176 
[Mat, 
AMERICAN AG-RIOULTURIST. 
Silica In Plants,— Silica (or sand) lias long been 
considered an essential constituent of plants, especially 
the cereals like wheat and oats, in which it was held in¬ 
dispensable to give the straw the proper strength to hold 
op the heavy, well filled heads. The conclusions stated 
hi the Annual Report of the Connecticut Agricultural 
Experimental Station of 1879, show that the value and 
importance of Silica in plant nutrition, have been greatly 
overestimated. The Report says: “1. It has been con¬ 
clusively shown that the strength of strew does not de¬ 
pend npon the Silica in it, but on the vegetable sub¬ 
stance itself. Rapid growth produces, in presence of 
abnndant Silica, a comparatively loose and weak cell 
tissue. Slow growth, on the other hand, yields in prac¬ 
tically total absence of Silica, firm and close textured 
stems. Again, no fertilizing experiments in which 
soluble Silica has bom supplied, have shown any benefit 
from the Silica. Finally, there is no element soabun- 
dant In all soils, and none whose access to crops is so im¬ 
possible to avoid. 2. Numerous most carel'nl trials on 
the growth of plants under circumstances where Silica 
has not and could not.be supplied by them, except in 
most minute quantities, have demonstrated beyond all 
question that Silica is not necessary to the nutrition 
or complete development of agricultural plants,” 
Chicken Cholera.— The Georgia State Agricul¬ 
tural Society, in answer to the offer of a reward for the 
best remedy for chickeu cholera, received the fol¬ 
lowing, which is of course claimed to be a sure cure. 
“Gather one bushel of Smart-weed and put it into a 
large-sized kettle, adding 10 gallons of water. Boil down 
to three gallons and mix this liquor with meal in 
proportion of one pint to three gallons of meal, and feed 
the same to 200 chickens twice a day until disease disap¬ 
pears and then give no more for a week. To keep the 
disease away give every other day." We give the above 
for what it is worth, and have no doubt it is quite as 
valuable as any of the secret remedies now offered. The 
one who proposes the remedy claims that previous to 
using this decoction he lost 800 chickens, but none since 
its use, which is as much entitled to consideration as the 
claim of secret stuffs to be perfect cures. We take it that by 
“ Smnrtweed,” one of the acrid Polygonums. is intended. 
Two species of Polygonum, P. Hydropiper and P. acre , are 
found in moist ground in nearly all parts of the country. 
These are known as “Smart-weed," “Water-Pepper,” 
and “ Biting Knot-weed." They have a very acrid juice, 
which irritates and even blisters the skin if applied where 
that is tender, and has a most pungent, biting taste. 
Some species resembling these are without this property. 
Winter in Dakota,—A friend, who is stationed 
at a post in the Northwestern portion of the Territory, 
writes in a private letter: “We have had a rigorous 
winter, lasting from the latter part of October until past 
the middle of March. For weeks at a time the thermom¬ 
eter never got above zero, but it did one day reach to 51 
below. Of course the mercu ial thermometer never told 
us that, it was resting about that time. [Referring to the 
fact that mercury freezes at about 39°—Eu], For six 
weeks we were without mails on account of the heavy 
snows that completely blockaded the roads. We had 
stoim after storm, such as you in the East never dreamed 
of, and which pen cannot paint. Yet tiie weather is 
glorious 1 A clear, bracing air that makes it a pleasure to 
live in it. Zero weather we consider warm, and hardly 
worth while to put on wraps in going short distances. 
Of course this refers to quiet weather. A wind alters 
the case materially. Most of us wore buckskin panta¬ 
loons after the manner of the Indians, buffalo overcoats, 
fur caps and gloves or fur mittens. In very cold weather 
boots and arctics were unwearable, and boots made of 
buffalo robe with the fur inside were the only artie'es for 
possibly keeping the feet warm. I must, on second 
thoughts, make an exception, as German socks and loose 
arctics could be worn. I adopted the former, however, 
as did the majority. At present writing (March 2Sth), the 
Missonri river is still stationary Ice four feet thick and 
as clear as a crystal, though in summer the Missouri is 
the muddiest river, without exception, 1 ever saw.”—Ice 
four feet thick 1 and in the East an impending ice famine 1 
Balky Horses.—Among the suggestions said to 
be published by some Anti-cruelty to Animals Society, 
are these : It the horse when he balks, can have his at¬ 
tention diverted there is usually no trouble in starting 
him. This may be done in various ways of which the 
iollowing are a few that have lieen employed: Take the 
horse out of the shafts and turn him around several 
times quite rapidly. This will make him entirely dizzy 
and lead him to forget that he does not wish to draw the 
load. A stout twine twisted around the fore-leg has been 
used asn remedy with good results. A string tied around 
the ear lias the same effect. We have seen horses of the 
balkiest sort started in a moment by putting a lump of 
earth into then mouths. Even a piece of sugar or a hand¬ 
ful of fresh grass win so cl < vert he attention of a bniker 
that he will often start off with, it trouble. Some mild 
treatment like these that set the animal to thinking of 
something foreign to his work is vastly better than any 
amount of whipping, and is much easier of application. 
