1860 .j 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
nual of one foot in hight. Its finely divided leaves give it 
an attractive appearance. Sow early in May. 
No. 124. Whiflavia (Grandiflora).— One of the very 
best annuals, recently introduced from California. It 
flowered with us July 1st (just 5 weeks from sowing) and 
continued in bloom until the middle of September. It 
grows about one foot high and may be thinned to 6 inch¬ 
es apart. Flowers blue and bell-shaped, like the Campan¬ 
ula. 
No. 125. Standing Cypress [Ipomopsis elegans ), some¬ 
times classed with the Gilia family. A very pretty bien¬ 
nial, not perfectly hardy, with finely divided leaves, 
somewhat resembling the climbing cypress. Flowers 
tubular, of scarlet, and variegated colors, borne on a spike 
2 to 3 feet and even more, in hight. Continues in bloom 
several months. Sow in Spring, and slightly protect dur¬ 
ing the Winter. 
No. 126. Long-tubed Centranthus (Centranthus ma¬ 
crosiphon ).—A deiicate but hardy annual, little cultivated 
In this country, but quite desirable. Grows 10 to 12 Inch¬ 
es ; high its fascicled flowers, borne in close clusters re¬ 
sembling the g weet William, and continuing their fresh¬ 
ness until killed by frosts. Sow in early Spring and thin 
to 6 inches distant. 
Advertising Information—Gratis —VII. 
(Continued from page 355—Vol. XVIII.) 
We have investigated several advertisements since our 
last issue, and have received a large number of circu¬ 
lars, etc., from subscribers to whom they have been sent. 
Among these are lottery schemes by the score ; vile 
sheets called Medical Journals; complaints of loss of 
monoy sent to “ Dr. Brown” of Jersey City ; offers of 
“ Microscopes for 25c.”. consisting of a piece of sheet 
lead, painted black, and having a bit of glass in a hole in 
the center, got up at a cost of perhaps a penny a piece, and 
not worth a farthing ; positive assurances of teaching how 
to turn baser metals into gold, all for a dollar ; bogus of¬ 
fers of agencies for sewing machines ; bogus gift enter¬ 
prises, etc., etc. Some of these will be described more 
fully hereafter, together with new things coming up. We 
have now only room for 
[No. 26.] 
“Fifty Methods of Making Money.—A competence 
secured for $1.00 1” Such is the heading of a sheet refer- 
led to in our last, which we obtained by sending $1 through 
a friend. This sheet contains some fifty so-called reci¬ 
pes, and by referring to sundry letters we find that in re¬ 
ality we have here in one lot almost all the wonderful, 
or w onderfully puffed recipes, that have been advertised 
over the country at various prices from 25 cents to $5 
each. One of them has been advertised by some party, 
and then some other party has got hold of it, and he has 
advertised the same thing under another name at anoth¬ 
er place. Few of these recipes are valuable, and such as 
are, are found in chemical or other scientific books. Our 
readers will therefore understand that they probably have 
here about all the wonderful moneymaking recipes and 
schemes that they have seen or will see advertised in 
newspapers or private circulars—no matter what name 
or description may be applied. 
A preliminary note says that “ in commencing the man¬ 
ufacture of any of the recipes embraced in these instruc¬ 
tions it will be necessary to employ agents to travel and 
sell. By so doing, from $5 to $10 per day and upward can 
be realized, etc.” Yes, if your agents can find green¬ 
horns enough to buy. Well here are the wonderful reci¬ 
pes, the “ fifty ways to make money.” [We print them, not 
on account of value, but to give our readers the whole 
gist of what is offered by the scores of advertisers.] 
No. 1. To Make Fike-Proof Paint.— Take a suffi¬ 
cient quantity of water for use ; add as much potash as 
can be dissolved therein. When the water will dissolve 
no more potash, stir into the solution first, a quantity of 
flour paste, of the consistency of painter’s size ; second, a 
sufficiency of pure clay to render it of the consistency of 
cream. Apply wilh a painter’s brush. The above will 
admit of any coloring you please. 
[K;mar/c.—A bad beginning; what will keep the paint 
from washing off, even if it were fire-proof, as it would be 
if enough, clay were added.—E d.] 
