1884.] 
^MKRLGAN AGEIOULTUKiST. 
22T 
‘‘The Villas’® Blachsmith.” 
It is a long time since we have had a good old-fashion¬ 
ed medical humbug, like Old Mother Noble’s or Eddie 
Eastman's, for example ; a marvellous remedy, with a 
story telling of its almost miraculous discovery. After 
a dearth of new remedies, or rather of their literature, 
a new one with a new story is, in its way, refreshing. 
The latest story is that of the “Village Blacksmith,’’ 
and we have his portrait. Were it not that there is 
an anvil and a hammer, and the label that he is a black¬ 
smith, we should take it to bo the portrait of a prize¬ 
fighter dressed in his good clothes. The blacksmith’s 
name was Gardner, and be lived in Yorkshire, England, 
he was a very good man; he had a daughter; she mar¬ 
ried and became Mrs. Cole and went to London to live. 
Cole was thrown out of work, went to India and was 
soon killed on a railroad. About this time the bellows 
■did not blow in the smithy, nor did the hammer ring 
upon the anvil, for the blacksmith was sick, had gone 
into a decline, and could not work. Matters looked 
very gloomy for Mrs. Cole, her husband dead and her 
father so sick, that she daily expected to hear of his 
death. When matters wore at their worst, she was sur¬ 
prised to receive a letter from her father, who told that 
he was getting well and how it happened. In his ill¬ 
ness he was, on warm days, carried to a place overlook¬ 
ing the sea One day, while there, in one of his parox¬ 
ysms of pain, the blacksmith clutched at a bush, and not 
thinking, chewed the little stems. That did for Gard¬ 
ner; ill less than an hour his pain was relieved, his 
doctor being a sensible man, told him to “ continue the 
drops.’’ A wonderful shrub It was, for every time 
Gardner took its juice, he felt “ new life springing into 
his veins.” 
THE USUAL RESULT FOLLOWED. 
The stuft’ was made into pills, because it would do 
“a vast amount of good.” Mrs. Cole sold the pills, 
because she felt it was her “duty.” The pills were 
•called “Globe Pills,” not because they were globular in 
form, but because they would have “a world-wide repu¬ 
tation.” The rest of the pamphlet is devoted to relat¬ 
ing various cases in which the pills have performed 
wonderful cures. If one doubts it, there is Mrs. Cole’s 
portrait, as well as tliat of her father. These pills have 
been introduced into this country. Of course, they 
will have their brief day, and then join the hundreds of 
.other “certain cures ” in the limbo of quackery. 
ICoyitH nu«l 
J. Goldsmith & Co., St. Stephen, New Brunswick, 
have had a monopoly of the "Royal” lottery business 
for a long time, though they call it a “Royal Distribu¬ 
tion” of Cash Gifts. Now comes another “Royal” 
affair with its headquarters at Merritton, Canada. It is 
to the credit of this that it do-s not try to conceal its 
real character by calling it a “ distribution,” but plainly 
declares itself to be a “Lottery,” and a “Royal Cana¬ 
dian ” one at that. It does not sneak behind “gifts,” 
but has “prizes,” and will hftve a “ drawing” at a given 
■ date, without any of the fool-cry of a “ distribution.” 
PATINO THE BILL POSTERS. 
This “Royal Canadian Lottery” sends out its an¬ 
nouncements, or show bills, to people in our Western 
States, requesting them to post these “ in a conspicuous 
place.” To pay for this service, the poster is to secure 
“ one whole ticket of the said Lottery ” by registered 
letter—provided he sends “ one twenty-five cent silver- 
piece.”—This shows remarkable shrewdness on the part 
of the Royal Lottery. This concern evidently has an 
agency in the Republic, as its envelopes containing cir¬ 
culars, etc., bear the New York post-mark. Our Post - 
Office oflffcials should look out for this. 
THE LAWS NEED AMENDING. 
While the present laws have done mucli to break up 
lotteries by exc.nding their correspondence from the 
mails, these Canada chaps disregard them. An amend¬ 
ment was presented early in the present session of 
■Congress which contained a most important feature. 
