1876 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
115 
Catalogues Received. 
Those notices of catalogues are made solely for the 
benefit of the readers of the American Agriculturist. 
None of doubtful integrity are named. If any dealer re¬ 
ceives any benefit from the mention of his catalogue, we 
are glad of it. One seedsman, who does not seem to be 
aware that these are editorial , and not advertising col¬ 
umns, sent us the money to pay for keeping the notice of 
his catalogue here for the next two months. He should 
apply to the advertising department; these notices are 
given merely as news. 
SEEDSMEN. 
Briggs & Brother, Rochester, N. Y., publish their cat¬ 
alogue as the “ Quarterly Illustrated Floral Work.” Be¬ 
sides the illustrated January number, they send a bril¬ 
liant and amusing colored engraving representing the 
“ Great Tomato Race,” with a distressingly comical beet 
taking time on a turnip. A good hit. 
Robert Buist, Jr., Nos. 992 and 994 Market street, 
Philadelphia, sends his Wholesale Price Current, and his 
Almanac and Garden Manual; this last contains abund¬ 
ant instructions for sowing, and a special calendar for the 
southern states. 
Alfred Bridgeman, 876 Broadway, New York. The 
name of Bridgeman has long been an honored one in the 
horticulture of New York. The present house issues 
catalogues of both flower and vegetable seeds, which 
show that they keep up with the time in novelties, and 
have all the standard sorts. 
'Orange W. Clark, Buffalo, N. Y. A catalogue of 
vegetable and flower seeds, and “as neat as a new pin.” 
Cole & Brother, Pella, Iowa, grow a good share of 
their own seeds. They show enterprise in'offering addi¬ 
tional prizes to those who take premiums at fairs with 
products from their seeds, and a wise liberality in com¬ 
mending to their customers the most desirable horticul¬ 
tural books, and in advising them to take the American 
Agriculturist and other useful journals. Their catalogue, 
though not so large as some others, is exceedingly heat, 
compact, and instructive. 
Grosman Brothers, Rochester, N. Y. Vegetable and 
flower seeds, with various novelties in both, and a bril¬ 
liant colored plate. « 
Henry A. Dreer’s Garden Calendar for 1876, contains 
as usual, a full list, including the specialties peculiar to 
this house, and to Philadelphia. It also has the most de¬ 
sirable green house and bedding plants, small fruits, etc. 
James Fleming, No. 67 Nassau st., is now, with one 
exception, we believe, the oldest seed-store in New York. 
It has all the standard sorts and various novelties. 
Jas. R. V. Hawkins, Goshen, Orange Co., N. Y. Gar¬ 
den and field home-grown seeds, with varieties of pota¬ 
toes not before offered. 
Geo. S. Haskell So Co., Rockford, III. The western 
seedsmen do not propose to be outdone by their eastern 
brethren, as this very handsome catalogue shows. Be¬ 
sides a full seed-list, it contains a well considered garden 
calendar and much other useful matter. 
A. Howard & Co., Pontoosuc, Ill. Floweus and veg¬ 
etables. 
David Landreth& Son, 21 and 23 South 6th st., Phila¬ 
delphia, continue their Rural Register and Almanac, 
from year to year. The list of seeds grown at Blooms- 
dale, occupies but a small portion of the work, the rest 
being filled with really useful matter. 
John F. Otwell, St. Mary's, Ont., is a market gardener, 
and publishes a list of the seeds he raises. 
Scobie, Reed, So Smith, 137 Liberty st., Pittsburgh, 
Pa., are the successors in the seed business to the late J. 
Knox, and-offer a full variety. 
B. H. Shtjmway, Rockford, Ill., sends his Annual Gar¬ 
den Guide and Seed Catalogue, which is fully illustrated. 
W. H. Spooner, 4 Beacon st., Boston, Mass. ; Garden 
Guide and Seed Catalogue. We have mentioned the 
neatness and novel arrangement of this catalogue; this 
year is it as full and as well illustrated as formerly. 
