1874.1 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
4=05 
Our Western Office.— Our friends in 
the West are reminded that we have an office at Lake- 
side Building, Chicago, III., in charge of Mr, YV\ H. 
Busbey. Subscriptions to American Agriculturist are 
taken there, and sample copies of the paper and cliromo 
are delivered, and orders received for advertising on the 
same terms as in New York. All our books are on sale 
at the Western Office. Please call aiid examine, buy, 
subscribe, and advertise. 
Xlie American Asrieiilturist in 
German.— We ask the kind attention of our readers to 
the fact that this paper is also printed ; n German. Many 
of them may have friends, or neighbors, or working men 
of that nationality, who would be glad to secure Buch a 
Journal as this. The more important articles and the 
same illustrations are contained in the German edition, 
with a Special German Department by Hon. Frederick 
Munch, of Missouri, and the rates, single and club, are 
the same as for the English edition. 
Delayed Replies.—" C. G. M. B.," Detroit, 
Mich. Letters of inquiry that may be received after the 
10th of any month can not be replied to in the nest 
month's Agriculturist, and have to lie over until the 
second month. This is one of the necessities in the 
publication of a monthly paper, and we request our 
friends to remember that there are other unavoidable 
exigencies that will prevent immediate replies to their 
queries. Important matters, as far as possible, will be an- 
Bvvered by mail ; the most important have the preference. 
To Advertisers and Readers. — 
There is no doubt that the columns of the American Ag- 
ricultm'tit furnish by far the best general medium for 
advertising anywhere to be found, and for several rea- 
sons: It is universally conceded by advertising agents 
that no other Journal is so absolutely strict in shutting 
out any and all advertisements and advertisers of an un- 
reliable character, and thoBe in any way objectionable, 
such as medical, etc. If the rules in this respect were 
let down for a single year, it would bring a hundred 
thousand dollars to the publishers, as the class shut out 
—those who give the least, or nothing, or worse than 
nothing, for the money they receive, can and do pay the 
best prices andlargeBt sums for advertising Many ad- 
vertisers ask for an editorial " notice" or reference. It 
should be understood that the advertising pages are 
edited, and the admission of an advertisement at all, is 
as good as an editorial endorsement in other papers. 
...The immense bona-fide circulation, the permanent 
character of the paper, each number of which is before 
the reader for a whole month, and very often for years, 
is another valuable feature. The fact that this paper is 
largely loaned or exchanged among neighbors, so that 
very often 20 to 30 adult persons read a single copy, is 
another element. If a loose card of 20 lines were to be 
sent with each copy of the paper, it would cost many 
times as much to barely print it, as it now costs to elec- 
trotype such a card permanently in the pages where it 
will not fall out, and where it will be seen by every read- 
er. Our Readers will always be profited by looking 
through our business pages to learn what is for sale, by 
whom, etc. Many good suggestions are thus received by 
those who do not want to buy anything.— We respect- 
fully suggest that when our readers write to any of our 
advertisers for circulars, or to order of them, or make in- 
quiries, they will let them know that the advertisements 
were seen in this Journal. It will be of triple advantage 
—to themselves, to advertisers, and to the publishers. 
A Competent Gardener, "will change 
hiB situation next spring. We refer to Mr. Louis Gueri- 
neau, who has for several years been the gardener at the 
Botanic Garden, Cambridge, Mass., during which time, 
as well as before, we have had frequent occasion to know 
of his ability in his profession. Besides being proficient 
in gardening in all its departments, Mr. G. has a knowl- 
edge of botany rarely to be found associated with ability 
as a practical gardener, and would be most valuable to 
an Agricultural College, where there is a botanic garden, 
or in auy similar situation. Mr*G. may be addressed as 
above, and has permission to refer to the Editor of the 
Agriculturist. 
What is a Good Pump?- G. Timsou. 
Our own experience in the matter of pumps for an ordi 
nary well is very limited, but such as it is we give it. 
