542 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[DECEMBER. 
The Editors to the Readers. 
One often forgets the source of his knowledge 
or thoughts. If our readers glance through the 
Contents Sheet herewith, including the Illustra¬ 
tions, they will be surprised at the great va¬ 
riety of topics that have received careful atten¬ 
tion in this year’s numbers aloue. We hope no 
one has failed to get some information, some 
hints and suggestions, some new thought, or train 
of thought Started, that has paid, or will in the end 
abundantly repay, the two or three cents a week 
that the paper has cost. 
The next volume shall he still more valuable in 
new materials, new illustrations, etc. The Editors’ 
own increased experience win help them to do 
all the better. We hope every present Reader will 
not only take pleasure in continuing with us the 
coming year, but in inviting other friends and 
neighbors to participate in the good things in store, 
and to be gathered and provided for 1882. We 
say no “ parting words,” believing none are needed 
or appropriate.—This, the last item for 1881, now- 
goes to the printer, and the Editors at once go to 
earnest work upon "Volume Forty-One—stopping 
only to express a heartfelt wish that each one 
and all of our Readers may enjoy 
AND 
A HAPPY NEW YEAH. 
The German Edition.— All the principal arti¬ 
cles and engravings that appear in the American Agricul¬ 
turist are reproduced in a German Edition. Besides 
these, there is a Special Department, edited by an emi¬ 
nent German cultivator. Our friends can do good 
service by calling the attention of their German neigh¬ 
bors and friends to the fact that they can have the paper 
in their own language. Those who employ Germans will 
find that Edition a most useful and acceptable present. 
For the Entire Country 
Though issued, for convenience, in the Metropolitan 
City, which affords the best mechanical appliances, this 
is not the N. Y. Agriculturist, or simply an Eastern or 
Northern Journal, but it is the American Agiiculturist 
—for the whole country, East, West, North, and South. 
While the principles of cultivation, of plant-growth and 
nourishment, of feeding animals profitably, of home 
comforts, etc., are the same everywhere, we shall, during 
the coming year, more than ever before, study and care 
for the wants and methods arising from local differences 
in soils, crops, climate, implements, customs, etc., in 
all parts of our country. The best writers, intelligent 
scientific and practical men, are engaged as Contributors 
from nearly every State, and the Editors will travel in 
various directions for personal inspection. None of the 
Editors reside in the City, but all have their country 
homes: they speak and write from actual experience and 
observation, -and thorough reliability is their motto. 
Extra Copies for 10 Days.— We shall print an 
extra edition of this number, and NEW subscribers for 
1882, whose subscriptions are received prior to Decem¬ 
ber 10 th will have this December number free. This 
applies to all new subscribers, premium clubs included. 
To Those Writing Us.— Please avoid mixing 
business matters with those intended for the Editors. 
All items for the Editors, if in the same letter, should 
always be on paper separate and distinct from subscrip¬ 
tions or other business items j and each she*t should 
invariably contain the writer’s Name, Post-office, Town, 
County and State, with the date of writing. Subscrip¬ 
tion letters are numbered and filed in the office, and can 
not be taken or sent to the Editors’ country homes. 
A Ready Written Uetler, or what will 
save the trouble of writing one, is given at the 
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enough, and enclosed. Please give the U. S. mail 
employees no chance to excuse miscarriage by say¬ 
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If each reader could personally look into the in¬ 
terior working and routine of the subscription and 
mailing departments of this Journal, he would 
readily see the force of the request now made, and 
respond to it w-hen possible. The S&eqnesl is, 
that every one will, on the day this number comes 
to hand, send in his (or her) renewal for 1882, and 
the names of any friends already secured. Others 
can be added afterwards. It will take no more 
time to-day, than next week, or month, while it 
will greatly favor us, as explained below. 
TSIE REASONS for the above request, the 
advantage of giving experienced clerks all the time 
possible, to make out new, well arranged Mail 
, Books in advance, without calling in inexperienced 
help, and so >:e other things , will be understood by 
the following explanation of 
Office Routine.— When subscription letters ar¬ 
rive, they are carefully examined ani numbered, the 
amount enclosed marked on each, and the enclosures 
numbered. Our most experienced, careful clerks after¬ 
ward examine the letters thoroughly, find exactly what is 
desired, enter the names in the Register for the day, with 
the letter number against each name, the amount paid, 
the time paid for, each sender's name, and credit is given 
him in another book for any names designed for a 
premium, etc., etc. These letters are then filed away by 
number, for reference, years after if need bo. The Reg¬ 
ister Book of to-day (there is one for each week day) in 
on the next day taken by another clerk, who distributes 
the names through the State Mail Books, where they are 
arranged together under the several Post Offices, and the 
Post Offices are Indexed Alphabetically. Other clerks 
take these mail books and write wrappers for mailing the 
papers. Sundry checks are provided for ascertaining that 
every name and the amount paid, the time, etc., shall be 
entered. When we know a subscriber’s P. O. and State, 
it is at once found from the Alphabetical Index, and then 
traced by page numbers, and letter numbers, to the Reg¬ 
ister Book, and, if necessary, to the original letter. 
