shooting. 
Sent from this office by mail, for $1.50. 
l>i-a^viiig- :YIaiiiii-o iu ilie M'inter.— 
"J. E. S.." South Berwick, Me. If the labor can be 
done cheaper now or iu the winter than in spring, we 
would certainly haul out manure to the fields now. Do 
not pile it in small heaps, but in one large one in the 
center of the field to be manured, made in such a com- 
pact way that it will not freeze, but ferment and rot, and 
become fine by the time it is wanted for use. It will 
then be easy to spread it. 
Sueli*!!. Calalogiit-,— Mr. George Such, 
South Amboy, N. J., scuds his catalogue for the autumn 
of 1875.— It is no disparagement to other florists, to say 
that his catalogue deserves a special notice, as no others 
are in the same branch of business, i. e., of offering the 
most choice and expensive stove and grcenhousti plants. 
The catalogue has attracted notice even iu England, 
where such collections are not rare, aud every florist 
takes pride in the fact that there is one place in the coun- 
try that oflcrs as fine plants as may be found anywhere. 
It is fortunate for Mr. Sucli that he lives where no one, 
unless he really wishes to purchase, will visit him, 
otherwise he would be overrun willi visitors, drawn by 
the best collectiou of plants iu this country, and one of 
the best in any country. A perusal of his catalogue 
makes one wish that his bank account was cqiuil to that 
of an Astor, a Lick, or some other millionare. It is very 
tempting to those of moderate means as well. 
