352 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[OCTOBBB, 
Twelve More TSaau* We Promise. 
—The reader will notice that this month's issue of the 
Agriculturist contains 44 pages. In our prospectus we 
offer a sheet of 32 pages, but in no month of this year 
have there been less than 36, and for a greater part of the 
time we have given 40 pages. This month we have so 
much reading and advertising matter that we increase 
the size as far as possible, and not exceed legal weight. 
££elia1>le Advertisements. — From 
every quarter we receive commendation for the rule 
strictly and impartially adhered to of admitting "no adver- 
tisements into our columns except from parties believed 
to be reliable and able, and willing to perform what they 
advertise to do." During the present month several hun- 
dred dollars 1 worth has been rejected, which we see ap- 
pearing conspicuously in the columns of otherwise re- 
spectable papers, both secular and religious. Our course 
in this respect proves of great value to those who do ad- 
vertise in good faith, as the public are not afraid to send 
their orders to those admitted under this rule. Of course, 
mistakes will occur, and blame should not hastily be be- 
stowed. Mail clerks and express agents are not infalli- 
ble, and failure to receive goods ordered is often charge- 
able to their account, if not to that of the person ordering. 
A. Nursery in every Tovrn. — The nu- 
merous offers made in our advertising columns of vines, 
plants, etc., to be forwarded by mail, in effect, bring the 
best nurseries almost to the door of every man. A very 
large business has been satisfactorily transacted in this 
way, since the reduction of postage to a point admitting 
of it. Every family, having the use of ground enough for 
the purpose, should avail themselves of these facilities 
to secure a good supply of fruit for home use. Send your 
orders early, that the nurserymen may provide in time for 
expeditiously forwarding the articles wanted. 
Tbe American S*omological So- 
ciety. — The 11th meeting of the Society commenced at 
St. Louis, on "Wednesday, September 11th, the President, 
Col. Marshall P. Wilder in the chair. Fourteen States 
were represented by delegates, and it was supposed that 
several other delegations would come in. A very large 
show of fruit is upon the tables, grapes being especially 
numerous. The first day was occupied mainly with pre- 
liminary matters. Addresses of welcome were made by 
Hr. Mudd, President of the Missouri State Horticultural 
Society ; Mr. Bryant, President of the Illinois State So- 
ciety, and by Doctor Spaulding, in behalf of the Grape 
Grower's Association of the Mississippi Valley. Presi- 
dent Wilder briefly and feelingly responded to these salu- 
tations. In the afternoon, the President gave his address, 
and the election of officers was held. We regret that we 
have not space for the address. The remaining days will 
be given to discussions which are likely to be interesting, 
as such men as Wilder, Downing, Barry, Warder, Knox, 
Ellwanger, Meehan, Hussman, and a host of other well 
known penologists will take part in them. New or in- 
teresting facts will be noted for the benefit of our readers. 
Grapes at Pittsburgh. — A visit to Mr. 
Knox's vineyards shows a condition of the crop in mar- 
ked contrast ■with the reports from the grape region of 
the Lakes and other parts of the West. The main crop 
is, of course, of the Concord, which, for health of foliage 
and productiveness, is so much superior to all other va- 
rieties that we do not wonder at Mr. Kuox r s advocacy of 
it. He planted his vineyard for the purpose of getting 
fruit, and has it by the ton. Delaware has a good crop, 
but the leaves have suffered, though enough remain to 
ripen the fruit. Iona is fruiting, but the foliage in about 
the condition of the Delaware. Diana shows a good 
crop, with some rot. Catawba and Isabella very full, and 
scarcely any trouble. Hartford Prolific and Creveling 
now, (Sept. 7th,) being marketed. These are two very 
prolific grapes. The Hartford, as grown here, hangs to 
the bunch as well as any other grape. The Creveling sur- 
prised us with its yield, and pleased us with its quality. 
It has the fault of not making a compact bunch, but it 
will nevertheless be a salable grape when known. 
I'lie New Eaus'laiaA ff'air.-Fine weather, 
proximity to the second city of New England, unusually 
fine grounds and buildings, and the hearty enthusiasm 
with which the people of Rhode Island welcomed the 
society to their State, united in making the Fair a grand 
success in a pecuniary point of view. The exhibition 
was well worthy of the society. The show of Ayrshires 
was remarkably fine ; Jerseys were also numerous and ex- 
cellent, and the cross-bred Jerscy-Ayrs of Mr. Fitch, of 
New London, Conn., noticed some time since in the 
Agriculturist^ attracted deserved attention. The Short- 
horn stables were graced by most excellent stock, and by 
uoqq superior to that noble Bnim\ 6fcfc Duke of Thora, 
dale. If His Grace is not the best bull in this country, 
wejwould be glad to see his better. The Lieut.-Gover- 
nor of Connecticut, Mr. E. H. Hyde, of Stafford, a promi- 
nent candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture, was 
present with the choice of his fine herd of Devons, and 
took the herd sweepstakes premium. The show of De- 
vons was good, better than can be made in this country, 
outside of New England. The Dutch cattle of Mr. Chenery, 
of Belmont, were also exhibited, and Burmese cattle by Mr. 
