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AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
197 
may be sent to the Treasurer, Thomas P. .lames. Esq.. 
Philadelphia. Fruit, etc., fur exhibition at the meeting 
may be directed to care of James Vick, Esq., Rochester. 
The ItrooIiSyn S9<>s*8i<’iilini-ai Soci¬ 
ety.—It is a shame that New Vork City has no live 
Horticultural Society. Across the river in Brooklyn they 
have one which seems to he flourishing, if we may judge 
from their Exhibition held on June 15tli and Kith. It 
was chiefly remarkable for the fine display of green¬ 
house plants of which there was a collection of rare and 
exceedingly well-grown specimens, worth a long journey 
to look at. Bouquets and baskets of flowers were abun¬ 
dant and fine, and some abominable things were exhibit¬ 
ed, called “floral designs.” There was a good display of 
strawberries, most of which were so badly labelled as 
to give but little-information. A fine collection of hot¬ 
house grapes from John Ellis, Fox Meadow, and a lot of 
excellent Caulifloue*- am. other early vegetables from 
John Hutchinson, ga oer xr to F. A. Low. Staten Island, 
were among the most attract:vt articles on Exhibition. 
Here was a fine show with but u<*re and there a solitary 
spectator. Where were the people of Brooklyn ? 
To Enquirers about “ BJoctors.”— 
Some time ago it was slated in these columns that no 
physician who advertised his cures was worthy of confi¬ 
dence. This has brought a host of letters inquiring if 
“ Dr.” this or “ Dr.” that was included in this sweeping 
statement. We have given our opinion in general terms 
and see no reason to modify it. Letters of inquiry in re¬ 
gard to particular persons will not be answered. Any 
one who is foolish enough to risk his money for treat¬ 
ment of any disease by letter, deserves to lose it, and 
any, calling themselves physicians, who will treat patients 
in this manner, are quacks. Is not this a plain enough 
statement of our opinion? The fact is, there is a large 
class of persons who are the subjects of “ nervous dis¬ 
eases and general debility ” who are beyond the reach of 
medicine. An honest practitioner tells them so, and re¬ 
commends a course of diet and life not agreeable for the 
patient to follow. The Doctor who does this, is set down 
as knowing nothing, and the invalid, weak perhaps in 
mind, as well as body, catches at every thing whiclt prom¬ 
ises relief. It is barely possible that there may be skill¬ 
ful and honest men who advertise their cures, as it is just 
possible that an honest man may be found in the soci¬ 
ety of pickpockets and gamblers, but it is not probable. 
Any properiy educated physician who puffs his own cures, 
knows that he puts himself without the pale of decent 
society, and as he adopts the ways of humbugs and char¬ 
latans, lie must be classed with the company of his choice. 
Are Voit Insured I —The burning of a 
ho -- or a barn, may so cripple a man as to cause the 
I of all his property even, and blight his prospects for 
ui'e.. It is well therefore, to pay a small sum annually to 
be secured against such loss, and no prudent man will 
omit to do so.—But a man's life is quite as uncertain as 
any human possessions, and his loss a vastly greater one 
to ids family or those depending upon him for support. 
One may possess a competency now, and feel that he can 
leave his family or friends in comfortable circumstances, 
but who can be assured that his wealth will be perma¬ 
nent—that it may not fail just when it may be about to 
be most needed. We think it wise, therefore, for every 
man to contribute a small.sum.each year to secure a rea¬ 
sonable provision for his family, to be available after he 
leaves them. The matter should not be deferred until 
to-morrow, because one is in health to-day. Death sel¬ 
dom takes those looking for its approach; it is almost 
always a surprise. The old established large Life In¬ 
surance Companies are safe and reliable. A safe rule is 
to enter no Company not having been established for half 
a dozen years, nor one whose annual expenses eat 
up twenty to forty per cent or more of its income. 
TL'lie Tlxprcss Package Humbug.— 
Allusion has already been made to this swindle, in the 
Agriculturist, but as the game is still being carried on, 
and some of our readers have been caught by it recently, 
another warning is needed. The following letter was 
received by a Postmaster in Illinois. 
“ Tuttle’s Corners, Sussex Co., N. J. 
“ Sir, I have a package directed to your address which 
I will forward on receipt of 35 cents in stamps, and a 
three ct. stamp for this notice. 
Yours, j. II. Tuttle. 
The person addressed, supposing some one desired to 
send him a present, forwarded the amount, and that fin¬ 
ished the business, as nothing further was heard from 
Mr. Tuttle.—Does the Postmaster at Tuttle’s Corners 
know anything about this matter ? The P. O. regula¬ 
tions are strict as to the forwarding of bogus matter like 
the above. Letters like this from any unknown par¬ 
ties may at once be set down as attempted swindles. 
