166 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Mat, 
Oysier §8neJ5 BAsine.— “D. G.,” North 
Brookfield, Mass. Oyster shells freed of all adhering 
mud and other matters, consist of 9854 per cent of car¬ 
bonate of lime, 1 per cent of phosphate of lime, and less 
than 1 per cent of animal matter. When burned they are 
converted into lime, which is more nearly pure than that 
from the ordinary lime-stones. It is thought by some to 
be superior to stone lime as a fertilizer, on account of the 
animal matter it contains; this is of course an error, as 
the animal matter is destroyed in burning ; it permeates 
the shell throughout, and its destruction by heat causes 
the lime to fall to a fine powder. The unburned shells 
are practically of no value. 
3>osi't Stop Yet. —If you have commenced 
getting up a club of subscribers for the Ainevican Agri¬ 
culturist, with a view to securing one of the good Premi¬ 
ums, and have not yet gathered quite as many as needed 
to get the particular Premium article you want, don’t 
stop yet, for the offers, according to our List, will be con¬ 
tinued right on until July 1st. You can secuic many 
subscribers in this and the two following months, dry. 
AcI-»:sp.owl<.‘«ls'PBaaeiia£.—The editor of the 
Canada Farmer writes us that the illustration of the corn 
marker, which appeared in the American Agriculturist of 
April, had been previously published in the Farmer. We 
are glad to give this excellent journal due credit for this 
fact, although at the time we published the article, this 
was not known to us, as we received the engravings from 
a correspondent in Canada, and supposed him to be the 
inventor and manufacturer of the implement. We regret 
the mishap all the more for the reason that the Canada 
Farmer always generously acknowledges its occasional 
indebtedness to the American Agriculturist. 
Over 300 Exhibitors Appear in our 
“Exposition” columns this month, with their varied an¬ 
nouncements of things wanted by the hundreds of thou¬ 
sands who read these columns. Those in charge of that 
department are instructed to “ admit no quacks or quack¬ 
ery, and only those who have the ability and the intention 
to do what they promise to do in their advertisements.” 
Our readers will find it profitable to take a stroll all 
through this department, not only to find the best places 
to get what they want, but also to gather useful business 
hints by seeing what others are doing, what they say, and 
how they say it. It is always well when corresponding 
with these men in ordering, inquiring, sending for circu¬ 
lars, etc., to inform them that you made their acquaint¬ 
ance through the pages of the American Agriculturist. it 
will do no harm, and may be of double advantage. 
Potatoes siMat the Moon.—“ F. A. C.,” 
Leavenworth, Kan., wishes to know “some of the ifs, 
whys. and wherefores potatoes should not be planted in 
the light of the moon.”—This takes a considerable study, 
and while we are thinking over this vast problem, will 
our correspondent inform us why a stone, pushed from 
the roof of a building, always goes directly upwards ; 
why on the 31st of April people do not shut in the sun¬ 
light, and save using lamps or gas. “F. A. C.” wants 
the “ scientific ” reason for this moon business—so do we. 
Cattle Foodie.—Under this name two classes 
of articles are offered; one to be given occasionally, in 
case of loss of appetite or indisposition from a slight 
cold, and another to be used daily with the regular feed 
of the animals. As it is well to administer a light laxa¬ 
tive and tonic when an animal is “ out of sorts,” and as 
it is more likely to be given if ready prepared and at 
hand, than if one has to hunt up the several different in¬ 
gredients, we have, upon learning the composition of 
these foods, and finding them to contain such articles as 
arc proper to administer, allowed some of them to 
be advertised. With the other class, those which are to 
be fed regularly and daily, the case is different. We have 
before us the circular of one which claims to reduce the 
cost of feeding, by using this as a part of the regular- 
feed, and to greatly improve the health and condition of 
horses, oxen, cows, and poultry. We have no hint as to 
its composition, except that it contains “ several strength¬ 
ening roots and aromatic barks,” from which we infer 
that it is proposed to feed the animals upon highly sea¬ 
soned food. In answer to those who have asked our ad¬ 
vice in this matter, we would say, that we would not feed 
animals regularly upon anything the composition of 
which is kept secret. “Aromatic barks” are of course 
stimulants to the digestion, and though their effect at 
first may appear to be beneficial, their tendency will be 
to create a demand for more, and the animals so fed will 
have an artificial appetite. If at any time this stimulus 
is discontinued, an immediate falling off in condition will 
be the result. An animal in good health needs no medi¬ 
cine, or stimulant, no matter by what name it may be 
called ; if it has all the sound wholesome food it needs, 
it will do better in the long run than one that has been 
pampered by artificial feeding. Many of our readers may 
recollect the great popularity of Thorley’s Cattle Food 
some 20 or more years ago, which was extensively used 
in England, and was becoming popular here; it made 
animals beautifully plump and sleek; but when an ana¬ 
lysis showed that this result was due to the considerable 
amount of arsenic it contained, its use was at once dis¬ 
continued. This illustrates the folly of feeding regularly 
any food the composition of which is kept secret. 
