1869. 
AMF/I i I CAN ACxIlKyULTU R IST, 
83 
protesting against the admission of Wilson’s advertise¬ 
ment in that excellent paper. Every publisher who ad¬ 
vertises for Wilson helps to cheat his readers, unwilling¬ 
ly, we hope, hut hardly blamelessly. We have exposed 
Wilson several times in the last dozen years. He pur¬ 
ported to be a Methodist minister, and claimed to belong 
to the “New Ilaven Methodist Conference,” until we 
published the fact that there was no such Conference 
known to Methodists. Ho then changed his tactics, 
studied up the “ minutes,” and located himself in an ac¬ 
tual Conference, where, strange to say, none of his 
“ brethren ” knew him. He professes to be actuated 
solely by benevolent motives, but fails to let the press 
publish his recipe gratuitously, albeit we did publish it 
(see AgrlCftttwigt for July, 1859, April, 1802, and Decem¬ 
ber, 1SG5). Like several others of his class, he is an un¬ 
hung villain, who, under an assumed name, steals the 
livery of Heaven to serve the devil (his own pocket) in. 
_There are several others of the Wilson class before 
the public just now. One of the more prominent ones 
claims to be a woman by the name of Mrs. M. C. Leggett. 
She has remedies for catarrh, scrofula, and deafness, any 
or all of which she will - send free of charge to any address. 
Of course, the several ingredients from which these 
“remedies” are compounded can only be obtained from 
her ; and in a private letter on the back of the circular 
sent with the receipt, she tells you that for $3 she will 
send you every article named therein, fresh and good, 
etc. ! ! That is the dodge they all have; “ free of charge” 
means $5, or some other sum of money, for a worthless 
or dangerous article, or a temporary stimulant, costing a 
few cents_Look out for “ Real Estate Lotteries ” of all 
kinds, for they are humbugs_The Implement Hum¬ 
bug every now and then turns up. “ Shakes ” (an appro-. 
priate name for some parts of the State he writes from) 
says : “ There is one going the rounds this winter—a pat¬ 
ent right cultivator and seed-sower. Town rights are 
sold to unsuspecting farmers for $200 or more, they giv¬ 
ing their notes, expecting that large profits will soon re¬ 
pay them. One man made twelve hundred dollars by 
shaving these notes in one county. I do not know of an 
instance where the dupe has been able to dupe enough of 
his neighbors to enable him to get his money back.” The 
less a farmer has to do with these traveling patent right 
chaps the better. He should never buy an implement 
of any kind that has not been thoroughly tested. 
I*jirs>oJiis> tlic ISose.—The publishers 
of the Agriculho'ist will shortly issue a new and mainly 
re-written edition of this standard work on rose culture. 
So great has been the progress in this branch of horticul¬ 
ture that, as far as varieties are concerned, a thorough re¬ 
vision was necessary. Much new material has been 
added, and at the same time such matter as has become 
superfluous has been omitted. New illustrations have 
been prepared, and the whole is essentially a new work. 
Ready.in April. Price, $1.50. 
The New NorSc State JPoulti-y 
Society premium list is now ready, and will be sent 
free on application. Office, 229 Broadway, New York. 
New Work on Ardiiiecture.— 
“Woodward's National Architect.”—We have long 
sought in the various excellent works on house build¬ 
ing for more of detail both of construction and orna¬ 
mentation. The work before us supplies this want in an 
unusual degree. Besides giving a great number of at¬ 
tractive house designs, to cost, as estimated, from $2,000 
to $30,000, with perspective views of most, front eleva¬ 
tions, side elevations, and plans of all, the details are 
given with great minuteness, including the framing, 
mouldings, casings, newels, stair balusters, etc., etc., 
to the iron ornaments, vanes, and crestings for the roof. 
Accompanying each design is a “complete set of specifi¬ 
cations and an estimate of cost,” at New York prices, to 
enable any one to compare and make his own estimates. 
