AMEEIOAlSr AGEIOULTUEIBT, 
311 
1884 .] 
A “ Friiit Tree Invijyorator.” 
A correspondent who inquired about the medication 
Of trees by introducing foreign substances into a hole 
bored in their trunks, was answered in March last. We 
there stated that the claim that trees could be medicated 
in this manner was an old one, and that wo doubted if 
it ever had any useful application. In Bulletin No, 8, 
of the “ Massachusetts State Agricultural Experiment 
Station,” recently issued, we find an analysis of “The 
Phoenix Fruit Tree Invigorator,” made at the Station. 
The analysis shows that the principal constituents are: 
Moisture, Sulphur, Lime, and Carbonic Acid, which 
made up ninety six per cent of the whole. The report 
says: “ A mixture of an essentially corresponding com¬ 
position, may be produced at an expense of from twelve 
to fifteen cents per pound at retail cost, by taking from 
forty to forty-two pounds of flowers of sulphur, and 
fifiy-eight to sixty pounds of sifted wood ash.” 
Cures for Deafness. 
Many inquiries are answered here. To begin with, 
before trying any mechanical appliance or any medicine 
for deafness, first ascertain the cause of the trouble. 
While a difficulty in hearing may be due to an accumu¬ 
lation of hardened ear-wax, or other causes that may be 
removed, deafness is often due to an obliteration of the 
ear-drum, or other derangement of the auditory appara¬ 
tus, and is beyond remedy. When deafness is due to 
such causes, it is folly to expect relief from medicine of 
any kind. Audiphones, dentiphones, and other appli¬ 
ances to be held between the teeth, are sometimes use¬ 
ful as aids to hearing. These are sold at a high price, 
and being suited to particular cases only, cause much 
disappointment and complaint. A palm-leaf fan, or 
piece of card-board, held between the teeth, will usually 
answer as well as any of the “phones.” Artificial ear¬ 
drums are simply Impossible. Deaf persons should first 
consult a competent physician, and ascertain if the 
trouble in their case is curable. 
IVletal Indicators.—Rods. 
A letter from West Virginia asks us to send the writer 
at once “ an instrument to hunt gold and silver, some¬ 
thing like a magnetic needle.” The superstition that 
certain persons were able, by means of a forked stick, 
to discover hidden precious metals and streams of water 
is a very old one. hven now, “ water witching,” as it is 
called, is practised in various parts of the country, and 
we have known persons of intelligence and of good 
sense in most matters, who think that water maybe dis¬ 
covered by the use of a forked hazel twig, or divining 
rod. In the early days of California gold fever, some 
shrewd chaps, taking advantage of the general impres¬ 
sion that gold and silver could be detected, offered a 
“gold indica3ior,” w’hich it was claimed would show the 
presence of tlie metal by the movement of a compass 
needle. Though these affairs were found to be perfectly 
valueless, the letter of our West Virginia correspondent 
shows that they are not forgotten, and the readiness 
with which people believe in the impossible. Iron is 
the only metal that will affect the magnetic needle (save 
one or two very rare ones), and there is no method of 
constructing a needle that will show the presence of 
gold or silver. 
“ JVlntual Self^Rndowmeiit.” 
C. H. Ashford, Oconee Co., Ga., sends us a circular and 
writes: “I am satisfied that an expression of your 
opinion on its merits will be appreciated by a number 
of your readers, not only in Georgia, but in other 
States.”—The document is issued by “ The Mutual Self- 
Endowment and Benevolent Association of America.” 
It appears that this “ Association ” has but little idea of 
the value of time or the shortness of life, when they ex¬ 
pect people to read through eleven pages of a dull, 
imaginary dialogue, in order to find out what they pro¬ 
pose. One or two pages of direct, pointed statement 
would serve the purpose better. Tlie association with 
the long title originated at Longview, Gregg Co., Texas. 
It proposes to act as a life insurance company and an en¬ 
dowment office at the same time. The writer of the 
dialoeue makes the scheme look plausible, but the first 
and important question with regard to all schemes of 
this kind, is as to the integrity and the responsibility of 
the managers of this Association. Of this we have no 
means of knowing. We would not advise any one to 
invest in this or any other Association, until fully satis¬ 
fied of its stability, and its ability to fulfill its promises. 
