1876.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULT URIST. 
247 
low—States, still give legislative sanction to lotteries, 
may prevent the exclusion of their circulars from the 
post-office. Our friends, who write to us to “ expose it,” 
can learn in what esteem this Kansas affair is held at 
home, by referring to the Humbugs in the June number, 
where we give a quotation from the Kansas Farmer, 
published at Topeka, the headquarters of the concern. 
TELEGRAPH SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES. 
Complaints are still made of concerns that profess to 
teach telegraphy and insure situations to those who are 
taught; two of these are in Ohio. We wrote to a friend 
living in the town where one of these schools is situated, 
and learn that this particular one, against which charges 
are made, is regarded as a highly respectable establish¬ 
ment, conducted by well known citizens'. We have on 
the one hand a charge of swindling from a person we do 
not know, offset by testimony as to general good charac¬ 
ter from a person we do know. From the complaints 
that come to us, we have no doubt that some of these 
telegraph schools have promised more than they can per¬ 
form, and that there has been great dissatisfaction among 
those who have attended them. It is not our custom to act 
upon unsubstantiated charges, and those who think they 
have been defrauded, must furnish us with positive and 
substantiated evidence, before we can comply with the 
request to expose the alleged telegraph or any other alleged 
“swindle;” merely referring us to “victims” indifferent 
parts of the country will not answer... We thought that 
the Brazilian Perfume Stone was a very clever catch, but 
now we have 
“the wonderful perfumed shells .' 1 
It was some comfort to know that the Perfume Stone 
came from '' a cave in a secluded ravine at the foot of the 
Andes Mountains, in Southern Brazil.” And moreover 
there was a picture of the “ cave ” that should convince 
the most skeptical. The “ shells of ocean ” circular has a 
picture of “ the island,” there are rocky cliffs, a beach 
with the shells lying about loose, of course there is a 
sea, and the full moon struggling among the clouds, gives 
an effect that is “grand, gloomy, and peculiar.” But 
alas there is not the least hint as to the locality of this 
remarkable island, though any one who had ever seen 
the picture would know it should he ever get shipwrecked 
upon it. The shells we are told are “ petrified,” which 
is a rather queer thing for shells lying around on a beach 
to be. So remarkable are these perfumed shells, that 
“no lady's toilet is complete without them,” but still 
more remarkable is the fact that one by selling them 
may “ start a fortune with $5.” The directions for 
doing this are very plain, but we notice that it mainly 
consists in sending money to the seller of the shells.... 
They have 
A CANCER SCARE IN OMAHA, 
according to the papers, but the people need not be 
afraid, as they have a “ Cancer Doctor” equal to the oc¬ 
casion. This doctor has made a discovery that “ the air 
is full of cancer,” and all old women with any kind of 
swelling, and every nervous man with a pimple, are 
frightened into the belief that they have a cancer, and as 
a consequence, the “ doctor ” is full of business. This 
kind of excitement is started every now and then in va¬ 
rious localities. We do not believe in mob-law, but in 
those far western towns it is the custom to tell an ob¬ 
noxious person to “ git up and git,” and this summary 
notice to leave, if ever justifiable, would be so in the case 
of this “ cancer doctor,” who is scaring all the nervous 
people into fidgets. The well known fatal character of 
cancer, and the ease with which the imagination of per¬ 
sons afflicted with some obscure swelling or tumor is 
wrought upon, gives these cancer doctors a grand chance. 
They easily persuade the patient that he or she has a 
cancer, and promise a cure, which, the trouble not being 
a cancer at all, is easily effected, and the quack is paid 
liberally for his supposed wonderful cure. There are 
few maladies so rare as a cancer, and few so absolutely 
incurable. No one should submit to treatment for a can¬ 
cer without first having its existence established by the 
highest surgical authority. Cancer quacks are bad 
enough, and fraudulent lotteries are bad enough, but to 
have them both presented on one sheet is a 
CONCENTRATION OF EVILS. 
H*re we have a thing that calls itself a “ Medical Jour¬ 
nal,” which is in part occupied by the advertisement of a 
“ Cancer Compound,” and in part by one of that Wyom¬ 
ing Lottery, the special beauties of which we in part ex¬ 
plained last month.—“ Oh how happy could we be with 
either, were the other dear charmer away.”_Here 
comes the question 
ALL THE WAT FROM WYOMING TERRITORY. 
“Has this nuisance ever been shown up?"—Now what 
does the attentive reader of the Humbug column suppose 
is thus called a “ nuisance ” ?~Nothing less than the 
“ True Narrative ” of our particular Edwin Eastman. 