The work will be valued by any one intending to build, 
and be very useful for country builders. It contains 20 de¬ 
signs of buildings, 100 plates, gpd 1,000 original engrav¬ 
ings, including designs, plans, and details. II is sold by 
subscription, but the proprietors of the American Agri¬ 
culturist have made arrangements with the publishers to 
supply the work at the subscription price—$12. 
Tlie B>epsti*timi<eEa£ «>jf Ag-ricoilSsife 
and tlie N. Y. Times.— 1 The N. Y. Times lias the 
following: “ The American, Agriculturist snarls at the 
Times for suggesting any improvement in the man¬ 
agement of the Agricultural Department at Washington. 
It states, with a great deal of arrogance, that any im¬ 
provements in that Department are directed by the 
“Agricultural Press,” and all the “Timeses” in the 
aountry will not hasten or retard any proposed move¬ 
ment, as farmers have the business in hand, and politi¬ 
cians have very little to say about the matter. We doubt 
whether that is so. But if it be the case, it is the boundeu 
duty of every man and woman to sign a petition praying 
Congress to abolish tlie Agricultural Department at once. 
We did hope that something worthy of record and ad¬ 
vantageous to the country would be accomplished in 
that Department. But if tlie parties alluded to have got 
the/power, the miserable inefficiency of the past will bear 
a small comparison to the distressed management that 
we may look for.” — We print the above merely to put 
the Times on record, and let the farmers see what a paper 
which lias an “agricultural” column really thinks of them. 
The Times railed at the monthly reports of the Depart¬ 
ment as being of no value. Shortly after it had quite a 
long article on the crops, based on the report of tlie De¬ 
partment, and largely made up with quotations from it. 
Either that paper was insincere In denouncing the reports, 
or it chooses to furnish its readers with matter of no 
value. If report speaks truly, one of the subordinates of 
the Times wishes to become Commissioner of Agricul¬ 
ture. Tlie course of the paper in trying to destroy confi- 
d ncc in the present Commissioner looks like an effort 
to prepare the way for a change. It won’t work. 
SofiY-slielled. Eg'g'S.—“ J. IT. L.,” of Cin¬ 
cinnati, says his hens’ eggs arc nearly all soft-shelled, 
though the fowls have both sand and lime to run to. The 
lime is doubtless in a form which is distasteful, or not 
recognized by the hens. Give the hens powdered oyster 
or clam shells, finely pounded bones, or marble dust, 
mixed with their feed. 
Wray's S>cEb<im> 1 aitd. ]Fiel«t«B8ools of 
Botany,-“ IIow shall I study botany ?” is a question 
often put to us. We now have a ready answer—buy the 
above book, and study it faithfully. Dr. Gray has done the 
public good service in the preparation of this work, and 
Ivison, Pliimiey, Blakeman & Co. have presented it in a 
handsome style. Tlie book consists of two portions: 
First, the “ Lessons,” which have been before the public 
for several years. No work, however elaborate, has so 
clearly and charmingly presented the structure of plants 
as these unpretending “ Lessons.” The writer, upon their 
first appearance, had occasion to say that “the work 
contained more botany than any he knew of.” They are 
written in a spirit only possible to a mind thoroughly im¬ 
bued with the subject, and in a stylo so plain that a child 
may comprehend it. A knowledge of the structure of 
plants and of the plan of vegetation is the groundwork of 
all botanical knowledge, and can nowhere be better ac¬ 
quired than from these lessons. Then comes the study of 
the classification of plants, the identification of species, 
their grouping into genera, families, etc. These are 
treated of in the second part of the volume. Gray’s 
Manual of Botany contains descriptions of all the native 
.rirnts of the Northern United States, and much of the 
Inrattcr in that is of but little use to the general student. 
The present work includes such wild plants as are most 
commonly met with, and,—what will prove generally ac¬ 
ceptable—the plants of the garden and green-house. 