Clark of the same town. The horses did not equal those 
shown in Vermont last year, either in numbers or quality. 
AnioDg the mutton sheep, Cotswolds were predominant, 
and very fine, but the fine wools did not make much 
show. The swine and poultry classes disappointed us, 
as did also the implements, though there was a good 
display of mowers and small tools. On the whole, 
the fair was a very gratifying one, and not by any means 
so given up to fast horses as was expected, nor as has 
been represented by the Associated Press 1 dispatches. 
Investments off" IWoucy. — Wc advise 
fanners to invest their money in farm improvements, 
mechanics in better tools and facilities, merchants in ad- 
vertising. But there is much money which cannot be in- 
vested in these ways. Public improvements, really needed 
and of great utility next to securities for which the faith 
of the State or Nation is pledged, ought to be the safest 
and best paying investments. So they are, if well man- 
aged. The first mortgage bonds of the Central Pacific 
Railroad Co. are regarded as first class securities. These 
bonds are sold by our friends Fisk & Hatch, No. 5 Nassau 
Bt, whose representations are thoroughly reliable. 
Seed. Store at tlse Agriculturist 
Office — or rather at the place where the Office of the 
Agriculturist was. As announced elsewhere, we have en- 
tered our new quarters, 215 Broadway. 41 Park Row, 
so long associated with Agricultural and Horticultural 
matters, is, however, to be most worthily filled. It has 
been rented by Mr. B. K. Bliss, of Springfield, Mass., 
for a Seed and Horticultural "Warehouse. Most, if not 
all, of our readers have long known Mr. Bliss as a most 
enterprising, reliable and obliging dealer. By liberal ad- 
vertising, thorough system, and indefatigable attention 
to the details of his work, he has built up a business ex- 
tending all over the United States, and demanding larger 
facilities. To secure these, he has formed a partnership 
with his son, S. B. Bliss, under the firm of B. K. Bliss & 
Son, and made their headquarters here in the Metropolis, 
Their business at Springfield, Mass., will also be con- 
ducted under the same firm. "We are greatly pleased that 
one whom we know to be fully worthy the confidence of 
the public, which he has already largely secured, is to oc- 
cupy the premises so long devoted to kindred pursuits, 
and which otherwise we should more regret leaving. 
"With the numerous friends of Mr. Bliss we wish bim 
success commensurate with his increased facilities. 
Egyptian Corn.— "H. G. C.," Benning- 
ton, Vt.— The advertisement of F. E. G. Lindsey, of Vir- 
ginia, about Egyptian com which bears ears as large as 
maize, and yields 150 bushels to the acre weighing 65 
pounds to the bushel is, on the face of it, calculated to 
deceive. Nevertheless we have written to F. E. G. L. to 
send us some seeds, and receiving no answer, know what 
to conclude. Let it alone ; the story is better than the crop. 
T3»e Boulevard Skirt.— The ladies of 
the household are greatly pleased with this article just 
introduced into the fashionable world. It is made of all 
wool, without seam, is light, warm, and of every desira- 
ble color. The fabric resembles thick but light French 
cloth. It is a decided improvement over the ''Balmoral." 
draining' for S*rofit. — Peter Henderson, 
Esq., the well-known market gardener, thus writes to the 
author of this recently published work on Braining: 
"There would have been no necessity for my troubling 
yon with the draining queries if I had carefully read your 
work, as all my questions are there fully anticipated. 
Allow me Jo most sincerely congratulate you on your pro- 
duction. I never before picked up a book on draining that 
I could read with interest enough to keep me at it ten 
minutes. Business drives me so that I have little time to 
read anything ; and to wade through a bushel of chaff to 
get at a grain of wheat is so discouraging that I rarely 
make the attempt. But ' Draining for Profit ' is straight 
to the point, without a superfluous word." See adver- 
tisement of this book on page 376. 
Fair of tlae American Institute. — 
This great exhibition of American industry opened in 
the city of New York, on the 19th. It is certainly the best 
arranged one we ever saw, and in this particular as well 
as in the entire exclusion of all large signs, the managers 
ero to bo highly commcuded, and the exhibition regarded i 
as an example to all industrial fairs. The rule which, 
rigidly enforced, secures this very desirable result, ia 
this, that while the articles exhibited shall be confined 
to the allotted space, no sign shall appear above them. 