Humbugs iu General.— Win. Cottcw, 
La Salle Co., Ill., communicates to Hie American Agri¬ 
culturist his ideas on this topic as follows: “Humbug is 
not confined to cheating in money matters alone; it 
creeps or runs into customs and mannners, ladies’ dress¬ 
es, “ long drawn out ” skirts ; [IIow about men’s coat 
tails?— Ed.] and those horrid bonnets, and stiff hats over 
bags of hair. I wish some sensible person would invent 
a neat, useful dress, and patent it. I believe if Eugenie 
Bonaparte should decorate her august upper lip with a 
moustache, or imperial chin with a goatee, some of our 
ladies would glue the same on their faces.” “ ’Tis true, 
Us pity—pity 'tis, 'tis true 1 ’’—That will do. 
Strain E B 5pe Wanted.— We have letters 
from Missouri inquiring for Drain tile near at hand. 
Those who can supply that region had better advertise. 
A 3> isestse amen" 'I'otsiatoes.—A. B. 
Denyse, Esq., of.Long Island, who raises tomatoes for the 
N. Y. Market, has shown us specimens of a disease which 
it is feared will destroy the crops in some instances. The 
disease first appears upon the ends of the leaves, which 
look as if scorched ; the leaf soon decays and the disease 
extends down through the stem and ultimately destroys 
the plant. As far as is known, this trouble is confined to 
places near the shore. No signs of insects nor mildew' 
were perceptible, and from all that can be learned, it 
appears to be due to sudden changes of temperature. 
Wtvarf Flag for EcIsihs's.—A nn O. 
Hull, recommends the Dwarf-flag or Iris ( Iris pumila) as 
an edging for the beds of gardens. It begins to flower in 
March and continues through April; and when out of 
bloom, the short compact growth of leaves makes a neat 
appearance. It is worth trying. 
A Fine Seedling; ISose.— Messrs. J. S. 
Burgess & Son, of East New York, have decorated our 
tables with a number of fine roses. One of them, called 
Pocahontas, is deserving of special notice. It is a seed¬ 
ling of the Queen of the Prairies, and possesses the vigor 
and habit of that variety, but has much larger and darker 
flowers, which are fragrant. It will be very popular. 
Vine Pansies.— B. K. Bliss, of Springfield, 
Mass., has sent a box of beautiful pansies of great vari¬ 
ety of color and markings, and though not the largest we 
have seen, they ai e very perfect in form. 
Garden Seeds.— A. T. Northrup, Delaware 
Co., N. Y. The list was only intended to contain those 
seeds which are generally kept, hence the Stone Mason 
cabbage, and others recently introduced were omitted. 
Beans. — “II. R. C.,” Guilford, Conn. The 
bean with pods three feet long is the Asparagus, or 
Yard-long Bean ; this and the white and red Cranberry 
Pole-bean may be nad at Thorburn’s and other seed-stores. 
IPbotographs.— Almost the only good 
large-sized photographs of large animals we ever saw 
were received a few days since from Charles L. Sharpies 
of Chilten Hill, Pa. They are strikingly beautiful pic¬ 
tures of two imported Jersey cows, “Flora” and “Juno.” 
BEoven in Cattlc.-“Cattlc affected with this 
diease may be easily relieved by the following method, 
which has been successful where the straw rope has 
failed. Fasten the animal to tlie stall, force the mouth 
open, lay hold of the longue, and commence pumping, 
by drawing the tongue back and forth, to be continued 
fifteen or twenty minutes if necessary. Tlie operation 
permits the escape of gas.” So writes a correspondent. 
Good Milker.— L. Williams, of Cayuga Co., 
N. Y., carefully weighed the milk given by a native cow 
of his for one week, ending May 20th, with the following 
results: 14th, 43 lbs., 15th, 45 lbs., 16th, 46 lbs., 17th 
48kf lbs., 18th il% lbs., 19th lbs., 20lh, 45 lbs.-Total, 
32?X lbs., or over 40 gallons. 
Sheep Barn.— M. B. Bliss, of Kane Co., Ill. 
wants some hints through the Agriculturist in regard to 
building a barn witli sheds and racks to accommodate 
600 sheep. We shall be very happy to further his wishes, 
and publish one or more good plans. Will not some of the 
sheep raisers among our readers give their opinions with 
plans of their barns, sheep sheds, etc. 
Plants for Names.— R. McCurdy. The 
plant marked Bittersweet, is Celastrus scandens, some¬ 
times called False Bittersweet, but more commonly 
Waxwork. The one called Woodbine, is the true Bitter¬ 
sweet— Solanum Dulcamara. .. E. D. Velie, Suspension 
Bridge, sends Houstonia purpurea variety ciliolata, which 
is a western foi'm of the common Bluets.. The shrub sent 
by I’. F. Hatch; Washington Co.. N. Y. is Azalea nwlifln- 
ra, the Purple Azalea or I’iuxter Flower. It is a fine 
shrub, presenting a great many varieties in the wild state, 
and ought to be more cultivated. It is not rare in the 
Eastern States, and it extends to Virginia. 
