1881.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
353 
Sundry Humbugs. 
That a vast deal of 
swindling is done 
through false claims 
for patents, is well 
known to those who 
keep the run of such 
matters. A farmer 
sees a device, one for 
a gate, for example, 
in the American Agri- 
5 culturist, or other paper; it 
seems to be useful and easily 
made, and he constructs one. 
Some of his less wide-awake 
neighbors, after they have seen 
the gate thoroughly tested, 
take pattern from this, and in time there will be 
several such gates in the neighborhood. After 
awhile a chap comes along, claiming to hold a pat¬ 
ent for the very device that makes the gate desira¬ 
ble, claims $5, or other sum as royalty, which must 
be paid at once, or a prosecution will follow. Such 
cases are occurring continually, not only with pat¬ 
ents for gates, but with numerous other devices in 
use upon the farm or in the house. In such cases, 
where the claim of the patent is a fraudulent one, 
as it very often is, we advise resistance. But there 
are two sides to the question. "W bile we do not 
regard our patent laws as perfect, they are as good 
as we are likely to have, and, good or bad, they are 
laws, and must be observed. The man who has 
taken out a patent has certain rights which the laws 
have, for a consideration, secured to him, and we 
would no more encourage an infringement upon a 
legitimate patent than we would favor the payment 
of fraudulent claims. But, it will be asked, what 
is one to do, if he is accused of infringing a patent? 
The first thing to do is to “ take matters easy,” and 
Don’t be Frightened into Doing Anything. 
This is a country of laws, and if one has uninten¬ 
tionally infringed upon a patent, he will not be 
executed at the next cross roads without the bene¬ 
fit of clergy. Nor yet will he be thrown into a 
dungeon, and fed on bread and water. The holder 
of the patent must bring a suit, and in a United 
States Circuit Court at that. In the cases where 
the claim is a just one, and a person’s rights have 
been infringed, the holder of the patent will not be 
likely to indulge in threats, as he feels confident he 
is right, and the use of bluster and threatening of 
itself suggests fraud. Of course, every such case 
will have its peculiar features, and we can only give 
the general advice, to not be frightened, to do no¬ 
thing in a hurry; consult the neighbors, as there 
are usually several such cases in the vicinity, to se¬ 
cure unity of action, and if convinced that the 
claim is a just one, make the best compromise 
possible. A correspondent at Carbon Center, Pa., 
sepds us an account of a case in which claimants 
of a gate patent sued farmers for an infringement. 
The defendants, the farmers, were present in court 
with their witnesses, but the plaintiff did not ap¬ 
pear at the trial, thus admitting that he had no 
cause. Every one claiming to hold a patent on an 
article should be willing to give its number, and the 
date on which it was issued. By writing to the 
Patent Office, at Washington, a copy of the patent 
can be procured for a moderate fee (50c., we think), 
and this will allow one to judge of the validity of 
the claim.Some swindles, no matter how thor¬ 
oughly exposed, have long lives. Here is the 
Powder to Prevent Damp Explosions. 
It is over 10 years ago that we showed up this 
powder, a pinch of which put into the lamp would 
not only prevent explosion of the oil, but insure 
against the breaking of the chimney. This wonder¬ 
ful stuff was nothing but common salt, colored 
blue with ultramarine, and, of course, utterly with¬ 
out effect in preventing explosions. We had not 
heard of this for several years, until a Spencerport 
paper came to hand with an account of the success 
of this swindle in one of the finest portions of New 
New York State. Two well-dressed chaps not only 
sold the powder, but offered premiums of furniture 
and carpets to purchasers. At last accounts “they 
turned East at Ogden Center Church,” driving at 
full speed, and we regret to say that the sheriff 
failed to come up with them. 
Gambling in Grain and Provisions. 
We have a circular from a concern in Chicago that 
reads wonderfully like the old “put and call” 
manifestoes of the swindling New York Stock 
Brokers. Those begged people to put money in 
their hands for gambling in stocks, and these ask 
for money for gambling on the price of grain and 
provisions A friend who has received one of these 
sheets wishes our opinion of it.—We haven’t any. 
... .There are some things so self-evident that we 
wonder that any one should be at the trouble to 
ask about them. Here is an inquiry from a Phila¬ 
delphian about a Philadelphia Association, 
“For The Aid of Unmarried Persons,” 
and “mutual aid” at that. Our correspondent 
writes, that he called at the office in Philadelphia, 
and was informed that he could become a member 
by the payment of $32, and that one year thereafter 
he would receive $1,000 ! Yet, instead of becoming 
a member, he sits down and writes us, if we know 
anything about the Association. We have to plead 
ignorance, it seems to be the “most mutualest” of 
any Association we have heard of—beats the Boston 
Women’s Bank. It should be called a “ Society for 
the Encouragement of Celibacy,” for we doubt if 
there is any shop where a married man can get a 
cool thousand on investing $32. Our correspondent 
asks “ if it is a humbug ?” We give it up.... A 
friend sends us a show-bill of 
An Excelsior Gas Burner, 
which fairly shouts and screeches for persons to 
act as agents for it, and asks our opinion as to his 
taking the agency. We have read over the sheet 
carefully, and advise him, unless he wishes to be¬ 
come accessory to manslaughter, to let it alone. 