Vanderbilt Brothers, No. 23 Fulton st., New York, 
have a full and compact catalogue, which contains every¬ 
thing in the way of seeds, in plants, fertilizers, etc., 
needed for the farm or garden. 
Jambs Vick, Rochester, N. Y. Last month, in view of 
the versatility of James Vick, we said “No one knows 
what he will do next.” He has proved the truth of this 
assertion by presenting in the “ Illustrated Christian 
Weekly,” two pages of the most exquisite engravings 
that have appeared in any paper, illustrating his seed- 
farm and the doings thereon. What James Vick will do 
next, no mortal can foretell. 
NURSERYMEN. 
Burrow, Wood & Co., Fishkill, N. Y. Fruit and 
forest trees, especially evergreens; also florists’ plants. 
Elt.wanger & Barrt, Mount Hope Nurseries, Roches¬ 
ter, N. Y. The extent and character of this establish¬ 
ment are too well known to require notice. A bound vol¬ 
ume of their various catalogues is indispensable in the 
library of a working horticulturist. 
H. E. Hooker & Bro.. Rochester, N. Y. General nurse¬ 
ry stock, and a specialty in the Brighton Grape, which 
with them has proved eminently satisfactory. 
Hoopes Brother So Thomas, Westchester, Pa. Tide, 
one of the oldest and best nurseries in the conntry, keeps 
well up with the novelties in all departments, including 
that of greenhouse plants. 
Knodle Bbob., Irving, Montgomery Co., III. Emit 
and ornamental trees, and a large stock of hedge plants. 
E. Moody & Sons, Lockport, N. Y. This is one of onr 
oldest firms, and has had for the last quarter of a century 
an excellent character for reliability. 
Wm. Morton & Son, Allen’s Corner, Me. General 
nursery stock, with especial attention to young ever¬ 
greens for hedges and wind breaks. 
John S. Collins, Pleasant Valley Nursery, Moores- 
town, N. J. A large stock of small fruits, peach trees, etc. 
R. H. Haines, Malden, Ulster Co., N. Y. Midden is 
the great raspberry locality, and the list is very full in 
these and ottier small fruits. 
E. So. J. C. Williams, Montclair, N. J. Small fruits in 
general, with a novelty in the Duncan Strawberry. 
FLORISTS. 
Dingee, Conard & Co., send their rose catalogue, 
which is very full and complete. 
Thomas Elverson, New Brighton, Beaver Co., Pa., be¬ 
sides a general stock of florists’ plants and bulbs, has 
flower and vegetable seeds, and rustic work. 
Grkehbrook & Paterson Nurseries, Paterson, N. J. 
A great variety of rare plants, and special collections for 
amateurs. 
R. C. Hanford & Son, Columbus. Ohio, send a very 
full illustrated catalogue of plants. The same firm are 
also in the nursery business. 
Long Brothers, Buffalo, N. Y., in their catalogue for 
1876, maintain the same neatness and originality that 
marked their former issues. The “ Home Florist,” by 
Elias Long, we had occasion to commend last year. 
Miller & Hayes, Germantown Ave., Phiia., Pa., make 
a specialty of roses; their list includes the novelties of 
the last and previous years, 
W. B. Woodruff, Westfield, Union Co., N. J., lias be¬ 
sides florists’ stock, a large variety of vegetable plants. 
POULTRY. 
Thomas L. Hallworth, Cliftondaie, Mass., lias fowls 
and eggs in general, and Spangled Leghorns in particular. 
IMPLEMENTS AND APPLIANCES. 
Adams & French Harvester Co., Cedar Falls, Iowa, 
send out the Farmers’ Memoranda, which serves as a 
useful memorandum books, and presents the merits of 
the harvester. 
Ames Plow Company, Quincy Hall, Boston, and 53 
Beckman st., New York. A most elaborate catalogue, 
in which nearly every implement used on the farm or in 
the garden is handsomely illustrated by engravings. This 
catalogue presents a novel feature, being in several dis¬ 
tinct sections, each complete in itself, or the whole may 
be bound together. Thus one section contains carts, 
wagons, and all vehicles; another, their great variety of 
plows ; another, all the haying implements, and so on. 
