1871.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
365 
containing a great variety of Items, including many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we throw into smaller 
type and condensed form, for want of space elsewhere. 
Postage 13 Cents a Year in Ad- 
vance.— The postage on the American Agriculturist 
anywhere in the United States and Territories, paid in 
advance, is 3 cents a quarter, 12 cents a year. If not paid 
in advance, twice these rates may he charged. 
How to Remit:— Checks on IN'ew- 
York. Banks or Bankers are best for largo snms ; 
made payable to the order of Orange .Fiulil & Co. 
Post-Ofllce Money Orders may be obtain- 
ed at nearly every county-seat, in all the cities, and in 
many of the large towns. We consider them perfeclly 
safe, and the best means of remitting fifty dollars or lees, 
as thousands have been sent to us without any loss. 
Registered Letters, under the new 
system, which went into effect Oct. 1, 1S6S, are a very 
safe means of sending small sums of money where P. O. 
Money Orders can not be easily obtained. Observe, the 
Registry fee, as well as postage, must be paid in stamps at 
the office where the letter is mailed, or it will be liable 
to be sent to the Dead-Letter Office. Buy and affix the 
stamps both for postage and registry, put in the money, «nd 
seal the letter in the presence of the postmaster, and take his 
receipt for it. Letters thus sent to us rtre at our risk 
Where onr Thoughts come from. 
— The human mind is like a ponderous engine upon a 
railway track. A small point of iron at a switch will 
turn it to the right or left— sending it on its proper 
course, or perchance causing it to go over an embank- 
ment, or into another train, crushing both in shapeless 
destruction. The sight of some object, a word spoken 
or read, will give one's train of thoughts a neio direction, 
cr some direction quite different from what it wohUI 
otherwise have taken. Upon very small things depends 
all one's future course in life. Parents, teachers, guar- 
dians, in fact every one, may well ponder this. We are all 
influencing each other, giving direction to thought, every 
day, every hour, every moment. — One hint in this con- 
nection : A family read a journal (say like this) for a 
year, and, at the end of that time, do not recall any par- 
ticular advantage therefrom. But how many neio channels 
of thought have their minds been led into by what they 
have read ! How many plans have indirectly and insen- 
sibly come from what they could have read ! How much 
of vacancy there would be if they blot entirely from their 
minds all the information they have gained, and all the 
new ideas and plans of their own, suggested only, and in- 
directly at that, by what tbey have read dnring a year! 
The truth is, one can not read and think too much about 
bis daily labor. If he get not one new positive piece of 
useful information, the thinking developed by reading 
other men's views and ideas can but be useful in stimu- 
lating him to reasoning, to intelligent labor — that labor in 
which his bead aids his hands. Labor without intelli- 
gence is merely brute muscle in exercise. 
Bulb Catalogues. — The dealers are all 
ready to receive orders for bulbs. First came Richard- 
son & Gould's catalogue, then James Fleming's, both of 
New York, then James Vick, of Rochester, and F. K. 
Pkcenix, of Bloumiugton, III. B. K. Bliss & Sou, and J. 
>I. Thorbnrn & Co., and we know n^it how many others, 
have sent their bulb lists. Let our readers look in the 
advertising columns, and they will a number of dealers 
who arc ready to serve them with good bulbs. 
The I\ew England fair, which was 
held at Lowell last month, was in many respects a suc- 
cess. The weather, as usual the first week in September, 
was very fine, which of course brought out a very large 
attendance. Other managers may notice this fact with 
profit. The grounds at Lowell arc large, and well ar- 
ranged for all kinds of live-stock, giving g«od protection 
and comfort fur the animals. The show of mechanic 
arts was spoiled by being divided into two parts. The 
exhibition of horses and cattle, sheep, swine, and poul- 
try, was very large and good. The show of Ayrshire 
cattle was very fine indeed— in fact, we have rarely seen 
a better one. The herds of Wm. Birnie, of Springfield, 
Mass., Messrs. S. M. and D.Wells of WethensfleH, Ct., 
and others, are hard to bear. The show of Jerseys was 
not large, but very fair in quality, some of the animals 
being as fine as can be found in the country. There was 
a good display of Hereford cattle, which arc not com- 
monly seen at the fairs, and they attracted much atten- 
tion. Dutch cattle were fairly represented, and of good 
quality; while Shorthorns were there in comparatively 
small numbers, some of very good style and blood. 
