306 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
[August, 
about them ?”—I often come across these little “ seed 
cups,” and they are very interesting things, but I do 
not know of any common work to which to refer Miss 
Cornelia, and will, for her benefit, and that of others, 
"talk” about them. Pig. 2 shows the appearance of 
the curious things. As Miss Cornelia’s specimens were 
badly crushed, I give a drawing of some that I found in 
my own garden. This is of the natural size, and the 
affair looks much like a little nest with eggs in it, or, as 
Miss Cornelia has it, “little seed-cups.” These “seed- 
cups” are really plants belonging to the great order of 
fungi—other forms of which you know, as toadstools or 
mushrooms. There are several that have the same gen¬ 
eral appearance as the one figured—a nest or cup, within 
which are rounded bodies, that have been likened to 
eggs, or to seeds. Their botanical names are Nidularia 
(little nest ),Crucibulum (a crucible), and Cyathus (a cup). 
The little bodies within them that have been likened to 
eggs or seeds are cases holding the spores, or minute 
dust-like particles,which in these plants answerfor seeds. 
It is said that some of these egg-like bodies in some 
fungi of this kind explode, and violently scatter their 
contents in all directions. 
I had began to be glad that the questions ran less upon 
insects and more upon plants, and other objects, when I 
opened a long letter from “ S. A. D..” Lowell. Mass., 
who is in trouble with his or her ivy. 
Ivy Grown in the House 
is very apt to be attacked by a scale louse, and that is 
evidently what is the matter in the case so carefully de¬ 
scribed by “ S. A. D.” If my correspondent—whether 
boy or girl, I have no clue—can command a' piece of soft 
pine wood, or a not very stiff old tooth-brush, all the 
needed apparatus will be provided. Then two things 
more are needed: 
A Desire and Patience. 
By desire, I mean a real wish to be rid of the trouble, 
and patience will be needed to carry out the means. The 
microscope has done “S. A D.” one good service, as I 
learn from the letter that it has shown exactly what 
the trouble is—a scale louse that is for most of the time 
just fixed in one place—is always there if you want to find 
it, and also when you would prefer not to find it. When 
it has once fixed itself, it goes on providing for a new 
brood. Having provided “ S. A. D.” with the means of 
warfare—a pine stick or a brush, “ he or she” is not the 
Yankee that I take “ him or her” to be if these imple¬ 
ments can not be put to good use. You have the scale 
lice there on the ivy; they will do much mischief if you 
let them alone. They do not move, but will be there to¬ 
morrow and next day, and the day after, but my advice 
is to attend to them to-day. Having a sharp pine stick, 
or a brush you can put an end to the trouble ; in other 
words, “ kill ’em.” I advise a soft pine stick or brush in 
preference to any other arms, as with these one can 
easily crush the lice and not injure the leaf or stem of 
the ivy. You may use soap-suds if you choose, with the 
brush, but the few times I have had occasion to kill 
them, I found the dry brush to answer. 
The Doctor would like to say a few words to his 
correspondents, the “ Boys and Girls.” Some who write 
for youngsters, call them ” My Dear Little Chicks,” or, 
“My Darling Pets.” I don’t—I mean “ Boys and Girls,” 
fori think you will like it best. Well then, Boys and 
Girls, I would say to those of you who write me, that I 
do not answer puzzles, If you have anything to write 
about puzzles, send it to Aunt Sue, and if worthy, she 
will be glad to get it, and will treat it in the kindest 
manner. It is of no use to send puzzles to me , for I can’t 
answer them, and wouldn’t if I could. Several have 
written to ask me “if three cats will kill three rats in three 
minutes, how many somethings can be done in so many 
thingamys ? ” I am not sure that I have stated the thing 
rightly, but it makes no difference. If obliged to answer 
the problem, I should say if the cats were my cats, the 
number of the rats to be killed would be “ lots.” If it is 
of the least earthly interest to you to know any possible 
relation between cats, rats, and minutes, it is not to me 
—except to wish as many to be killed as possible—but I 
have no “ minutes ” to give to the problem. I only say 
“go ahead cats.” The problem appeared, I think, in 
Aunt Sue’s Department, I don’t know how many months 
ago; and the strange thing is, that of late, several young¬ 
sters should send the problem, and ask me to answer it 1 
Did you ever hear of Doctor Johnson’s, the great dic¬ 
tionary man’s, journey in Scotland ? He was a very 
learned man, but was easily bothered over foolish little 
problems. The story goes that some one proposed to this 
learned man this problem: “ If a herring and a half cost 
a penny and a half, how many herring can be bought for 
twelve pence ? ” It is said that the attempt to solve this 
problem so soured the temper of the venerable Doctor, 
that he never could write orspeak pleasantly of Scotland 
thereafter. I am not intending to feel unpleasantly over 
such matters, but'to say that they belong—everything of 
of the problem or puzzle kind—to “Aunt Sue,” and 
should be sent to her, direct. 
