130 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
is to make sure the soil is even. The object in 
duplicating the unmanured plots is to test this. 
THE EXPERIMENTS FOR 1879. 
Of the experiments proposed by the American 
Agriculturist, my very decided preference is for 
Set No. 3. This is the same as Set A of last 
year, except that it has the mixture of Nitrogen 
and Potash, No. E, which that lacked. This 
provides for tenth acre plots. Next to Set No. 
3, I should by all means recommend Set No. 2, 
which is the same as No. 3, except it is only half 
the size, i. e., for one-twentieth acre plots. The 
sets, by the way, are essentially the same recom¬ 
mended by Wolff for soil tests. I earnestly hope 
that as many of last year’s experimenters as possi¬ 
ble will repeat their trials this year. I trust, too, 
that all will inform me of matters of especial in¬ 
terest or about which they are in doubt. I will try 
to find time to answer their letters, though it may 
be impossible to do so as soon as they are received. 
So let us look for a good season’s work together. 
W. O. Atwater. 
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn. 
Sundry Humbugs. 
We will not attempt to 
discover why our budget of 
Humbug documents is so 
overwhelmingly devoted to 
lottery matters this month, 
but the fact is patent. Our 
accumulated material from 
all sorts of sources is usu¬ 
ally in some sort an index 
to the prevailing moral dis¬ 
ease. In this case, we are 
glad to state that excess of 
lottery by no means stands 
for success with that form 
of iniquity. Probably ow¬ 
ing to the fact that the lot¬ 
tery under some name or 
or form is even at this day 
tolerated where it should 
not be, people in general 
are slow at accepting the 
fact that all lotteries are 
wrong in principle—a point that we have discussed in 
former volumes, and will not dwell upon now. Every 
now and then some good-natured person is astonished 
by finding himself the recipient of an attractive lottery 
scheme. He is rather disgusted, quite surprised, and at 
length satisfies his conscience by enclosing it to us with 
a note saying: 
“IF THIS IS A HUMBUG, SHOW IT UP.” 
A very proper thing to do, though every reader of the 
American Agriculturist should by this time know that in 
such a case there is no “ virtue in if." While a lottery 
may be honestly managed, i. e,, with only the wrong in¬ 
herent in the scheme, which makes one lose money 
without cause that others who have done nothing to de¬ 
serve it may gain it, yet they rarely are so, and those 
that seem to be surrounded by all sorts of safeguards— 
such as in some States the influence of ex-generals, and 
in others the names of judges, governors, and bishops— 
can be, and often are, converted into swindles. There 
is. but little of our territory at present in which 
the lottery is not illegal. Pattee and his crew no 
longer ride high horses in Kansas and Wyoming. 
Being driven to the very frontier settlements; the 
lottery crew left the track of the "Star of Empire,” and 
migrated to the Provinces. For a while the mails from 
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and there away, were 
teeming with flaming schemes—some were “ Lotteries.” 
some were “ Distributions,” some were “ Concerts,” but 
all with the prefix “ Royal,” and it must have astonished 
the Royal coat of arms to find itself pouring into Yan- 
keedom at such a rate, as the figurehead of such a " Roy¬ 
al ” lot of swindlers. For some months we have heard 
but little of the " Royal ” schemes. All at once there is 
this sud-dcu irruption, but—this sign of revival is 
REALLY A CRY OF DISTRESS. 
Among the severa'. fancy names for the lottery in New 
Brunswick—for we suspect that, as under the Kansas and 
Wyoming dispensation, names are more numerous than 
things—one of the most prominent, is the “ Royal Gift 
Soiree." - e always did like that name—it is so recherche, 
not to ray comme it faut. “ Soiree" so niceiy balances 
"Royal.” “Royal Gift Concert” is loaded by the head, 
but in “ Royal Gift Soiree," the txmte ensemble has a tip¬ 
top jenesais quoi. Soiree was a happy thought, and its 
pronunciation is fixed by the high authority of Mr. S. 
Weller, Jr.—“ swarry.” We have had rather a fancy for 
this “ Royal Gift Swarry it 6cnt out so much stationary 
and such a variety; there are Monthly Swarrys, 
which give out hundreds and thousands, just to keep 
its hand in, and then there are the Quarterly Swarrys, 
where millions are “ dispensed with ” in truly “ Royal ” 
style. Then it mentions great names, one a “Justice of 
the Peace,” and another a “Sheriff.” Then the Royal 
Coat of Arms heads the papers. There are “ the Lion 
and the Unicorn a fighting lor the crown.” To the out¬ 
sider every thing looks bright. The Lion roareth and 
the Unicorn paweth just as if the swarry had no trouble 
—but the “ swarry ” is not happy. The swarry is not the 
first manifestation of Royalty troubled with irnpecu- 
niosity. It doesen’t advertise that 
“ BUSINESS IS GOING TO THE BOW-WOS,” 
but it does write to its agents that something must be 
done to increase the sale of tickets—and it deliberately 
asks its agents to join them in a fraud—to unite with the 
concern in making the public believe that something 
happened which never did happen. In short, this “Royal 
Gift Soire” concern of New Brunswick proposes to 
HIRE ITS AGENTS IN THE U. S. TO LIE FOR THEM. 
