498 
AMERICAN AG-RICTTLTTTRIST. 
[December, 
Shirt Bosoms and Collars.— We are again 
asked how they are done up at the laundries, as they 
have so much better polish than can be produced at 
home. We looked up the matter several years ago, and 
reamed from the proprietor of a large laundry that the 
polish was entirely due to hard rubbing with a “ polish¬ 
ing iron.’’ This iron is shaped like a common flat- 
iron, but without corners, as shown in the engraving 
here given, and it has a smooth and very brightly polished 
steel face. Such polishing irons can be had at the city 
furnishing stores. The linen is starched in the usual 
way and ironed. Some use a little gum arabic, others 
spermaceti, and others nothing. The ironed bosoms and 
collars have a damp cloth passed over them and are then 
polished by the use of the iron mentioned, the ironer bear - 
ing on hard and rubbing the surface of the linen rapidly. 
Black Walnut Stain.— A few years ago we 
gave directions for staining pine or other white wood a 
brown color, somewhat like black walnut, by the use of' 
umber. We have since found a much better method. 
Dissolve an ounce of Catechu in a quart of boiling water, 
addingalumpof Sal-Soda the sizeof a hickory nut. Dis¬ 
solve an ounce of Bichromate of Potash in another quart 
of Water. The articles are not expensive, and may be 
had at any drug store. To stain the wood-work, first 
paint it over with the solution of Catechu and allow it to 
dry ; then go over it with the solution of Bichromate. 
When thoroughly dry a coat of Shellac or other varnish 
will bring oat the grain of the wood. The solutions 
may be made stronger or weaker according to the depth 
o! color desired. Picture frames, book-cases, and work 
made with the scroll-saw from very common material, 
may be thus treated with most satisfactory results. 
Look Out for tlsc Water Pipes.—A friend 
who at much expense introduced water into his country 
house remarked to us. “ Ever since I have had water I 
have had trouble. - ’ Unless a house is warmed through¬ 
out there should be provision for shutting off the supply 
and letting out the water which remains in the pipes. 
The waste pipes also need looking to, for whenever water 
freezes in a pipe there will surely be a leak. Where 
water pipes are in daily use there is seldom much danger 
of freezing except during the night. Such pipes, where 
exposed, should be protected by wrapping with old car¬ 
pet or encased by a box which may be filled with leaves. 
If circumstances admit of it the water may be allowed 
to run slowly during cold nights. Rats often cause 
much trouble by gnawing lead pipes Some say that 
this is to get at the water, but others claim that it is 
merely rat-nature to gnaw whatever will yield to their 
teeth. Whatever may be the reason for this gnawing, 
it should be kept in mind as something likely to occur. 
Chilblains. —It is not necessary that the feet 
should be actually frozen to produce chilblains. Chil¬ 
dren often suffer intensely from this cause ; after play¬ 
ing out doors in the snow and getting their feet very 
cold they come into the house and warm their feet by 
the fire. These sudden changes produce an unhealthy 
condition ol the skin ol the feet, the proper circulation 
is interfered with, and there is intense itching and 
burning. The following was a popular chilblain lotion 
some years ago: Sal-Ammoniac i oz., Water 1 gill, Al¬ 
cohol i gill, and Muriatic Acid 1 dram. We have seen 
the application of Kerosene highly commended for pain¬ 
ful chilblains, but have not had occasion to try it. 
Lime for Fertilizing.— “ A subscriber of many 
years standing ” asks: “In applying Lime to land for 
fertilizing purposes, is it best to use it in the caustic 
state, o-after it has been slaked with water As lime 
comes from the kiln it is known as caustic or quick 
lime, the heat having expelled the carbonic acid gas of 
the carbonate of lime, or limestone. By exposure to the 
air. and moisture, water and carbonic acid gas are ab¬ 
sorbed, and the caustic lime returns to the carbonate. 
While this change is goiDg on the lime has the power of 
decomposing vegetable matter, and setting the elements 
of plant food free: this is the chief value of lime when 
applied to a soil. It is therefore clear that the larger the 
per cent of the lime that is in the caustic state, the more 
efficient it is, and the quicker the lime is applied after 
burning, the better. Lime is largely a secondary fertilizer. 