There is the portrait of our beloved Eddie, and there is 
Us signature just as he has written it for us at our own 
desk, and yet this man in Wyoming calls him a “nui¬ 
sance 1 ” But then it is one “ Clark Johnson, M. D.,” 
who sends out the circulars, and perhaps it is he who is 
the nuisance after all. This whole matter of Edwin 
Eastman and “Clark Johnson, M. 1).,” was explained 
long ago, and is among the antiquated subjects. 
A POSTMASTER ASKS ADVICE. 
A postmaster in Illinois, asks what we would do if we 
were P. M., and received such a “slip as the enclosed.” 
The slip is a note from “ Clark Johnson, M. D.,” stating 
that letters addressed to “ so and so ” are returned un¬ 
claimed, wants to know the whereabouts of “ so and so,” 
and also the name of a reliable Justice of the Peace in 
the vicinity. Mr. “ Clark Johnson, M. D.,” must have a 
great many delinquent correspondents, as he has a litho¬ 
graphed circular to Post-masters, into which the name of 
the person inquired for is written with ink. As to what 
we should do were we Post-master, we should do noth¬ 
ing. We cannot see what an officer of the United States 
Government ha3 to do with hunting up the delinquent 
agents of any dealer iu quack medicines. Let Clark J. 
slide and look after his own stuff. 
New Strawlierries flroiai S»essiisiyl» 
vania.—Mr. A. Miller, of Carlisle, Pa., sends us speci¬ 
mens—fruiting plants—of four of his new strawberries, 
viz: “ Cumberland Triumph,” “Springdale,” “ Kohock- 
en,” and “Golden Defiance.” The plants were very 
strong, and evidently great bearers, the fruit in the first 
three very large—that of the Cumberland Triumph espe¬ 
cially so—and in all well formed. We could not properly 
judge of the quality, as they were packed in damp moss, 
which imparted its own musty flavor to the berries. To 
judge from these specimens, we should say that these 
varieties are of good promise, and worthy the attention 
of those interested in strawberry culture. 
TJse New .Jersey State IE©rti= 
cultural Society send the Report of their first 
annual meeting. It contains several papers by well- 
known cultivators of fruits and flowers, and is of inter¬ 
est to horticulturists generally. We have marked the in¬ 
teresting paper on the Huckleberry, by Mr. C. W. Idcll, 
for insertion in our columns when wo can find room. 
TTlie Ifforticmititi-al of 
the New York Horticultural Association, opens just as 
we go to press. Gilmore's Garden, (formerly the Hippo¬ 
drome), is converted into a scene of great beauty and in¬ 
terest. We cannot now specify the leading exhibitors, 
but hope to do so another time. The florists, nurserymen 
and others in and around New York, have taken hold of 
the matter with spirit, and have made the first exhibition 
of the Association a gratifying success. Several good 
judges consider that this display is finer than that at 
the Horticultural Hall at the Centennial. 
THe IPolaris is the name of a small cooler 
made by A. M. Lesley, N. Y., whose large Zero refrig¬ 
erators are favorably known and widely used. The 
Polaris serves to keep butter, milk, etc., apart from the 
contents of a large ice-box, and to furnish a supply of 
ice-water. It is a very useful Cooler in a sick room, and 
for a very small family would answer the purpose of a 
larger affair. 
How much Earth can he Moved 
in a Day W. M.,” P. of Q., Canada. The amount 
of earth that can be moved by an average laborer in a day 
often hours, depends wholly upon the character of the 
material. Of sand or loose earth, that does not need to 
be loosened with the pick, a man may throw into a cart 
25 cubic yards a day. If the soil has to be picked, but is 
free from stone or hard pan, 12 to 15 yards will be a fair 
day's work, and for hard pan which is difficult to be bro¬ 
ken up, 4 to 5 yards. In railroad work, when the earth is 
shoveled into carts or wagons, a fair day’s labor is 15 
yards of soft loam or sand, including picking, or 10 
yards of stiff clay. This includes loss of time in waiting 
for the carts to come in. If a laborer has to drive the 
cart a distance of 100 feet, as well as fill it, a fair day's 
work would be four-fifths of the above. 
Horticulture at tlie Centennial.— 
The most important special exhibition thus far, has been 
the display of Rhododendrons, by Anthony Waterer, the 
celebrated nurseryman of Woking, England. The plants 
were finely arranged under a temporary structure, and 
proved a great attraction. We regret that no distinction 
was made between those kinds hardy in this country, 
and those that will not endure our climate. Many per¬ 
sons took down the names of the finer varieties, but if 
they undertake to cultivate these in the open ground, they 
will be sadly disappointed ...The special strawberry 
show was a melancholy failure. Being held so near the 
great strawberry producing localities, in Delaware and 
Maryland on one side, and of southern New Jersey on the 
other, wo expected there would have been a grand show, 
but for some reason the growers did not respond.... 