We give the space to this case, because it shows what 
may happen in all lotteries, and does happen in most, 
and because as it is sometime since we have had much 
to say about lotteries, our letters show that our new 
readers should not be in any doubt as to our position in 
relation to them. That we may not misrepresent this 
“Royal” concern, we quote its letter to its agents, ver¬ 
batim, the italics being our own. It is dated at the 
“ OFFICE ROYAL NEW BRUNSWICK GIFT SOIREE. 
Dear Sir— The Managers are satisfied some extra induce¬ 
ment must be given, in order to increase the sale of tickets. 
—Therefore they have decided to have a separate drawing, 
and distribute a large number of Prizes among their Agents 
in different localities, some of $100, some $200, some $500, 
some $1000, etc. Every ticket in this Special drawing for the 
benefit of Agents will win a prize ; none of these tickets will 
be sold, but if you will introduce their new and popular 50- 
cent tickets in your locality, by selling six tickets in the 
regular drawing of March 10th, Capital Prize $10,000, and re¬ 
mit $3, we will send by return of mail six tickets, and also 
one of the special prize tickets free of cost, which insures 
you a prize, or we will send the tickets and you remit when 
sold.—When you remit state if you will allow us to publish 
2 /our name and the amount of Prize drawn by you, as it 
might benefit our sales more than $5000 spent in advertising. 
—Write immediately if you desire to win a prize. For full 
particulars, Tickets, &c., address our authorized Agent " 
(whose name and address on Broadway, N. Y„ is given). 
THESE ARE “ EXTRA INDUCEMENTS ” 
to agents to increase the sale of tickets. But how do 
ttiey read by the side of another document put out by 
this same “ Royal Gift Soiree,” not to its agents, but a 
“ NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC.” 
We give the language of the “ notice,” omitting such 
dates and figures as do not affect or change its purport: 
“ These Grand Soirees and Distribution of Cash Gifts are 
under the managment of Hugh McKay, late Chief of Police. 
Therefore, from the start, honesty of management and suc¬ 
cess were assured. * * * The fairness and strict integ¬ 
rity of these Gift Soirees, under the management of Hugh 
McKay & Co., cannot be doubted or questioned, and the 
magnificent Schedule of Gifts and honorable management 
make it a favorite investment with the public, as the amount 
is but a trifle compared to the gifts. Every one has confi¬ 
dence in the integrity of the management....” 
Every now and then, notwithstanding the publicity 
that has been given, and our repeated ■warnings: 
“FARMERS, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SIGN,” 
cases come to our knowledge, of much trouble and ex¬ 
pense resulting from the carelessness of farmers, who, 
supposing that an address was being given, or some 
simple agreement signed, have found that they had 
placed their names at the bottom of a promissory note 
fora considerable sum of money. Generally the rascals 
sell the note at once, and the farmer is often sued for the 
amount by the holder. In a case at Northampton, Mass., 
in February last, it was not a farmer who was sued, but 
two Hunters, one Lord, and one McKinney—all four were 
sued for swindling Austin Waite, and were put under 
$1,000 bonds each to appear for trial in June next. It 
was a case of getting an order for mowing machine 
grinders, when Waite supposed he was only giving bis 
address. If farmers only stand firm in such cases, they 
can soon rid the country of swindlers of this class. 
CHEAP PIANOS. 
Some parties offer a piano for $5. Others for the cost 
of packing if one will send the names of 20 persons wlio 
have no piano or organ but are likely to buy one—and 
our opinion is asked in such cases. We should not sup¬ 
pose it necessary to write for an opinion. Unless in 
some extraordinary cases, an article does not sell for a 
great deal more, or a great deal less than its real value. 
If these instruments are really worth $2.50 or $5 each— 
that is the end of it. We do not understand that a $500 
—or even a $50 piano is offered for $5. If one has room 
for a $5 piano, or can make any use of it when he gets it, 
he very likely can get as good a $5 piano in the cases in¬ 
quired about as he can anywhere! 