It proposed to exclude from the mails all newspapers 
■containing advertisements of lotteries. Should this 
pass, it will be the most telling blow yet dealt the lottery 
managers. The necessity for thus excluding such papers 
is shown by the fact that lotteries are now advertised 
almost as freely as ever. Not only in papers with a 
large circulation, but in small local sheets, througli 
which the managers reach the rural population. An 
Ulster County, N. Y., paper, advertises a Kentucky 
lottery with a tempting display of prizes. Tlie pub¬ 
lishers of the paper do not seem to be aware that tliey 
are inciting their readers to violate the spirit, if not the 
latter of the laws of their own State and those of the 
Union. 
Tree Agents. 
“Hawkeye,” Peru. Iowa, asks us to give warning that 
a very “toney” agent is abroad, offering and taking orders 
for, among other improbable things, " The only true 
Grape Vine Raspberry.” The warning comes too late to 
bo of much use this season, but if our readers have heeded 
our frequent general caution, to let all these heretofore- 
unhoard-of trees and plants alone, they will have es¬ 
caped this among other swindles. This “ Grape-vine 
Raspberry,” turns up anew like the return of an old 
friend, after an absence of many years. While we 
can not be sure what this particular “ Grape-vine 
Raspberry” really is without seeing tlie plant, it is 
likely to be identical witli that sent under the same 
name several years ago- the Purple Flowering Raspberry 
(liubus odoratus). This shrub is not rare in rocky 
places throughout the Northern States, and with its 
rose-purple flowers, two inches across, is very orna¬ 
mental. Its very flat, dry fruit, is well nigh worthless, 
and is produced very sparingly. We repeat, that no 
really valuable new fruit is ever first introduced by ped¬ 
dlers, If one of these claims to have exclusive sale of a 
new tree or plant, or claims that this is introduced for 
the first season, our readers may be sure that it is just 
the tree or plant that they do not want. 
Siiia.ll Seed. Swindleis. 
Every now and then a person having what he considers 
a valuable variety of vegetable or other plants, offers to 
send the seeds to those who will pay postage upon them. 
Editors, thinking that they are doing a good thing, make 
the announcement gratuitously. When these offers are 
made in good faitli, those who make them usually soon 
run short of seed, and much dissatisfaction results. 
But such ofi'ers are not always disinterested: A. G. Rees, 
Nemaha Co., Kans., writes us that he saw an advertise¬ 
ment of one who offered to send a packet of a new va¬ 
riety of com, upon the. receipt of five cents. Mr. R. sent 
his half dime, and received “ thii ty-eight kernels of 
mixed corn ;” of these only seventeen grains came up. 
From these seventeen stalks only seven badly tilled ears 
were harvested, of an impure or mixed variety. This is 
a rather small swindle, but Mr. R. thinks, if one had 
enough to do, after paying for the thirty-eight grains, 
and the postage, the sender would make a handsome 
profit in this small seed business. 
Coloring l*liot:ogra.i>lis. 
Inquiries and some complaints continue to come with 
reference to those parties who offer large inducements 
for ladies to work for them at coloring photographs. 
The number of these concerns is on tlie increase, and in 
addition to those named some months ago, a “ Royal ” 
and a “Reliable Manufacturing Co.,” are ofifering in¬ 
ducements. A curious thing about the whole matter is, 
that each one warns the public against all others. Now 
a firm in Iowa, claim to be the “original inventors, and 
the only reliable establishment.” We shall be glad to 
hear from those of our lady readers, who have had any 
experience with this photograph business. 
Cautionary Signals. 
A Preserving Recipe. 
A subscriber in Augusta. Ga.. writes us that the fol¬ 
lowing recipe is selling in tliat city for two dollars. It is 
claimed to preseiwe meats, fish, fruits and vegetables, in 
a perfectly natural state for thirty months. Here is the 
recipe; “Fob Five Gallons. 
Boracic Acid, 2 oz. 
Carbonate of Soda, 2 oz. 
Salicylic Acid, 2 oz. 