Long-wooled sheep are rising in importance in New Eng- 
land, as elsewhere all over the country. Messrs. Applcton, 
of Mass., Hartwell, of Ct., and Chase, of Mass., showed 
some very fine Cotswolds. The collection of swine was 
quite large, but mostly of one kind — Chester Whites — 
many of which were of very good quality, but the judges 
wisely gave the first prize and sweepstakes to a splendid 
Berkshire sow, and first prize to her litter of pigs. The 
officers of the Fair were very courteous and attentive to 
all comers, but there was evidently a great lack of efficient 
management. Committees were not in attendance early, 
and there were no proper arrangements for them to work 
when finally together. Marshals were not appointed to 
attend them until they begged and waited for them, and 
no proper provision was made for their entertainment 
even. Those who work hard all day for nothing should 
at least be furnished with a good dinner, but such could 
not even he bought on the grounds, and some of the 
committees regaled themselves on cream-cakes and re- 
turned to their labors. Let this matter be reformed, and 
let the management stop the peddler nuisance. 
June or Itlnc Grass. — Jas. McC, New- 
fane, N. Y.— The specimen is what is commonly called 
June grass. It is quite different from the grass known 
as " Quack" or Conch grass, and can be more easily got 
rid of. It is in some places valuable for pasture — in fact, 
it is the same grass known as Kentucky Blue-grass. 
Plowing under will rid the land of this grass without 
trouble ; but the soil being full of seed from past sow- 
ings, it will appear again after a grain crop. A clover 
and timothy crop will keep it down. The description 
of the couch-grass rake is too late for this month. 
Fodder Crops, — "W. Howard, Ithaca, N. T. 
— It is not too late to sow rye for soiling. We have 
sown it as late as 14th October, and it was ready to cnt 
by the middle of May. It must be sown on rich ground 
if a heavy cutting is desired. It will be followed by 
oats, for which the ground should be prepared, and well 
prepared, both by plowing and manuring this fall, and 
the seed sown as early as possible in the spring, at the 
rate of four bushels per acre. Good ground will hear 
heavy seeding for a forage crop. 
Seed Wheat— "Golden ChaffMay " 
Variety.— ' D. P. M./* Raleigh, N. C, wants to 
know where he can procure a good variety of seed wheat, 
such as is grown on the hills of Pennsylvania. We are 
not acquainted with the variety, at least not under this 
name. The White Mediterranean, Treadwell, Diehl, and 
Michigan Amber are all favorite wheats in the locality 
mentioned. With us the Treadwell has succeeded very 
well, and has given fair crops, though it requires care 
and good cultivation where the winters are changeable 
and inclined to be severe. All of these varieties could be 
procured at the principal seed stores. See advertisements. 
To Preserve Hams from Flies. — 
S. Green, Jackson, 111., asks how he can keep his hams 
free from skippers. The skippers, as they are called, arc 
the larva? of the meat-fly. To prevent their attacks we 
have enveloped the hani3 and bacon in thick paper, wrap- 
ping carefully, so that the meat is completely covered. 
Them the meat is put into a cotton hag, which is sewn 
up closely. The fly caa not penetrate both envelopes 
with its ovipositor, and if no holes or small openings 
are left, the meat may be preserved from it. We have 
also packed the meat in wheat bran and oats in boxes and 
barrels, and have been successful in saving it. But we 
favor the first-nientioacd plan. 
Wild Carrot.— "H.J. J.," Franklin Co., Pa., 
wants to get rid of wild carrot. No weed is easier 
killed than this. As soon as the seed is matured the 
root dies. It is therefore necessary only to gather the 
seed, or, better still, to gather the flowers, which will pre- 
vent seeding for a year or two, and they will disappear. 
These roots arc of no value for any purpose. 
Golden Rod.— A " Subscriber," Mil ford, 
Pike Co., Pa., sends us a specimen of a weed for name and 
means of destroying it. It is a Solidago, or Golden Rod 
(Solidago nemoralis), known also by several local names, 
one of which, common in Pennsylvania, is Wire-weed. 
It is a very common an I thrifty weed, and in damp 
meadows forms patches of matted roots, stout enough to 
throw out the plow. It can only be destroyed by plow- 
ing np the roots, and gathering and burning them; or 
throwing them into a heap and decomposing them with 
quicklime, when they will make manure. This plant is 
no tenacious of life that a root we placed on the tep of a 
fence at one time, grew and struck its fibers into the 
crevices to seek a living. It is therefore hopeless to try 
to k 11 it otherwise than as above. 
Packing; and Preserving It utter. 