“Tom Brown,” and llic New Rugby.— 
Probably no work for young men has been more generally 
read on ooth sides of the Atlantic than “ Tom Brown at 
Rugby,” in which the author, Thomas Hughes, gives an 
account of his life at the celebrated English school at 
Rugby. The author, now a member of Parliament, is 
greatly interested in the welfare of his countrymen, and 
identified with cooperation and other schemes for the 
benefit of working people. He hopes to benefit farmers 
by aiding a portion of them to leave England and go 
where there is more room and land is readily acquired. 
As the head of a company for this object, Mr. Hughes has 
recently been in this country to establish a colony on the 
table lands of Tennessee, which is now fairly started and 
is called Rugby after the English town. We regret that 
we were unable to accept an invitation to attend “the 
opening of the town site ” which took place on the 5th of 
October last. The chief feature of the exercises was a 
most sensible address by Mr. Hughes himself. Though 
started for the benefit of colonists from England, others 
are not excluded if they will accept the conditions of ad¬ 
mission. The enterprise is in no sense a charity; the 
title “Board of Aid to Land Ownership,” indicates its 
object, which is to assist those who have some means to 
invest them In the best manner. The Post Office address 
of the new settlement in Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn. 
Sweet Corn— f|uiek Returns.— “W. F. W.,” 
Bridgeton, N. J., writes; “I had for dinner last week 
some sweet corn, which grew from seed that was raised 
this year. It was of the excellent ‘ Early Minnesota ’ 
variety, the first planting of which was on the sixth of 
April; the seed from this first crop was planted and gave 
the supply referred to.”—We have long regarded the 
“ Early Minnesota ” as one of the best of the very early 
varieties of sweet corn, which does not appear to be as 
generally known as its merits deserve, and we shall he 
glad if this double crop of “ W. F. W.” serves to call at¬ 
tention of lovers of Sweet Corn to this excellent variety. 
Sundry Humbugs. 
In England coopera¬ 
tion and cooperative 
stores have been long 
enough established to 
show that they are most 
excellent institutions. 
Similar stores have been 
started in this country, 
but from one cause or 
another they have not 
been so successful. 
The principle is a good 
one, but success depends upon its 
|jj application and the manner in 
which the details are carried out. 
Recently the matter has been re¬ 
vived in this country, and Mr. 
Thos. Hughes,M.P. (better known 
as “Tom Brown of Rugby”), 
on the eve of sailing for home last month, gave a public 
address in New York City on Cooperation. It is likely 
that cooperation will now take a new start and, avoiding 
former mistakes, stores will be established at which 
those who cooperate may make a considerable saving. 
There is nothing so beneficieut but it may be turned to 
bad uses, and there is no place in the country where new 
schemes of fraud are hatched more rapidly than at Cin¬ 
cinnati, Ohio. No sooner is cooperation revived than 
there comes from Cincinnati, O., the prospectus of a 
“CO-OPERATIVE COMMERCIAL AGENCY.” 
This concern mails circulars to perfect strangers, ask¬ 
ing them to act as agents! One circular says: “Your 
duties will be to make reports when called upon, to col¬ 
lect accounts and negotiate loans.” But before one can 
be qualified to do this, he must subscribe to the “ Com¬ 
mercial Reporter,” price $2 a year, “ invariably in ad¬ 
vance,” and it is also very desirable that the agent 
aforesaid should send $2.50 for a tin sign, in order that 
signs may be “ uniform" yoij know. In all $4.50 to 
start in the business of cooperating. As a bait the fol¬ 
lowing is hung out: “ We may (if you become our agent) 
be in a position to serve you personallrj upon advanta¬ 
geous terms with any loan your business may require, 
or secure you a partner with money, or sell your property 
for you, and grant you many other favors.” When we 
would learn who is to do all this, we find that it is 
“respectfully, co-operative commercial agency.” 
If we would know where to find the “Agency,” we 
look carefully over the various circulars; while these are 
very full on the subject of tin signs at $2.50 each, we 
find that no other address is given than “Cincinnati, O.” 
—Here is a concern, which claims to have a capital of 
“Two Hundred Thousand Dollars,” without a local 
habitation 1 As we look back at Cincinnati, we see in 
memory looming up through the dim past a “ Secret 
Service Company,” that required that “detectives” 
should subscribe to a $2 paper—but we do not remember 
any $2.50 tin sign. This cooperation business will not 
cooperate any better than the “Secret Service,” served. 
