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AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[December, 
The Steel-Plate Engraving for 
PBEMIUM CLUBS. 
Owing to the necessarily large expense of furnishing 
the Steel-Plate, it was at first intended to limit its offer 
to subscribers paying the full price of $1.50 a year, and a 
small addition, and where no other premiums were given. 
But we have finally decided to place all subscribers, as 
nearly as possible, upon equal footing, and we therefore 
make the following offers to all who are collecting lists 
of subscribers for Premiums: 
Subscribers in Premium Clubs for 1879, according 
to the terms in the table on page 481, and in the General 
Illustrated Premium List, published in November, can 
each of them have the Steel-Plate Engraving, by adding 
only 20 cents for each name, to cover cost of packing, 
postage, etc-, on the Engraving; Or only 13 cents each, 
when the Engravings are to be sent by Express, un¬ 
paid , in a single parcel, to one individual. 
Tile Rapidly Increasing' Circulation of 
the German Agriculturist affords us gratifying assurance, 
that its many improvements are being observed and ap¬ 
preciated. The splendid full-page engraving which now 
appears in every number, is richly worth the whole year’s 
subscription price. Every German cultivator and laborer 
on the farm, or in the garden, should have the paper; 
while its varied household departments make the journal 
invaluable to every German home, either in the Old 
World or the New. 
Attention Sportsmen, Farmers and oth¬ 
ers. —We invite all subscribers and others who may 
wish to make purchases of guns, revolvers, or any and 
■everything in the sportsman's line to communicate with 
us. Our arrangements are now so complete for supply¬ 
ing such goods that we believe we arc able to furnish 
them of a better quality and at cheaper rates than they can 
be procured generally throngh the country. Our ele¬ 
gantly illustrated Sportsman’s Library Catalogue mailed 
on the receipt of two 3-cent P. O. stamps. Address, 
Sportsman’s Department of the Orange Judd Company. 
From Dark to Dawn, published by J. C. 
McCurdy & Co., Philadelphia. This is an elegantly 
bound, printed and illustrated work of 632 pages. The 
illustrations are full page steel engravings. The work is 
a second series of “ Night Scenes in the Bible,” by Rev, 
Daniel March. Written in an attractive style. This story 
of some of the notable incidents of sacred history will 
find a welcome in many homes. It has the endorsement 
of prominent divines for accuracy, purity of sentiment 
and high moral tone. 
flie Honey Locust.—“W. K. C.,” Auckland, 
New Zealand. This makes a quick-growing and effec¬ 
tive hedge, as it is very thorny. It is also called Three- 
thorned Acacia ; botanically it is Gleditschia tria- 
cardhos. The seeds, if kept in the pods, germinate as 
readily as beans; but it is safer to scald before sowing 
those sold by seedsmen. Sow in rows wide enough apart 
to work among them, and keep free of weeds the first sum¬ 
mer. In fall take up, assort in sizes, and heel-in until 
spring, then set at 18 to 24 inches apart, and treat the 
same as other deciduous hedges. White Thorn or Haw¬ 
thorn is nearly abandoned for hedges in this country; 
the leaves appear late, drop early, become sun-burned, 
and are attractive to numerous insects. Honey Locust 
seeds will cost you about 50 cts. per lb., postage added. 
Economical Good Cookery.— In theN.Y.Cook- 
ing School, Miss Juliet Corson teaches classes of various 
grades, from the children of the poor, to the daughters of 
the rich, and the lessons are varied to meet the needs of 
people in different circumstances. The aim in all, is to 
teach the pupils to cook well, and at the same time to 
cook economically. In her “ Cooking School Text Book,” 
Miss Corson gives the courses of instruction in her differ¬ 
ent classes. It is not to be inferred from the title, that it 
is a mere dry “Text Book ;” the lessons are presented 
in the attractive form of bills of fare, arranged in a syste- 
analic manner. The articles required for each dish are 
first enumerated, the quantity of each article and its 
cost are stated. Then follow directions, giving the pro¬ 
gressive steps in their proper order, very explicitly, but 
without needless repetition or cumbersome detail. As 
cooking schools are being established in various parts of 
the country, this has been prepared to meet the demand 
for a “ Text Book,” but it is not the less a most useful 
work for every household, and will commend itself to 
housekeepers generally by the excellence of the recipes 
and their economical character. A work like this, has a 
great advantage over the old style of “ Cook Book,” 
which is sometimes a jumble of tried and untried recipes 
from all sources, with the briefest possible directions, or 
a mere naming of the ingredients, and no directions 
other than “ bake in a brisk oven,” or something like it. 
