34.4. 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[October, 
cover too early. Bi!t ter keep the euvering off uutil the 
ground is slightly crusted with frost, tlaan to cover 
earlier. Straw, leaves, or corn stalks may be used. 
Flower Garden and Lawn. 
This month we usually have grand weather for 
work, and it should be devoted to making improve- 
mcuts iu the ground, laying drains, road and path 
making, etc. Those who enjoy the rich tints of the 
autumn foliage, should plant trees with a view, in 
part to the autumn effect, of their changing colors. 
Annuals. — Sow hardy kinds, such as Larkspurs, 
Gilias, and all those that do best wheu self-town. 
BeiMing Plants. — Make cuttings at this tune of 
all such plants as arc not intended to be taken up. 
Chrysanthemums. — Pot for blooming in-doors, aud 
■when in flower, mark those desirable to propagate. 
Dahlias. — When the frost has blackened the 
plants, cut thera down. Lift on a fine day and 
allow to dry off in the sun before being housed. 
Gladiolus is to be treated the same as the Dahlias. 
Laiims may bo laid down this month. Drain- 
ing, deep plowing, and thorough pulverizing 
of the soil, should be attended to. Roll after seed- 
ing, .aud just before the ground freezes, roll again. 
nrenniaU.— 'Even the hardiest do all the better 
with a winter covering. Divide and re-set clumps. 
I'inJcs and Girnations. — Pot rooted layers and set 
in cold frame, where they can be kept rather dry. 
Punsies and Violch.— Put roots iu a cold frame 
lor winter blooming, as was directed last mouth. 
. Jloses.— Sea article given ou page 333, last month. 
Ti-Aeroses, not done blooming, may be lifted with 
aball of earth into pots or boxes. If they are set in a 
green house or room, they will continue flowering. 
Transplant all kinds of deciduous hardy shrubs. 
CJreen and IIot-IIou§c§. — Take 
In tender plants before the cool nights check 
their growth. Have all the pots clean, and renew 
the top soil; remove dead leaves, cob-webs, and 
prune and stake where needed. The change from 
free air to the confinement of the house should not 
be too sudden, and abundant ventilation must be 
given whenever the weather is line. Bring no in- 
sects into the house with the plants, but have every- 
thiug free from these pests before it is brought in. 
Near cities a large business is done iu forcing 
hardy herbaceous plants and shrubs, such as Diccn- 
tras, Lily of the Valley, Deutzia gracilis, Weigelas, 
etc. Pot now and keep dormant uutil near spring. 
Annuals may be sowii in pots for wiuter bloom- 
ing, and bulbs may be potted. Towards the end of 
the month some fire will be needed on cool days and 
nights, and its management will require caution. 
Cold Grapery.— The wood should be 
thoroughly ripened, and so leaves should be left on 
tiutil they foil spontaneously. Avoid sudden 
changes of temperature, and as cooler weather 
comes on, keep only the upper ventilators open. 
Shut up entirely in cold and stormy weather. 
Kead the Premium nescriptions. 
^Explauatioii.— We add several extra pages this 
moiitli, to make loom for oui Premium List and descrip- 
tions. Tliis «ill be found worili lookhig tlirougli, for 
thoMgh a business document mainly, there arc numeious 
items of information scattered llirough the Descriptions, 
which will be intere ting and often useful. Tlie list is 
quite extensive, and the anicles offered of so great value, 
and so easily obtained, that we iloubt not there will be 
one or more persons in every neigliborhood, who can get 
some very desirable tiling by llie little efTm t required to 
raise a club of subscribers. We believe and know the 
A^Tiailtnrist is doing a good work of itself, and we aim 
to get it introduced into tens of thousands of families, 
where it will not chance to find its way unless it is 
brought directly to theii- attention by some one who will 
be well paid for his or her trouble, by the fine premiums 
here offered. The enlaigetl circulation thus obtained, 
so increases the value of our advertising department tliat 
the loss on subscription money is amply made up.— Many 
have already (Sept. 20) sent in clubs of new and old 
subscribers for 1867 and secured valuable premiums. 
$1,250.00 IN PBIZBS. 
I— Prairie and Western Farming. 
t|500 \S PRIZES. 
