1879.] 
85 
AMERICAN AG-RICULTORIS 
Parsnip. —“ Early Short Round” for early, and 
“ Long Smooth ” for general crop. 
Peas. —Our trial of these included nearly fifty 
samples. “ Improved Dan’l. O’Rourke,” proved 
ealiest and best for general crop. Very close on 
this, however, came “First Crop,” and “Philadel¬ 
phia Extra Early.” “ Alpha,” three or four day’s 
later,is of superior quality to the three above named. 
[In our experience, the “Alpha” is so much better 
that we prefer to wait the few days and take it for 
the earliest—but with market gardeners, a few 
days are important.—E ds.] For second early, “ Lax- 
ton’s Fill Basket,” “Little Gem,” and “Advanc¬ 
er ; ” while for late, “ Champion of England,” 
“British Queen,” and “Veitches’ Perfection,” 
were best. “ Superlative ” makes the largest pod. 
Of edible podded peas, “ Tall Sugar” is the best. 
Peppers or Capsicums. —“ Large Bell ” and “ Sweet 
Spanish” are the best of the “sweet peppers,” 
while the “Long Red Cayeune” is the best of its 
kind. “Cranberry” is a new variety, resembling 
a cranberry in shape ; is excellent for pickling. 
Bitato. —“ St. Patrick ” (see page 102), “ Beauty of 
Hebron,” resembling “ Early Rose,” hardly as early, 
but more productive, and of excellent quality. 
“ Snowflake ” in quality still holds its superiority, 
but is inferior in productiveness to some others. 
“Extra Early Vermont,” akin to “ Early Rose,” is 
the earlier, and in all respects desirable. 
Badish. —“ Long Scarlet,” “ Scarlet Turnip,” and 
“ French Breakfast ” are all about alike in earliness, 
when sown outdoors, but for forcing, a new variety, 
“ Round Dark Red ” is a great improvement in its 
handsome shape and unusually deep color, while its 
smallness of top enables it to be grown nearly twice 
as thick as the ordinary “ Round Scarlet.” A most 
valuable acquisition to all who force radishes, and 
even in out-door culture, the same quality of “short 
tops ” will be valuable. The “ White Tipped Scar¬ 
let Turnip ” is also a very pretty variety, and equal 
in quality to any of those named. In summer rad¬ 
ishes we have also a new sort, the “ Olive-shaped 
Golden-Yellow.” This new color in the radish not 
only makes a desirable feature in a collection of 
vegetables, but its quality is likewise good. For 
winter use, “Black Spanish” and “Rose-colored 
Chinese Winter ” are the best. 
Tomatoes were sown the first week in March,- 
and after being twice transplanted, were set out 
about the middle of May, each plant being care- ] 
fully pruned and staked, so as to allow of its best 
development. Tomatoes are always with us the 
most difficult vegetable to decide upon, many of the 
varieties claiming to be different being identical. 
Among forty kinds, tried under as many different 
names, only a dozen sorts could be called distinct. 
Of these, among the recent sorts, we decided that 
“Acme” 6tood highest in point of earliness, per¬ 
fection in shape, richness of color, and excellence 
of quality. “ Reed’s Island Beauty,” new, an im¬ 
mensely large clustered variety, possessing all the 
good qualities of the older varieties. ‘ 1 Conqueror,” 
“ Early Smooth Red,” and “ Canada Victor ” still 
hold their own. While for canning-purposes “ Par¬ 
agon,” “Hathaway’s Excelsior,” and “Arlington ” 
are best suited. The “ Trophy ” is yet a favorite for 
family use, though less grown for market than the 
smaller but better shaped and earlier sorts. Our 
experiments confirm what we said last year, that no 
advance is being made in earliness in the tomato, 
and has not been, we think, in twenty years. Nor do 
we think there is likely to be any marked improve¬ 
ment in earliness, unless at the expense of quality. 
Spinach. —The new “ Savoy-leaved ” last season 
so completely superseded the other sorts that they 
are no longer grown by market-gardeners when the 
seed of this can be obtained. It winters as well as 
the old “ Round ” and “ Prickly,” gives twice the 
weight of crop, and is of better quality. 
Squash. —“White Bush” and “Summer Crook- 
neck” are the favorite summer kinds. “Boston 
Marrow” and “Hubbard” are still the best for 
winter. The “Yokohama ” is not quite so fine-fla¬ 
vored as the “Hubbard,” but keeps better. 