ATTENTION ! 
Farmers and Gardeners. 
Special Premiums. 
$ 2.60 for $ 1 . 60 . 
NEW POTATOES FREE. 
The Early Rose Potato, largely spread through the agen¬ 
cy of the American Agriculturist , has proved a vast benefit, 
worth tens of millions of dollars to the Country. NOW 
A New Potato, the i6 Alpha,” promises as well as 
the Early Rose did, or better, it is claimed. It seems to 
be the earliest Potato yet grown. At a recent meeting of 
the London Horticultural Society, well ripened Alphas 
were shown in pots only 53 days from planting. It re¬ 
ceived the silver medal of the Massachusetts Horticultural 
Society. Its quality is excellent. Owing to the yet very 
small supply, it is sold at SI per pound for the single 
pound (this is but one-third the first price of the Early 
Rose). The Publishers of the American Agriculturist have 
secured 750 pounds of genuine Alphas, which they will 
distribute as follows : To any subscriber send¬ 
ing in one new subscription for the Amer¬ 
ican Agriculturist for the present year, 
1876, at the regular price of 81.60 a year, 
including postage, the Publishers will 
send a full pound of the Alpha Potatoes, 
in a box, post-paid. Names for this pre¬ 
mium can count in no other list, and it 
will only be given to those sending names 
specially for it. 
This amount, cut to single eyes, and carefully cultivated, 
will yield quite a large lot of seed for next year’s planting. 
This potato promises to be of great value, and even if it 
should not turn out all that is expected of it, it will cost 
the recipient nothing but the little trouble required to 
find and forward the name of a single subscriber. 
This offer will extend to the first 750 names received. 
Doubtless all who respond promptly, will come in time 
for the distribution aud receive the potatoes. 
Sundry Humbugs. 
One of the questions 
which most frequently 
meet our eyes is, “Is this 
a Humbug? ”—This comes 
very often with reference 
to circulars of various 
schemes, or the writers de¬ 
scription of them. We re¬ 
gard this as a sign that peo¬ 
ple are becoming more cau¬ 
tious, and are disposed to 
examine the bait for the 
concealed hook. Most per¬ 
sons have a fair share of 
common sense; this is 
often over-ruled by a desire 
for gain, or silenced by flat¬ 
tering protestations and 
promises ; but if it were al¬ 
lowed to act in regard to 
the various swindling 
schemes as it is in the ev¬ 
ery-day affairs of life, fewer would be humbugged. There 
seems to be a peculiar fascination of things from a dis¬ 
tance, and one who will believe that a $30 watch can be 
sold in New York for $4, would not look at a $4 watch if 
offered for sale in his own place. However, it is a 
healthy sign that people stop long enough to ask—“ Is 
this a humbug ? ” and it is very safe to assure such that 
anything presented to them in such a manner as to raise 
this question in their minds, is just the very thing for 
them to let alone. 
soldiers’ pensions. 
