4-10 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[NOVEMBER, 
What is a Chromo? 
The liberal oiler by the publishers of a fine Chromo to 
each subscriber for 1873 has led some of our friends who 
have not kept pace with art matters to ask, ik What is a 
chromo?" Chromo is a convenient abbreviation of 
chro mo-lithograph, or a lithograph in colors. To ex- 
plain what it is, we must first briefly describe the plain 
lithograph. Of the various prints or engravings, there 
are those printed from steel and copper plates and from 
wood cuts, but the great majority, both fine and coarse, 
are lithographs, printed from stone. The stone used is 
a peculiar limestone, capable of receiving a polish, and 
yet absorbent of water. To print a lithograph, the stone 
is first polished, and then whatever design is required is 
drawn upon it with a pencil made for the purpose, and 
which contains some greasy matter. Let us suppose that 
the artist draws a picture, or, what is simpler, prints 
ont the words "American Agriculturist." The stone is 
then wetted, and the water sinks into the pores every- 
where except the place where the greasy ink formed the 
words. Ink, or paint, is then applied to the whole stone 
with a roller just as it is to types. This ink does not ad- 
here to the stone where it is wet, but to the words drawn 
with the greasy pencil the ink will stick. Then a sheet of 
paper is laid over the stone, and the whole passed under 
a press ; when the paper is lifted off, it will he found to 
have taken up the ink left adhering to the words upon 
the stone. This process can be repeated over and over 
indefinitely by inking the stone and keeping it properly 
wet. Now, let us suppose that we wish the word 
w American " printed in black and the word "Agricul- 
turist" in red ink. The lithographer would take two 
stones, one for each word, and print the black iuk with 
one stone and the red ink with another. He will take 
care to have the word on each stone iu such a position, 
and to put his paper upon the second stone in such a 
manner, that the words will be in their proper places. 
Now, let us suppose that we wish the word " American " 
in black and yellow instead of all black, and " Agricul- 
turist" red, as before. This will require three stones. 
The artist will draw with his greasy pencil, A-e-i-a upon 
the stone for the black, and m-r~c-n upon the stone 
for the yellow, taking care to leave such spaces be- 
tween the letters, that when the black is printed, and 
the paper placed on the stone for the yellow, the letters 
will be in their proper places. This is a very simple 
case, but it will enable us to understand how the chro- 
mos are made. An artist paints a picture, using the 
colors, and blending them in such a way as will produce 
the effect he desires. It is the business of the chromo- 
lithographer to take this picture and reproduce a # copy 
by means of printing in the manner we have described. 
There mast be as many stones as there are colors and 
tints in the picture. One stone must have all the red 
parts drawn on it, another all the blue, another all the 
brown parts of the picture, and so on. Sometimes one 
color is printed over another in order to get the proper 
shade, so that, to reproduce the picture, the chromo 
has to be printed a color and a bit at a time, on from ten 
to twenty or more stones, every touch of the painter be- 
ing faithfully copied. When the chromo picture has re- 
ceived 16 or 18 printings, on so many different stones, so 
that it is shaded every way like the original, it is finally 
pressed upon a clean stone, which has been cut in 
grooves like the threads of canvas, and i t now has all 
the appearance of being a real painting on canvas. The 
reader will sec that it is an immense work to prepare the 
different stones at first, so that each shall have some 
part of the picture in just the right place and color. It 
takes three to six months to prepare a set of stones for 
one picture, even if but one copy was to be printed. 
But after the stones are once prepared, copies can be 
transferred to other stones in a few minutes, and after 
that they can go on and print as many thousands, or tens 
of thousands, as are desired. Good artists at chromo- 
printing— such as make our pictures— do their work with 
such faithful minuteness that not only persons in gen- 
eral, but even the artist himself , would be puzzled to dis- 
tinguish the copy from the original painting without the 
closest examination. So the beautiful chromo of 'Mis- 
chief Brewing," which is being prepared for our sub- 
scribers, is, for all purposes of household adornment, 
fully equal to the picture for which we paid $400. 
Truly this is a beautiful process which enables those 
who have a love for art to enjoy pictures which have 
heretofore been beyond the reach of all but the wealthy. 
MOUNTING CHROHOS. 
The chromos are necessarily printed on thick but 
pliable plate-paper. They can be framed under glass in 
(his form ; but it is far better to turn them over to an- 
other class of artists, who dampen and paste them on the 
back, and then spread them very carefully upon thick, 
strong bindei's-board (a kind of p:tper), and put them in 
a powerful press to dry. After this, they cover the whole 
face of the picture with a pure, transparent varnish, 
which does not injure the colors, but rather makes them 
stand out more beautifully, and they can then he cleaned, 
at any time, of dust or fly-specks, with a damp cloth, 
and will be very durable. When thus "mounted," they 
can be set upon a mantel or shelf, or huug np with- 
out a frame, or be set into a frame without needing 
a glass over them. This process requires skill and care, 
and increases the weight and postage; but in mounting 
a great number the publishers are able to get it done, and 
pay the extra postage of picture and packing, for 25 cents 
each, and they know the pictures will give much greater 
satisfaction than if sent unmounted. 
Who We Are and what We Do. 
m- 
We are so accustomed to have our statements 
accepted as the result of actual experience that 
the subjoined came with a refreshing cool- 
ness. It was dated at Syracuse, N. Y., and we 
give it as written, withholding the name only : 
" As a practical farmer I am interested in 
the contents of your journal, but would it not 
be much more highly prized by its thousands 
of country readers, if the articles contained in 
it were the result of actual experiment, and 
not the theories of a doctor, colonel, and other 
professional men ? Of course the hints given 
are often valuable, yet I should feel safer in 
following its advice if I knew that ' Ogden 
Farm ' and ' Hookertown ' had a locality. 
