132 
AMEEIUAl^ AGEIOIJLTURIST. 
[March, 
“Agricultural” and Other Journals — 
How they Get Subscribers. 
For some time the advertisements of the '• House¬ 
hold Magazine” have been conspicuous in the advertis¬ 
ing pages of those papers, tliat would publish it. The 
advertisement called attention to itself by means of a 
heavy black border all around it, and by the use of large 
full-faced type within it. The object of this attractive 
advertisement seemed to be, not so much to set forth 
the merits of the magazine, as to proclaim the fact that 
every subscriber thereto was entitled to a '■ printed 
numbered receipt,” which gave him a share in the 
^‘awarding of ‘presents.’” The list of presents to be 
“ awarded ’’—not prizes to be drawn—oh no 1—made up 
a good share of the advertisement. These presents 
numbered one hundred thousand, and ranged in value 
from twenty-five cents all the way up to a House and 
Lot in New York City,” valued at ^15,000. These pres¬ 
ents were to be “awarded” on a given date at “our 
Musical Festival and Word Contest,” (whatever that 
contest might be.) 
A GAME OF CHAIfCE 
has an attraction for many people. If an offer of low 
and high prizes is made, there is a vast number of per¬ 
sons who are ready to try their luck,” hence it is not 
surprising that subscriptions to the '■ Household Maga¬ 
zine ” were numerous. One morning, as a collection of 
girls were directing the Magazine to subscribers, and 
other girls were directing circulars by the thousand, cer¬ 
tain parties walked in and carried off the Magazines 
ready for mailing, also the circulars, ditto the books. 
In short, all the “goods and chattels” of the ‘‘House¬ 
hold Magazine ” were loaded upon three large carts and 
conveyed to “Police Headquarters.” The publisher of 
said Magazine was taken to court, and required to 
give bail for his appearance on a given day to answer to 
the charge of ' 
“ CONTRIVING AND MAINTAINING A EOTTERY,” 
and using the U. S. mails in a manner contrary to law. 
It is not likely that those who fixed their hopes on 
being “ awarded ” a house and lot in New York City, 
valued at $15,010, will ever become holders of real 
estate in this way—indeed it is unlikely that subscribers 
to the ‘'Household. Magazine”—such as it was, will 
hereafter welcome its monthly visits. The publisher 
tried to run a ‘‘ magazine ” and a " lottery ” at the B.ame 
time, and these were too much for him. This method 
of running a journal or magazine with a lottery as an 
“annex,” has met with a conspicuous failure in the case 
of the “ Household,” as that concern was supposed to 
he well “ backed,” and its lottery scheme concealed 
under ‘presents” and ‘'awards” as skillfully as pos¬ 
sible. The device of a 
LOTTERY TO ATTRACT SUBSCRIBERS, 
is now employed by several so-called agricultural jour¬ 
nals, widely' advertised in the Western States. These 
journals are largely made up of sensational stories, and 
by “appropriating” from the agricultural journals 
proper, a sufficient number of articles to give their sheet 
a rural aspect, the energies of the concerns are devoted 
to advertising them. The papers far and wide contain 
the advertisements of these quasi-Agricultural journals. 
■One who has seen the advertisements of the “ House¬ 
hold Magazine,” must have noticed the remarkable sim¬ 
ilarity between these, and the advertisements of these 
BOGUS AGRICULTURAL JOURNALS. 
There is the same heavy black border surrounding both. 
The same full-faced black type, and especially the same 
offer of " presents,” to be “awarded.’ These journals 
not only advertise widely in the daily and other papers 
in the West, but by a provision of the postal law, are 
allowed to send a “Sample copy” (often t!ie only one 
published,) free. Observe that the chief point in these 
journals 
IS THE LOTTERY. 
They hold out the inducement that subscribers will 
■ draw—or be ‘'awarded ” a valuable prize or ‘' present.” 
The general desire to take a hand in a game of chance, 
must bring much money to the publishers. Those who 
believe that any such drawings or “ awards” will ever 
take place, will in time find out their mistake. The 
law, as in the case of the “ Household Magazine,” will 
prevent the drawing of any such scheme, but in most of 
these so-called '* agricultural” journals, the object is to 
hold out great inducements to subscribers, gi't their 
money, and let them wait for the results of the drawing 
or “award,” as well as for the paper itself. This is a 
widely extended swindle, played upon the farming com¬ 
munity, and the Post Office Department has it in its 
power to put a stop to it at once. 