Here, the recipes have been tried over and overagain, and 
in teaching them to classes, all the difficulties that th« 
unskilled are likely to meet with have been noted, and the 
directions framed to anticipate them. This work will be 
especially welcome to those who have assumed the cares 
of housekeeping, without having had previous experi¬ 
ence-instances which occur more frequently than many 
suppose—as in the case of those whose lives before mar¬ 
riage have been devoted to teaching or other occupation. 
So far as any directions can supply the want of experi¬ 
ence, those given here will do it. We may refer again 
to the plan of this work in our household columns. 
It concludes with a most useful appendix upon the prin¬ 
ciples of nutrition and the chemistry of food. Published 
by the Orange Judd Company; sent by mail for $1.25. 
Specifications for Building.—Many a house 
costs vastly more than its owner expected, on account of 
“extras,” which mainly occur because the items were 
not “ down in the bond ”—the specifications being faulty. 
To meet the want of full specifications—to include 
everything that is at all likely to enter into the construc¬ 
tion of a frame-house, Messrs. Palliser, Palliser & Co., 
architects, of Bridgeport, Ct., and authors of “American 
Cottage Homes,” have prepared and published a set 
which they find useful in their own practice, and are 
used by other architects also. These arc intended for 
frame-houses, costing from $500 to $15,000, and appear 
to cover every possible item of masons’, carpenters’, 
plumbers’, painters’ and other work, all so arranged as 
to be readily filled up to meet each particular case. The 
full set of “ Specifications ” with two “ Forms of Con 
tract ” are sent from this office; price, post-paid, 75 cents. 
Change of Firm and Location.— The head¬ 
quarters of the Robbins Family Washer are no longer at 
Naugatuck, Connecticut. The washer is now made by a 
new firm, the Bissell Manufacturing Co.; their office be¬ 
ing at No. 42 Murray St., New York City. 
The Eclectic manufacturing Co., occupy 
rooms in the American Agriculturist building, at 245 
Broadway, New York. They take the name “ Eclectic,” 
because they elect to manufacture anything they choose. 
Among their specialties are the “Empress Train Sup¬ 
porter ” (not a railway train, but a dress-train), which is 
highly endorsed by no less an authority than Madame 
Demorest.and a safety pocket for the watch or porte-mon- 
naie, which seems to be a practicable and valuable affair. 
Gummed Household Labels.— nere is a 
brand new wrinkle. Messrs. Cornell & Shelton, of Bir¬ 
mingham, Conn., publish a book of labels for about 
everything that needs to be labeled in the household. 
These are in neat, clear type, and, being gummed on the 
back, are ready for immediate use. Wc once dined where 
soft soap was served for gravy, the salaeratus-box having 
been mistaken for the salt-box—neither receptacle being 
marked. Everything of this kind should be labeled, and 
these books will be found most handy for the purpose. 
New School Boohs.--"First Lessons in Arith¬ 
metic,” by Wm. J. Milne; Jones Brothers & Co., Pliila. 
An excellent idea: the child is taught to observe and 
to reason by the natural process of induction. Pictures 
embellish the book, and are made to teach the science of 
numbers. This is a most rational method. The second 
in the series is “Milne’s Practical Arithmetic,” written 
on the same inductive plan, which leads the student 
gradually on from simple principles to abstract calcula¬ 
tions. We have at. hand, also, a new “ History of the 
United States,” from the same publishers. It embraces 
the features of the well-known “ Lyman’s Historical 
Chart,” and is written in a pleasing style, intended to 
make the pupil “love the inspiring- story.” All of these 
books are well printed and attractive in appearance. 
Wire for Fencing.—“H. P.," Sparta, Ala. Wire 
fences have been extensively and successfully used; the 
usual size of wire is No. 9 ; the number of wires is 3,4, 
or 5, as the case may require. Barbed wire is more ef¬ 
fective than the common sort, but costs twice as much. 
Springs have been found effective in taking up the slack 
or in relieving the tension in changes of temperature. 
To make a fence proof against hogs, the wire must be 
placed 6 to 10 inches apart. The wire will last many years. 
t6 Tlie Youtli’s Companion.”—If success is 
evidence of merit, the juvenile weekly with the above 
title, published by Perry, Mason & Co., Boston, should 
be of the highest order of merit, as its success is some¬ 
thing wonderful—and when we say that it is deserved, wo 
can give no higher praise. Parents can not be too care¬ 
ful in the kind of reading matter they provide for their 
children. Some of the journals published expressly for 
youth are of a pernicious character, and children had 
better not read at all than to pore over such trash. The 
“Youth’s Companion” is always pure in its tone and 
elevating in its tendencies, and maybe placed in the 
hands of children with safety. 