THE REAL VALUE OP A BOOK 
depends upon many tilings. A work on the propagation 
of plants is advertised for sale at 50c. Several nursery¬ 
men have written that they have bought the work, aud 
feel that they have been badly swindled. Perhaps, as 
they knew all that the work contained, and more too, 
they had no use for it; but suppose they had no previous 
knowledge of the subject—as the majority of people have 
not. Some single directions may have been worth many 
dollars. We preferred not to accept an advertisement of 
the work, when shown to us, for fear of just such disap¬ 
pointments, yet the information to one who needs it, is 
of real value. One of the best investments ever made by 
a large sign-painting firm in this city, many years ago, 
was to pay a man in Jersey City $600 for his secret prep¬ 
aration, by which he applied gold leaf in some kind of 
gilding. The man received the $600, took up a piece of 
glass, licked it with his tongue, and the gold-leaf ad¬ 
hered beautifully—“ saliva ” was liis secret, and it proved 
to be worth the sum to the others to know it. 
A DICTIONARY MATTER. 
A man by the name of Hunt in a small town in Massa¬ 
chusetts is engaged in a very small business. He would 
no doubt like to have us give his address, but we are not 
in that line. He fills a postal card full of printed matter. 
It is headed, 
SPECIAL OFFER j ^Vlhifcard!' 5 f $ 6 ' 00 for 56 cents. 
Then it goes on to describe, “ The Illustrated Diction¬ 
ary—22,000 Words, 250 Engravings ; handsomely bound 
in cloth, etc., etc.—The conditions are. “ If you will re¬ 
turn this card, together with the names and addresses of 10' 
or 20 young gents, from 13 to 22 years of age, and 56 cents 
to pay mailing, packing, and other expenses, we will 
send you by mail, post-paid, the Illustrated Dictionary.” 
“The above liberal offer holds good for30 days only after 
receipt of this card,” etc. Now this may be a device for 
PROCURING NAMES FOR SALE— 
as various methods are resorted to. He addresses him¬ 
self to a common class, when he asks for the names of 
“younggents.” No gentleman, young or old, would take 
such liberty with the name ef another gentleman, to an 
unknown aud suspicious person, for an unknown pur¬ 
pose. “ Young gents ” are unknown among decent peo¬ 
ple. After all it may be only a small money-making 
dodge. Hunt’s card costs him perhaps two cents. He 
asks for 56 cents, and he will send that “Illustrated Dic¬ 
tionary.” It is 5J4 inches long, 4 inches wide, and % inch 
thick. It has 320 pages of fair paper, looks neat, is de¬ 
cently bound. No name of author or publisher is given.. 
Probably Hunt can send them for the price named, and 
make 25 cents on each. The chief deception is in saying 
or rather offering $6.00 for 56 cents. 
TWO FAMILIAR FEATURES 
have well-nigh disappeared from onr budget. Now and 
then there is a solitary inquirer after that Secret Service 
affair. And we are encouraged to hope that Jones lias- 
found the most of his cousin. 
MEDICAL MATTERS. 
We would say to our friends as kindly as possible, that 
we cannot afford the time to answer queries about adver¬ 
tised medicines or advertising “ doctors.” Sometimes- 
we have a dozen letters a day like the one before us. The 
writer is evidently anxious—has a friend he would bene¬ 
fit, sends us return postage, and expects a letter, and from- 
tlie Editor. He would feel slighted were a clerk to write 
him. We can not find it in our heart to disappoint such, 
yet we know that we can not help him, and a printed re¬ 
ply would answer every purpose. So, evening after even¬ 
ing, much time goes to replies of this kind. The letter, 
we take for an example, contains an advertisement cut 
from some journal. The writer’s friend has a girl who 
has fearful fits. The promises of this advertisement are 
caught at, and we are appealed to—what can we do? 
Such persons will not apply a general rule, and when we 
say we cannot commend any advertised doctor or cure, 
seem to think the case in which they are Interested may 
be an exception. This “Fit Curer” says; “I warrant 
my remedy to cure tlie worst cases,” which shows as 
plainly as could a whole volume what sort of a man he is. 
Artificial Butter, How Made.—“J. C. M.,” 
Almont, la.—The process for making artificial or olemar- 
garine “ butter,” is too complicated and not of sufficient 
importance to be described in detail here, as of course 
none of onr farmer readers would go into the business. 
The outlines of tlie process are as follows: Tlie oil is 
separated from the caul fat by “rendering” in large 
tanks, and then, after passing through some refining pro¬ 
cess, is mixed with a little partially sour milk, color¬ 
ing matter, and an alkali. Tlie mixture is run over ice 
to remove the “grain,” and is afterwards churned with- 
about its weight of sour milk, in order to give the 
product something of the flavor ar.d appearance of butter. 