Having concluded to put in a pump early this spring, the 
next point was to decide upon the kind. Knowing that 
our nest neighbor had a pump iu use for some two years, 
»uu that another about a mile on* Sxou agios L;b y'l&^iz iwc 
pomps of the same kind, which he had used much to his 
satisfaction fur some four years, we concluded it would 
be well to profit by their experience, and get a similar 
pump, which was the American Submerged. This was 
put in early this spring, and has been in daily use ever 
since, and certainly for ease of working, and for power, 
it is not easy to conceive of a more satisfactory well 
pump. By attaching a hose, a good stream of water can. 
be thrown upon the house, but we hope not to be obliged 
to test its utility as a force-pump for any other work than 
washing carriages. The pump itself being below the 
surface of the water, cannot freeze up, and the pipes 
used are enamelled upon the inside and outside with a 
coating upon which, it is claimed— and we think with 
good reason, that neither water, or any other liquid, has 
any action. So, combining our own experience with 
that of our neighbors, we have no hesitation in saying 
that the American Submerged is a "good pump." 
E^ Don't Tail to Rend the Pre- 
mium List, see pages 433 to 437* 
A Farmer's Book.— "W. A. G.," High- 
lauds, N. J. Allen's new American Farm Book, price 
$2.50, would be a very suitable book for a young man to 
study, who wants to learn farming. It may be procured 
at this office by remitting the price. 
Death of an lUlitor. — Mr. John S. 
Wright, the founder of the Prairie Farmer, and one of the 
early settlers of Chicago, died recently at the age of 59. 
The Chicago papers speak in high terms of his personal 
qualities, as well as of his great influence in making that 
city what it now is. He ceased his active editorial du- 
ties in 1357 or '58. 
Orange Culture £n Florida.— A 
scries of letters that were written by J. H. Fowler, of 
Port Orange, and printed In the Florida Agriculturist, 
has been published by C. II. Walton & Co., in a pamph- 
let form. We read the letters as they appeared, and 
have no doubt that this will prove a useful as it is the 
only work on Orange Culture yet published in the country. 
Price 35 cents. 
Death of Mr. Bloomer,-A private let- 
ter from one of his associates informs us that Mr. H. G. 
Bloomer died at San Francisco late in September last. 
Mr. B. did much to develop the botany of California, and 
is commemorated in a genus, as well as several species, 
among which is Lilium Bloomenanum. At the time of 
his death Mr. B. was Curator of the California Academy 
of Natural Sciences. 
Asbestos Roofing.-'G. T." We have 
Johns'' Roofing in use, it has been on about two years, 
but not long enough for us to say how many years it will 
last. Thus far we are quite satisfied with it, and though 
we have advertised it from the beginning, we have not 
yet received a single complaint. 
The Sehoolmsister's Trunk. — This is 
a reproduction of a series of articles written a year or 
more ago for Hearth and Home, by Mrs. A. B. Diaz, pub- 
lished by J. It. OBgood & Co. Every one who lives in a 
village, as well as every one who does not, will find 
amusement here, aud more than that, abundant, food for 
thought. It is rare that the relations of neighbors, and 
the " rights " of women are touched by so clever a hand. 
We read the papers as they appeared, and again iu the 
volume, which is as high a compliment as we can pay 
to any work. Read it, and see if Tweenit is the only 
place where the rolling pin is making slaves. 
SUNDRY HUIrlBlJCJSl.— The changes, 
which the times and seasons bring to our humbug bud- 
get, have been before alluded to, and it is very often the 
case that we will receive from widely separated parts of 
the country, a number of reports of a similar character, 
all written within a few days of one another. This month 
the prevailing trouble comes from the doings of 
TREE PEDDLERS OR NURSERY AGENTS, 
and though we have often warned our readers against 
these fellows, it is necessary in this, as in other cases, to 
reiterate. One of the most astonishing things that falls 
under our observation, is the shortness of memory which 
prevails. Iu the budget now before us, we have a letter 
complaining of a " puzzle-picture, called the Toll-gate," 
and others asking about Mulligan and his sewing ma- 
chines. The " Toll-gate" was shown up in September, 
and the sewing machines any time the past four months. 
