408 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
[November, 
Charcoal Dust.—“ P. M.,” Fairfax Co., Va. This 
is quite insoluble, uud is valueless as a fertilizer. It may 
be utilized as a deodorizer in stables and closets; it will 
make a soil warm when spread upon the surface, by ab¬ 
sorption of the sun’s rays. In a German experiment, 
charcoal dust was spread upon the surface of a potato 
field, and resulted in a superior quality of potatoes ; they 
contained more starch, which produces the “mealy” 
quality so desirable for the table to lovers of the tuber. 
Benzine—Moths— Fire — CAUTION.— Mr. 
“ W. II. S.,” writing from Chicago, Oct. 5, referring to our 
Benzine-Moth Article, last month, says “they tried it 
Oct. 1, at No 1270 Indiana Ave., and found its value by 
collecting from the Insurance Companies $895, on dam¬ 
age to house, and $1,800 on the furniture of one floor. A 
little fire was burning in an adjoining room ; the con¬ 
necting door was accidently opened ; the vapor passed 
throngh to the fire, was ignited, a servant burned, and 
that floor of the house and its contents destroyed.”— 
Our “ caution ” with the October Article was not broad 
enough to cover a case like this. So, while believing in 
the value of benzine, as recommended, we add this 
CAUTION:— Never vse Benzine , Naptha , or Ether , 
where there is a fire or tight , or a match that can he trod 
on; nor where its vapoi' can escape into any other room 
where there is any possibility of any fire or light—whether 
through a door, stove-pipe , or chimney hole , or any other 
opening—even a crack. Such an occurrence as that above 
named might not happen once in a thousand or ten 
thousand times, but it is best to he safe. Except when 
needed in carpets, it will be better to apply it to furni¬ 
ture out of doors, or in an out-house.—This substance is 
used for various purposes in the arts, and the above cau¬ 
tion is always needed. 
Amount of feed for 200 Sheep.—“II. E. W.,” 
Westfield, Mass. A sheep of 100 lbs. live weight will re¬ 
quire during the winter 3 pounds of hay and i a pound 
of grain per day, or an equivalent of other food: and to 
each 100 head there may be given in addition, daily, four 
bushels of chopped turnips. At least 20 square feet of 
yard room should be allowed each sheep, and from 10 to 
15 square feet in the sheds, which are preferable to barns. 
Foul Water for Sheep.— “J. W. D.,” Lime¬ 
stone, Texas. Water that is fouled by the washings of a 
sheep yard is very unwholesome for the animals them¬ 
selves to drink, and would certainly produce disease. 
Some arrangement to avoid it should always be made. 
Fertilizers In North Carolina.— In the Sept. 
Am. Agriculturist it was stated that “about $1,000,000” 
were expended in North Carolina yearly for fertili¬ 
zers. We are now informed that the amount “ averages 
three million dollars per annum.” In the single month 
of April, 1877, there were 14,891 tons sold, at an average 
of $50 per ton, amounting to $744,550. This high price 
is due to the credit system, or “ cotton option,” which 
compels the dealers to wait until after the cotton harvest 
for their pay. In North Carolina the farmer is doubly 
protected from fraudulent fertilizer dealers. As soon as 
an “irregularity” is discovered, the State sues the deal¬ 
er for damages, and seizes all the fertilizer of the same 
brand found on sale in the State. “Not only are fertili¬ 
zers analyzed, but every farmer can have the chemicals he 
uses in composting home manures, analyzed free of 
charge; and the result, together with the name of the 
manufacturer, is published in the local State papers.” 
Winter Oats In Fast Tennessee.—“E. H.,” 
of Greenville, Tenn., writes that winter oats are a suc¬ 
cessful crop, being surer than wheat, and may take its 
place to some extent, as its cultivation is rapidly increas¬ 
ing. “ It has many features to recommend it for general 
cultivation in the South, and as far north as southern 
portions of Indiana, Ohio, and New Jersey, and its supe¬ 
riority over spring-sown oats is becoming so well known 
among Sonthern farmers that the latter crop is being aban¬ 
doned. The oats sown in the fall have so much longer 
time to grow, that they are much heavier, and yield 
more than double the crop sown in spring, while they 
ripen ten to fifteen days earlier. Winter oats make 
the best of fall and winter pasture, and have no rust or 
disease. So soon as our millers understand how to grind 
and prepare it, there will be a large demand for this grain, 
to make oat-meal, which is still largely imported from 
Europe, though much is now made in the Northern 
States.” We learn, also, that this crop has been raised 
successfully at Framingham, Mass., and elsewhere North. 