So far as Life Insurance goes, there are several com¬ 
panies as safe as any human institution can be, in which 
one can insure his life with a feeling of absolute security. 
Boston Silver Ware. 
Boston is the headquarters of several concerns which 
vie with one another in the extravagance of the adver¬ 
tisements and circulars relating to the silver-plated 
wares they ofi'er. One circular informs the recipient that 
his “ name has been handed to us, together with first- 
class recommendations,” etc., a fiction to start with. 
These circulars are so industriously scattered that the 
Inquiries about the Boston concerns are very numerous. 
One of them styles itself “ The Waltham Watch and 
Silver-plate Company,” and a correspondent in Elgin 
County, Ont., is very indignant that the name of a well- 
known corporation, like the Waltham W’atch Company, 
should be attached to such a trashy document. One cir¬ 
cular cautions the public against dealing “with the shop 
over the way,” in such a manner as to lead to the suspi¬ 
cion that both may be parts of one establishment. One 
concern explains its ability to sell its wares at the very 
low price on account of “ a secret process ” used in their 
manufacture—which is all bosh. Cheap ware means 
little silver, as the purchaser will soon find out in using 
it. In the purchase of plated ware the buyer is entirely 
in the power of the seller. There are in every city 
dealers whose word as to the quality of the articles is a 
sufficient guarantee. The only safety is in buying of 
such dealers. The floods of circulars, the useless 
machinery of “coupons,” etc., all needlessly increase 
the expenses of doing business, and the purchaser is di¬ 
rectly or Indirectly made to pay their cost. 
The “ K. & K.” 
This has not, as some might suppose, any reference to 
the “ Ku-Klux Klan,” of several years ago, but is the 
trade-mark of a concern which professes great things in 
the way of curing diseases. A correspondent at Mul- 
mur, Ont., sends us several clippings with reference to 
this K. & K. concern, which has its headquarters in 
Michigan, and asks our opinion about it. Our opinion 
is, that this K. & K. affair could not carry on its busi¬ 
ness in the State of New York, or in any other State 
which has laws to protect its citizens from quackery of 
all sorts. The advertisement makes a great spread over 
the costly instruments owned by the concern. It is a 
pity that there is no law against selling surgical instru¬ 
ments to irresponsible parties. The K. & K. concern 
now propose to 
SPECUI.ATE IN CURBS. 
They propose to sign contracts of the “ No cure, no 
pay ” style. No physician of any standing in his pro¬ 
fession, nor one fit to be employed, would be concerned 
in any arrangement that guarantees cures. 
TO OUR NEWER SUBSCRIBERS. 
There is nothing about which we have more frequent 
inquiries than about medical establishments, and medi¬ 
cal men of various kinds. The fact that a physician ad¬ 
vertises at all is against him, though there are some 
cases in which he may do so properly and legitimately. 
If one boasts that he has special skill in the treat¬ 
ment of particular diseases, set him down as a quack. 
If a man or concern advertises that he will perform 
a certain cure, or return the money if not cured, 
avoid the man or concern as a medical fraud. 
“We Will Tight it ia The Courts.” 
Say some makers of Oleomargarine and other bogus 
butter compounds, when asked their position as to the 
law recently passed by the Legislature of the State of 
New York, and approved by the Governor. This law 
prohibits “ the manufacture of any oleaginous substance 
or substances, or any compound of the same, other than 
that produced from unadulterated milk, or the cream 
from the same, any article designed to take the place of 
butter or cheese produced from pure unadulterated milk, 
or cream from the same, nor shall sell or offer the same 
as an article of food.” An exception is made in favor of 
pure skim cheese from pure skim milk. 
THE PENAUTT POR VIOLATING THE LAW 
is a fine of not less than one hundred, nor more than five 
hundred dollars, or imprisonment for not less than six 
months, nor more than one year, or both fine and im¬ 
prisonment. The Act provides for a “New York State 
Dairy Commissioner,” charged with enforcing the law. 