White Sugar, 2 lbs., 
mix the first three ingredients in a quart of cold water, 
stir until all is dissolved, then add the sngar. Pour this 
mixture into five gallons of water, and let it stand thirty 
minutes before using; then put in your fruit, or pour 
the liquid over it.” It is stated that it will not change 
the flavor. The vessels must be sealed. It is claimed 
that this recipe is patented, and on the certificates of 
right to use, threats of prosecution for infringement are 
made. We are informed that the agent selling the 
recipe, took away from Augusta about three hundred 
dollars. As to the value of this preparation for pre¬ 
serving meats, etc., Boracic Acid has been used for 
many years, and so far as known, without deleterious 
eft'ects. As to Salicylic Acid, we cannot speak so posi¬ 
tively. It has been considerably used in medicine, and 
sometimes with unpleasant effects. The quantity here 
is small compared with the medicinal dose, still we can 
not advise its promiscuous use. We do not know what 
may ho the effect of continuously taking it in small 
quantities. The eft'oet of the Carbonate of Soda, would 
be to neutralize the two acids, at least in part. The 
matter is an important one in a sanitary point of view, 
and should recieve the attention of the health boards. 
Amerikanisclier Agriculturist. 
The Amenkanucher AgriaMurist is the only purely 
German Agricultural paper in the United States, and in 
the world for that matter. It is especially adapted for 
all farmers, gardeners, and housekeepers speaking the 
German tongue. It is all original and gives a world of 
matter of great value and interest. It gives the most im¬ 
portant information to every German coming to this 
country, and every emigrant from the fatherland, should 
have it placed in his hands the moment he touches our 
shores. 
Every one of our English subscribers who has a Ger¬ 
man in his employ, should see that he has the German 
Arnerican AgricuUwist. The price is $1.50 per year, 
single numbers 15c. We will send a specimen copy to 
any address on receipt of two 2c. stamps. Will every 
one of our English subscribers please see that every one 
of their German friends and acquaintances sends for a 
specimen copy of this paper. Address, American Agri¬ 
culturist, Orange Judd Co., Publishers, 751 Broadway, 
N. Y. 
Club.s of Subscribers to the American Agri¬ 
culturist can at anytime ha increased by remitting for 
each addition, the price naid by the original members ; 
or a smal 1 club may be made a larger one at reduced rates, 
thus: One having sent 5 subscribers and $fi, may after¬ 
wards send 5 names more and $4. making 10 subscribers 
for $10.00; and so for any of the other club rates. 
vs. 4]!eEiiiiiie Insiiraucc.— 
The appalling number of Insurance Companies, which 
have been wholly or in part wrecked by genteel scoun¬ 
drels during the past few years, naturally shakes public 
confidence in all kinds of insurance. Many of the gen¬ 
teel wreckers ought now to be in State prison; indeed, 
we know several of them who would be there, did they 
not by corrupt means influence legislation, or because 
the statute of limitations prevents the iron hand of the 
law from being laid upon them. Still the fell epidemic 
in Insurance Companies has not been without its benefi¬ 
cial results. While impairing confidence in Companies 
generally, it has shown just what Companies could and 
should be trusted. Among the very first of these is the 
Travelers’ Insurance Co., of Hartford, Conn., which is 
both Life and Accidental. If we remember rightly, the 
American Agriculturist has never before recommended 
but two Insurance Companies to the consideration of 
its readers. We now direct their attention to the 
Travelers, because we have absolute faith in its manage¬ 
ment, and because its figures and statistics for the past 
year show that it rests upon 6ure foundations. 
AsilEestos ICoofing'.— The “N. Y. Tribune” 
warmly endorses the Asbestos Roofing manufactured 
by H. W. Johns M f’g Co., “as a light, portable, easily 
applied, and practicaliy a fire-proof roofing.”—Wliat our 
contemporary says, wo fully endorse. In fact, we have 
for many years recommended this roofing to our readers, 
because in our own experience, we have found it supe¬ 
rior to anything else of the kind manufactured, and be¬ 
cause we have yet to liear any complaint from the readers 
of the American Agriculturist whom we have urged to 
use it. To assist purchasers in selecting shades and 
colors, the manufacturers send free, upon application, 
sample sheets showing forty standard colors and tints. 
They likewise issue a pamphlet on “ Structural Decora¬ 
tions,” giving hints and suggestions in painting and 
decorating. The company also manufactures roof, car, 
1 and bridge paints, and have recently commenced to 
make strictly pure colors in oil. We presume our read¬ 
ers can procure all the information they desire from 
I them regarding paints. 
