AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[January, 
6 
v *—'t _ **" 
without vitiating insurance, so as to have uniformity. 
A lad weighs every charge on delicate scales, turning 
with loss than a tenth of a grain. This gives regularity, 
leaving only the wind and light to be calculated for at a 
regular distance. It is said that a variation of 1 grain 
weight (not kernel), will make a difference of 8 or 10 
inches in elevation in 1,000 yards. Poured from a flask 
partly or wholly filled, giving it an equal number of 
shakings at each pouring, with the mouth downward, w'e 
have been able to measure many successive charges not 
varying more than y 6 grain in weight — 4th. A strong 
light often raises the apparent place of an object above 
its real place, so that in full sunlight one must aim one 
or two points lower, and raise again if clouds come up, 
or the sun goes down. By points, we mean minutes of 
a degree marked on the vernier, each 1' corresponding 
to 2 inches for each 100 yards, as 20 inches at 1,000 yards, 
etc_5th. The Reminglon lock needs no spring to draw 
back the firing needle, or pin. It falls back of itself on 
opening the breech block_6th. Any one can endure the 
recoil of 90 to 100 grains of powder, and 550 grains of lead, 
quite easily if the gun be held firmly against the shoul¬ 
der (not the arm), so that it gets no momentum. Bath¬ 
ing the shoulder in alcohol night and morning will soon 
remove bruises and toughen the muscles. We have 
known a shoulder thoroughly sore, all “ black and blue,” 
soon cured by the alcohol, and care in bringing back the 
gun firmly, without stopping the daily shooting. A shot¬ 
gun heel-plate on the stock is far preferable to any fancy 
hollowing out or curving. The points left by the latter 
are always in the way in changing position. The worst re¬ 
coil injury we ever saw was from one of these fancy points. 
TBbc New Ym-lk State ©airymen’s 
Association. —The Annual Meeting of the N. Y. 
State Dairymen’s Association was held at Norwich, N. 
Y., on the 9th of December. X. A. Willard, president 
of the Association, opened the meeting by an address 
in which he referred to the great improvements which 
have been made in the process of dairying since 1848, 
and the considerable improvements that still need to be 
made. In this respect he instanced cleanliness as the 
one thing yet needful. He urged dairymen to raise 
their own cows; and by care in breeding to raise the 
production from 400 to 600 lbs. of cheese yearly per cow. 
He advocated the use of condensed milk in cities as a 
means of preventing the frauds and abuses in the city 
milk trade. Dr. Crafts advocated soiling, and thought 
that better care and feeding would increase the yield of 
cows at least 33 per cent. A. L. Fish thought soiling un¬ 
profitable except in time of drouth, or when food is 
scarce. Gen. E. F. Jones considered soiling as destruc¬ 
tive to cattle. He advocated half soiling and pasturing. 
E. W. Stewart had soiled cattle for twelve years. The 
extra labor was only $75 for 45 head of cattle in a year. 
He described his new barn, octagonal in shape, with no 
interior timbers, and with concrete walls. Prof. Roberts 
showed that it cost in excess of food at least $32.72 year¬ 
ly to heat the food and water of a cow in her stomach, 
while it could be heated by steam or coal for $7. He fed 
his cow 25 lbs. of hay, 7 lbs. of meal, and 2} lbs. of bran 
daily. This high feeding, and the estimate of the cost 
of warming the feed in the cow’s stomach, were consid¬ 
erably discussed. After some other remarks of no par¬ 
ticular interest, the meeting was adjourned. 
Give Name and Address in full! 
—Correspondents should understand that we wish to 
have the names and full addresses always, not for publi¬ 
cation, as we publish no names or initials if requested 
not to do so, but that we may know from whom and 
from where the enquiry comes. For want of this knowl¬ 
edge it is sometimes impossible to give the information 
required, and sometimes we would rather reply by mail. 
Always give name and town, county, and state. 
Catalogues.—Just as we go to press, the 
current of spring catalogues of dealers in Agricultural 
and Horticultural materials of all kinds, begins to flow 
in. We are obliged to omit a notice of those already 
received, until next month, and we hope that all our 
friends who intend to send us catalogues, will do so at 
the earliest possible day. 
TIjc American AgricoBlU wrist im 
New Zealand.—At the fair of the “ Northern Agri¬ 
cultural and Pastoral Association,” held at Oamaru, New 
Zealand, last fall, one of the citizens offered as a special 
premium for the best loaf of home-made bread the bound 
volume of the American Agi'iculturist for 1875. We do 
not know who was the winner of the prize, though the 
volume has been ordered and is on its way. 