THE GREAT DAIRY INTERESTS OP NEW YORK STATE 
have had a hearing by the Legislature, and a law has 
been passed with full provisions for its enforcement, 
and dairymen in other States will watch the workings of 
the law with great interest. If the Oleomargarine 
makers propose to test the law in the courts, it is hoped 
that the Commissioner will give them an opportunity at 
once. We believe it to be a wise, just, and constitu¬ 
tional Act. 
OUR POSITION AS TO OLEOMARGARINE, 
from the first, has been, that it is not butter. If it can 
not be distinguished from butter, so much the worse. 
The whole success of these butter substitutes depends 
upon their sale as butter. The law requiring them to be 
branded with their proper names has been found use¬ 
less. Now a more stringent Act, prohibiting both manu¬ 
facture and sale, is passed and its efficacy is to be tested. 
A FRAUD UPON THE PARMER AND HIS WIPE. 
The farmer who takes all proper care in selecting his 
cows, and in providing them with proper shelter and 
food, and the farmer’s wife, who prides herself upon the 
neatness of her dairy, and the excellence of her butter, 
are both brought into unfair competition with machine 
made mixtures of fat, which, whatever paid, so-called 
scientists may certify as to their wholesomeness, are 
not butter. The fact that were the stuff branded with its 
real name, not a pound could be sold, is sufficient 
answer to all allegations as to its quality and wholesome 
character—whatever the stuff may be, 
IT IS NOT BUTTER. 
If it could be sold for what it is, we should not object. 
As it is sold as butter, the law properly says it shall not 
be sold at all. The farmers and the purchasers arc in 
earnest in this matter, and we are emphatically on the 
side of the farmers and the purchasers, and opposed to 
Oleomargarine and all other bogus butters with names 
that end In ine. 
Among Our Contributors. ■ 
Salt is not a direct fertilizer.— L. JH. Bailey. 
It pays to thin fruit when young.— Trof. 17. J. Beal. 
Of incubators, the best need watching.—CbL -If. C. 
Weld. 
There are strawberries, and strawberries,— Br. George 
Tlwrher. 
There is perhaps one farmer in ten that keeps records. 
—Prof. 17. A. Henry. 
A padlock is not an unnecessary ornament to a duck- 
house.—D. Z. Evans. 
Harmony of color is of the first importance in house 
furnishing.—EZ/ief Slone. 
Ensilage is well deserving of many further trials by 
practical farmers.— Prof. J. 3L McBryde. 
The secret of success in keeping large numbers of 
poultry, is not to crowd them.— P. II. Jacobs. 
The horse’s shoe should be accurately fitted to the foot, 
and not the foot to the shoe.— Hr. H. H. Slade. 
Every farmer should teach his children to cherish and 
protect their feathered friends.—17. D. Boynton. 
It will rarely be possible to have work done success¬ 
fully by hand help alone.— Prof. S. R. Thompson. 
All stabled animals should stand upon fioors as nearly 
level as is consistent with cleanliness.— L. D. Snook. 
The soil and not the atmosphere, is the main source of 
the nitrogen which we find in our crops,— Sir J. B. Lawes. 
On fruitful soils in good climates, the best people not 
only remain, but leave their children.— Geoi'ge Geddes. 
Nearly all the processes of productive industry, are only 
successive steps in the process of coiideusation.— Pres. 
A. S. Welch. 
If I git a pail full of milk, the ceow kicks it over, I’m 
teetotally undone forever Squire, and its no use to farm 
it—Tim Bunker. 
May not the simple adhesion of the liquid to the butter 
globule, have been mistaken for the investing membrane? 
—Hon. X. A. Willard. 
In the hog family, as in the human, too much idleness, 
and too long-continued high-keeping, entails evil conse- 
qiiences.-.H or. F. H. Cobum. 
I should feel highly gratified to see our farmers give 
evidence of knowing their rights, and of daring to take 
and enjoy them.— F. D. Curtis. 
The addition of green feed, in some form, to the 
winter ration of our farm animals, will be found advan¬ 
tageous for many reasons.— Hr. M. Miles. 
Carp can be made a toothsome feature of the dinner- 
table, if the mistress of the kitchen comprehends the 
mysteries of the sauce boat.— R. B. Roosevelt. 
Each kind of animal should be allotted the foods best 
suited to its special requirements, and to the organs of 
digestion peculiar to its species.— Prof. F. II. Storer. 