The immense Western regions brought under culture 
In recent years, and yet to be occupied, give great im- 
portance to that section. In order to call out and 
systematize as much practical information as possible, 
which shall be useful not only to those already at the 
West, but also to a vast multitude yet to go thither from 
the Eastern Slates and from tlie Old World, the Editors 
and Publishers of the American Agriculturist ofTer a 
l.«*t Prize of $350, for the best practical Treatise 
or Essay upon Wcstfrn Farming in general, and espec- 
ially upon Prairie Farming, including the various par- 
ticulars of selecting land, getting on to it, bringing it 
under Culture, Fencing, Crops, Animals and Fi oils, 
their kinds and treatment, etc. In sliort to give a Clear 
Guide to beginners as well as to old cultivators ; to tell 
what to do, and how, and when to do it best— in plain, 
simple language, just as one would talk from day to day 
to a new-comer wiio needed to learn all about farming. 
2cl Prize of $100, for the Second Best Treatise. 
3d Prize of $50, for the Third Best Treatise. 
The manuscripts to be ready March 1st, 1967, and at 
leasf.iOO pages of Foolscap. See General Remarks below. 
II— The Cultivation of Cotton. 
$500 IX PRIZES. 
The great importance of the Cotton crop, the general 
interest in its improved culture, both among Northern 
and Southern men, and tlie little comparatively tliat is 
recorded in books or otherwise on the subject, induces 
the Publishers of Ihc American Agriculturist io of(ev a. 
Ist Prize of $400, for the best Treatise or Essay 
giving full, plain, practical directions, ail about Cotton 
Culture, from tiiesoil and its preparation and cultivation, 
to the gathering, packing, and marketing of the crop- 
all so plainly stated as to aid not only the old routine cul- 
tivator, but ais^o to be a guide to the new cotton grower. 
2d Prize of $100 fi»r tlie Second Best Treatise. 
The manuscript to be at least 200 foolscap pages, to be 
ready by January 1st, 1S67. See General Remarks below, 
III— Timber and Fencing for Prairies, 
$250 IIV PRIZES. 
The great importance of this subject to millions of 
Western cultivators, induces the Publishers of the 
America7i Agriculturist to offer the following : 
1st Prize of $8 50 for the best Treatise or Essay 
on the securing of Timber and Fencing material, for 
the tirnberless prairie regions of the West, including 
also Hedges, Wind breaks, etc. 
2d Prize, $75 for the Second best Essay or Treatise. 
3d Prize, $25 for the Ttiird best Essay or Treatise. 
The manuscript to be ready by or before February Ist, 
1867, and contain at least 150 pages of foolscap. See 
General Remarks below. 
General Remarks.— The above prizes are offered 
for Ilie pui pose of calling out more general and systematic 
information than can now be found in books or papers. 
The first and most important aim is to gather information 
useful in prejwuing the pages of the American Agricul- 
turist, but it is the expectation that at least one of each 
class of Treatises will be worthy of issuing in a more 
compendious or complete book form. 
The lowest number of pages in each case is named 
above. No maximum limit is fixed. Those essays 
will be most valuable which give the greatest amount of 
really practical information without useless dilution in 
wordy or high flown phrases and sentences. Compila- 
tions of other men's writings, or a rehash from Patent 
Office or other Documents, are not what is aimed at. — 
Drawings and Sketches will give additional value. 
The several Essays will be submitted to Committees of 
the best Judges that can be obtained, among those 
who are practically acquainted with the several sul^jects. 
The Essays receiving the prizes will be the exclusive 
property of the Publishers of the American Agriculturist, 
Should there be nothing offered at all worthy of any 
one or more of these piizes, in the opinion of Competent 
and Impartial Judges, tlie prize will of course be with- 
held. Any one proposing to write for ihem, is requested 
to send for a printed slip, giving more full information 
than we have room for here. All communications of this 
kind will of course be strictly confidential. 
About "Harris Brothers," Boston. 
During the summer, a letter f-om Boston asked the 
terms for 10,000 to SO.ouo subscriptions, to the American. 
Agriculturist, to be used in building a Home for Dis- 
abled Soldiers. Our reply was. that v%-e could give no an- 
swer until we knew something of the enterprise. After- 
wards, two men called on the same business, giving their 
names as "Harris Brothers." Great inducements were 
held out to give us a splendid increase of circulation. 
The answer again was, that we could not do anytliing to 
forward any enterprise not known to be legitimate and 
proper, however it might benefit us. In answer to the 
question wliat our terms were, etc., th» remark was made 
that we received subscriptions from any one, on our regu- 
lar terms, when accompanied by the money. Nothinsf 
more was heard of it, untilthe followingcorrespondence, 
(The letter was accompanied by proof-slieets of a circular 
and newspaper orders, such as have been recently dis- 
tributed by Harris Brothers.) 
Boston, ^fass.J July 19th. 