When wrappers are written they are counted for each P. 
O., and called over and checked, to prevent anv omis¬ 
sions. If any papers are lost, it is during transmission 
or delivery in the mails. This system tends to prevent 
the possibility of errors in entering the names, or in 
mailing papers regularly to every one. 
Preserve the Index Sheet, Sent Here¬ 
with.- Tile Contents of the Volume, with Title Page, 
are printed on an extra sheet, and put in loosely, so that 
it can he bound or stitched at the front of the year’s 
numbers for ready reference, and should he preserved. 
Bound Copies of tills Volume (40) will be 
ready on or before Dec. 10th. They are in the uniform 
style, cloth, with gilt backs. Price at the office, $2. If 
sent by mail $2.30. We can usually supply, at the same 
rate, any of the 24 previous volumes, or from volume 16 
to 40 inclusive. Any ten or more volumes, in one lot, 
will he supplied at the office for $1.75 each; or be for¬ 
warded by mail or express, carriage prepaid, for $2 each. 
Binding.— Sets of numbers sent to the office will 
be bound up in our regular style for 75 cents per volume, 
with 30 cents additional if to be returned by mail. Any 
mtssing numbers supplied to complete volumes at 12 cents 
each. The prepared covers ready for inserting the num¬ 
bers by any bookbinder, sent by mail for 50 cents each. 
Single and Club Subscription Rates. 
Explanation. 
Constant inquiries make the following explanation 
necessary: Every one of the 45,000 post-offices receiving 
papers, must have a separate alphabeted page and entry 
in the Mail Books, and a full wrapper and address, 
whether one or a dozen papers are sent to the same 
office. Every additional name decreases the cost of all; 
and here, as in other business, wholesale prices are prop¬ 
erly less than retail. The lessened cost to each is an in 
ducement to subscribers themselves to enlarge the num¬ 
ber at one place. For a single subscription, $1.50 a year 
is a very low rate for a Journal like the American Agri¬ 
culturist, with its superior printing paper, its many en¬ 
gravings, requiring slow careful printing and frequent 
washing of plates, its careful editing, and the number of 
experts required for accuracy where there are tens of 
thousands of varieties of plants, fruits, animals, insects, 
implements, modes of cultivation, etc. But with its 
large circulation and the aid of advertisements, experi¬ 
ence has shown that the following graduated rates may 
be adopted, if adhered to strictly: (These include post¬ 
age prepaid by the publishers, to all post-offices in the 
United States and Canadas, with 14 cents extra for New. 
foundland, and for all foreign countries embraced in 
the Postal Union.) 
One Subscriber one year .$1.50 each. 
Two Subscribers one year .$3, or $1.50 each. 
Three Subscribers one year .$4, or $1.33 each. 
Four Subscribers one year .$5, or $1.25 each. 
Five Subscribers one year .$6, or SI.20 each. 
Six Subscribers one year .$7, or $1.17 each. 
Seven Subscribers one year .$8, or $1.14 each. 
Eight Subscribers one year .$9, or $1.12 each. 
Ten or more Subscribers one year. .$1.00 each. 
[A free copy to sender of club of 20 at $1 each.] 
Single Numbers sent, postpaid, for 15 cents 
each. Specimen numbers for examination sent, post¬ 
paid, for 10 cents each.... jgf” Subscriptions can 
begin at any time. 
N.IS.—The above scale of rates has nothing to do 
with the giving of Premiums. The premiums are a 
separate matter; they are paid for out of advertising 
receipts, on the principle that by securing enlarged cir¬ 
culation they thereby increase the value of advertising 
space, and bring more receipts out of which to pay the 
premiums. The premium offers are all based on the sin¬ 
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under “Club Rate Premiums,” on page 9 (or 435) of the 
Illustrated Premium List. For method of making 
remittances, see page 550 of this paper. 
Clubs can at any time bo increased by remitting for 
each addition, the price paid by the original members; 
or a small club may he made a larger one at reduced rates, 
thus: One having sent 5 subscribers and $6, may after¬ 
wards send 5 names more and $4, making 10 subscribers 
for $10.00; and so for the various other club rates. 
