126 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[April, 
Wanted, JUST NOW. — Everybody 
knows the satisfaction of having exactly the right thing 
at hand at exactly the right time. A HIIILIAON 
JP35©IP;L,I3, at least, in the country and in villages, 
are just now planning out Spring work in their fields 
and gardens. What a help it would be to them to have 
the information, the hints, and suggestions, which the 
current numbers of this journal give, and will give all 
Summer. Single hints save or bring back many dollars. 
Just now, in this month of April, please explain this 
matter to some of your neighbors, get and forward their 
names, and in return the Publishers will make you a 
present worth having. See what they offer in the Illn.s° 
trated Premium If you have not one at 
hand, send word by postal card, and the Publishers will 
forward you one free. 
Slhiy Cara’icirs.—“ V. W. K.,” Shirland, 
Ill. It is not practicable to stretch a rope so tightly that 
the pulley of a hay carrier can travel upon it. One which 
traveled upon an iron rod stretched along the barn, was 
exhibited at the New York State Fair, and worked well. 
The iron rod did not sag as the rope inevitably would. 
To Yonaaag- ISorticailUiiarists.— The 
correspondent at “The Pines” says, “I have usually 
had one or two young men glad to work for the instruc¬ 
tion they receive. They have a chance to learn much, if 
they desire to. I don’t wish any one who has not a real 
taste for such matters, and fond of both work and study.” 
Address, giving age and particulars, “ The Pines,” at 
this office. 
1S:m 1 IFertilizers will find little sale in 
Connecticut now. The small appropriation of less than 
$.3,0C0 by the slate, for an Agricultural Experiment Sta¬ 
tion, will this first year save the farmers of that state tens 
of thousands of dollars expended in poor fertilizers, and 
other tens of thousands in loss of time and culture. The 
Station has discovered that considerable quantities of 
fertilizers sold last year at $55 a ton, were not worth $!) a 
ton. The working of the Station and other useful infor¬ 
mation will be found under “ Science Applied to Agri 
culture, pages 129 and 130. 
I £115.JM) for £3.1«.— On page 140, under 
“ Gardening on a Town (or village) Lot,” will be found 
not only some useful hints, but also another of the mul¬ 
titude of illustrations that continually come to us, show¬ 
ing the profit derived from the small sum invested in a 
journal like this. The gentleman referred to, at a cost 
of $1.60 for the American Agriculturist. , and $1.50 for a 
book, got at a very low estimate, $115.90 worth of 
vegetables, etc. The extra amount and fresh quality of 
the articles, doubtless paid the cost of seed. It would 
be difficult to estimate in dollars and cents, the benefit 
to health, and the prolongation of life even, that resulted 
from the healthful exercise his work afforded. Pity there 
are not tens of thousands of others deriving the same 
benefit, in addition to the multitude of our present 
readers. 
AitieMilies of llae Fitriners’ Cluln— 
The remarkable New York Farmers’ Club is not only a 
school of remarkable agriculture, but its courtesies are 
of a remarkable kind. A communication was read from 
a gentleman living at a distance, whereupon one of the 
individuals of the Club said that one of its statements 
was “ sacerdotal nonsense." Probably the one who ut¬ 
tered it did not know the meaning of “ sacerdotal,” but 
then it sounds lovely. 
Tlie SIiepliemTs .18a ji uni.— By Henry 
Stewart, New York, Orange Judd Company, pp. 252,12mo. 
Tlie lack of a work on sheep in general, lias long been 
felt, and while we tiave excellent treatises upon the Meri¬ 
nos, there has been none in which the other, and increas¬ 
ingly popular breeds, as they are in this country, are de¬ 
scribed, and their proper management taught in any 
detail; we believe that this want in our agricultural 
literature has been adequately met by tlie work bear¬ 
ing the above title. That we may not be thought 
to give a partial notice of a book by one of our 
own editorial associates, we content ourselves with 
merely enumerating some of the important topics. 
It gives full descriptions of all the prominent breeds, 
their adaptability to different localities, and the suc¬ 
cess that has attended those which have been fairly 
tried in this country. The summer and winter manage¬ 
ment, in large and small flocks, is given in full, not only 
with reference to sheep-raising as an exclusive business, 
but where it forms part of a mixed husbandry ; as the 
raising of early lambs is often an important source of 
profit, especial attention is givcii to this. The anatomy 
of the sheep is clearly given, including a full'account of 
tlie structure and peculiarities of wool. Shearing, and 
all the mechanical operations connected with wool, are 
described. The many diseases to which sheep are sub¬ 
ject, are shown to be almost entirely due to neglect and 
mismanagement, and while the methods by which they 
may be avoided are given special prominence, the proper 
treatment when the animals are attacked, is pointed ont. 