Mr. Chase, care American Agriculturist\ 
Office, New York. J" 
Sir :— a Utile over a montli ago we called on von. and 
had some conversation in reference to an enterprise we 
were then starting. We have so far completed our plans, 
as to be able to suhmit for vour Inspection our doctiments 
and papers. We propose to carry out all we promise, 
and all we expect of you is, that vou will furnish the 
" Agriculturist" to those who may bider it, and we will 
pay the orders upon presentation, or will deposit an 
amount with you sufficient to cover what orders you 
might recieve in a given lime. We do not ask vou io'en- 
dorseowv enterprise, but simply ask you to furnish the 
papers at as low a rate as you can ; at any rale we ex- 
pect to get the papers at the Cinb rales.— You are of 
course at liberty to investigate, and after you have perus- 
ed, please write us, and tell us if a deposit is necessary, 
in order that our ortlers may be recognizeil wlicn received 
by you. We shall ailve-'lise extensively, and cerlidnly 
your subscription list will be largely increased,- Let us 
hear from you at your leisure, and anv suggestions that 
you may make wilt be carefully considered. 
Yours in haste HAnitis Bhothers. 
[reply.] 
mw York, July 27, 16G6. 
Messrs. Harris Bnos., 50 School-st., Boston. 
Returning to-day from a week's absence, we find yours 
of 19lh.— We do not see any essential difference between 
your proposed " National Distribution," and any other 
Lottery ; and we must protest against your issuing tick- 
ets, etc.. that give even the quasi endorsement of the 
Agriculturist, -AS your tickets and bills appear to do. — 
We cannot consent to receive tlie "Newspaper Ordeis" 
on any conditions, or to receive any deposit for them. 
The only answer given you by our Partner, Mr. Chase, 
v\as, that we lereived subscrii)tions sent in willi ihe 
money, and at club rales from those who sent in enough 
to make up a club. He also objected to being m any 
way mixed up with your proposed plans, at lea^l utitil we 
should examine and approve them— which has not tieen 
done. Further, we shall deem it our duly to tlie^puidic, 
to show up your scheme in its trne colors, and warn peo- 
ple against it. We warn you not to issue any circulars, 
announcing that you have '' made" any '• arrangements '* 
with us, for supplying copies of our paper, on any terms, 
to forward your enterprise. Yours respectfullv, 
[Signed] Orange Jvdd & Co. 
We supposed the above letter had ended the matter, so 
far as we were concerned, and we heard nothing more 
of it, until just after the the September Agriculturist had 
got welV to press, wlien we began to receive fi om all 
over the country, copies of a flaming Circular, Orders for 
the Agriculturist, etc. The circular announces tre- 
mendous prizes, and, among other things, says : 
" Every Person who invests Five Dollars in the Na- 
tional Distribution, receives, in addition to a chance 
in the Grand Dividends, one year's subsi-riplion to either 
the * American Agriculturist,^ publi>hed in New Vork 
City, the * Rural American,' published at Utica. N. Y., or 
' Ballou's Literary Magazirre.' published at Boston, Mass. 
The Managers of the Distribution have made sucli ar- 
rangements with the publishers of these celebrated Rural, 
Agricultural, Horticultural, Floral and Literary publica- 
tions, that ihey can give, as a gratuity to each purchaser 
of a Cerlificate, one year's subscription as tibove. Tlius, 
every investment of $5 entitles the investor to a chance 
in the Dividends, ranging from So to $:iO,000, a year's sub- 
scription to the l-eading Agricultural and Literary Pa- 
pers of America, and lastly, aid and encouragement to 
one of the most noble, patriotic and benevolent Institu- 
tions ever devised by man.'* 
Any one can see, by reference to our above letter, that 
this is a downriglit Lmposition. Hairis Brotlieis " En- 
terprise" is. neither more nor less, a I^ottery Sclieiiiey 
and we shall wonder if it is allowed to continue in 
Boston. We refuse ail '■ certificates " coming from Har- 
ris Brothers. We find it impossible to answer otherwise 
than by this notice, the lelters of inquiry aJaout the con- 
cern, as tliey aje so numerous. 
.m-^ -iW*— 1-^ 
AclcnOTrletlj^Tuents. — The unusual pres- 
sure upon our columns, notwithstanding we have added 
extra pages, crowds out a number of acknowledgments 
already in type. Tliose who Jiave sent documents, cat- 
alogues, specimens of fruits, flowers, vegetables, etc., 
will understand that their favors aic net unappreciated 
nor overlcioUed, but we are not able at this time to make 
a separate notice of them, simply for want of room- 
