1870.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
20? 
Gold Double-cased American Time-pieces, marked $50, 
and such like things. He offers lots of other tl tilings."" 
Better keep your $2.65, if you have any good use for it. 
To C. J. Wo answer no anonymous letters — though 
"Yes," win do in this case "Oroide Watches" 
again— this time from "little Rhody." Let these alone un- 
less you have money to throw away A man in Rens- 
selaer Co., N. Y., offers a "Silver-plating recipe" for 
$10. We will give as good a one for $0. Dissolve Ni- 
trate of silver with Cyanide of Potassium, and then study 
the art of using it well with a galvanic battery; and if 
you can then compete with those who make a regular 
busiuess of silver plating with the requisite apparatus 
and machinery, you may make a little money Be- 
ware of all manufactured oils or illuminating fluids ; buy 
no "rights" to make them. If you reject this advice, 
and choose to take the high-fallutin statements ecnt in 
circulars by various parties, go ahead and lose your 
money — but get your buildings fully insured against all 
risk before you touch these materials Cancer Doctors ! 
Don't read one of their circulars or letters, nor look at 
their pictures, nor let one come in speaking distance of 
you, or ten to one he will find a cancer, and half scare 
your life out of you, and all your money, especially the 
latter. There is not one of them wc would give a mo- 
ment's heed to, and we have given some attention to 
this class of advertising " doctors." Every sore, wen, or 
plight defect in the appearance of the skin even, is, with 
them, a " malignant cancer." One of these swindlers, a 
man of great reputation who had by his men account 
wrought wonderful cures by the hundred (he was over 70 
years old) followed the writer for weeks, begging him to 
let him save his life— which he would do cheap {only 
$150.00) " considering his position," by cutting, burning, 
or plastering a little red spot on the side (not the end!) 
of the nasal organ. "It would surely soon eat into the 
face and get beyond remedy." We kicked the swindler 
away, and the red Epot imperceptibly went away of itself. 
No " cancer doctor" ever enred a real cancer, which is a 
very rare disease ; they do remove some troubles which 
would have gone away themselves, or have been better 
and far more safely removed by a regular surgeon or 
physician. Of course, in all cases a great cure of a great 
cancer is claimed by the swindler. " A Philadelphia chap 
is hunting up agents to send him patients, offering them 
1 10 per cent' " of his fees. It is worth 10 per cent to ' 
even look at his awful, scaring pictures " $800 a 
year" — "$900 a year » — " SI, OOO a year" — 
"$1,500" — "salary guaranteed"— "all expenses 
paid"— a "commission extra"— etc., etc., etc. Such 
advertisements are continually appearing. Theyarc usu- 
ally swindles. One man advertises for agents to sell 
teas, etc., by sample, and makes very plausible state- 
ments by circulars and letters. His great "coffee and 
spice mills" consist of a little room just big enough to 
send out circulars and " take in " the money he requires 
in advance for the samples ! Of course the sender never 
gets that money again. The samples, when any are sent, 
are perhaps worth a dime all told! P. S.— A new swin- 
dle, just out, purporting to come from the "Broadway 
National Banking House" offers two or three millions dol- 
lars of bills of "Our Bank" at half price. This is a 
sheer humbug, an attempt to steal people's money by ap- 
propriating the name of the old well-known and substan- 
tial Broadway National Bank. 
Tobacco Smoke for killing' Sheep 
Tick**.— Mr. Z. S. James of Burlington, N. J., writes, 
describing a simpler apparatus for .smoking ticks than Mr. 
(iladden's, figured in the May number, He says : "Some 
twenty years ago, after examining the cumbrous and ex- 
pensive apparatus for fumigating plants, sold by the ilo- 
^ ■ m / ant^ . . n rists, I took a round tin box, 
iBMMMI had a cone inserted in the 
cover end, and the same reversed on the other—put the 
tobacco iu the box, dropped In a live coal, put nn the cov- 
er, slipped one end on the nozzle of a common bellows, 
and it worked perfectly. This is much simpler than Mr. 
(Hodden's plan, can l»e uaed much easier, and applied to 
any part of the animal without trouble," 
Chinese Primrose. — Sonic of the newer 
seedlings, both double and single, arc very fine. Henry 
Poddy, Gardener to Thou. Prosser, Brooklyn, brought us 
one of great merit. 
Pronunciation. — "J. F. S.," Weigoln, 
(not ta) is pronounced Wy-gse-lah, Dentzia, Doo/'-:ee-ah, 
Coceinia, means scarlet, and is pronounced cock-sin'-e-ah. 