Microscopes ibi* llie Million,—See 
pages 143-143 for descriptions of the new American 
^Agriculturist Microscope. 
$1,000 Reward. 
Two years ago, the Publishers of the American 
AgrmdturUt, together with several other publish¬ 
ers, receiving and distributing their mails at our 
Station, were greatly annoyed by the disappearance 
of mail matter. The offender, a Post Office em¬ 
ployee, is now serving a term in State Prison. Dur¬ 
ing the past year there has been a re-currence of 
these exasperating mail robberies, and now another 
Post Office clerk has been arrested at this Station, 
and missing matter found in his possession. 
A few days ago a gang of postal thieves was 
broken up in New England, and several of them 
arrested. A Connecticut dispatcli states that some 
of the thieves have been robbing several of the 
mail routes and offices for years. For some time 
we have been endeavoring to ferret out these cul¬ 
prits, particularly when, on sending the paper to 
large clubs, one, two, three and four times over, the 
subscribers would fail to receive them. We now 
offer 51 Kcivai-d. ot'Oiie 'S’lioiisaiitl l>ol- 
l:ti*s for the arrest, conviction, and punishment 
of all the parties guilty of robbing the mails of this 
office. AVe trust other Publishers who have suffered, 
will follow our example, until a sufficient sum has 
been subscribed by private parties, to make it a 
special object on the part of the United States 
Detectives, to overhaul mail robbers. Under the 
United States Postal Law he who steals newspapers 
is liable to conviction the same as if stealing letters. 
Every one should be interested in this matter. 
Our admirable Postal Service, with its reduced 
rates, quick deliveries and vigilant watchfulness, 
is unquestionably superior to that of any other 
country. When we remember, however, that there 
are over forty thousand Post-offices and hundreds 
of thousands of miles of postal routes, every one 
can readily understand how necessary it is that all 
private citizens should do everything in their power 
to aid the authorities in arresting the offenders. 
Furthermore, Congress should enact a new law 
this winter making the imprisonment and punish¬ 
ment for mail robberies still more rigorous. AA'’e 
ask our readers, in every State, to press this matter 
upon their Representatives at Washington, to the 
end that every postal thief, upon conviction, may 
receive such a summary ])uuishment as to deter 
others. 
AATiat renders it all the more exasperating to 
the sufferer, is the fact that when an offender 
steals mail matter at any Post-office Station, 
or en route, he afterwards generally manages 
to steal the letters of complaint, so that cases 
are frequent where a pai'ty sends money, for 
example for a newspaper, and hears nothing 
from it. He writes and writes again and yet re¬ 
ceives no response all this time. The thief who 
has taken the letter containing his money is steal¬ 
ing his subsequent communications. So far as the 
American AgnenUurist is concerned, we believe 
that with the steps now in progress, neither pub¬ 
lishers nor subscribers will experience further an¬ 
noyance. The former request the latter to assist 
them in discovering and punishing any offender. 
Postmasters throughout the counti-y, who, with 
scarcely an exception, are friends of the American 
Agriculturist, will gladly co-operate with our sub¬ 
scribers in the effort to bring such offenders to 
justice. 
'FIjc S®ii>e, aiatl Psu-g-- 
iiig Cas.sla.-W. R. Grajy Jr., Fannin Co., Tex., having 
seen descriptions of these in November last, asks if they 
can be grown in Texas. The Dutchman's Pipe is hardy 
in New England and is kept at the leading nurseries. 
Purging Cassia is doubtful. The pods containing seeds 
are usually to be had at wholesale drug stores. 
Xlse NsioiEes <>f Friaits.—At the Meeting 
of the American Pomological Society, heid at Philadei- 
pliia, last September, President AYiidcr in ids address 
strongly protested against “ long, unpronouucable, irrel¬ 
evant, Idgii-Hown, bombastic names” for onr fruits. By 
an nnanimoiis vote, the Secretary was instructed to send 
to all kindred associations in tlie country a copy of the 
Society’s rules on nomenclature, and a copy of the por¬ 
tion of the President’s address referring to the subject. 
This lias been done in a neat circular, wliicli we jiresume 
tliose interested may procure of the Secretary, Prof. W. 