Drained Marshes.—“ Amateur,” Bridgeport, Ct. 
Salt marshes, after the tide water has been shut out by 
diking, are soonest fitted for cultivation by thorough 
draining with open ditches—tiles are likely to get 
clogged—and repeated plowing. Rye, oats, and grass can 
first be grown, then corn and other crops. The first 
point is to free the soil from salt, and allow thorough ac¬ 
tion of the air in decomposing and changing injurious 
compounds to neutral or useful combinations. Two 
to five years are required to bring these drained marshes 
into a good agricultural condition. 
A Feed Holder, or rather, a rack for keeping hay 
in a horse's manger, may be constructed as shown in the 
annexed engraving. It consisis of pieces of J-inch, round 
iron welded together to make the framework. It is 
hinged to the wall with staples and rings, high enough to 
permit of the customary quantity of fodder to be placed 
in the manger under the frame. The weight of the iron 
keeps the hay from being pulled out and wasted, while 
the horse can readily feed between the rods, which are 
placed about six inches apart. Any blacksmith can make 
the rack at the cost of a few hours’ time and the iron. 
Bloat til Cattle. —A French Veterinarian has 
been investigating the nature of the gases found in the 
stomachs of cows and other ruminants that had become 
bloated from over-feeding on green clover and similar 
foods. Gas present in the rumen (or “paunch”) of a 
cow that died scarcely two hours after access to a clover 
field, was found to consist of 74.30 per cent carbonic acid, 
23.46 per cent carburetted hydrogen, and 2.21 per cent 
nitrogen. Neither oxygen nor sulphuretted hydrogen 
could be traced. In the case of a “ bloated ” sheep, also, 
76 per cent of carbonic acid was found. From these 
observations, M. Reiset is led to suggest alkalies as 
remedies, especially recommending ordinary magnesia. 
Basket Items continued on page 433. 
Sundry Humbugs. 
While our humbug corre¬ 
spondence brings us much 
that is amusing, it has, as 
we had occasion to say some 
months ago, its serious as¬ 
pect, and many things come 
to our notice not calcu¬ 
lated to give one a high re¬ 
spect for human nature. A 
surgeon in large practice 
once said to us: “It some¬ 
times seems to me that 
every other man and woman 
has some physical defect,” 
and one to inspect our pile 
Of humbug letters might re¬ 
ceive the impression that 
moral infirmities and de¬ 
formities were quite as prev¬ 
alent as those of a physical 
character seemed to be to 
our surgical friend. But 
when we look upon our budget as a focus where are cen¬ 
tered the scattered rays of wickedness from the whole 
country, the case does not after all seem so bad for poor 
humanity. In a former volume we classified the various 
kinds of quack doctors, one genus being those who were 
TJP TO THE “RELIGIOUS DODGE,” 
and included those who pretended to be “ returned mis¬ 
sionaries,” who picked up their cure-all among the can¬ 
nibals, or some “ minister of the gospel ” whose “ sands 
of life” were ever so many years in “ running out,” and 
for aught we know may be running yet. This stealing 
“ the livery of the court of Heaven, to serve the devil in,” 
is one of the meanest forms of rascality, and one which 
has found a bright, particular example in the person of 
ONE MART E. FOSTER, 
which she is of Smithville, Tenn. Mary writes letters, 
or, rather, postals, but, perhaps, hus them written, as she 
can hardly get through with them all herself. The Metho¬ 
dist denomination being a very large and influential one, 
she now sends her favors to editors and clergymen of 
that. Mary sent us a postal. She sent others postals; 
indeed, she is so multitudinous in her correspondence, 
that she must be an important customer to the P. O. De¬ 
partment for postal cards—for Mary lias “ a frugal mind,” 
and does not invest a 3-cent stamp plus stationery when 
a one-cent card will do. We received Mary’s postal—it 
was just too gushing, so we said “ bosh,” and threw it 
among the humbugs. Mary writes to “ editors, to minis¬ 
ters,” to “Yellow Fever Relief Associations,” and others, 
varying her introduction a little, but the rest of the pre¬ 
cious document is essentially the same. We have one of 
hers addressed “ to Any Minister of the Methodist 
Church in Flushing,” and wo suppose similar letters have 
gone to hundreds if not thousands of other towns. Here 
is a specimen of 
MART E.’S EPISTLES. 