Neither horticulture nor agriculture seem to be thought 
of sufficient importance by the Commissioners to be re¬ 
garded as among the groups into which the exhibits are 
divided. We hope that later special horticultural ex¬ 
hibitions may result more creditably. 
Sowing' C:ibba»c>Scc«l in tfee 
Field.— “E. W. B.,” Chappaqua, N. Y. Mr. Gregory, 
of Marblehead, advocates, or did at one time, sowing the 
seed where the cabbages are to stand. We should not 
like to disagree with one of so much experience and so 
generally accurate as Mr. G., had we not tried both ways. 
We are unable to see that anything is to be gained by 
this method, while the labor is greatly increased. In the 
ordinary way, sowing the seed in the seed-bed, all the 
care of the young plants is done upon a very small space, 
and the plants when a few inches high are set in recently 
plowed and prepared ground. Where the seeds are sown 
in place, you have to go over the field to sow, dropping 
2 to 6 seeds in a place; then the whole field has to be 
kept clear of weeds from the beginning, and here some 
weeks of extra work is added. After this at least two 
thinnings must be made, and the working of the soil, 
while the plants are very minute, must be done with ex¬ 
tra care. Another advantage in transplanting is, that 
each root may be inspected, and no imperfect ones set. 
While there may be something about Mr. Gregory's soil 
or climate that makes the plan better for him, we could 
see no advantage in it, and several disadvantages. 
Miilclissig'.—“S. W.,” Ontario, N. Y., strict¬ 
ly speaking, a mulch is any substance which, put upon 
the soil, will mechanically prevent the evaporation of 
moisture, and as a secondary result, prevent the baking 
of the surface by the sun’s heat. Manure is no better as 
a nuilch than any other materia!, but if the object be to 
both fertilize and protect the surface, then, and only 
then, is it better. Newly planted trees do not need ma¬ 
nuring the first year, and manure can be used to better 
purpose on established trees. Any litter that will not 
bring in weed seeds may be used. Near the coast we 
find salt ha.y the best. Old straw, bog-hay, and even cut 
corn-stalks, may be used. Tan-bark and saw-dust, or 
chips, will answer, and stones are as good as anything. 
In the absence of any other mulch, use earth—which 
means keep the surface light and open, working it often. 
Trees IVom Cuttings or Seeds.— 
“S.,” Richmond, Va., asks us to give a short dissertation 
on trees grown from cuttings as compared with the same 
kind grown from seeds. Some trees are just as well 
grown one way as the other, while other kinds never 
make handsomely shaped trees from cuttings ; the cut¬ 
ting being from a side branch, will always be one-sided. 
Our correspondent has some pear trees he has grown 
from cuttings, and his question has reference to these, 
he says they are fine and healthy now, and wishes to 
know if they will last. If they form sufficient roots to 
allow a “fine and healthy” growth, there is no reason 
why they should not last as well as the same variety 
raised in any other manner. A great many pear trees are 
practically from cuttings ; trees on quince roots are 
planted deep, the pear takes root, while the quince root 
dies, leaving the pear on its own roots. Pear trees are 
not raised from cuttings, for the reason that, as with ap¬ 
ples, but few varieties will take root readily. In cli¬ 
mates where the winter is mild, but still cool enough to 
prevent leaf growth, even peach cuttings will take root. 
Basket Items e©n- 
tinued on pag-e 
The White-headed or Bald Eagle. 
Upon the first page is given an engraving of the Eagle 
as it is, surrounded by some of the many forms in which 
it is represented as our national emblem. The Bald Ea¬ 
gle (Halixtm leucocepkalus), is one of our largest birds; 
its extent of wing is seven feet, with a length of 1 
about three feet. Its general color is of a deep amber : 
brown, in marked contrast with which is its white head. ‘ 
neck, and tail. Its strong bill and talons, with great 
strength to use them, make it a formidable enemy to 
other birds, and enable it to carry off not only wild prey, 
but it has been known to capture lambs, young pigs, and 
poultry. The bird has its unpleasant aspects, and is seen 
to great disadvantage in confinement. There can hardly 
be a more forlorn object than the “ bird of freedom " in 
captivity and held by the bars of a cage. It is seen at its 
best in flight, and when soaring at a great hight, the ease 
and grace of its movements, sailing in broad sweeps 
without an apparent motion of its wings, make it a 
truly noble bird. Its lightning like descents when from 