I. Beal, Lansing, Mich. 
The Mig;i‘a.tiou of Kirtls.—It is a mat¬ 
ter of common observation that certain bjrds appear in 
spring and take their fliglit soutliward in the fall. There 
are many circumstances influencing this migration, such 
as temperature, storms, the appearance of insects and 
others, that have not lieen investigated. Tlie recently- 
founded “American Ornithologists Union” has appoint¬ 
ed a committee on migration, wliich is to collect statis¬ 
tics on everytldng that relates to the coming and go;ng 
of birds. The co-operation of “ .every observei' of na¬ 
ture” is asked in aid of the work. Farmers are, or ought 
to be, close observers, and many will gladly aid in mak¬ 
ing tlie needed observations. All who wish to engage in 
the worlv, llie results of which will be of much interest to 
farmers, can be furnished with circulars giving the points 
to be observed and full information as to the plan, by ad¬ 
dressing C. Hart Merriam, Locust Grove, Lewis Co., N. Y. 
S®rovE<le for your l''':tinilics. 
AA’e cannot too often guard our many subscribers 
against being persuaded to take policies in Life Insur¬ 
ance Companies, whose standing and character are not 
well established. The fate of defunct companies herein 
New York and other similar rotten organizations ought 
to bo a sufficient warning. At the same time people can¬ 
not be too thoughtful about providing for the future, 
by insuring their lives in reliable Companies, like the 
Mutual Life of New York, for example. The annual 
statement of this Company shows that the assets now 
amount to $101,l-18,'-48.25. Its payments upon policies 
last year were nearly $14,000,000, and its income nearly 
$19,000,000. These figures tell the story. 
u 
Ths only mcchine that received an award on both | 
Horse-power and 'I hresher and Cleaner, at the Centen- I 
nial Exhibition; was awarded the two last Cold 
Medals friven by the Mew York State Agricultural I 
Society on Horse-powers and Threshers; and is the 
only Thresher selected from the vast number built in 
the United States, for illustration and description in 
“Appleton’s Cyclopedia of Applied Mechanics,” re¬ 
cently published, thus adopting it as the Standard 
machine of this country. Catalogue sent Iree, Address 
MIXAUD IIAIIDER, Coblesklll, Schoharie Co., N. Y. | 
Price 
only 
0 ) o 
.-S 
f a 
I1“F!SE-FLY” 
SINtSfE WHEEf-HOE, 
CEETIVATOie, and JPfOW. 
This new tool is an admirable gar¬ 
dener’s assistant, and enables one 
man to do the work of five. Re¬ 
mit by postal note or registered 
letter. SG pp. illustrated 
Catalogue tree. 
S. li. AT.LEN 
& CO. 
Manufacturers, 
SEEU) MAMMOTH DOUBJLE- 
eared dent field corn. 
W-trCIN Address G. A. DEITZ, Cbambersburg, Pa. 
STRAWBERRIES, 
Raspberries, Blackberries, Grapes, and Currants. 
Newest and Best Varieties, gS^Bescriptive Cata- 
JOSEPH D. FITTS) Providence, R. I 
Jly Specialty. Nur¬ 
sery established 2 7 
years. Vines of over 
100 beat, new and old 
, , , „ . „ varieties for vineyards 
I and gardens. Stock fine. Prices low. Cataioaues 
IMPROVED MAMMOTH DENT CORN 
Has from twenty to forty rows to each ear and will weigh 
sixty pounds to the bushel. It is the largest early field corn 
produced in America, and will ripen in from ninety to one 
liimdred days. Some reasons wliy it is tlie best: 
1. It will produce one-tliird more corn per acre with same 
cultivation and same kind of soil. 
2. It has greater deptli of kernel. 
3. It has more rows tlian any known variety. 
4. It ripens earlier than any field corn in America. 
5. It stands the drought better tlian any other. 
“ In deptli of grain and circumference of ear it far sur¬ 
passes any corn we ever saw.”—A. U. Bee Jonrtinl. 
Price by mail, postage paid bv me 2 Ills, $1.25 ; 4 lbs, $2 ; 
1 peck, by express, $2.25 ; half bushel, $3. No corn sent 
C. O. D. Send in your order at once. 
Send stamp for circular, giving full description of the 
corn. Address. HENRY DENBO, Corydoii, Ind. 
P. O. Box 268. Name this paper. 