A Heavy Essex Fig - .—“R. S. W.,” Wat¬ 
sonville, Mich., sends a statement of the weights of an 
Essex pig, the carcass of which, after slaughtering, 
weighed 574 lbs., and after dressing, it weighed 540 lbs., 
losing only 34 lbs., or less than 6 per cent in offal. 
FagEE — FSeSSE—For suae “ SBurd 
Times.”—No doubt many a Reader, in looking over 
the Engravings and Descriptions, (given in our Premium 
List, and referred to on page 33 of this paper), has felt a 
strong desire to have several of the good things there 
named. Well, we say in all candor, it is easy for almost 
anyone to obtain one or more of them, free of charge. 
First, is there any doubt that each one of your neigh¬ 
bors would get hints, suggestions, and positive infor¬ 
mation enough out of a whole volume of this Journal, 
to abundantly repay him for the small subscription price, 
($1.60 for a year, postage included) ? Second.—Can 
not you easily tell him, and show him, and convince him 
of this ? Third,—You have only to do this in a few or 
many instances, as the case may be, and in return for this, 
which will cost you no money, the Publishers will be hap¬ 
py to present you with one or more of the premiums, corres¬ 
ponding to the number of names sent. Fourtli.—Over 
S 6,000 persons have thus done, and are not you equal¬ 
ly expert with most of the other 16,000? Fifth.— 
Every family you get to reading and thinking more, you 
directly benefit. The more there arc of such persons in 
a neighborhood, the more intelligent and elevated will the 
whole society be. Thus, in extending the circulation of 
this journal, and receiving the premium article, you are 
literally working-“ To do good and make money." —Try 
it now. State that you are working for a Premium, when 
you send in subscriptions. You will then have a premium 
credit for all names sent in between now and July 4th, 
1870—and can take the premium whenever you desire it. 
The EsigllsSa Wheat Crop.—The pros¬ 
pects of the fall sown wheat, in England, are very un¬ 
favorable. Much seed has rotted in the ground, in con¬ 
sequence of the cold, wet weather, and the sowing is very 
backward. ■ The latest reports mention an improvement 
in the weather, but very dubious feelings as regards the 
next harvest. The markets are nevertheless lower, in 
consequence of heavy receipts but the Mark Lane Ex¬ 
press says those who look fora continuence of low prices, 
are undoubtedly too sanguine. 
The Eittle Washer.— Among the various 
contrivances for facilitating the labor of washing, are 
those in which a continuous stream of boiling suds is 
thrown upon the clothes, to percolate through them, and 
again be forced upon them ; the boiling liquid continually 
circulating in this manner, cleanses the fabrics. The best 
thing of this kind we have tried, is the “ Little Washer,” 
made byBissell & Co., Naugatuck, Ct., best not only in 
throwing a more copious stream, but because it can be 
used in any ordinary w r ash-boiler. Sufficient directions 
accompany the washer. With this, as with every wash¬ 
ing machine we have yet seen, the much soiled parts 
need special attention. 
The Westei-ji New Yorlc Horticul¬ 
tural Society will hold its 21st annual session in 
Rochester, commencing January 5th; all who feel an in¬ 
terest in the objects of the society, are invited to attend 
and participate in the proceedings. Contributions of 
fruits, especially new and rare varieties of value, and 
other objects of horticultural interest are solicited. The 
subject of making a state exhibition of fruit and horti¬ 
cultural objects at the Centennial Exposition, will come 
up for discussion. Several essays and addresses will be 
given on practical subjects. The annual fee, $1, entitles 
the member to the Transactions. P. Barry is President, 
and P. C. Reynolds, Secretary and Treasurer. 
The New .Jersey BJorticaltinral 
Society.—The first annual meeting of this society will 
be held at New Brunswick, N. J., in Geological Hall, on 
the forenoon of the 20th instant. A number of papers 
upon different horticultural subjects are promised, and 
these', with the discussions which will follow them, in¬ 
dicate an interesting meeting. All engaged in any de¬ 
partment of horticulture, whether commercially or as 
amateurs, are invited to be present, and to beceme mem¬ 
bers of the society. 
