4,4=6 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[DECSZixBEK, 
changed to humbug, was used for impositions and frauds 
of all kinds. For many years the Agricuttwist fought 
the army of humbugs alone and unaided, but it now and 
then receives a partial support from other papers, and a 
moi scellent work was done when Congress made it a 
criminal act to send obscene literature and fraudulent 
schemes through the mail. Very active in this matter 
has been 
THE SOCIETY FOR THE SUPPRESSION OP VICE. 
Its agent and the special agent of the P. O. Depart- 
ment, a few weeks ago arrested a man for Bending ob 
Hcene matter throngh the mail ; the prisoner tried to 
bribe Mr. Comstock to release him, and failing in this, 
he assaulted him with a kDife, and inflicted wounds of 
such severity that for a while Mr. C.'s life was in great 
danger. The prisoner is uow in jail, to be tried for a 
murderous assault, and as the matter occurred in New- 
Jersey, he is likely to get all the law allows, while on the 
other hand, the public have taken a new interest in the 
Society, aud it will go on more vigorously than ever. 
These chaps fare quite as badly when they take the law 
into their own hands as when they appeal to the law in 
the regular way It is especially necessary that an ag- 
ricultural paper should 
GIVE WARNING TO FARMERS 
of swindling schemes, as their prom - tors well know that 
their chances are better among the honest and kind- 
hearted tnan they are with those who are known as '"men 
of the world." A farmer living' an isolated ltfe, and re- 
ceiving but few letters, naturally looks upon a cironlar, 
sent to him by mail, as a matter of no little importance. 
He is likely to feel flattered by the attention, and the 
very fact that some one in New-York, or other large city, 
should send to him, gives him a favorable impression. 
In former issues we have told how these names arc 
collected, and the following advertisement will show 
the manner in which they are offered to purchasers. 
We may remark that this appeared in what is called n 
"sporting 1 ' paper, the organ of .prize-fighters, rat-killing 
matches, and similar •' sports." 
QCA Ann NEW ' Fr RST-CLASS ADDRESSES FOR 
£l\J\Je\J\J\J sale. Names of agents, canvassers, coun- 
try people, and ''good buyers" generally. Secured at 
great expense, and will be copied on sheets, wrappers, or 
envelopes, at a low figure. Warranted genuine, and none 
better. Address— Montgomery place, Boston, Mass. 
The scheme by mail is no doubt plausible— they al- 
ways are, and the man, innocent of all knowledge of the 
fact that hundreds of men get their living by cheating, 
is more likely than not — unless warned by some person 
or paper in whom be has confidence, to yield to the temp- 
tation thus presented. One of the exceeding pleasing 
things about our relations to our readers, is the friendly 
confidence with which they regard us. Almost every 
letter upon editorial matters, brings us some expression 
which indicates that it is not a mere business relation 
between us, but the writer speaks as one friend to an- 
other. Possessing this confidence, we have felt that our 
warnings and exposures of humbugs would be heeded, 
and we have the satisfaction of knowing both from per- 
sonal intercourse and through correspondence, that we 
have saved 
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS 
to the agricultural community, and that the Agriculturist, 
had it done no other good, has in this been of real bene- 
fit to the fanner. Encouraged by this assurance from all 
parts of the country, we shall be after the whole swind- 
ling crew with a "sharper stick" than ever. We ask 
our friends to continue to send us information of all 
doubtful schemes, especially if they (as most of them do) 
hail from New York It is hardly necessary to tell our 
Old readers our opinion of lotteries. No matter with 
what sugar-coating covered, whether called "distribu- 
tion," " gift-concert," or what not, each and all are to be 
avoided. If for an ostensibly good or charitable object, 
so much the worse for the object. No good thing can b«j 
really helped by a resort to gambling. 
OPERA HOUSES 
Beem to be favorite prizes in these schemes. One is of- 
fered at Germantown, Pa., and it is said that the Grand 
Opera House, of Jim Fisk notoriety, is to be put up im a 
lottery. How the man is to be pitied who draws it. It 
has been an expensive failure from the first. 
THE GENEVA WATCH CO.'S 
Circulars are still going around. In the first place, the 
name is a fraud, as there is no such watch company in 
Geneva, as is represented. We do not believe that a 
watch was ever "made by machinery" in Geneva, and 
that the watch is " endorsed by all (be leading jewelers, 1 ' 
is a barefaced lie. We have had so many complaints of 
this Qeneva watch business, the parties receiving the 
money, and sending notice that the order will be filled iu 
turn, that wc advise all to let the concern alone. 