Though it is not so stated in plain terms, this burner 
is to be used with Naphtha, Benzine, or similar light 
petroleum products, something “that will cost one 
half less than kerosene.” It claims over and over 
to give a “gas light,” which is simply untrue. It 
is a contrivance for burning the vapor of one of the 
liquids mentioned. A gas is permanent at ordinary 
temperatures, the vapor produced by the heat of 
the burner is no more a gas than is steam. That a 
bright light may be produced is very likely, but 
there is always great danger when any of the liquids 
of the benzine class are in use. The sale of gun¬ 
powder is regulated by law, and so is the sale of 
poisons in most States, but these dangerous liquids, 
more dangerous than gunpowder, because so little 
is known of their real nature, may be sold freely in 
every country store. No device of burner, no form 
of lamp, can make it safe to have these liquids in 
use in the house_After reading of the old medi¬ 
cines over and over again, it is really refreshing, to 
come across an entirely new one. This time 
We have Literally “Struck lie !” 
and Shark’s Oil at that, or to be exact, it is “ Foo 
Choo’s Balsam of Shark’s Oil,” and a very potent 
thing it is, as itis “the only absolute cure forDeaf- 
ness known.”—Now where arc your Audi — Denta — 
and other kinds of Phones? This ought to be called 
a “chromatic ” oil, for it comes from a small “ White 
Shark,” caught in the “Yellow Sea.” “Its virtues 
were discovered by a Buddhist Priest about the 
year 1410.”—What’s Ancient Greece by the side of 
this venerable oil! We are a little puzzled to know 
how this priest, one of the first principles of whose 
religion is not to take animal life, got at his oil. 
But why be captious when we learn that since they 
had their ears rubbed with this shark’s grease, “ no 
deafness has existed among the Chinese people ! ” 
- ifl g» - -- 
Tomato Seeds.— “ B. H.” complains that he 
finds it difficult to get rid of the slimy pulp that 
surrounds the seeds of tomatoes. It is a very easy 
matter. On a small scale it is better to cut open 
the fruit and remove the small clusters of seeds 
surrounded by the pulp. Place in a vessel with 
water enough to cover them, and let them stand 48 
hours. In warm weather they will usually ferment 
sufficiently in this time to destroy the surrounding 
pulp. Try a few, and if they do not wash out 
clean, let the mass ferment a while longer. As 
soon as the seeds can be washed clean, wash them 
thoroughly and spread them upon thin paper to dry. 
Bee Notes for September. 
BY L. C. BOOT. 
In most locations the season for honey gathering 
to any great extent has now passed. Some sec¬ 
tions will afford honey from Sweet-scented Clover 
(Melilot), and others from Golden Rod, Aster, Eu- 
patorium, and other fall flowers. In the August 
Notes I urged the necessity of not endeavoring to 
secure too much surplus, and thus leave the 
brood combs with too little honey for the bees to 
winter upon. There will be eases where the honey 
yield closes very abruptly, when the combs will be 
fully occupied with brood, and the honey almost 
entirely stored above in the boxes. Where this is 
the case, the bees must be fed. Where fall flowers 
are abundant, and more honey may be stored than 
is necessary for winter, empty combs should be 
supplied, and honey stored for spring feeding. 
What Shall We Feed? 
If there are exceptional cases where, from im¬ 
proper management, or from causes referred to 
above, we find feeding necessary, what shall we 
feed?_I answer, let it be pure honey. I 
have heretofore advocated the use of the best 
“ A ” sugar, but time has changed in our prac¬ 
tice. The darker grades of honey are now so 
low in price that it is no longer to our interest to 
feed cane sugar and sell our honey. But our 
strongest argument against feeding other sweets 
than honey is, that great efforts must be made by 
bee-keepers everywhere to preserve the standard of 
purity of honey. For this reason, I urge that no 
other food than honey be used for our bees. I am 
well aware that cane sugar may be used for winter¬ 
ing in such a manner that all of it will be consumed 
by the bees, but as we advance in the business, I 
find it desirable to feed more freely. While so 
many articles of a saccharine nature are being so 
freely and vilely adulterated, bee-keepers should 
avoid even the appearance of adulteration. 
Good Queens. 
See to it that each stock is supplied with a good, 
prolific queen. It is important that all queens be 
of good quality upon entering winter-quarters. 
Natural Swarming. 
A correspondent sends a description of a hiving 
box, and his manner of hiving bees. So far as rub¬ 
bing a hive with peach leaves, or washing with salt 
and water, or other preparation is concerned, I have 
only to say it is not necessary. Simply keep hives 
in a shaded place before using, have them clean, 
and shade well after the bees are hived. I am not 
disposed to spend much time upon the subject of 
natural swarming, as we now have better methods. 
Rapid Ilonoy Gathering. 
Those who availed themselves of the best 
methods, have generally secured a good yield of 
honey. Up to date (July 25th), White Clover has 
continued to afford honey abundantly. Basswood 
does not promise to yield as freely as during many 
years past. It has been in bloom several days, but 
the flow of honey from it seems moderate. 
The hive referred to last month, has been ex¬ 
tracted at intervals and has given as follows : July 
4th, we extracted 624 lbs. This amount was taken 
from the upper story of combs only. July 8th, we 
took from all the combs 114 lbs. July 12th, 66 
lbs. July 19th, 401 lbs. July 22d, 36 lbs. July 23d 
the hive was moved six miles to the “Hights,” to 
take advantage of the prolonged yield of Basswood, 
and of a greater range of Buckwheat. 
As an item of interest I will give the amount 
gathered per hour, the hive being weighed at inter¬ 
vals during the afternoon of July 10th : 
At 1 p.m. it weighed . 155 pounds. 
“ 4 “ “ “ 160 
“ 5 “ “ “ 163 “ 
“ 6 “ “ “ .166 “ 
“ 7 “ “ “ 1711 “ 
The greater gain during the last hour was prob¬ 
ably due to the presence of more bees in the hive, 
which did not go out again, it being too late. 