Common-sense people keep shy of all unusual ways of 
doing business.The Boston papers have of late 
been much concerned over 
“the ladies’ deposit,” 
which, whether it prove a fraud or not, may properly be 
placed under the unusual—very unusual methods of doing 
business. The papers are filled with column after col¬ 
umn of fine print, all relating to this concern, which ap¬ 
pears to have completely baffled all attempts at investi¬ 
gation. The office, in a richly furnished house, is man¬ 
aged entirely by women; single women, widows, or wives 
with invalid husbands can do business there. Deposits 
of not less than $200 or more than $1,000, are received, 
on which interest in advance is paid at the rate of eight 
per'cent monthly. If any depositor wishes to withdraw, 
her money is paid at once, and she can do no more busi¬ 
ness at that shop. The parties concerned are not known 
to keep any bank account, and the whole is surrounded 
by mystery of the densest kind. Of course, Bostonians 
are most curious to know what kind of business it is 
that can afford to pay 96 cents for the use of a dollar for a 
year. The general impression appears to be that, at 
some time when the deposits are most abundant, the 
thing will suddenly stop, but it is merely a conjecture. 
The Boston papers, their reporters and interviewers have 
for once met their match in the three women who manage 
“The Ladies Deposit.” .. Several have written about 
SPECULATIONS OR COMBINATIONS IN OATS, 
which have been going on for several years, particularly 
in Ohio. The oats in question are the “Hulless,”or 
“Bohemian Hulless Oats,” which are claimed to be a 
new variety that will yield 40 to 60 bushels to the acre 
and weigh 50 lbs. to the bushel. It is represented that 
there will be a great demand for these oats for seed, and 
“ Associations ” are formed to supply them. The mem¬ 
bers of the “ Association ” agree to take five or more 
bushels of the oats at $10 the bushel, and sign an agree¬ 
ment not to sell for seed at less than that price, or in 
quantities less than five bushels. The projectors of the 
scheme vary the matter in different localities, but in all 
cases the farmer agrees to do certain things while the 
other party agrees to do nothing. In some cases the 
farmers gave notes (of course some people always will 
give notes), which were sold as soon as possible. A 
number of farmers in Medina Co., O., joined one of these 
“Associations,” some of them finding it very difficult 
to raise the money lobuy the seed at $10 the bushel. Now 
that the harvest is over they find that the yield ranged 
from 6 to 20 bushels to the acre, of oats weighing about 
40 lbs. to the bushel. Having this crop they are puzzled 
as to what to do with it. They have agreed not to sell 
at less than $10 per bushel, but they do not find that any 
one has agreed to pay that or any other price. Our cor¬ 
respondent asks, 1st, “ If these parties have exclusive 
control of the seed in the U. S. ?” 2d, “ If the oats have 
been tested and found profitable ?” 3d, “ What do you 
think of this manner of doing business?”—These are 
very sensible questions, but are put rathar late. If those 
persons who have these high priced oats on hand had 
exercised ordinary caution, they could have learned that 
HULLESS OR SKINLESS OATS, 
(Bohemian being put on for “ grandeur ”), have been 
known in this country for 30 years, to our knowledge, 
and probably much longer. So far from these parties 
having “ exclusive control of the seeds,” the oats may 
be hadfrom the N. Y. seedsmen at a fourth the price 
the Ohio people paid. The oats have been tested many 
times, and have been found to deteriorate so in our 
climate, that no one has continued to cultivate them. 
As to this method of doing business, we think it a most 
profitable one for one party—the one that sells the oats. 
It is a curious fact that these Hulless Oats have come to 
the front every now and then for these last 20 years, and 
always connected with some such one-sided transaction. 
THE SPRING-BED CHAPS GOING SOUTH. 
The spring-bed swindlers have heretofore operated in 
New England, but we now hoar of them in New Jersey. 
A young man writes that a couple of these fellows in¬ 
duced his father to take the agency of the spring-beds, 
He was to take 18 beds, pay $4 each, and sell them for 
$10, and he “signed an agreement” to that effect. In 
about two months another came along with the paper, 
which turned out to be an agreement to pay $10 each 
instead of $4. The holder of this paper, by threats of 
law, etc., actually “ scared ” the father into giving a note 
for the whole amount, $1801 The son now writes us, 
asking if this note can be collected. We do not profess 
to give legal advice. We should judge, however, that 