Sundry Humbugs, 
Every now and then 
a letter shows that all 
do not understand the 
rules that govern the 
conduct of theso col¬ 
umns. It is a mere 
waste of paper and 
postage to write a re¬ 
quest to “ denounce so 
and so iu your Hum¬ 
bug Column," as somo 
thoughtless persons occasion¬ 
ally . do. Our older readers 
are aware that these columns aro 
not and cannot be made the me¬ 
dium through which to redress 
private grievances. One to merit 
a place here must be an enemy 
to the public welfare, not merely suspected of wrong 
doing, but the proofs against him mast he such as 
would convince any fair minded man that the good of 
the community requires his exposure. There aro—and 
more’s the pity—quite as many of this kind as wo care 
to occupy ourselves with. The publisher of a country 
newspaper writes: “Dear Sir, Please denounceX. X. X., 
of Cincinnati, O..” who advertised some gimcrack In his 
paper and did not pay. If we were to set up as denoun¬ 
cers of all who do not pay for advertising we should bo 
obliged to issue a large supplement. We find that re¬ 
quests like the above, as in this case, generally end with 
“please omit my name." 
This person expects us, upon his bare request to give 
oue we never before heard of the bad eminence of a 
place here, and is even unwilling to appear as accuser. 
No we thank yon. We are notin that business just now. 
With the spring, when snakes and other creeping 
things come out of their holes, those sharpers appear who 
HAVE DESIGNS UPON FARMERS. 
Where these fellows come from, and where they stay 
when not going about the farming districts is a mystery 
—but soon after the skunk cabbage blossoms theso aro 
sure lo appear, whether in person or through advertise¬ 
ments, offering one thing or another, but all having 
the same aim—the farmer’s pocket. Sometimes it is 
WONDERFUL SEEDS AND PLANTS. 
It is safe to assume that any seed or plant offered by 
traveling venders or agents as something new or of a 
kind not to be had elsewhere, is a fraud. Valuable now 
things are not introduced in this manner. Tennessee is 
a wonderful State in many respects, and the seeds that 
are advertised by parties in that State are—to say the 
least, remarkable; so much so that we advise our readers 
to let some one else try them ...Beware of those chaps 
who come about with “ rights” for sale, or some imple¬ 
ment or affair for which they would make you “ sole 
agent "for the township. A farmer who properly at¬ 
tends to his farm has no time to bother with selling 
somebody's Mowing Machine Knife Sharpeners or any¬ 
body’s Patent Spring Bed. Besides this, nearly all 
THE SWINDLES UPON FARMERS 
through the medium of notes fraudulently obtained, 
that have come to our knowledge, would have been 
avoided, had the farmers refused to have anything to do 
with matters outside of their proper calling. Being 
tempted by the idea of making money through the sale 
of articles of which they knew nothing, they havo had 
to pay notes which they signed while thinking that they 
put their names to an order for goods. So generally aro 
they swindled, that the farmer’s only safety is in refus¬ 
ing to buy any machine, implement, or other article, of 
any traveling agent whatever. There is nothing needed 
on the farm that may not be bought of dealers, who 
have a fixed habitation and can be found when wanted. 
TIIE TREMONT SPOON CO. 
of Boston has come to grief. Wo noticed its offer last 
month, and now have to record the fact that the Post¬ 
master General, being convinced that they were using 
the mails for fraudulent purposes, has issued orders to 
the Boston Postmaster to deliver no more letters to the 
men of spoons. Hardhearted Postmaster Generali 
There arc other concerns that need looking after, in- 
cludinga Gold Ring Shop in Philadelphia.. ..The sellers 
of recipes for making 
ILLUMINATING OILS 
appear to be active, especially in Nebraska and others of 
the newer States, and the many letters of inquiry mako 
it necessary to repeat our caution against them They 
claim that their recipe will allowan illuminating oi! to 
be made at less than half the price of kerosene, and one 
that will not explode. As a proof of its safety tho chap* 
have a sample of tho oil which they show will extinguish 
a burning match. We havo seen none of these recipes 
that did not direct tho use of Benzine, which is mixed 
with various useless articles a3 a blind, and in some 
cases it is asserted that these remove its dangerous 
qualities. Benzine is very cheap, but it is very danger¬ 
ous. and nothing whatever can be mixed with it that will 
make it safe. It does not of itself explode, but its vapor 
mixed with air will—and murderously. The matter is 
of such serious importance as to warrant our repeatod 
warnings, for it is not too much to say that it is 
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. 