The First Animal Exliibition of 
the Long Island Poultry Association was 
held at Brooklyn, N. Y., Nov. 30th to Dec. 3rd. The dis¬ 
play of birds was excellent, and although not large, was 
more select and of higher general character than any we 
have previousiy seen. The Light Brahmas were a re¬ 
markably fine lot. In this class the $100 premium for 
the best cockerel was awarded to Philander Williams, of 
Taunton, Mass. McKeon and Hulick, of Easton, taking 
the second place. Smith & Brother, of Stony Brook, 
L. I., took the $50 premium for the best collection of 
poultry. The following first premiums were awarded: 
for Light Brahmas, J. K. Felch, Natick, Mass.: Dark 
Brahmas, D. C. Waterhouse, New Haven, Ct. ; Partridge 
Cochins,Black Cochins, and La Fleche, P. Williams,Taun¬ 
ton, Mass.; Fancy Pigeons, J. Van Winkle, Greenville, 
N. J. : Brown Leghorns, Mrs. Johnson, Newtown, L. I. ; 
Game Fowls. M. Goldie, Princeton, N. J. ; White Coch¬ 
ins, J. J. Berry, Hackensack, N. J. ; Grey Dorkings, n. 
Hales, Ridgewood, N. J. ; G. P. Hamburgs, Crevccceurs, 
and Rouen and Aylesbury Ducks, Smith Bros., Stony 
Brook, L. I.; S. P. Hamburgs, G.White, Ridgewood, N. J. ; 
Houdans, II. N. Grant, Tarrytown, N. Y. ; G. S. Ban¬ 
tams, W. II. Pullis, Bay Shore, L. I.; S. S. Bantams, H. 
S. Magrane, Newark, N. J. ; Muscovy Ducks, W. M. 
Tuttle, Speonk, L. 1. ; Pekin Ducks, E. H. Lawrence, 
Bay Side, L. I.; Bremen Geese and Bronze Turkeys, J. 
M. Rockwell. 
Sundry Humbugs. 
In the early days of the 
American Agricultin'ist, its 
pages contained only here 
and there an exposure of 
some especially glaring 
fraud; it was a novelty in 
journalism, and was asso¬ 
ciated with another novelty, 
the refusal to publish at 
any price advertisements 
not only of a fraudulent 
character, but those which 
were in other respects ob¬ 
jectionable. The exposures 
of humbugs soon grow to 
such importance that they 
have been continued as a 
regular department of the 
paper, while the rule in re¬ 
gard to advertisements has 
been rigidly maintained. 
As this issue goes to a 
great number of new readers, a word of explanation will 
be timely. The sole object of these exposures is to 
■warn the community, and especially the agricultural 
portion of it, against the various fraudulent schemes de¬ 
vised for getting their money without giving an adequate 
return ; it would take too long to specify the various 
phases in which fraud appears, for it has more heads 
than the fabled«Hydra, and comes under more disguises 
than Proteus. But whatever scheme that has unfair de¬ 
signs upon the pockets, the morals, or the health of the 
community, finds here an uncompromising opponent. 
When sure that a scheme is injurious to the public wel¬ 
fare, we do not hesitate to expose it, no matter if its ob¬ 
ject is claimed to be a benevolent one, and is on that ac¬ 
count supported by the names of those in high positions. 
On the other hand, we are careful to hold up no one in 
these columns unless we have satisfactory evidence that 
he is entitled to a place here. It ofteq happens that one 
who has bad an unsatisfactory transaction with another 
writes to request us to show up the one with whom he 
had dealings, as a humbug ; these columns can be used 
for no retaliation for private grievances ; they are for 
the protection of the community against those who seek 
to prey upon it. That our exposures have been of vast 
benefit, and that the amounts we have saved the public 
may be counted by millions rather than by thousands, 
our correspondence gives ample assurance, and the let¬ 
ters of congratulation and encouragement we receive 
from all over the wide country, more than compensate 
for the annoyances to which our course subjects us. 
While the majority of sensible persons need only to be 
shown the fraudulent character of a scheme to make 
them avoid it, there is a large class we do not hope to 
benefit—those who want to bo humbugged—the class of 
which Butler wrote two hundred years ago: 
“Doubtless the pleasure is as great, 
Of being cheated, as to cheat.” 
These exist everywhere, and no sooner recover from one 
singeing than they, moth like, are ready to fly at the 
flame again—a well known human weakness that has 
furnished our artist a subject for a head piece. 
WALL STREET BOGUS BROKERS. 
For a long time the Amencan Agriculturist was the only 
journal that noticed the manner in which persons calling 
themselves brokers, were flooding the country with cir¬ 
culars, showing how easily largo sums might be made by 
investing small amounts in stock gambling. Of late the 
New York daily papers have noticed the matter, and the 
vigilant Mr. Gaylor, Superintendent of the New York 
Post-Office, has notified the Stock Exchange that the 
“ Saw-dust Swindlers ” whose business is well nigh 
broken up by excluding them from the mails, have 
turned “put” and “call'” brokers. The matter has 
now become so serious that it is thought that legislative 