Turnip. —For earliest, nothing else yet equals the 
“Red-top ” and “ White-top Strap-Leaf,” but this 
season we had a new sort, the “ White Egg,” 
which, while nearly equalling these iu earliness, 
grows to a larger size, presenting a most novel and 
beautiful appearance, being oval, or egg-shaped, 
and clear white ; skin smooth; flesh fine-grained and 
sweet, and a good keeper. For second early, or 
winter, “Yellow Globe” and “Golden Ball’’are 
the best. In rutabagas the “American Improved ” 
and “ White French ” are both grown for general 
crop, principally the former. [Our preference is 
for “White French ” over all others for table use, 
but it is not handsome enough for market.— Eds.] 
Sundry Humbugs. 
It would be an unwelcome 
task to expose humbugs, 
did we not feel that we were 
doing some good. While 
but little progress is per¬ 
ceptible, taking one mouth 
with another, we can, by 
looking back a full year, see 
that a number of pernicious 
swindles have ceased to ex¬ 
ist. Where now are Clark 
& Co., those persuasive “ad¬ 
justers of claims,” who ap¬ 
proached so many thou¬ 
sands with the conundrum, 
“ Is this your signature ? ”— 
Where are Russell & Co. 
with their announcements 
“A Decision at Last,”— 
which “ decision ” amount¬ 
ed to the fact that any one 
green enough to send them 
$15 could get that “ gold watch and chain valued at $150. ” 
These and many others that were so flourishing at this 
time last year, have “gone where the woodbine twin- 
eth.”—We do not flatter ourselves that there will be any 
fewer swindling schemes, but we are sure of the dead 
ones, and the fact that the most flourishing can be 
killed, encourages us to go for the living. 
JONES STILL SEEKS HIS COUSIN. 
Jones must have found some of his cousin, as he seems 
to be slacking up in his hunt. He notifies his correspon¬ 
dents, and we give him the benefit of this announcement, 
that II. F. Burtnett is to hereafter aid him iu his swin¬ 
dling schemes, instead of McCall, as formerly.... A friend 
in Vermont writes that the schemes of 
THE LOUISIANA STATE LOTTERY 
are being circulated freely in his vicinity. That jig will 
soon be up. The concern, which was chartered by the 
I Legislature of Louisiana, has had its charter repealed. 
Good for the Legislature 1... .A subscriber suggests a 
plan which will make signatures worthless to those who 
get hold of and use them after the manner of Clark & 
Co. ; it is to write the name of the person or firm ad¬ 
dressed, on the other side of the paper, directly opposite 
to the signature, so that when the signature is cut out, it 
will on the other side show where it came from 
SWINDLES UPON FARMERS 
are by no means confined to those where implements are 
concerned. A very successful one among the farmers in 
Pennsylvania has been worked out with goods for men’s 
clothing, A man with stylish wagon drives up. He is 
selling for so and so -as they must realize as quickly as 
possible; goods in patterns for suits, great coats, or 
whatever may be, are offered. The goods not to be paid 
for until made up by a tailor, and found satisfactory; 
samples are shown, sales made by sample, and the goods 
delivered. One of our correspondents was solicited to 
buy, but the seller would not dispose of the goods shown, 
as that was a sample. He soon after visited a neighbor, 
who had bought by sample, and found on opening his 
parcel, that he had cotton instead of woollen goods. The 
neighbor was of course indignant, and told our corre¬ 
spondent that he should not pay for the article. Our cor¬ 
respondent questioned him, and learned that he had 
signed merely a receipt for the cloth. At the end of 30 
days the purchaser received a note from the bank where 
he kept an account, stating that they had discounted his 
note for $21, and charged it to his account. The receipt 
for the goods was a note. Our friend asks us to warn the 
farmers of Pennsylvania against Hugh Anderson, the 
name in whose favor the note was given, and repeat our 
injunction to fanners, 
“TO SIGN NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING.” 
Unlike many others who write about such matters, our 
friend says we may use his name if it will do any good. 
IMPROPER BOOKS AND PICTURES 
are matters that we can not expose in full without ad¬ 
vertising them. The circulars of the rascals who offer 
them leave no doubt as to the character of the articles, 
T. 
and show that every parent should examine all printed 
matter sent through the mail to his children. We have 
one bit of advice to give to a concern In Hyde Park,Muss., 
—stop.—If you don't, and that pretty quick, we shall find 
means to stop you_An agent of Adams Express Co. 
in R. I., writes a very sensible letter, showing how young 
men are induced to buy trashy things in hope of selling 
them at a profit. He also gives his method of treating 
THOSE WHO WRITE THREATENING LETTERS, 
which can not be too highly commended. He says: 
"Not long ago a young man near me received a box of 
brass jewelry from a trash store on Broadway, with a 
C. O. D. of $15. I refused to collect the bill, showed the 
boy the sham, and told him to keep his money and ‘ let 
them sweat.’ I returned the box. and iu a few days I re¬ 
ceived a threatening letter from the New York firm, to 
which I replied as follows: 
Oentlemen : Yours of the 12th inst. is at hand, and iu 
reply I would say, that you can find me at my office from 
6 a. iu. to 8 p. m., Sundays excepted. I am (i feet in my 
stockings, my fore-paw fills a qnart measure, and I snap 
the beaUh-lift up to 750. Respectfully 0. P. N. 