That I not only know, but 
Diamond Puzzle. 
care nothing about such questions as this on rat-killing, 
Baltimore. 
only the more rats that are killed, the better I shall like 
it. Wh:n you ask me questions about the common 
things that surround you, when you wish to know any¬ 
thing that I can tell you about, I do not care how many 
letters you write me. But as everything in the way of 
puzzles is provided for—indeed you can not please good 
“ Aunt Sue ” so well in any other way, as by sending 
B 
R A T 
C A L L A 
PORTAGE 
B A L T I M 0 It E 
DORMICE 
P R O B E 
ORE 
E 
her a regular “ pozer I must ask just once more all 
Hour-Glass Puzzle. 
sensible youngsters to send all puzzle matters to her, 
and not to their friend, The Doctor. 
Humbugs. 
A R C II F O E 
Aunt Sue’s Puzzle-lSox. 
SUNDAY ACROSTIC. 
0 R DEL 
A M Y 
Ii 
SUE 
ANGRY 
RANSACK 
Rhomboid Puzzle. 
Across. 
TOSS 
N O O N 
T R O D 
TROD 
Downwards. 
1. T. 2. On. 3. Sot. 4. Sort. 
5. Nor. 6. Do. 7. D. 
Biblical Enigma.— Right¬ 
eousness exulteth a nation. 
Alphabetical Arithmetic, 
341)35679178(101631 
(Key.—" Logarithms.” 
Cross-Word. — 2. Despon¬ 
dency. 
Hidden Rivers.—1. Don. 2. 
Neuse. 3. Pcdee. 4. Orange. 
5. Missouri. 6. Ganges. 7. 
Colorado. 8. Cumberland. 9. 
10. Mississippi. 10. Connec- 
ticut. 
(Selected from names or words in the Bible. The first 
four lines indicate the initial and final letters.) 
They quailed upon the brink ; behind them rang’ 
The chariots thundering and the horsemen’s clang ; 
Death seemed on every side, but Hands Divine 
Smoothed their safe passage o’er the obedient brine. 
1. He, like a strong ass, crouching ’nentli his load, 
His brethern served, and in fair lands abode. 
2. “ This place is God’s,” said Jacob ; “ here I set 
This pillar, lest his warning I forget.” 
3. Ah 1 fatal City! Where predestined war 
Smote the rash monarch in his battle-car. 
4. He said,—and stretching to the Queen his hand— 
“ Ask what thon wilt, the half of all my land.” 
5. When conflicts raged and corpses strewed the plain, 
He sniffed afar his banquet of the slain. 
6. Nor cold, nor hot, nor wholly vile, nor pure, 
No strength to strive, no patience to endure. 
Mrs. Ogilvy. 
SQUARE WORD. 
1. My first, a precious stone, wc see. 
2. My next an evergreen—a tree. 
3. My third the name of lady fair. 
4. A metal will complete the square. Isola. 
CHARADE. 
My first all children like, 
And older folks as well. 
My second most all children like, 
As older folks can tell. 
Hayes and Wheeler were my whole 
Before they were elected. 
Tilden and Hendricks were my whole 
Before they were rejected. J. H. B. 
, HIDDEN TREES. 
1. The boys made a large lion-fire. 
2. They live up in Erie County. 
3. Ola kite ! a kite 1 
4. What a hovel my cousins reside in 1 
5. It was a lonely place, dark and gloomy. 
6. Oh! Mamma, please let Eddie go. 
7. He may do as he pleases in the matter. 
8. Look out for that bee, Charlie 1 Marion. 
SUBTRACTION AND ADDITION. 
(Or taking the last syllable from the first word, and 
adding it to the next— e. q.. 1. To clasp. 2. An orna¬ 
ment. 3. An epistle.—Solution—1. Embrace. 2. Brace¬ 
let. 3. Letter.) 
1. Consideration. 2. Contrariwise. 3. A bird. 4. A 
room. 5. A slow movement. 6. To neglect. 7. A water¬ 
course. 8. A kitchen utensil. 9. A large rock. 10. Be¬ 
longing to the skin. Try Again. 
EASY NUMERICAL ENIGMA. 
I am composed of 10 letters : 
My 8, 4, 6, is to allow. 
My 9, 8, 3. 10, is a river in Prussia. 
My 5, 2, 3, is to deprive. 
My 1, 7, 9, 8, is a dance. 
My whole was a Confederate General. 
Carrie D. A. 
SYNCOPATIONS. 
(Fill the second blank in each sentence with the same 
word, less one letter, as fills the first blank, without 
transposition— e. g ., The —- was only a-wide.—The 
road was only a rod wide.) 
1. He made a-in the garden with a-. 
2. She said it was her -— to be ——. 
3. He told a long-about some-he drank. 
4. They killed the bat in the mine, and his-was 
sprinkled over the-. 
5. The boy tried to-an egg from the nest of the-. 
6. Then cruelly tried to -. the bird’s-. 
7. The-had a-on its head. 
8. It made him-to drink the-, it was so strong. 
John W. Wheatley. 
NUMERICAL ENIGMA. 
I am composed of 65 letters 
My 31, 22, 3S, 29. 43. 15, 4, 39. 48, 61, 52, 35, 13, 41, 51, 
42, 49, 50, 2S, 55, 54, is the-name of an American poet. 