'1'Sie fiiiTiuit Worm. —A gentleman who 
has had considerable experience with this pest, gives his 
method of treating it. A pailful of soft soap is dissolved 
in forty gallons of water, a pound of nitre (or saltpetre) is 
added, and tlie bushes' thoroughly syringed with this com¬ 
pound. It must be used on Hie very first appearance of 
tlie worm, as that increases so rapidly and works with 
such rapidity, that it will soon be too late. 
S''orce«1 Pcacltes, Nectarines and 
Plums.—Mr. Isaac Pullen, of Ilightstown, N. J., has 
repeatedly placed upon the exhibition tables at the office 
of the Agriculturist specimens of Peaches and other 
fruits from his Orchard-houses. The Peach, by far earlier 
than any other, is the Hale’s Early, some of which ripened 
as early as May 8th; heating having been commenced as 
early as Jan. 1st. At the Strawberry Exhibition, June 
15th, Mr. P. exibited fine specimens of Early York. Early 
Cling, Hale’s Early, Crawford’s Early, Honey. Cooledge’s 
Favorite and Beauty of China Peaches,—New White, 
Hardwick, Pittmaston’s Orange and Early Newington 
Nectarines,—and River’s Early Prolific Plum. 
Trouble with !5ot-l»cds. —Several have 
written complaining of their failure in hot-bed manage¬ 
ment. One of the common difficulties is putting too little 
soil upon the dung within the frame. Another is tlie 
burning of the plants during a hot day when the sash is 
left on. This is the trouble with J. M. M. and others. 
Thos. Miller of New Brunswick describes a trouble 
wliich we cannot understand without -seeing the beds. 
It would appear to be due to a sort of fungus, and we sog- 
gest procuring fresh earth to place within the beds. 
“ Sn Vacuo.”— What does it mean?—“ J. 
D.”—The word vacuum means a space in which nothing 
is. A perfect vacuum can hardly exist,—the least parti¬ 
cle of air Jills tlie largest space—a drop of water fur¬ 
nishes vapor which equally fills any space which is other¬ 
wise empty—(from which the air, or other contents, is 
withdrawn by any means.) It is the pneumatic pressure, 
(the pressure of air or vapor) on the surface of liquids 
which determines the temperature at which they will 
boil. Thus when the barometer stands at SO inches, 
water boils at 212° F ; at the top of a mountain the pres¬ 
sure of the air is less and it boils at a temperature often 
so low that it will not cook food. In a close steam boiler 
the pressure is great, and water boils at a very mucli higher 
temperature. By means of an air pump the pressure in 
a close vessel like a boiler can be greatly decreased, and 
a partial vacuum formed, the result of which operation 
is, that the liquid is boiled down at a low temperature, 
and very rapidly, the vapors being withdrawn as fast as 
formed. This is called boiling or evaporating “ in 
vacuo,' 1 and the practice is very valuable in concentrat¬ 
ing liquids which would be cooked and Iheir properties 
changed at a higher temperature, as milk, cider, fruit 
juices in general, the juice of sugar cane, beet juice, etc. 
A walk From London to John 
O’Groats.— Elihu Burritt made a journey on foot from 
London to the farthest point in Scotland, mainly with the 
view of writing upon the agriculture of the country. He 
has recorded his experience in the handsomest book we 
have seen in many a day. The paper, type, and binding 
are faultless, and the photographs of the author and 
Jonas Webb, and two other distinguished agriculturists 
are beautiful specimens of art. The amount of informa¬ 
tion given ahsut agricultural matters might have been 
published in a volume less than one-fourth the size of the 
present one. The book Is mainly filled with the author’s 
reflections upon birds, donkeys, trees and flowers. A 
hollyhock affords him a text for a dissertation of twenty 
five pages in which he runs the whole round of creation, 
exhausts philosophy, gives a touch of theology, and ii 
exceedingly tedious, as he is all through the book. Be¬ 
ing a book for American farmers it is seasoned with 
Latin, French and Hebrew, and even newly manufac¬ 
tured English words are coined to suit his purpose. 
What will our farmers say when Mr. Burritt tells them 
that the potato grew wild, two hundred and fifty years 
ago on the banks of the Connecticut ? When Mr. B. grave¬ 
ly records that he has seen a field of barley raised from 
-oats, and accepts the statement as “proving the exist¬ 
ence of a principle or law hitherto undiscovered, wliich 
may be applied to all kinds of plants for the use of man 
and beast,” we come to the conclusion that he does not 
possess the qualifications necessary tor an accurate ob¬ 
server of agriculture. Scribner & Cq.. never Issued a 
more beautiful nor q “ slpvy^r” hook than this. 