Let no considerations of cheapness ; let no assurance 
that any admixture will alter its nature; let uo claim 
that anybody's lamp or any patent burner will make it 
safe, induce you to have, keep, and much less burn Ben¬ 
zine. Benzine is benzine and is really more dangerous 
to have iu the house than gun-powder—because every one 
knows the danger of that and is cautious. Good kero¬ 
sene is cheap enough ; if that can not be afforded, rather 
go to bed at dark than to use benzine in the lamps. 
ANOTHER STUMP DESTROYER. 
Last autumn w r c gave an account of tho wonderful 
“Stumps Removed” of one Horton, William V. by the 
way, what has become of William, “ Willie we have 
missed you”), that took two nails, a wire, and some of 
tho powder, and tiie rest was left to electricity. There 
is a chap going through the Southern States—stumping 
the country so the speak, with an “ exterminator ” that 
boats Horton's all “outof sight.” It is Wm. F. Bu¬ 
chanans’ “ Lightning Sprout and Timber Exterminator." 
You boro a hole, put in a spoonful—and away goes 
your tree—that is “ within six or twelve months," quite 
long enough for tho seller to get well out of the way. 
No nails—no wire, nothing but a hole and tho “ extermi¬ 
nator.” We are left in doubt as to what it is. but as a 
spoonful Is used it must bo a powder or a liquid. It is 
called “ Lightning,” bnt if 6 to 12 months is Bnchanau’s 
idea of lightning, wo prefer Horton’s electricity, which 
did It in two or three. ...Tho mention of lightning and 
electricity as applied to trees and stumps suggests 
THE WAR OF TIIE BATTERIES. 
Elias still sends out his affidavit that there “ain’t no 
sicli pusson" a^ Prof. J. C. Boyd, while we have every 
reason to b lieve there is such a person, for have we not 
his circulars, and is not his name upon them f And ho 
calls himself a Professor, and ho does profess at a remark¬ 
able rate. One correspondent writes that he would ex¬ 
pect a piece “ cat f.om the end of an ear of corn ” to do 
as much good as one of these batteries, and he is right. 
It is a remarkable illustration of the power of the imagina¬ 
tion that people who wear these things think they per¬ 
ceive an effect from them. It is ut terly absurd to suppose 
that wearing any combination of metals that may be put 
together in the form of a medal can send any electricity 
into the body. These batteries and the claims made for 
them show an entire lack of knowledge of the most ele¬ 
mentary laws of electricity. Of the two we like Boyd’s 
the best, as he, in explaining his battery, says: “Tliat 
the various blocks of metal were so placed that when tho 
electricity was formed it would he formed in gimlet shape," 
and that it would “ pass on tioisting." If we are to have 
electricity, let it be by all means of the “doubled and 
twisted" sort. The eccentric Rafinesque once sent a 
paper to “Sllllman’s Journal,” describing 15 species of 
lightning. Ilad he lived in Boyd’s time he could have 
added the “gimlet-pointed,” and tlms made 16 species. 
But these New York Batteries must step aside, and 
MAKE ROOM FOR A BOSTON BATTERY. 
nere comes Doct. Dye, who unites with his battery at 
absorption pad. Electricity sends disease out of the 
body and the pad absorbs it before it can go back again. 
But wc can’t help thinking what a dangerous thing that 
pad must he after it has gone absorbing for a while. As 
the same circular informs us: “ It will not wear out,” and 
as we are given nearly the whole catalogue of diseases 
which it will absorb, we think that the Boards of Health 
should look after these old pads_One of the frauds re¬ 
cently brought to our notice, is an “ Artificial Ear Drum.” 
The sender should give us his name (not for publication), 
and also that of the seller of the “Ear Drums”... Hera 
are several letters from evidently intelligent writers, 
either making inquiry about, or sending to us as some¬ 
thing new, the circular of 
THE “ BEV.” JOSEFH T. INMAN AND HIS RECIFE. 
So far from being new. he is one of the oldest of hum¬ 
bugs. Looking back iu our flies, we find the first men¬ 
tion of Joseph in November. 1861. How much earlier he 
began his career we can not say. During all these 16 
years we have many times exposed his trick, and at tills 
late day the necessity seems as great as ever. If the fel¬ 
low ever had a right to the title. Reverend, he has long 
ago lost it, for he works by trickery, and his circular Is a 
printed lie. These are plain words, but they best express 
our meaning, nis little advertisement of only 7 Hues 