2. Premium Black Writing Ink.— Take 2 oz. extract 
logwood; 1 gal soft water; boil slightly, or simmer in an 
iron vessel 15 minutes; dissolve in a little hot water 24 
grains Bichromate of Potash; 12 grains Prussiate of 
Potash ; and stir into the liquid a few minutes while over 
the fire ; take off, and when settled, strain it twice through 
common muslin or sheeting cloth. The above Ink is a 
jet black from the first, flows beautifully from the pen, 
and is so indelible that even Oxalic Acid will not re¬ 
move it from paper, and costs, when made in large quan¬ 
tises, only four cents per gallon. 
[Remark.— This recipe has been sold by advertisers, 
thousands of times at from 50c. to $1. It may be good] 
3. Magio Copying Paper.—To make black paper, 
lampblack mixed with cold lard ; Red paper, Venetian 
Red mixed with lard ; Green paper, Chrome Green mixed 
wilh lard ; Blue paper, Prussian Blue, mixed with lard. 
The above ingredients to be mixed to the consistency of 
thick paste, and to be applied to the paper w ith a rag. 
Then take a flannel rag and rub till all color ceases 
coming off. Cut your sheets 4 inches wide, and 6 inches 
long : put 4 sheets together, one of each color, and sell for 
25 cents per package. The first cost will not be over 3 
cents .—Directions for (Wiring-:—Lay down your paper 
upon which you w ish to write ; then lay on the copying 
paper, and over this lay any scrap of paper you choose ; 
then take any hard pointed substance and write as you 
would with a pen. 
[Remark.— A “greasy affair”—but we believe as good 
as the “ copying papers ” usually sold at the price named.] 
4. A Pure Vegetable Salve.— One pound lard ; 4oz. 
Rosin, and 10 ounces elder bark Boil these over a slow 
fire for about half an hour, then strain and put into small 
bottles, which sell for a shilling each. 
[Remark. —What is the salve good for? A mixture 
of one ounce of lard to about two ounces of resin makes a 
semi-liquid salve which is excellent for putting upon tools 
and all metallic surfaces to keep them from rusting. The 
above, however, is a safer “ vegetable salve ” than many 
otheis sold in the country, and we should not greatly re¬ 
gret its general introduction, only for the “shillings” 
people would pay for an article of doubtful utility, and 
costing next to nothing to make.] 
5. Patent Gold and Silver Counterfeit Detector. 
—Take 1 ounce Nitrate of Silver, pure crystals, and 1 
quart pure rain water. Add together, shake well, and it 
is fit for use. To be put up in drachm vials, and sold for 
25 cts. per vial. 
[Remark.—This has also been sold largely and at a high 
price, but we can beat it. Your Nitrate of Silver would 
cost $1.25 per ounce, and much more if absolutely pure 
crystals. But a whole pound of Nitric acid costs but a 
few cents, and is far better for detecting base metals. 
Moreover, counterfeit coins are now so generally galvan¬ 
ized over, that the nitrate tests are of little value ] 
6. Art of Painting on Glass.— The only difference 
between ordinary painting, and painting on glass, is, that 
in the latter all transparent colors are used, instead of 
opaque ones and the colors being ground up with turpen¬ 
tine and varnish instead of oil. In painting upon glass, 
it is necessary, occasionally, to place the picture between 
the arlist and the light, to enable the arti6t to see the ef¬ 
fect, the light having the property of casting a yellowish 
tinge upon all colors so exposed. This art is easily learn¬ 
ed, and affords a handsome remuneration. 
[Remark.— This has been often sold at a high price.— 
Any common painter would freely give you more and 
better information.] 
7. A Useful, Easy, Lucrative Employment. 
[Remark.— This is half a column of stuff about establish¬ 
ing a business and intelligence office ; we do not think it 
worth the room required to insert, and show it up.] 
8. The Celebrated Chemical Compound. —Take 1 
pint Alcohol, 2 gills Nitrous Spirits Ether, 2 ounces Bi¬ 
chromate Potash, 2 ounces powdered Cinnamon, and 1 oz. 
Aqua Fortis. Mix all the above together and let it stand 
24 hours, and it is fit for use. Bottle in 2 oz. vials, and 
sell for 25 cents. To extract Grease, Stains, &c., from 
cloth, saturate with cold water, dip a sponge in the liquid, 
and apply it, and repeal if necessary, and wash off with 
cold water. 