Smithville, Tenn , Oct. 3,1878.— Dear Friends: Please 
see my letter on fifteenth page of the “ Methodist,” is¬ 
sued 7th nit. in your city. The great plague so drains the 
hand of charity in every direction and is so appalling that 
we are eclipsed; yet, terrific as the great scourge is, 
nothing, it seems to me.cjit be worse than to see a family 
die of starvation. For three days we have been without 
food save a little boiled pumpkin, and that is nearly gone. 
My husband is wholly disabled by paralysis, and he, my¬ 
self, and little children must perish very speedily without, 
relief, and it is not to be had here. My letter published 
in the paper was supported by the best of evidence, on 
which you will seethe editor commends it to the chari¬ 
table. The evidence, in addition to endorsementof staie- 
ment. and character, showed me to be more than twenty 
years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Now 
my dear friends and brethren in Christ, will you please 
hear the cries of my dear little famishing children, to¬ 
gether with the heart, pleadings of an agonizing father 
and mother, whose sick of most unspeakable distress 
cannot much longer bear the scene. Oh 1 Jesus, my Sav¬ 
iour, help us 1 How can I bear it longer? Shall this retnrn 
to me void ? I will trust, in God, through you. to send 
food, as upon the raven’s wing. Heaven help you to 
make all due allowance for the importunity of a mother’s 
bleeding heart. Yours in Christ, Mart E. Foster. 
Letters to ministers conclude by requesting: “Please 
present my case at your next meeting, and ask help ere it 
is too late.” It seems that 
SEVERAL PAPERS WERE CAUGHT 
by this appeal; among them our friends of the “Metho¬ 
dist,” who gave it the benefit of their wide circulation. 
The “ Methodist,” however, has made amends by pub¬ 
lishing the real state of Molly Foster’s affairs. The Post¬ 
master of Smithville writes that Moll is “ the wife of B. 
T. R. Foster, one of the worst of men, who makes a liv¬ 
ing by begging and lying. He is now (11 A. M.) on the 
streets, in the hands of the police, raving drunk,”—and 
more of the same sort, and the account winds up by say¬ 
ing that “ they are living well on the gullibility of the 
Northern people, etc.” The Postmaster seemB to have 
overlooked the fact that he had the power to prevent the 
Fosters from using the mails. He should have at once 
stopped their postal cards and reported the case to head¬ 
quarters. Foster-he-nnd-she have tried the same dodge 
on other denominations, never having been members of 
any, and they are reported to be “in constant receipt of 
clothing and money,” and have several thousands “ to 
good.” The fact that this male and female scoundrel 
thrive by their hypocrisy is not the worse feature of the 
case. It has the effect of inducing those who have been 
deceived by them to turn a deaf ear to the deserving. 
“light to the world” 
is a favorite heading for circulars setting forth the claims 
of various cheap burning fluids. The sentence should 
be completed by adding—“ but death to the inhabitants 
thereof.” There are many of these murderous liquids 
oflered, especially in rural districts, under various names. 
The chief claim made for them is their great cheapness, 
and their safety if burned in some particular lamp, or 
with somebody’s patent “safety burner.” We would 
most seriously entreat our readers to let everything of 
this kind alone—” seriously,” because it is a matter of 
life and death—especially death. These things are called 
somebody’s fluids.-Let all “ fluids” alone—eat nothing, 
drink nothing, take as medicine nothing, put. upon your 
land nothing, give your animals nothing, and especially 
bum nothing, that is secret. We advise the nsc of Paris 
green as an insect poison, because its safety consists in 
the fact that its real composition and deadly qualities are 
known. An intelligent person can safely handle Paris 
green or gunpowder, because lie knows the danger. If 
Paris green were sold as “ Pest Poison,” and gunpowder 
as “explosive granules,” they would be a hundredfold 
more dangerous than they now are. Burn nothing that 
requires a peculiar “ safety ” burner. 
KEROSENE OF THE LEGAL STANDARD 
is safe—all other burning “fluids” or “ liquids,” or what 
not, are unsafe. The difference in price is many thou¬ 
sand times less than nothing as compared with the risks. 
Use as many “safety burners” or “non-explosive” 
lamps as you please, but always use safe and non-explosive- 