My 3, 35, 26, 13, 54, 8, 29, 7, 10, 17, 21, 14, is a Western 
city. 
My 18, 2, 12, 9, 44(59, 63,’ 35, 46, 6, 61, 32,16, is “ bell ” 
in an ancient language. 
My 24, 8, 5, 35, 23, is a title. 
My 38, 20, 15, 25, 65, was the name of a wicked king 
who reigned nearly two thousand years ago. 
My 53. 8, 37, 1, 56, 54, 30, 47, 27, 35, 61, 58, 11, 48, is a 
ragged fellow. 
Sly 45, 62, 36, 40, 64, 54, is a near relative. 
My 33, 60, 19, 58, 57, 34, is clay,—slate. 
My whole is a well-known couplet. Ehrich. 
ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN THE MAY NUMBER. 
Transpositions.— 1. Care, race. 2. Line, Nile. 3. Pale, 
leap. 4. Stage, gates. 5. Save, vase. 
Numerical Enigmas.— 1. Good character is gained by 
many acts, but is lost l>v one. 2. Sliakspeare. 3. Table- 
Cloth. 4. Aunt Sue’s puzzle box. 
Syncopations.—I. Grain, rain. 2. March, arch. 3. Drill, 
dill. 4. China, chin. 5. Farm, arm. 6. Stage, sage. 7. 
Wheel, lice). 
Square Word. 
Double Acrostic. 
V E D A 
EAllL 
DRAB 
ALBS 
Double Cross-Word. — 
Oregon, Nevada. 
R— a bine —T 
E— Imir —A 
A— die —U 
D— ayto —N 
I—conoclas—T 
N- -O 
G— rule —N 
Reading. 
Taunton. 
ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN THE JUNE NUMBER. 
Anagrams.— 1. Indescribable. 2. Conversational. 3. Mis¬ 
management. 4. Manifestation. r>. Indentation. 0. Confla¬ 
gration. 7. Interrogation. 8. Affectation. 
BIBLICAL DOUBLE ACROSTIC. 
C— cilin —G 
O- N -O 
R— ache —L 
I- sh -I 
N— aptli -A 
T— abre —T 
H—anna—H 
SQUARE WORD. 
BREST 
RIVER 
E V E N E 
SENS E 
TREES 
Cross-word.— ‘The Eastern 
war. 
Numerical Enigmas.—1. It is not all gold that glitters. 
2 (Geographical). Eagle, Waukesha, Wisconsin. 
Syncopation and Transposition. —1. Lady—lad. 2. 
Onion—noon. 3. Hermit—their. 4. Recipe—price. 5. Dairy 
—yard. 6. Easy—say. 7. Infer—fern. 8. Elude—duel. 
Thanks for letters, puzzles, etc., to J. R. W., Hattie H. M„ 
C. B. Riggs, J. J. Harrop, O. L. Rice, Evelyn E. N., Kendrie 
C. H., John W. Wheatley, Laura Irene B„ and to others, 
whose inquiries I hope to be able to answer at some future 
time. 
Correspondents will save time, if they will address 
their letters (to Aunt Sue) to Rowayton, Fairfield Co., 
Conn., from July to December of this year. But please 
remember that Aunt Sue is not Orange Judd Co.; the 
lalter must be addressed at 245 Broadway, N. Y. City. 
Aunt Sue’s Chats. 
J. II. B. sends some magic-squares, for the amusement 
of our puzzlers, wishing to have the figures, from 1 to 25. 
arranged in a square of 25 small squares, so that the 
columns, horizontal, perpendicular, and diagonal, shall 
each foot up to 65. Instead of giving the problem. I will 
show liow any magic-square of uneven numbers (say 3 
times 3, 5 times 5, 7 times 7, and so on) can be arranged 
correctly, every time. Let us take 5 times 5 for illustra¬ 
tion. Begin with No. 1 in the square next below the 
center; go on downwards, diagonally to the right, until 
you reach the lowest line; then put the next figure in the 
top line of your square corresponding to the diagonal of 
another (supposed) square below. (See No. 3 in diagram.) 
11 
7 
3 
4 
12 
8 
16 
17 
5 
13 
9 
10 
1 
14 
6 | 
2 
15 
11 
24 
7 
20 
3 
When you have written down No. 3, you will again be on 
an edge, so imagine another square (to the right) and go 
on diagonally, putting the numbers in your own square 
just where they would come in another square to the 
right; the 4 would come in the second horizontal col¬ 
umn, first figure to the left, so put it there in your own 
square. (I trust that the diagram will help my reader to 
understand my description 1) When any figure, already 
written, blocks you from pursuing your diagonal course, 
take the next square hut one below your last figure. (See 
5 and 6.) Go on in this way until you reach tiie lowest 
corner on the right, and then always put the next figure 
in the square next to the top one in the right column 
(see 15 and 16); then go on as before, and your last num¬ 
ber should come on the square just one above the center. 
I have left some of the small squares blank, so that those 