Tlie book is illustrated in the most liberal manner, not 
only by portraits of sheep of different breeds, and en¬ 
gravings of their anatomy, but numerous barns, sheds, 
hurdles, and every appliance and operation in which an 
engraving would be of aid, is illustrated. Tlie work is 
not local in its character, and we have no doubt it will 
meet with acceptance from shepherds and farmers 
throughout the whole country. Now ready. Sent by 
mail, post-paid, for $1.50. 
Al»©«4, !»»©B6ie Articles.—The interesting 
chapter on “Cow Peas,” page 139, with other like arti¬ 
cles, illustrate how much labor and investigation are 
often required to provide tlie material making up tlie 
pages of this journal. Those two columns cost a series 
of investigations extending through months. Few read¬ 
ers have any conception of tlie work and thought ex¬ 
pended not merely upon the editorials used in these 
pages, but in examining and weeding out many times as 
much more that is finally rejected. It costs some $2,000 
to thus prepare and illustrate each number, the benefit of 
which is enjoyed by every reader. We mean always to 
get tlie best material, at whatever cost.—May we not 
point with satisfaction to the great and useful variety 
supplied by the first four numbers of this Ceiitennnial 
volume? The future numbers will not fall behind.... 
Ought not thousands of others, not now readers, to be en¬ 
joying and profiting by these pages? iWill not 
each of our present readers take pleasure in inviting at 
least one or more new readers to join ns ? From electro¬ 
type plates we can supply any or all previous numbers of 
thevolume. Rewards in the form of premiums are offered 
to those who send three or four names. The Boys and 
Girls have a fine special premium offered them on the 
third cover page. Publishers. 
A New Small Trait iJIamaal.-—Mr. 
E. P. Roe, of Cornwall on the Hudson, whose early suc¬ 
cess in general gardening is recounted in that interesting 
work, “Play and Profit in my Garden,” has of late 
especially devoted himself to the cultivation of small 
fruit, and some of his achievements in that line have been 
noticed in our columns. He has gone into his work not 
only with great enthusiasm, but with unusual intelligence, 
and has been remarkably successful. The methods of 
culture that have led to this success, and his experience 
with tlie leading varieties, are now presented in a handy 
pamphlet of over 80 large pages, in which instructive 
facts are told in a chatty manner, which makes them 
pleasant reading. The chapter on “ Picking and Market¬ 
ing,” is eminently practical and sensible. Sent, post 
paid, by the Orange Judd Company, for 50 cents. 
Tlie Sterling; Strawberry. —With new 
small fruits we always advise caution. Strawberries, 
especially, are so affected by soil and cultivation, that a 
perfectly truthful account of their success in one place 
may not be borne out by trial in another. We prefer to 
say but little about new varieties, unless we have tested 
them ourselves, or have the testimony of some disinter¬ 
ested horticulturist o’f large experience. In regard to the 
“Sterling” Strawberry our friend M. B. Bateham, as 
Secretary of the Ohio State Horticultural Society, was 
one of a committee to visit the grounds of its proprietor, 
Mr. George H. Lodge Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, last June. 
Mr. B. writes us from his home, at Painesville, Ohio, 
that, witli the exception of the display of Jucunda, which 
we both saw at the place of the lamented Mr. Knox, ho 
has never seen such a show of large, brilliant berries. It 
was raised about six years ago by Matthew Crawford, of 
Cleveland, Ohio, who sold the stock to Mr. Lodge. Mr. 
B. thinks it is a seedling of the Jucunda, as it resembles 
that in form, size and color; is its equal in texture and 
flavor; and has a slight neck, which allows of ready hull¬ 
ing. The plant is described as strong, with abundant 
healthy foliage. 
Tlie Masssacianisei.ts Horticultural 
Society.—This grand old institution gives every indi¬ 
cation of robust health and vigorous activity. The vol¬ 
ume of Transactions for the second half of 1875 is a model 
of neatness and accuracy, thanks to its editor, Mr. Robt. 