Minard Harder, proprietor of the Empire Agricultural 
Works, Cobbleskill, N. Y., sends his catalogue of horse¬ 
powers, threshing machines, and other machines. 
Jackson & Tyler, 16 German st., Baltimore, Md., have 
a full list of tools and supplies which includes many 
things suited to the farmer’s work-shop. 
S. D. Payne, Rasota. Minn. Fruit-baskets of various 
kinds made from fkraw-board. 
Stanley Rule & Level Co., 35 Chambers st., N. Y. 
Adjustable planes, miter boxes, and other useful tools 
peculiar to this establishment. 
G. Westinghouse & Co„ Schenectady, make Horse¬ 
powers, Thrashing-machines, Clover Hullers, etc. 
EUROPEAN CATALOGUES. 
William Bull, London, Eng., so widely known for his 
enterprise in securing new plants, has a full catalogue of 
vegetable and flower-seeds. 
Edward T. Dickinson, Chatenay par Antony (Siene), 
France. Fruit-tree stocks, roses, young forest-trees, etc. 
L. Leroy, Angers, France, colored plates of new pears. 
- — ■» - - 
The Double Poinsettia is now written 
about and figured in the English horticultural journals as 
a bran new thing, without reference to the fact that it 
was first secured to cultivation through the enterprise of 
our veteran horticulturist, I. Buchanan, Esq., and was 
first described in the American Agriculturist in 1873, ac¬ 
companied by an original engraving drawn from the plant 
itself. Our British friends have a remarkable capacity 
for ignoring things that happen elsewhere. 
The Western N. Y. Horticultural 
Society held its 21st annual meeting at Rochester, on 
January 5th and 6th, last. It was a very full gathering, 
and its proceedings, participated in by such men as J. J. 
Thomas, P. Barry, Geo. Ellwanger, and others of promi¬ 
nence, could not fall to be interesting. Measures were 
taken for an exhibition of the fruits of western New 
York at the Centennial, and officers for the current year 
elected, P. Barry being President, P. C. Reynolds, Roch¬ 
ester, Secretary and Treas., with a fail force of compe¬ 
tent associates. This is one of our most thoroughly 
alive societies, and we are glad to record its prosperity. 
No Chrome, “ The Strawberry 
Girl.”— We have no more copies of this picture, and 
the special offer made of it to subscribers is therefore 
withdrawn. A few who have sent for it since the last 
were delivered, can be supplied, if they so desire, with 
the other chromos, in accordance with the advertisement 
“ For Tour Home ,” see third page of cover. 
“ Science at the Parmer’s Club.” 
—Now that nearly all the papers find it a waste of time 
and space, to report the doings of that remarkable body 
known as the N. Y. “ Farmers’ Club,” we are deprived of 
much fhn. There was never elsewhere seen just such 
“ science ” as is displayed here, and it has afforded ns 
many a hearty laugh. Now and then we see a meeting 
of the club reported in some country paper, and we glad¬ 
ly seize upon it, sure to find somewhere “ solid-chunks ” 
of Farmers’ Club wisdom. In a report of a month or two 
ago, we find that white-wash was under discussion—they 
use a good deal of botli white-wash and soft-soap at these 
meetings—and we read, “Mr. Ely said that he had found 
in his experience, that tallow was a good ingredient for 
white-wash—but Dr. Smith did not agree with him, as ho 
thought that tallow did not mix well with lime.” The 
Smith family is a large one, and this shows that there is 
at least one member in it that has a peculiar knowledge 
of matters and things. Tallow not “mix witli lime ! ” 
Why some of our important manufactures are founded on 
the fact that it will unite witli lime, and the compound is 
as insoluble as a piece of marble. Tallow is usefully 
added to white-wash for the purpose of forming a hard 
and permanent lime-soap. What a “ Doctor! ” 
Judging Live Weight of Stock.— 
“M. S. D.,” Anne Arundel Co., Md. There are no really 
trustworthy rules for estimating the live weight of stock 
by measurement. The rules in use are a sort of “ rule-of- 
thumb ” calculations from the girth, but these depend so 
much upon the condition and style of the animal, that 
they would be as apt to mislead as to inform any per¬ 
son who was not an experienced and accurate judge of 
stock. The basis of all the rules is the cubic contents of 
the carcass, with the allowance for offal. 
