322 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[November, 
him a member of the Commission, with many thanks, 
and he and his kindred were at once in high favor. 
Fiff. 1. 
Fig. 2. 
Something' About Signatures. 
When a man who can not write is required to sign any 
document, he does it by making a mark, usually a cross, 
after some other person has written the name and the 
his 
words " his mark " ; thus, John + Smith. The cross 
mark 
was first adopted as a name-sign, by the Popes ; Cardi- 
nals, Archbishops, and Bishops followed their example, 
and others adopted it. until it became common. At that 
period, and for along time before, not only (he illiterate, 
but those who could write, used a sign instead of their 
Fig. 3. 
name spelled out. Some of these signs were very curi- 
ous. Occasionally one would be quite elegant, requiring 
considerable time to execute it. Figs. 1 and 2, show the 
signatures of two lawyers who lived about the year 1300. 
Fig. i. 
A curious custom about signatures prevails in Mexico. 
There the name is considered of little imporlance when 
signed to a document, unless some peculiar nourish of 
the pen is made with it. When two or more are united 
^y^-^^T^t^t-^^H. 
/H^?-^ 
Fig. 5. 
in a business co-partnership, each member of the firm 
has his own peculiar nourish, and each one also signs the 
name of (he firm wi!h some special mark. Thus: Fig. 
3, shows the signature of Jesus Quu'ada ; fig. 4, that of 
^y^^^t^C^^ 
Fisr. 6. 
J. Aguilar ; fig. 5, the name of the firm signed by Aguilar ; 
fig. 6, the same signed by Quijada. This custom may 
have been adopted to make forgery more difficult. It is, 
however, generally considered easier to counterfeit a 
name surrounded by flourishes, than a plain signature. 
A Stint on Spelling 1 . 
When a piece of music is played, it mars the pleasure if 
now and then a note is out of tune, especially if the list- 
ener has musical taste and culture. Just so in reading, 
a well educated person is annoyed by mis-spelling ; his at- 
tention is distracted from the sense ; and an unpleasant 
impression is left. Besides this it often requires no little 
time, study, and patience to malce out what the writer 
means. The art of spelling should be acquired in youth. 
The best way to learn is by writing the words. Many can 
name the letters of most words, who make sad mistakes 
when they attempt to write : they have not learned to spell 
with their fingers. Ask your teacher or some other person 
to call off a column of words you think you can spell, 
while you write them. If you succeed, there will be little 
danger of forgetting how to spell them. Apply this 
test to all spelling lessons; and the habit of right spel- 
ling with the pen will be formed and not forgotten. 
A Capital Experiment — Try it, 
"Willie, if you will' not use that word more than five 
times before Christmas, I willgive you a handsome pres- 
ent," said a gentleman to his son, in the hearing of the 
writer. "Had Willie been swearing?" someone may 
ask. No, he was not so bad as that, but he had said, " I 
can't," in a doleful whine, which would almost make one 
think him a poor, puny, good-for-nothing little boy. But 
you would not have thought that, had you seen his eyes 
sparkle when he heard his father's promise, and you 
would have been sure he meant to be a man, when he 
spoke up firmly "I'll try, father." And he is trying. 
We met him a day or two since and asked, " How many 
times have you lost !" " Only once," said he, cheerfully, 
" it came out before I thought." He already had a habit 
of saying "can't," which could not be easily broken at 
once. He is now learning to say "I'll try," when he 
comes to a hard place in his lessons, his work, or play, 
and when this becomes a habit, there will be few diffi- 
culties he can not overcome. — Here is an experiment for 
the young readers of the American Agriculturist: Keep 
a pencil and paper handy, and each time - " can't " comes 
out, make am;irk. Some of you will find the habit strong- 
er than you think. It will be well also to mark how 
many times "can't" is stopped, and "try "used. See 
if you can do as well as Willie intends tOj and have 
no more than five "can't" marks before Christmas. 
Bright Idea. — A wag having heard the mythical 
story that Jupiter wounded his own head to let Minerva, 
the goddess of wisdom find her way out, suggested this 
as a reason why so many people have a habit of 
scratching their heads when puzzled for an idea. 
Equality.— " Come, don't be timid," said a couple of 
silly young fops to two mechanics ; " sit down and make 
yourselves our equals." — "We should have to blow our 
brains out to do that," was the tart, perhaps truthful reply. 
A Little Comloal Nonsense. 
A laugh may occasionally be enjoyed by reading right 
across the columns of a newspaper ; subjects get mixed 
up sometimes in a very comical manner. Here is a spec- 
imen:— "Auction: There will be sold this day, in front of 
Josiah B. King's store, at ten o'clock, A. M., one horse, 
one harness, and another horse— Also, at the same time 
and place— Wanted, a wet nurse, inquire at the— Pack- 
ing-house of Murray and King, where all kinds of— Per- 
fumery are sold and— Sausages— Made to order and 
warranted to fit, orno sale.— 
If the young gentleman who 
signs himself Matrimony 
will inquire at- The poor- 
house is undergoing thor- 
ough repairs, and will be 
soon ready for— We are sat- 
isfied the Republican ma- 
jority will not be— Over ten v 
bushels to the acre, which has no doubt been caused 
by the inclemency of— General McCIellan's removal will 
no doubt cause a great flutter among the— Prairie chick- 
ens are said to be more plenty this year than they have 
been for— Six thousand years, 
we are told, is the age of this 
world of ours ; but geologists in- 
form us that— We are selling 
coal at three dollars and fitly 
cents per ton delivered— To our 
address, enclosing a postage 
stamp— We should like to know- 
when our authorities will remove those— Choice sugars — 
At thirty cents per yard, also— Five large bull pups, etc." 