Rose Oil.— James F. We do not Unow this 
oil, and have no desire to. If a gas or vapor that will 
take fire arises from it at ordinary temperatures, let it 
alone severely. 
Herbaceous Picoilics. — " J. F. S.," 
EUwsngcr & Barry, Rochester, enumerate about ono 
hundred kinds in their Catalogue. — We cannot comply 
with your request to describe them. 
Seeds Do not Come Up.— "A. A. V. 
B." Your seeds of Magnolia, Grape, and Rose, are slow of 
germination, if not sown as soon as ripe, or kept in sand 
until ready to bow. Magnolia seed is especially liable to 
spoil if not thuB kept. All you can do now is to wait 
and give them a chance to grow if they will. 
" Canaille." — A lady iu Kansas wishes Bome 
of our reader* to tell her how to prepare Canaille, or 
wheat shorts, as food. 
4arubs in Lairn. — Several nek what tbey 
shall do for the White Grub iu lawns. The European 
White Grub, much like ours in habits, Is a matter of 
much discussion among the agriculturists and horticul- 
turists abroad, and we have read much upon the subject 
In hope of finding something that would be of use iu con- 
tending against our grub. In cultivated lands they em- 
ploy children to follow the plow and pick up the grubs. — 
We know of no treatment likely to succeed against those 
below the turf on the lawns. If any one has found a rem- 
edy we Bhall be glad to make it known. Destroying the 
parent, the May-bug, or May-beetle, will be a preventive. 
Cider for Vinegar.— u B. H. S. 1 ' asks the 
best place to keep a barrel of cider intended for vinegar. 
The warmest place that can be found, and allow the air 
free access to the liquid. 
Cut Fced.-"J. J. P." asks: "Is cut feed, 
so called, better than dry bay uncut, and dry meal, sepa- 
rately for milch cows ? Yes, and if cooked better yet. 
Ciiim ibr Postage Stamps.— "J. K. 
P.," New Lisbon, 0. Postage stamps are coated with a 
solution of dextrine, which is starch prepared by heat or 
acids, and is soluble in cold water. It is* usually kept by 
druggists and dealers in photographic materials. 
Bedding for Cattle.— " Subscriber.' '— 
Which is better for bedding for cattle, with reference to 
manure, sand, sawdust, or peat and dried earth? Dry 
peat or dried earth. 
Ciiciimfters. — Fred. K., Brunswick, llo., 
wishes to know a better way to preserve cucumbers than 
salting them, and then being at the trouble of soaking out 
the salt. We saw, a few years ago, at the Ohio State 
Fair, some cucumbers preserved in water containing a 
Blight amount of sulphurous acid. It was claimed to be 
a success, and was patented. People having such things 
should advertise. 
Sngrs <m Vines. — Mr. Zimmerman writes 
that a tomato plant set in the center of a hill of cucum- 
bers, melons, etc., will effectually keep off striped bugs 
and other insects. The tomato is cut away as soon as 
the vines begin to blossom. 
Insects on Cabbage Plants* — Mrs. 
N. W., Chobanse, 111. We. suppose yon to refer to the 
black flea or fly, as it is called. Freely sprinkling with 
wood-ashes and air-slaked lime, is the best remedy wo 
have tried. It is stated that if the seed be sown in boxes, 
elevated several feet above the surface of the ground, tho 
insect cannot reach them. 
Plant Gained.— J. W. Prince, Franklin 
Co., Mass. Xkrcmbergia .fllicault's, a pretty green-houso 
or bedding plant for which there is no common name. 
Itarlk-louse. — The specimens sent by IT. C. 
Steadinan, Mifllinsbnrgh, Pa., is Harris' Bark-lonse. That 
from J. L. Redmond, Carroll Co., Ohio, is the Oyster- 
shell Bark-louse. We have already published such rem- 
edies as have been suggested. The eggs which are un- 
der the scales, hatch this month ; (he young insects travel 
to the young growth of the tree and there fix themselves, 
and finally reach the condition of those in tho specimens 
Beat. . . .C. Jowett, NUes, Mich., says ilmt wet, anleachcd 
n^hes applied to the limbs of a Irec, he considers to be 
better than ley, as when wetted by Ike rains it makes 
fresh ley until washed off. lie says " The remedy is a 
sure thing." 
A Hlotfanseal I^Iieroseope. — Several 
have asked where they could procure a small microscope 
for examining flowers and insects. Many suppose that a 
very high power is needed for the parpose. It is only in 
a certain class of examinations that a strong magnifier is 
required. All that the student needs is a glass of mod- 
erate power so arranged that he is not obliged to hold it, 
but has both hands at liberty with which he can pick to 
pieces a small flower placed under the glast?. These con- 
ditions have been met in a little instrument furnished by 
Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor & Co., New York, called tho 
14 Gray's Microscope, 1 ' because it was made for the use of 
Dr. Gray's classes. A pocket magnifier is fixed upon a 
stand and is supplied with a stage to hold the object. 