— "R. R." wishes to pack butter for sale, and also to 
have a process for coloring it evenly. Packing butter 
that is gathered up at country stores, is a nice operation, 
aud needs to bccarefully performed. As it is of all shades of 
color, from white to pale yellow generally, a coloring may 
be prepared by melting some of the butter and dissolving 
in it the prepared .tnnatto, which may be procured at any 
drug-store. This should be kept for use as it is wanted. 
To use it, take a quantity of the butter to he colored in 
the mixing bowl, cut it into gashes with the butter-ladle 
(don't touch it with the hands), place a small portion of 
the coloring preparation in each of these gashes, aud mix 
until the color is evenly spread aud no streaks are to he 
seen. Then gash it once more with the ladle, sprinkle 
one ounce of saft to the pound of butter, and leave it 
twenty-four hours. Then pour oft* any water collected on 
it, and pack it in a new oak tub that has been soaked 
with brine for a day and night. Water should never be 
used in working butter at any time. 
Al>utiIon striatum. — K. L. Schrock, La- 
clede, Mo. We preserve this over winter fn the cellar, 
as you suggest. It makes a very good house-plant if you 
have room enough to keep it in that way. 
Noi-tn-eastcrn Etcc«I£ec»crs" Asso- 
ciation will hold a meeting during the session of the 
New York State Fair. The evening of October 3d is ae^ 
signed for the discussion of Bee Culture. 
Keeping' Egg's. — Kelt Rcdncvac, Rich- 
mond, Iud., wants to know the best way to keep eggs. 
Parties in the egg business in a large way build brick 
vats made water-tight, in which is lime-water, made by 
putting lime ii» water, and when it is slaked and^scttled 
to the bottom drawing off the clear liquor. Into this 
liquor the eggs are placed and kept beneath the surface. 
They are kept as cool as possible. These arc the " limed 
eggs" with which the markets are supplied during win- 
ter. Another rrfodc of keeping eggs, tested by the Agri- 
cultural Department, is as follows: Rub the eggs with 
flaxseed (linseed) oil, and place them, small end down- 
wards, in sand. Eggs so prepared were found at the end 
of six months to have the taste and smell of perfectly 
fresh eggs, and to have lost in weight only three per 
cent. Greasing eggs with lard or tallow has not been 
successful in preserving them, except for short periods. 
SODR\ HUMBUGS.— Elsewhere we 
have spoken of a certain class of '* medical " advertise- 
ments. An Illinois subscriber sends us a prominent ad- 
vertisement of a so-called "Medical Retreat," in Cincin- 
nati, O., of the "Madame Res-tell " order, which he says 
has polluted the fair pages of an otherwise good Peoria 
journal for a whole year past! The " Ladies 1 Health 
Association, 1 ' 40 and 51 WaN street. New York, is a sheer 
humbug. No such articles as are professedly offered, even 
if desirable, can possibly be made. No letters to that 
address can hereafter get through the New York P. O. 
"Dr." Andrews*, of Albany, N. Y., whom we re- 
cently showed np, has various " female " " precautions," 
and many other things, in his so-called " Good Samari- 
tan," which he continues to scatter, to the destruction of 
life, health, and morals, and now we hear lie is sugar- 
coating agents with the otter of building lots to those 
who aid him (and the Devil) in scattering bis worse than 
vile trash We suppose few editors arc so ''green"* 
as to publish the "direct 11 advertisements of the so- 
called " Metropolian Cash Prize Co., 1 ' until they get the 
money, and we hope there are few who care so Utile for 
then* readers as to publish the advertisement at any price, 
though cash be paid down "Ink Recipes, '* etc., arc 
advertised in some respectable journals. We have often 
shown them up, and need only say that whoever sends 
25c. or 50c. or more for auy such recipe or powder 
will lose not only his money and stamps, but all the 
time he expends in bothering with them Miss O. H. 
Hoover, of Hazle Barrens, M»., wants to let people into 
the lite (tight) of making money easy. We hardly know, 
from her illiterately written circular, whether to call her 
(or him) a swindler, a crazy person, or a fool. The last 
appellation will certainly belong to any one patronizing 
her (or him) No matter what the tickets say, we say 
that neither L. P. Pardee & Co., Binghamton, N. Y.„ 
nor any other parties, will for $2 send you gold watches, 
chains, etc., etc., north $25, or anything like it. The 
most yon will get-in these sases, where yon ir<t anything 
for your money, will be cheap stuff, usually worthless, 
and always affording a good round profit to the sellers at 
the price you pay. The ticket and the C. O. D. dorlges 
are to catch greenhorns We should pity Sotuh Caro- 
lina if her population conn! be increased by no other aid 