[Remark. —This is too much for us. We don't under¬ 
stand the chemical relations of these ingredients. It 
may be all right ; we should not like to pay much for the 
privilege of trying it—certainly not $2, as one of our read¬ 
ers once did, and we know not how many others.] 
9. The Hunter’s Secret.— Take i lb. Strained Hon¬ 
ey, i drachm Musk, 3 drachms Oil Lavender, and 4 lbs. 
Tallow. Mix all together, and make into 40 pills; one 
pill to be placed under the pan of the trap when setting it. 
[Remark. —This is similar to a dozen others sold at 26c. 
to $5 each. They are made upon the supposition that all 
animals are attracted by the odor of musk, or lavender. 
If this were the case, a lady we sat by the side of in the 
cars, the other day, would do well to keep out of the re¬ 
gions of wild animals, or she might find herself surround¬ 
ed by a large, and not very select or agreeable company.] 
10. To Make Soft Soap. —Take 10 pounds of com¬ 
mon Yellow or Rosin Soap, such as is purchased for 4 
cents per pound ; 6 lbs. Sal Soda, and 10 or 12 gallons of 
soft or rain water. Cut the Soap into small pieces, and 
put the whole over a fire; bring the water nearly to a 
boiling point, and allow it to remain at that temperature 
until the Soap is entirely dissolved. It may then be tak¬ 
en off, and when cooled, it will become thick and livery. 
The Soap made with these proportions will be found to be 
too strong, and cold soft water can be added until it be¬ 
comes of the proper consistency and strength. 
[Remark.— An old recipe, sold ten thousand times, at 
varying prices, by advertisers and by traveling men and 
traveling women. Some of our neighbors paid 50 cents 
apiece for it. We do not know of any yellow soap 
sold at so low as 4 cents per lb. A little Sal Soda added 
to any common soap, hard or soft, makes it more strongly 
alkaline, but much of it will injure the fabric to be washed.] 
11. Patent Starch Polish. —Take common dry Po¬ 
tato or Wheat Starch, sufficient to make a pint of Starch 
when boiled. When boiling, add I drachm Spermaceti, 
and i drachm White Wax ; then use it as common Starch, 
only using the Iron as hot as possinle. 
[Remark. —We suppose every body, at least all our 
readers, for we have often told them, knows that a little 
spermaceti added to starch, gives it a higher g‘os>, and 
white beeswax has a similar effect, wo believe.] 
12. To Make Cider Better than that made from 
Apples, and which does not Intoxicate —Put in a luo 
5 gallons of lukewarm water, 1 lb 2 oz. Tartaric Acid, 6 
Copper Cents, 3 pints Brewer’s Yeast, stir until all is dis¬ 
solved ; then add 25 gallons of lukewarm water; let it 
stand a short lime, barrel up, leave the bung out until the 
yeast is worked off, then bung up, and it is ready for use. 
It will keep seven years. 
[Remark.— A villainous, poisonous compound ; probably 
the same as the recipe extensively advertised and sold as 
“ Western Cider ” at 25c per buyer. It would be sour, 
and have the “ pucker ” of cider, owing to the poisonous 
copper salt formed by the cents. To follow the directions 
as above given, would require ‘ considerable ’ stirring, for 
if we mistake not it would take a good many days for the 
cents to dissolve. Don’t touch the compound, and advise 
your friends not to, unless they would die of slow poison ] 
13. Rheumatic Liniment.— Oil of Sassafras, 2 oz ; Oil 
of Hemlock, Oil of Red Cedar, Oil of Turpentine, of each 
1 oz.: Gum Camphor and Capsicum, of each 1 oz.: and 
add two quarts of Alcohol, shake well together. Rubin 
with the hand or a flannel rag. 
[Remark.—We can’t say w hether this be good or bad. 
Seven ounces of these oils, gum, and pepper, to only two 
quarts of alcohol would be strong enough to scare out any 
respectable rheumatism. The ounce each, of oil of turpeu 
tine, gum, and capsicum, would be the most that we 
would venture to add to two quarts of alcohol of moder¬ 
ate strength.] 