The stand is ingeniously contrived to answer as a box to 
contain the parts. Price $2. 
Terrain on Cows. — "E. M. ST.," Mich. 
Tour cow has lice, probably. One of our correspondents 
recommends Indian meal as a sure cure for them. It is 
not a cure, but it gives vigor to resist their influence. 
Feedbetteryct, nsethecard, and wash with carbolic soap. 
The feed will tell in the milk and bnttcr, and you will 
more than get your money back in these products. 
Apples tor Northern Iowa, — D. W. 
Adams gives the following as his selection of varieties 
for Northern Iowa: " Summer— Red Astrachan, Sops of 
Wine, Duchess of Oldenburg Autumn— Saxton, or Fall 
Stripe, St. Lawrence, Fameuso Winter — Plumb's 
Cider, Perry Russett, Blue Pearnialn, Ben Davis, Rawle's 
Janet, Talman's Sweet." 
"Tlae Southern Agriculturist."— 
Agricultural papers multiply with great rapidity in tho 
Southern States. The latest is the " Southern Agricul- 
turist, 1 ' a neat monthly of 3*2 pages, published by Thomas 
J. Key, at Louisville, Ey., at $2 per annum. 
Paradise Apple Seed.— F. W. Watson, 
Tobique, New Bruuswick. We do not find the seed iu 
the catalogues. The nurserymen raise their stocks from 
stool layers, the same as they do the quince. We doubt 
if the use of the Paradise stock will make yonr trees any 
more hardy. For your climate we should try some of tho 
improved Crab-Apples noticed last month, as well as the 
Russian varieties. 
Pruning a Young: Orchard. — "Sub- 
scriber," Rockville, Mil., " fears to apply the knife " lest 
he 6hould not observe tho maxim "let well enough 
alone." If he has not a definite idea of what he wishes 
to prune for, we advise him to defer pruning, until after 
the severity of next winter has passed. In the mean timo 
if young- shoots are pushing, where branches aro not 
wanted, remove them. 
Fruit Preserving Powder. — Several N 
have inquired concerning this preparation. II has been * 
used by several of our associates with satisfactory re- 
sults. The proprietor docs not claim that this method is 
preferable to the best air-tight procoss ; but he does claim 
that its cheapness and tho case with which it can bo 
done commend it to those who wish to preserve fruits in 
any considerable quantities. The preparation we believe 
to be quite harmless, and that it will preserve the fruit 
we know from experience. 
Currant Caterpillars. —Fred. Gold- 
berg, Dakotah Co., Minn. Procure powdered white helle- 
bore and dust it over the leavesof your currant and goose- 
berry bushes. A few applications will rid them of cater- 
pillars. 
niaclc Ants.— "Inquirer," Salem, N. J., 
wishes to know how to exterminate tuts large, black ant. 
ne has " tried many things, but as yet. all have been in- 
effectual."— We once devoted a good share of our time to 
two ant-hills, using every remedy we could hear of. 
Somebody gave it up, and it wasn't the ants. Mr. Rivers, 
of England, uses 4 oz. of quassia, and 1 gallon of water ; 
boil for 10 minutes, and add 4 oz. soft soap. We have 
not tried it, but it comes from excellent, authority. 
Red Spider on Fnclisias.— "G. W. 
II.," Philadelphia, says: "Fill a barrel nearly full of 
water and slack in it about a quarter of a peck of lima 
and let it stand until perfectly clear. Hold the plants 
affected in the water (bottom up) for about five or ten 
minutes, then wash them with pure water.'' 
^vlinnesota State Horticultural 
Society.— The following were elected officers at the 
meeting at St. Paul iu Feb. last : J. S. Harris, President, 
La Crescent ; C. P. Cook, Vice President, Garden City ; II. 
Louwcter, Recording Secretary, Red Wing ; J. W. Hsrk- 
ness, Corresponding Secretary, Faribault ; Wyman Elliot, 
Treasurer, Minneapolis. A correspondent who was at 
the meeting writes: "All were strong in the faith that 
fruit raising En Minnesota would be a success. Each 
yeardcvelops new seedlingsof rare promise worthy of 
trial. It was stated that not less than 15.000 bushels of 
apples (Pyrus Mains) had been grown the past season in 
the State. Many new facta were brought out in the dis- 
cussion with regard to the raising of the apple in Minne- 
sota. Adjourned to meet at Minneapolis, July 4th next.'* 