A SWINDLER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 
one would think would he as rare as a white black-bird, 
but even in the Granite State the proverbial Yankee 
"cuteness" docs not save them. A venerable gentle- 
man, with spectacles and cane, appeared at Great Falls. 
Lie wished to open some manufacturing establishment, 
and wished a partner with $125 to engage with him. 
Venerable man got $135, and left young partner with rent 
of building and other bills to pay. Now wc don't say, it 
served young man right, but we do say that he paid 
$125 for a lesson that he will not forget so long as he 
lives. Leaving the money out of the question, how can a 
sensible person associate himself in business with an en- 
lire stranger ! . . . Complaints continue to come about that 
TOLL-GATE FRAUD. 
A chap advertises " The Toil-Gate, a prize picture, sent 
free." It is a card about 3x5 inches, with on one Bide a 
most doleful attempt at a puzzle picture, and on the other 
an advertisement of a book on physiology of doubtful 
propriety, to judge from the card. We have exposed this 
thing before, but complaints keep coming. Why not 
write to the Harpers, and other very good people, who 
publish the deceptive advertisement In the medical 
line there are no more insidious things than 
EITTER8. 
We have often warned our readers that they were 
dangerous, as for the most part their activity depended 
upon alcohol in some form— usually poor whiskey, and 
that people were by their use led into dram drinking 
unknowingly. They are mainly poor liquor, with some 
cheap bitter and aromatic drugs, sweetened and colored, 
and put up with showy labels. If persons are to take 
liquor medicinally, they should know exactly what they 
are doing, and not have it smuggled into them under 
false pretenses. In Rhode Island there is a very strin- 
gent prohibiiary law, and while liquor selling diminished, 
the pale of bitters went on increasingly. The sheriff had 
85 of the popular kinds examined by a chemist, and 
found that the majority contained more alcohol than 
wine, and some, showing over 40 per cent of alcohol, 
were quite as strong as ordinary brandy or whiskey ; 
even one that is widely advertised as "Vinegar Bitters," 
contained 7>j percent of alcohol. There can be but little 
doubt that in the great majority of cases, these " Bitters" 
are taken solely for their alcohol, as we find those that 
are most popular iu the market, are those in which the 
percentage is the highest. If one needs only the tonic 
effect of the bitters, they can be had just as well iu a wa- 
tery infusion. Our often repeated advice is to let all quack 
medicines alone, and iu this category wc include bitters. 
Am Invaluable IEeli> in every Home is 
a large Dictionary — not merely a " pronouncer " aud brief 
" definer," but one explaining fully the meaning oi all 
words, whether ordinary or rare. Such a Dictionary, 
like Worcester's Great Unabridged, containing fl,S54 
large 3-column pages, with an immense number of en- 
gravings, is a most valuable source of condensed informa- 
tion on almost all topics, and will do very much to make 
all the members of a family intelligent. It is well worth 
a place in every house, and should be in every school- 
room without fail.— Many families have obtained free 
copies through our premium offer in years past, and 
hundreds, or thousands even, may do so this year. BOYS 
have been particularly successful in this way, and almost 
any enterprising youth can, by persistent effort, scarcely 
fail to collect the eighteen subscribers needed to get this 
prize free. The work of doing this will give him useful 
business experience. Sec page 460. 
Barn Plan. — "Daniel Trimble." The par- 
ticulars of the barn plan described in the Agriculturist, iu 
December, 1872, can be given, if we are informed what 
is wanted. But they can not be sent by mail unless the 
address, which was omitted in your letter, is given. 
Apple Pomace. — "W. K," Luzerne Co., 
Pa. Apple pomace may be given to a cow in small 
quantities as a relish only. It Is not suitable for feed, and 
should not be given in large quantities. It will help to 
increase the flow of milk only by stimulating Uic appe- 
tite, aud causing a larger amount of other food to be 
digested and assimilated as nutriment. 
Farming in North. Carolina.— 'J. 
W. B.," Statesville, N. C, sends an account of how he 
farms in North Carolina. lie removed from the State 
of New York 4 years ago. He plows under a crop of 
cow peas, upon " old field" land in the fall, and with 
a light top dressing of stable manure in the winter, has 
produced 31 bushels of wheat per acre, while by April 
1st, the next year, the clover was 12 to IS inches high. 