Even with this uncertainty I prefer the Agri- 
mlturi.it to any other farm paper." 
We seldom say much about the individuals 
who make up our editorial staff, but as it may 
gratify our doubting correspondent, as well as 
the many new subscribers that come to us at 
this season, to know that our teachings are 
those of experience, we give the names of 
our associates, and what they are doing. 
Henry Stewart is the Office Agricultural 
Editor. He has long been a successful farmer 
in Pennsylvania, though for domestic reasons 
he has been for a year away from his farm. 
His familiarity with agriculture at home and 
abroad, and his experience in mining and en- 
gineering, and his thorough acquaintance with 
mechanical matters, make his services most 
valuable to our readers. 
Joseph Harris is well known as the author 
of " Walks and Talks," but these are by no 
means his only contributions. His residence, 
Moreton Farm, is near Rochester, N. Y., and 
contains about 300 acres. There is no one in 
the country better qualified, by preparatory 
education and subsequent practice as an agri- 
cultural teacher, than Mr. Harris. 
Col. Geo. E. Waring, Jr., lives at New- 
port, It. I. His Ogden Farm Papers give an 
account of matters at a farm which he superin- 
tends. He is largely engaged in market-garden- 
ing, and writes upon many subjects other than 
those to which his name is affixed. Upon 
draining and farm engineering, Col. W. is con- 
sidered the standard authority in the country. 
Wm. Clift has a large farm as well as a suc- 
cessful fish-breeding establishment near Mystic, 
Ct. It is now no secret that this gentleman is 
the author of Hie popular Tim Bunker Papers. 
Hookertown may not be found upon the map, 
but Hookertowns exist all over the country. 
At all events, Squire Bunker is a reality, and as 
hale a specimen of a farmer as we know of. 
Peter Henderson is known all over the 
Union a3 a successful market-gardener, who 
has by his writings added largely to the wealth 
of the country. He is now one of the largest, if 
not the largest, commercial florist in thecoimtry. 
Besides these, one of our publishers, Mr. L. 
A. Chase, has a farm of 350 acres, upon which 
arc to be found some of the finest thorough- 
bred cattle and sheep in the country. His ex- 
perience and results are always at the service 
of the editors. 
We may add that the Managing Editor, who 
supervises and harmonizes all the rest, takes the 
special charge of the Horticultural Department. 
His large garden, or small farm of lei) acres, 
allows him to test all horticultural novelties for 
the benefit of our readers. He is assisted by 
George C. Woolson, who would have been a 
graduate of the Massachusetts Agricultural Col- 
lege but for the eminent bad faith of that very 
promising institution. 
We submit that the Agriculturist is through 
its editorial corps thoroughly and intimately at- 
tached to the soil, and that its teachings are far 
from being the " theories of a Doctor, Colonel," 
or any one else. Unless the authority of some 
other person is given, every statement rests 
upon the actual experience of some member of 
our editorial corps, although, instead of giving 
the name of the particular individual furnish- 
ing it, we use the convenient editorial "we." 
That our efforts to present a live, practical 
agricultural paper are appreciated, every mail 
brings abundant proof, not only in new sub- 
scribers, but iu letters of commendation from 
those who have been upon our books for years. 
We might fill a whole paper with these, com- 
ing from every part of this country, from Aus- 
tralia, Japan, and even from Africa. One at 
hand from Kentucky says : 
"I find your paper very valuable, so much so 
that I could not afford to do without it. Eveiy 
number brings me hints which are worth more 
than the cost for a year." 
The following comes from Jonesburg, Mo. : 
" Gentlemen : I hand you $1.75 for Agri- 
culturist and chromo mounted. Although I 
am in the lumber business only, I can not do 
without the Agriculturist. This is the sixteenth 
'year I have taken it, and I have made money 
enough from hints taken from it to pay for 
one copy five hundred years in advance. You 
sent it to me twelve years at Salem, Marion 
County, 111., one year St. Louis, Mo., two years 
Jonesburg, Mo., and this will make the six- 
teenth year. I shall try and make up a list." 
From Franklin Co., O., comes the following : 
" I have done my best to extend the circula- 
tion of the Agriculturist, not that I expected 
to ask a favor, but because I always feel grate- 
ful for the information I have received from 
it. I was born and raised in Philadelphia, and 
knew nothing about gardening when I moved 
here (1856), but, thanks to the Agriculturist^ 
have one of the best gardens around." 
Then from Bowdoinham, Maine, comes this : 
" A hint in the Agriculturist about using air- 
slaked lime to prevent the ravages of the cab- 
bage-worm, has been of more benefit to me 
than the price of the paper for ten years, as it 
has saved our crop. Don't think I shall be 
able to do without it now." 
A short time ago a merchant called upon us 
and informed us that he had recently visited 
the famous Yosemitc Valley in California. In 
the valley he became acquainted with Mr. 
Lemon, who had been there for thirteen years. 
For the first two winters he was the only man 
in the valley, and had no neighbors nearer than 
ten miles. His house is surrounded with the 
greatest abundance of fruit-trees of aH kinds, 
with strawberries and other small fruits in pro- 
fusion. The merchant, in congratulating Mr. 
L. upon his success, remarked that it must have 
resulted from great experience. Mr. L. stated 
that.all that he knew about fruit-growing he had 
learned from the American Agriculturist, and 
that his first budding and grafting were done by 
following its instructions. Learning that his 
visitor was from New York, Mr. Lemon re- 
quested him to call in at our oflice and thank 
us in his name for the great service the paper 
has been to him in his garden and orchard. 