There was a bill before Congress a while ago which had 
reference to pensions to those who served in the late 
war. While there was not the least chance that this 
would pass, some kind of a clerk or other attache, at 
once began to collect the names of those who would be 
benefitted by the law should it pass, and is ready to 
pocket his little percentage. We advise in this as in 
other cases, to sign no contracts whatever with unknown 
parties, even if named Smith. The number of 
SMALL SWINDLES, 
concerning which complaints are made is large, and 
some of them amusing for their insignificance ; here is 
one of them. A young man in Michigan writes that he 
sent 25 cents to a concern in New Haven, Ct., which ad¬ 
vertised to send for that sum an “ elegant false mus¬ 
tache.” He never received any return, aud as he writes 
that he has never seen this particular swindle mentioned 
among our Humbugs, we infer that he wishes us to ex¬ 
pose the parties. We confess that we do not feel very 
unhappy over the loss of that 25 cents, as a false mus¬ 
tache is in itself a fraud, and the young man has bought 
for a very small sum a lesson that others pay many dol¬ 
lars for. One of the most rascally of all humbugs is that 
of selliug recipes for 
DANGEROUS BURNING FLUIDS, 
under the claim that they are safe. One called “Excel¬ 
sior Fluid ” emanates from Chicago, and is quite as per¬ 
nicious as any of those we have heretofore noticed. This 
is made by adding to one gallon of Gasoline, one tea¬ 
spoonful of alum, one tablespoonful of salt, and a piece 
of Alkanet Root to color it. Nothing can be more dan¬ 
gerous than this. Gasoline is one of the products ob¬ 
tained in refining petroleum, and as it is produced 
largely while there are few uses for it, it is cheap, and 
as dangerous as it is cheap ; it boils at 120°, and makes 
an inflammable vapor much below that, and any attempt 
to introduce this into use in lamps should be a punisha¬ 
ble crime. The addition of alum and salt under the 
pretense that they make the stuff less dangerous, is a 
bare-faced fraud ; they can have no more effect than the 
use of so much sand ; the alkanet to color, is to make 
the liquid appear different from what it is—one of the 
most dangerous things that can be kept in the house. 
One recipe for using this dangerous stuff, recommended 
the addition of sliced raw potatoes 1 No matter however 
mixed and muddled with, its character will remain the 
same, and there is no safety save in the perfect avoid¬ 
ance of this and all similar liquids as burning fluids_ 
Few persons living in New York have any idea of the 
“MARVELLOUS THINGS” 
it contains ; it is only those who live at a distance and 
get the circulars that arc sent out who learn of the many 
chances of making money that are offered to people who 
will undertake the sale of the various gimcracks they 
offer. Wc have before us a collection of these circulars 
which are sufficiently remarkable to be framed and hung 
up among the curiosities at the Centennial Exhibition. 
The Brazillian rerfume Stone, from that remarkable 
cave, the location of which is definitely given, as being 
“ in a secluded ravine at the foot of the Andes Moun¬ 
tains in Southern Brazil.” The Empire of Brazil does 
not anywhere reach within some hundreds of miles of 
the Andes, but it ought to, for the circular says so, and 
gives a picture of the cave. It is just possible that there 
are people simple enough to believe in the existence of 
such a stone. The jewelry and watches offered by these 
concerns is surprising for its cheapness. Then there are 
all sorts of cheating cards, washing fluids, corn scrapers, 
ventilated garters, and numerous other things out of 
which many dollars a day can be made by agents if they 
can only sell them. But these traps are nothing com¬ 
pared to the wonderful hooks offered. There are half a 
dozen or more of these clap-trap shops, not only in New 
York, but in New England, New Jersey, etc., each of 
which has a book of “ secrets ” which if they are half as 
remarkable as the advertisements, must be something 
stunning. Singularly, these hooks, usually by some 
“Doctor” are advertised so nearly in the same terms, 
with the same lists of contents, that we suspect they 
must differ only in their title pages. The purport of 
them all is to show people how to make money. They 
are simply collections of recipes for making articles that 
cost little, and if one can Bell them, money will flow in. 
The trouble is in selling them, as the chances here are 
very small. These books cost from 50c. to $1, and it 
does not take those who purchase them long to find out 
that even at these prices they are poor investments. 
EYE CUPS AND EAR DRUMS. 
The vendors of these flood the country with their circu- 