14. Magnetic Ointment.— Elder Bark, Spikenard and 
Yellow Dock roots, of each 1 lb.; boil in two gallons w». 
ter down to one ; then press the strength out of the roots 
and boil the liquid down to half a gallon ; and add 8 lbs. 
best Rosin, 1 lb. Beeswax, and Tallow enough to soften. 
Roll into rolls, and apply by warming and spreading on 
linen. 
[Remark.— This may be a good ointment, but we can 
not see where the “ magnetic ” comes in, or conies out ; 
would not the term “ magical ”do as well ?] 
15. Indian Pills.— Aloes 3 ounces ; Gamboge 1 ounce ; 
Castile Soap 1 ounce ; Extract Gentian 2 ounces; mix 
the articles before adding the extract; then make it into 
amass, add water if the extract is not soft enough. While 
working it up, add by degrees 1 drachm Oil of Peppermint. 
Slake pills of common size. 
[Remark.— Wha f are these pills good for, and how 
many are to be taken for a dose, and when ? How are we 
to make a fortune of this one, or of any of the preceding. 
We are given to understand that wilh anyone of these 
fifty recipes we can make a fortune.] 
16. Beautiful Bright Red Ink.— Cochineal 2ounces, 
bruised ; pour over it 1 quart boiling water and let it stand. 
Boil 2 ounces Brazil wood in one pint soft water, for half 
an hour, and in twenty-four hours, mix the two together. 
Dissolve half ounce Gum Arabic in a pint of hot water, 
and w hen cool add to the other, stir well, bottle, let stand 
one week, then strain through muslin. 
[Remark.— This will make a red ink, but carmine-red 
ink is much superior, and better for all ordinary purposes.] 
17. Superior Blue Ink.— Prussian Blue 6 parts, Oxal¬ 
ic Acid 1 part, triturate with a little water to a perfectly 
smooth paste, and dilute with the proper quantity of wa¬ 
ter. Add Gum Arabic. • 
[Remark.— How much gum ?] 
18. Indelible Ink for Marking Linen without Pre¬ 
paration.— Nitrate of Silver 1 j- ounces, dissolved in 3 
ounces liquor Ammonia Fortis, Orchil for coloring, 1 
ounce, Gum Mucilage 12 ounces. The best extant. 
[Remark. —This may be the best extant.—What that 
“ Orchil ” is for, we don’t know. Nitrate of silver will 
make it black enough surely.] 
19. Luminous Ink—Shines in the Dark.— Phospho¬ 
rus 4 drachm, Oil Cinnamon bounce; mix in vial, cork 
tightly, heat it slowly until mixed. A letter written with 
this ink, can only be read in a dark room, when tho writ¬ 
ing will have the appearance of fire. 
[Remark.— Pretty to play with—but useless otherwise. 
Any other cheaper oil, flowing freely, would do quite as 
well. We don’t see any fortune in this.] 
20. Red Ruling Ink.—B est Carmine 4 grains, rain wa¬ 
ter 1 oz. Aqua Ammonia 40 drops, add a little Gum Ara¬ 
bic water. 
[Remark. —Probably good, what there is of it.] 
21. Yellow Ink. —A little Alum, added to Saffron, In 
soft hot water, makes a beautiful Yellow Ink. 
[Rcmari—A yellowish fluid, of no practical value—no 
fortune here!] 
22. Invisible Ink.— Sulphuric Acid 1 part, water 20 
parts; mix together and write with a quill pen, which 
writing can bo read only after heating it. 
[Remark.— Of very little utility.] 
23. Superior Water Proof Composition fob Leath¬ 
er.- Boiled Oil 16 parts, Spirits Turpentine 2 parts, Bees¬ 
wax and Rosin 1 part each, Venice Turpentine 2 parts ; 
mix and use hot. 
[Remark. —What kind of oil ?—How hot on leather.] 
24. Gun Powder.— Nitre 76 parts, charcoal 14 parts, 
Sulphur 10 parts ; mix. 
[Remark. —Just so. Please send along tho recipe for 
getting up the Powder mills, and the careful hands to 
work them, and also the required capital.] 
25. Shaving Soap.— Take 4i pounds White Bar Soap. 