N. B.—They liav'nt called.” 
BROTHER MARY FOSTER STILL LIVES, 
One of the most unblushing, persistent, and. we are 
sorry to say successful swindlers of the day is Mrs. (Mr.) 
Mary L. Foster, of Smithville, Tenu. We showed, several 
months ago, the method of this swindle, which at that 
time had been so successful that Foster had a good bank 
account, obtained by operating upon the sympathies of 
benevolent people all over the Northern States. As the 
method may he new to many, we give it: 
At first Letters, and after learning the art of condensa¬ 
tion, Postal Cards, were used to save postage—were ad¬ 
dressed to a great number of names, and when names 
failed, they were addressed “ to the Pastor of the Metho¬ 
dist Church in-.” Many persons had their sympa¬ 
thies aroused by the pitiful tale of want and woe, so 
skillfully told, and responded, in the aggregate, to tens 
of thousands of dollars. And when the mine of a kind 
heart was found, it has been worked again and again. 
To those who return words of condemnation, a complain¬ 
ing letter of prejudice, abuse, etc., etc., is related, with 
all the skill of a " Philadelphia Lawyer,” aud more help 
besonght in a letter almost glisteuiug with tears and 
pathetic with wounded feelings. We are so accustomed 
to this thing, that we have to merely make a little appli¬ 
cation to the missives, and out comes, between the fines, 
“humbug,” “fraud,” “swindle.” 
MEDICAL MATTERS 
are more numerous this month than usual, though by 
no means all new. Indeed some of them are so old that 
they are likely to be new to the present generation of 
readers_“Fits,” from whatever cause, are distressing 
to the friends of the afflicted, and they naturally catch at 
whatever promises relief. We are every now and then 
asked about one Root, who calls himself a “ Doctor,” and 
professes to cure “fits.” There is no regular physician 
in New York City of the name of this “Doctor.” Any 
one who professes to cure fits, or any thing else without 
investigating the cause—for fits are not all alike—and 
without knowing the present condition of the patient, 
merely by sending his stuff to be taken—hit or miss—is 
a quack to be avoided—no matter what his pretensions, 
THE RETIRED MISSIONARY DODGE 
is still played. One of the latest is Charles P. Marshall, 
of Buffalo, N. Y. It is not fair that these new comers 
should receive the prominence due that veteran swindler, 
THE IIEV. JOSEPH T. INMAN. 
It is now some 15 years since we showed np this 
“Reverend” fraud, and he still lives. He has outlasted 
scores of other quacks, but none more pernicious than 
himself. As the case of the “Reverend” Joe is typical 
of the whole retired missionary crew, we give his method 
of operating. Joseph is very eloquent on 
“ THE ERRORS OF YOUTH,” 
“early indiscretion,” “loss of manhood,” and the like. 
We have shown np this “missionary” fraud again and 
again, and with special reference to this Inman, yet we 
find at this late day, in a journal edited by a clergyman, 
who wonhl not knowingly help a swindle of any kind, 
an advertisement, displayed in leaded type, in which this 
same Inman proposes to send this “Recipe” of course 
free to those answering the advertisement. The “ re¬ 
cipe,” accompanied by four pages of fiddle-faddle, set¬ 
ting forth all about it, is as follows : 
Extract of Corrassa Apimis .Eight Drachms. 
Extract of Selarmo Umbelifera.Four Drachms. 
Powdered Alkermes Latifolia.Three Drachms. 
Extract of Carsadoc Herbalis.Six Drachms. 
Then follow directions for fixing and mixing and tak¬ 
ing the stuff, which be calls the “ Corrassa Compound.” 
—The Rev. Joe tells the story of the errors of his youth, 
which we can readily believe, considering how he goes 
on now that lie is no longer young; tells how he went as 
a missionary to South America (poor salvages 1); how he 
discovered the “ Corrassa Compound ; ” how bad he was 
before he took it, bow he got well, and how he was “ con- 