So with nursery agents, and horticultural quacks of all 
kinds, we have had so much to say about these, that 
one would suppose that every reader would be on his 
guard. The nursery agent matter is a difficult one to 
jiiiiiu!c, irom the fact that the iinrburyiueii Jo not jiureuo 
a uniform course. While some do not send out, any 
traveling agents whatever, others, and equally respect- 
able ones, do employ agents. On some accounts a travel- 
ing agent, provided he really be an agent, is of use, as 
there are niauy who will purchase fruit trees upon per- 
sonal application, who would not otherwise do so, and 
no doubt there is much more fruit grown through their 
influence, than there would otherwise have beear. Conlfi 
the matter stop here, no one would complain ; butagente 
of this kind are the exception, while those of quite an- 
other kind are the rule— and this other kind are a setoff 
liars and swindlers. The outfit required by one of these 
11 agents," is principally an unbounded supply of brass, a 
glib tongue, an impossibility to understand what the 
word "no" means, and a power of holding on until the 
customer is thoroughly tired out, and orders something, 
to get rid of the chap. Iu addition to these personal 
qualifications, he needs a book of colored plates, in 
which fruits are caricatured as to size and color, and per- 
haps 6ome bottles containing large currants and other 
fruits in spirits. This agent goes around in summer for 
orders lo be delivered in fall, and in winter for those to 
be delivered in spring. When it is nuar time to deliver 
his goods, he goes to the large nursery centers, and buys 
up the refuse stock, such as no respectable establishment 
would send to its regular customers ; all the poorly 
grown, badly shaped, and "hospital stock" is bought 
up, and either labeled and assorted there, or scut in a 
lump to some point central to his customers, there to be 
used in filling his orders. Of course, the labels on the 
trees will agree with the names on the order, but that 
they shall have any reference to the kind of the tree, is of 
but little consequence. The fraud can not be found out 
for several years, and the dealer will then be far enough 
away. All this is bad enough, but these swindlers offer, 
with vivid descriptions, things which really have no 
existence, or represent old and worthless varieties as 
something rare. Of late we have heard much of the sel- 
ling of the Bush Alpine Strawberry, a new kind, in 
which the strawberries grow on hushes, and the plants 
have no runners. The Bush Alpines arc among the old- 
est of strawberries, and there is no bush about them, bat 
their flower-stalks stand erect, while the fruit is to most 
persons very indifferent. This plant, over two centuries 
in cultivation, has been sold all over the country the past 
season as a novelty, and at high prices. One chap has 
been in Missouri, and other Western States, taking 
orders for "self-pruning" grape vines; another has 
gooseberries that arc " never sour "—and ornamental 
peaches " in clusters," giving the purchaser to think it 
is the fruit that is in clusters, and not informing him, 
that if an ornamental peach tree should produce fruit at 
all, it would be worthless. If people would take the 
trouble to inform themselves about such matters, they 
could not be imposed upon. It is beyond our compre- 
hension, that any one can be found to believe in such ab- 
surdities, as "self-pruning" grape vines— why not self- 
planting as well? Our advice is, as it always has been. 
not to buy of agents at all. Send to some respectable 
nursery (see our advertising columns) for a catalogue, 
select mainly such fruits as you know, or can learn, to 
have succeeded in your locality, add such kinds as yoo 
would like to try, aud send the order direct to the 
nursery. The freight on a single lot will be a little more 
in proportion, than on the agent's larger lot, but the cer- 
tainty of having the kinds that were ordered, more than 
offsets this. But if one from circumstances must bay 
from agents, have nothing to do with any one who can 
not show a recent certificate from a well-known nursery. 
It is a dodge that agents guarantee to deliver trees from 
such or such a nursery— but that is no certificate. If .any 
agent or tree peddler offers any unusual novelty — some- 
thing out of the ordinary way that no one else has, or 
that has only just been introduced— have nothing to do 
with him. Such things do not get into the hands «f 
peddlers. Every novelty in fruits and flowers worth 
having, gets talked of and described in the papers long 
before it becomes common enough to be sold by these 
fellows. 
SUSPICIOUS SMALL FRUIT DOINGS. 
Complaints come to us in regard to one Ohio SmaD 
Fruit dealer, whose name is Norris, and these, together 
with what we can learn from those who know the man 
and his operations, lead us to advise our readers to be 
cautious in their dealings with Ohio small fruit farmers 
of the above name who make a tremendous show with 
highly ornamental letter heads. 
A NICE LITTLE DODGE FOR GETTING; NAMES. 
Many good people who receive circulars of quack 
medicines and other things, wonder how the senders 
could have obtained their names. We have in former 
numbers explained some of the means resorted to, and 
stated that lists of addresses were bought and sold like 
other merchandise. A circular is being forwarded to 
the officers of various temperance lodges and other 
associations; it is printed on the back of two specimen 
psges of k Temperance Aimanuv*., which the Bignere say 
they are getting up ; it asks for statistics about the 
lodge, its officers, etc., etc., and then adds: "also please 
send us thenamesond address of all the membersof your 
lodge, if you have them in print, and if not in print, 
please give us the names of one or more officers or 