Manning. The reports of tlie several committees are 
full and valuable. Various prize essays, with the discus¬ 
sions following their reading, are given. There are all 
the executive reports, including the Treasurer’s, which, 
being by our friend Buswell, we are sure is right; still, 
when he talks about such sums as $272,000 in figuring up 
tlie accounts of a Horticultural Society, it is so far beyond 
our experience in such bodies, that we cannot follow 
him. The offer of premiums for the cufrent year to be 
awarded at the weekly and great, annual exhibitions, 
amounts to the liberal sum of $6,800. Schedules for these, 
as well as for prize essays, open to all, may be had on 
application. There is one thing about this Society to 
which we would call especial attention. Its cosey library 
rooms are open at all business liours^and horticulturists 
from all parts of the country are invited to call; they will 
be made welcome by Mr. Buswell, wife, or son, and if a 
stranger has business with any of the horticulturists of 
the “icinity, he can learn how to find him. 
Sundry Humbugs. 
Two of the prominent 
humbugs just now are Lot¬ 
teries and Stock-gambling. 
We do not regard these as 
the most pernicious of all, 
as they do not so directly 
appeal to the young and 
ignorant, but are more 
likely to catch persons who, 
having some money, are on 
the look-out for a chance to 
increase their capital. Still 
they are bad enough, even 
where fairly conducted, and 
they are often made the 
cover for the meanest kind 
of fraud, as in the case of 
the Virginia Female Asso¬ 
ciation, exposed in Novem¬ 
ber last. We may say just 
here, that those who think 
that the names of governors 
mayors, judges, and all other “first citizens” are any 
guarantee, for the character of the schemes, should turn 
to our last volume, and see how useless these are. The 
“Female Humane Association” was endorsed by the 
very first names in Virginia, yet the local paper where 
the drawing took place, had to admit that “no greater 
swindle was ever perpetrated”—not that the Virginia 
gentlemen were dishonest ; they, with the best motives, 
allowed their names to be used by a concern that ap¬ 
pealed to them in the name of charity—which indeed, 
“covereth a multitude of sins” — without properly 
investigating the matter. So we say of all other lotteries 
and “ distributions ” (a favorite name just now), no 
matter ivhose name is appended, whether king or presi¬ 
dent, alderman or bishop, priest or deacon, you may 
be sure that they have loaned their names without due 
consideration, or that they are not the persons we had a 
right, from their positions, to suppose them to be, and 
are “ on the make.” We have often referred to the 
KANSAS LOTTERIES, 
but with regret, for Kansas has generally been regarded 
as a state that was settled by a class of people of excep¬ 
tional intelligence an<T high moral worth; yet lottery 
schemes have been so numerous that one who did not 
know the facts might suppose it to be a community of 
gamblers. We last year referred to the “ Topeka Libra¬ 
ry ” lottery as one of these disgraceful schemes; a few 
days after our March number went to press, we received 
from the editor of the “ Kansas Farmer ,” at Topeka, an 
article prepared for his issue of Feb. 23rd, which shows 
that at least one paper in Kansas, and we are happy to 
say an agricultural one, is not disposed to shut its eyes 
to the disgraceful games being played in that state. We 
cannot give space to the details, which show that it is 
a sham concern in its organization, and with no re¬ 
sponsibility at the bottom of the “ Association ” holding 
the lottery; the article mentions the significant fact 
that while the drawing was advertised to come off on 
Feb. 29th, the contracts for advertising it were made for 
six months! There is no doubt of the position of the 
Kansas Farmer in this matter, and we gladly welcome 
it as a coadjutor in the fight against humbugs. It says : 
“ We believe all lotteries upon general principles to be 
swindles. It is very much to be regretted that so noble 
an undertaking as the Topeka Library Association, 
should lend its name and character for so unworthy an 
object as a lottery. It is stated that after a portion 
of the directors had resigned, $2,009 was the price 
agreed to be paid for the virtue of the Library Associa¬ 
tion. for the use of its good name. It would be better 
for the youth of this community, and good reputation of 
the Association, as well as the city, if every book should 
be burned and the Association be wiped out of existence, 
than to become a party to a gambling, swindling con¬ 
cern, hidden behind some stolen bank name and legal 
subterfuges, that may permit them to laugh at the de¬ 
luded fools who invest in their tickets.”—There is an¬ 
other lottery at Atchison, in the same state, which we 
hope the “Farmer” will not overlook. 
THE STOCK SPECULATORS, 
now that tlie Post-Office authorities have shown that 
some of those formerly engaged in the “sawdust” or 