Tlie land is excellent for orcharding. Land sells for 
two to ten dollars per acre. There are no bridges in the 
country, the roads are good, and not one-third of the 
land is cultivated. 
See Page 469. 
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000- 
I ftOOD THIDWS VERY § 
5 (JI17AP. — We again remind our friends, g 
§ (and by friends wc mean all our Readers.) that g 
g there are in our Prcmiuni-List (referred to on o 
i page 409) many good things, things really useful g 
° o 
§ and desirable, which they can all get at very little g 
g expense, if any. We have large plans for making o 
o this journal very good and very valuable to every- g 
O Q 
g body during the coming year, and we shall surely g 
g put many items of information into the Agricul- o 
o jurist, that will each be worth far more than the § 
o o 
o small subscription price. Now it will not be much g 
O o 
g labor to talk this to others, and get a few at least g 
o to subscribe. For every list of names sent ns, § 
o ° 
o large or email, we ofi'er good premium articles of g 
g various kinds. The Publishers having extraordi- © 
o nary opportunities to get these premium ar- § 
£ c 
o tides, can afford to give them as they propose, g 
O o 
g and take pleasure m seeing them distributed, o 
o Our friends know that we never mean to send o 
8 o 
o out any articles but those that are good and every g 
o o 
g way reliable, and as represented. Please look g 
o over the list of Premiums, and each one favor o 
o o 
g himself, and us, by securing one or more of them, g 
o o 
oooooooooooooocooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo 
Home-made Fertilizers.— "W. J. B.," 
Macon, N. C. There is no home-made fertilizer that can 
be profitably substituted for Peruvian Guano. The mar- 
ket value of guano is fixed according to the quantity of 
its chemical constituents which arc available for manure. 
Any chemical substance, as salts, acids, or alkalies, 
valuable for fertilizers, have their value fixed upon the 
same basis. Nitrogen, phosphoric acid, or potash, has 
each its standard value, iu whatever article or shape it 
may appear. 
Clnlts oi" Subscribers need not all be at 
one Post-Office. The reduction iu price to clubs of four 
or more names, is partly made to encourage the getting 
up of large lists, and partly because it costs less to mail 
a large number in one package. But we do not object to 
IMM CB ntldud from other Poct-Oflic-.ea, flS SUCll liamCS USU- 
ally soon become centers of other clubs. Names for Pre- 
mium Lists may also be gathered at auy nnmber of Post- 
Offices. if all are sent by the same person. 
Sowing Dowu Hfew Land for Pas- 
ture.— 1 ' Granger, 1 ' York, Pa. New land just cleared, 
may be sown down to grass without the intervention of 
any crops. Probably in this case it might do very well 
to seed down with a crop of oats thinly sown, not more 
than two bushels per acre, in the spring. For permanent 
pasture iu your locality, we would use 8 quarts of timothy, 
one bushel and a half of orchard grass, and one bnshel 
and a half of Kentucky bine grass per acre. The blue 
grass will not show much until the third year, after which 
it will form a considerable portion of the pasture, fill- 
ing up the spaces left by the gradual disappearance of 
the orchard grass, and furnishing good late pasture. 
A Rolling; Horse.— "A. L. W., n Kittery, 
Me. If practicable provide a loose stall, that is, an en- 
closed roomy stall not less than 13 feet square, for a 
horse that has a habit of rolling, and use no halter, but 
leave him. unfastened. Possibly the rolling is caused by 
irritation of the skin, in which case give au ounce of 
sulphur in the feed daily for a week, and feed bran in 
place of part of the corn. At the same time good curry- 
ing aud brushing would be a help. If a box stall is not 
convenient, as it frequently is not, tie the horse with a 
strong halter so short that he can barely lie down com- 
fortablv. A friend has a horse that persists in getting 
" cast " ir any stall, which is prevented by the short tying. 
Good Book* Fay.— It will pay to supply 
yourself, your sous, your workmen, your whole family, 
with good books as well as papers. Your sons and your 
workmen will be kept from idleness and mischievous 
company; they will understand and respect their work 
more ; they will gain new ideas, and learn to reason and 
think better: they will learn to make their heads help 
their hands; they will labor more intelligently, and be 
happier, See to it that interesting and instructive works 
arc always at hand in your home. Look over the List of 
Books published every month in this Journal. // vHU 
pay to provide yourself, and each member of your family, if 
you have any, with good books, even if economy has to 
be practised in other directions, to enable yon to do this. 