A Curious Thought.— A little boy sitting near a win- 
dow where the sun shone brightly, eating bread and milk, 
suddenly called out, " Oh mother, I'm full of glory ! 
for I have swallowed a whole spoonful of sunshine." 
Answers to I*rol>lems and I*nzzles. 
The following are answers to the puzzles, etc.. in the 
October number, page 29S. No. 100. Illustrated Rebus. 
S (penned) knot w hen u m a's pears pear knot w hen u m 
a y s (penned) ; or Spend not when you may spare, spare 
not when you may spend. No. 101. Geographical Ques- 
tions.— 1, five; 2, three; 3, Texas; 4, three; 5, North 
Carolina and Mississippi. No. 102. Transposed Poetry, 
it reads : " The treasures we prize must be hard to be 
won; What is easy 1o get, we fastidiously shun." No. 
102. Mathematical Problem.— A, 52}£ ; B, 57 27-29ths ; C, 
44 4-19ths ; D, 280 ; A, B, C, and D. 16 days. No. 104. 
Illustrated Rebus.— X 10 d a rede hand too the re tea 
urn in g pen i tent; or, extend a ready hand to' the 
returning penitent. The following have sent in correct 
answers up to Oct. 17th : Salome Ruffner Carpenter, 
100, 104; E. Prevost, 102; Lewis M. Gray, 100, 104 \ 
John Jefferson Schram, 102 ; S. L. Levan, 102; Annie 
Matthews, 100, 104 ; Wm. Weagy, 102; J. G. Bunnell, 
96, 98 ; "School-Girl," 102; J. Peabody, 102; Elma M. 
Taber, 102; Euretta Coulter, 102 ; Edward P. Harnish, 
100,102, 104; Willie English, 103; Frank B. Bourne, 
101, 102 ; Fred. E. Parker, 102 ; "A. T.," 101 ; Charlie, 
Gilbert, Stella and Affa, 102, 104; Charles C. Bishop, 
101, 102 ; C. Arthur Totten, 104 ; Hattie A. Goffee, 102. 
ft'eTV E*iazzles to l»e Answered. 
No. 105. Illustrated Proverb.— One often applicable. 
No. 106. A card three inches square may be cut in such 
a manner that a man may pass through it. This is no 
no mere catch of words, but a literal fact. Please find 
out and explain in what manner it may be done. 
No. 107. Arrange eight pieces of paper the size and 
form of b in the engraving, and two pieces 
like o, to make a perfect square. The 
pieces maybe easily cut by first marking 
them on paper laid over the pattern. This 
will be much better than to spoil a page of 
the Agriculturist by cutting out the diagram. 
(Business Notices, $1.25 Cents per Line of Space.) 
lTaTsoTom 
The Secretary of the Treasury gives notice that sub- 
scriptions will be received for Coupon Treasury Notes 
payable three years from Aug. 15th, 1804, with semi-an- 
nual interest at the rate of seven and three-tenths per 
cent, per annum,— principal and interest both to be paid 
in lawful money. 
These notes will be convertible at the option of the 
holder at maturity, into six per cent, gold bearing bonds, 
payable not less than five nor more than twenty years 
from their date, as the Government may elect. They 
will be issued in d'enominations of $50, $100, $500, $1,000 
and $5,000, and all subscriptions must be for fifty dollars 
or some multiple of fifty dollars. 
As the notes draw interest from August 15, persons 
making deposits subsequent to that date must pay the 
interest accrued from date of note to date of deposit. 
Subscriptions will be received by the Treasurer 
of the United States, at Washington, by all National 
Banks which are depositaries of public money, and 
ALL RESPECTABLE BANKS AND BANKERS 
throughout the country will give further information and 
AFFORD EVERY FACILITY TO SUBSCRIBERS. 
Fort Edward Institute. 
Winter Term December 8th. $107 pays for remaining two 
thirds of Academic year, for Board, furnished room, fuel, 
washing, and common English. For 10 years past the best 
sustained Boarding Seminary in the State. A liberal course 
of Studies for Ladies as well as Gentlemen. Good classes 
graduate each year. All the facilities of the best Commer- 
cial Colleges for $35. Diplomas awarded. Large numbers of 
young men pursue Classical and other solid studies prepara- 
tory to College or to Professional life. Oratory, Music, and 
Painting are prominent. For full explanation see Catalogue. 
Address JOSEPH E. ETNG, D.D., Fort Edward, N. Y. 
CORN HARVESTER— TO CAPITALISTS.— The 
undersigned will sell the Patent of a Corn Harvester 
granted last July, either in whole or In part, or engage with 
a Capitalist to manufacture. Working machine can be seen. 
Address B. M. FOWLER, 126 2d Place, Brooklyn, N. Y. 