Foot Power Saw.—“F. J. T.,” Cannon Falls, 
Minn. A foot power saw may be used to cut cord wood, 
but a heavy fly wheel will be necessary to equalize the 
force. Such a saw will not cut so fast as a horse¬ 
power, but will be more effective than a buck saw. 
Poultry for Market.— It is of little use for 
persons at a distance to send poultry to the New York or 
any other market, unless it is prepared and put in the 
style that custom has established for the particular city. 
For the New York market, poultry must never be drawn, 
for most of the New England cities it is always drawn. 
Those who wish to learn how poultry must be prepared 
to bring the best price in the New York market, con ob¬ 
tain a circular giving full directions by sending t'*' E. & 
O. Ward, No. 279 Washington St., N. Y. The Messrs. 
Ward are among our oldest commission houses, and their 
instructions for putting up poultry and all other produce, 
are the result of a long experience in the business. 
Capouizing Poultry.— “A. B. T.” Lewis’ 
Practical Poultry book gives directions for making 
capons. Price, from this office, by mail, post-paid, $1.50. 
Hay Tea for Pigs.— "B. G. L..” Cecil Co., Ind., 
writes that he has raised some thrifty young pigs upon 
hay tea in place of milk, which could not be spared for 
them. Boiled corn and house slops were given in addition. 
Manure for Potatoes.— “G. S. E.,” Mineola,, 
L. I. We know of crops of 150 bushels of potatoes per 
acre, being produced on an application of 400 lbs. of the 
Stockbridge potato manure, and 300 and 400 bushels from 
larger amounts of the fertilizer. The parties dealing in 
the “Stockbridge Manures,” are reliable. Some hold 
that better potatoes can be produced with such fertilzers 
than with barn-yard manure; but it depends quite as 
much on the soil and method of using, as on the manure; 
this is too much of a question for discussion here. 
Whether corn or potatoes would pay the beet with 
good manure and cultivation, depends on seed, soil, and 
the farmer ; then, other things being equal, there would 
probably be little difference in the ultimate results. 
Medium-Sized Fowls.— As a rule, the medium¬ 
sized fowls of a breed are better than the very large 
ones, for laying or for table use. Quality and symmetry 
usually go together; that is, the bird possessing the shape 
and style of its breed in the highest degree, is the nearest 
perfect in other particulars, and is of medium size. Iu 
the Asiatic breeds of fowls, the specimen which stands 
a trifle above the average higlit, is, in the majority of 
cases, the best in color, symmetry, and utility. 
Plowing under Clover for Wheat.—" S. 
N. S.,” Leadmine, W. Ya. The beneficial effect of plow¬ 
ing in clover for wheat, is due to the mass of readily de¬ 
composable vegetable matter, rich in nitrogen, and which 
in decaying has an important chemical effect iu the soil. 
The soil is not re-seeded by plowing in the crop. The 
first growth is cut, and the second crop plowed in, or both 
crops harvested and the stubble turned under; then re¬ 
seeded in the usual manner. It is a paying practice. 
Red Swine in tl»e West.— “C. S.,” Sullivan Co., 
HI. There are many red swine, commonly called “Jersey 
Red,” or “Duroc” in Kentucky. There have been several 
large sales the past year, which probably distributed 
them in Illinois, Indiana and other Western States. 
Shrinking of the Shoulder Muscles.— 
“J. O. M.,” Sauk Center, Minn. When the shoulder 
muscles of a horse have shrunken greatly, the only relief 
is the use of a stimulating application, such as turpentine 
and alcohol, with one dram of tincture of Spanish-flies to 
the pint, or camphorated spirit; apply, either with brisk 
rubbing and kneading of the muscles, twice a day. 
The “ Ayrshire Record,” Yol. II., published 
by the Ayrshire Breeder’s Association, J. D. W. French, 
North Andover, Mass., Editor. This “ Record ” is distinct 
from the “N. A. Ayrshire Register,” noticed in Octaber, 
and differs from it in bearing the sanction of an associa¬ 
tion, while the other is a private enterprise. In this, there 
are two classes: animals tracing directly to importation, 
and those that can not be so traced, but which are thought 
to be pure blooded. The “ N. A. A. R.,” only admits to 
registry those animals tracing directly to importation. 
Of course, this complication causes some confusion to 
the uninitiated ; but it seems only fair that valuable ani¬ 
mals, snpposed to be pure, should have such a place of 
registry as the “Ayrshire Record” provides, so kmg as 
proper care is exercised in the entries. The editor con- 