The result is that exhibitors are advertised by their 
wares, and not by flaming paint and canvas. The fair 
is a great success, being so systematized that any one 
can go directly to any Department, of which there are 
seven, viz.: 1. Fine Arts and Education ; 2. The Dwell- 
ing; 3. Dress and Handicraft; 4. Chemistry, etc.; 5. 
Machinery, etc.; 6. Intercommunication, (Carnages, Tele- 
graphs, Boats, etc.;) 7. Agriculture and Horticulture, 
each being divided into groups. 
Tlae Use of master.— ""W. W. Fuller," 
of Michigan, proposes a practical question under cover of 
a theoretical one. Letting the theory go, he admits that 
by means of plaster he gets greatly increased crops. 
Those crops contain a proportionately increased quantity 
of ash constituents drawn from the soil, which, of course, 
is by just so much the poorer. Hence impoverishment 
of the soil is certain if the practice is continued long 
enough. How soon it will come depends on the richness 
of the soil, both in available plant food and in that which 
maybe developed by tillage and the action of the weather. 
An equivalent must in some way be returned, if the soil 
be kept as it is. Plaster works good to the land in sever- 
al ways, and the wise ones cannot agree upon a theory. 
Apples in Eaag'ias&a. — A recent Garden- 
er's Chronicle gives a tabular report, occupying several 
pages, showing the state of the fruit crop in the various 
counties in England. While there is plenty of small fruits, 
there iB a general scarcity of pears aud apples, the latter 
crop being so bad that it may be set down as a total fail- 
ure. It is not unlikely that large shipments of apples 
will be made from this country ; which, judging from the 
appearance of the orchards in the Western States, we 
shall be abundantly able to do. 
Hare Done With It.— Either the Farm- 
ers' Club or the New York Weekly Tribune is guilty of 
a disregard of the health of the community that deserveB 
the severest reprobation. The two form a sort of recip- 
rocally irresponsible concern. Whenever we blame the 
club, we are told that they are not responsible for the re- 
ports, and when the Tribune is called to account, it says 
that it only reports the proceedings of the Club. In the 
report of the meeting of August 20th, we find people en- 
couraged to tamper with so dangerous and fatal a disease 
as diptheria, by the nse of a decoction of bark and roots, 
and what is worse, if possible, to try the cure of consump 
tion by taking so violent a poison as Lobelia. We so, 
by the reports of the Club that a large proportion of rhoa. 
who take part in the proceedings are Doctors. Can it be 
possible that they so disregard the safety of the commu- 
nity as to allow these things to go by without a protest? 
Gentlemen of the Club, you have it in your power to do 
much good when you stick to matters belonging to Agri- 
culture, but when you meddle with medicine you weaken 
your influence, and your proceedings become dangerous. 
B?ee«i Cutters. — Cutting or chaffing, wet- 
ting, and flavoring with meal or bran, make good fodder 
go much farther than otherwise, and even very poor fod- 
der palatable and useful. This involves no little labor, 
but a good machine makes light work of it, compared 
with any other. We bought Gale's Copper Strip Feed 
Cutter, made by the Peekskill (N. T.) Plow Works, sev- 
eral months ago, and nse it with great satisfaction, in 
cutting hay and cornstalks, knowing of none better. The 
past season has been so peculiar that many fanners, who 
rarely are so unlucky have this year damaged hay, and 
that cut after having become old and wiry. The diligent 
use of the hay cutter is the only alleviation of this state 
of things. Cut fine, wet down, and, at least, flavor with 
oil or com meal, bran, or some ground feed. 
X>ociuiieaAt5 Ackuowledgfecl. — Our 
list of these has been crowded out from month to month. 
If the friends who have favored ns with Reports, Cat- 
alogues, and other documents, will for this once accept a 
general acknowledgment, we will try to do better in future. 
JtSow to CooSi a Maim.— We dine occa- 
sionally at the table of Sirs. E.,and until we tasted it 
there, we did not know what a ham was capable of. It 
being loo nice to remain a family secret, we asked the 
recipe for the benefit of our readers. Boil a ham for three 
hours, remove the skin, and trim it nicely, and then rub 
into the fat a pound of powdered sugar, or as much as it 
will take up. The ham is then placed in a chipping pan, 
in which is put a pint of sherry, or other good wine, and 
put into the oven, and baked very slowly for two hours. 
During the baking it is frequently basted with the wine. 
Try this, and we are confident you will say that you 
have never before eaten ham in its greatest "perfection. 