Sbort-horns im the Dairy.—The dairy 
farm of Mr. Whitman, of Fitchburg, Mass., is stocked 
witli pure Short-horns. One of these cows lias given in 
one month 1,200 pounds of milk, or about 550 quarts, and 
in one year 9,200 lbs., or about 4,200 quarts. This yield 
represents about 900 lbs. of cheese in the year. A calf of 
one of these cows, 13 months old, weighed dressed 547 lbs. 
Oats and Rye OiafF.—“ Idle Wild,” 
Orange Co., N. Y. Oat-chaff is a valuable fodder for milk 
cows. It should be scalded and mixed with a little meal, 
and then lialf-a-bushel makes a good feed for a cow. Rye 
cliaff is not so good, on account of the beards, which 
stick in the cow’s stomach when it is fed alone. It is 
an excellent packing material for ice-houses, and might 
be sold for that purpose, perhaps. 
rVi-tilizers and Other Things sent 
to Try.—We receive numerous small parcels of fertili¬ 
zers, with the request to try them on pot plants, and re¬ 
port ; also cattle food of various kinds, as well as medi¬ 
cines for horses and other animals, including poultry. 
We have one general rule about such matters—we do not 
“ try and report upon ” any secret compound whatever ; 
we have no time to expend in blind experiments, nor 
have we either any plants or animals that we do not value 
too highly, and have too much respect for, to treat them 
to any food or medicine the composition of which we are 
ignorant. Suppose we put some stuff on the earth of a 
pot, and the plant apparently grows with more vigor, 
what then ? Our knowledge is not increased a particle, 
but if the maker of the secret compound can get us to 
say tliis on paper, (we think we see ourselves doing it 1), it 
would be worth a nice sum to him. It is useless to send 
secret preparations to us, as we have no use for them. 
Maple Sap Backets.—“D. S., Jun.,” 
Preston Co., W. Va. The quality of the maple sugar de¬ 
pends greatly upon the kind of vessels used in gathering 
the sap and boiling it down. Open wooden buckets are 
now being rapidly displaced by an improved sap-bucket, 
which is made by C. C. Post, of Burlington, Vermont. 
This is of tin, and has a cover to keep out leaves, pieces 
of bark, and other trash. It is made to hang upon the 
sap-spout, which is also made by Mr. Post. The spout 
is of galvanized iron, and fits into a half-inch auger hole 
bored into the tree. This saves all the damage to the 
tree by gashing it with axes, which soon kills the most 
thrifty ones. Besides, several holes maybe bored in each 
tree, and the flow of sap thus much increased. There is 
not only more sugar made, but it is much better, and com¬ 
mands a higher price. The old-fashioned sap-spouts, 
troughs, and buckets, should be discarded when maple 
sugar brings 25 cents a pound, and an acre of sugar or¬ 
chard may be made the most valuable acre upon the farm. 
Materials for Compost.—" W. E. D.,” 
Pasquotank Co., N. C. It is very profitable labor to 
gather leaf-mold and pond-muck, to compost with stable 
manure. “ Pine straw,” pine tree leaves, is not of much 
value, yet in the absense of other materials, will serve 
some useful purpose as an absorbent. 
Fertilisers for Grass.—“ O. B.” An 
old sod of orchard grass is apt to be bare in spots and 
bunchy, as it is the habit of this grass to grow in tufts. 
To renovate this sod, some fresh seed should be sown 
soon after the field is mown, and a harrow run over it to 
open np the surface. For a fertilizer, where no manure 
can be procured, 60 bushels of wood ashes, and 100 
pounds of nitrate of soda per acre would be useful. To 
secure a good set of new seeding, Peruvian Guano is usu¬ 
ally a very good artificial fertilizer; say 150 lbs. per acre. 