Means for studying cultivated plants have heretofore been 
only within the reach of those having libraries, but here 
is a whole library of description condensed into less 
than 400 pages, with that clearness and conciseness which 
are so characteristic of its author. The work under notice 
will do much to popularize the stndy of botany, and we 
commend it notonly to the general public but to garden¬ 
ers and florists, who have now no excuse for following 
an incorrect nomenclature. Sent from the office of the 
Agriculturist , by mail, for the publishers’ price, $2.50. 
Ssalt Mstrsli Hind. — Benjamin White, 
Mass.—Get out the mud, and let it dry on the shore. If it 
becomes easily pulverized, it may be spread at once on 
grassland, and will probably have a good effect,—better 
if put on after mowing. , Whether easily crushed or not, 
it may be composted either with lime or yard manure 
with good results upon all farm crops. 
Norway Otsfis.—Several inquirers.—As a 
finality we would say that we have grown an oat called 
Norway, and found it a good and productive grain. The 
position of this journal in regard to such matters is this: 
If we believe that those who advertise “novelties” are 
acting in good faith, we admit their advertisements. We 
do not endorse the representations made concerning the 
articles; nor do we admit the advertisement if we have 
reason to suppose that there is any “ humbug ” about it. 
Moreover, we advise no one to invest in new and untried 
things, unless he can afford to lose his money in case of 
failure. Please remember that all new plants, seeds, and 
the like, are on probation. If one in twenty proves better 
than any thing of its kind already in cultivation it is a 
great gain. If we were to exclude all seeds and plants un¬ 
til they had been generally tested and proved valuable all 
over the country, it would be depriving our readers of op¬ 
portunities for experiment which they ought to have; 
indeed, few things would ever get generally tested. That 
spurious “Norway oats” are in the market we do not 
doubt. That the “Norway” or any other oat will prove 
a success everywhere we do not believe. That the “ Nor 
way” has been found valuable in Vermont, Nebraska and 
other States, we arc as well assured as we can be of any 
thing depending upon testimony. Touch all new things 
gently, and if a failure is likely to be at all embarrassing 
let them alone until those who can afford to do so 
have tried them. 
New IBoses. —John Saul, an acknowledged 
authority, describes them in the Horticultural Annual. 
Climax IPotato. —In December last, we 
gave the Early Rose as the parent of the Climax. We 
intended to say Early Goodrich, and thank Mr. Bresee for 
calling our attention to the error. 
George Ilusmann has sold his celebrated vineyard at 
Hermann, Mo., and will remove to Blufl'ton. 
There will be a Grande Exposition Universelle at Ly¬ 
ons, France, in 1870, which is some years too soon. 
Will it freeze ? is the question in France, the early 
spring flowers being all in bloom in January. 
Ilovey looks many years younger now he is no longer 
an editor. 
Two of Arnold’s new grapes have been tested. The 
Cornucopia stood 79 and Autuchon S6 on the must scale. 
A machine has been invented in England for killing 
cheap seeds to mix with new and dear varieties. 
Camellias are having a great time this year in England. 
One man reports 49 blooms on a plant out of doors Jan. 11. 
In England, small green-houses are heated by petrole¬ 
um stoves. Here is a chance for some Yankee inventor. 
English florists make a great palaver about a new Bo¬ 
livian annual called Palaver. 
The Lancaster Farmer is a new monthly, published at 
Lancaster, Pa., at $1 a year. 
The Chautauqua Farmer began its existence with the 
present year, at Dunkirk, N. Y. It is a weekly at $1.50. 
Edward Jones wonders why those who have choice 
grain seeds—wheat, corn, oats, etc.,—do not advertise 
them. So do we. 
The boys at Cornell University publish a paper, the 
Cornell Era. It looks as if some old boys had a hand 
in it. 
The winter has been very mild in England. In Janu¬ 
ary, Rose:- were in bloom, Horse Chestnut buds expanded, 
and Rhubarb fit for use in the open ground. 
What’s in a name? A great deal we should say when 
wo read of Primula Sinensis Jimbriata punctata eleganlis- 
sima. The poor thing lived, notwithstanding its name. 
The Toronto (Canada) Weekly Globe has a horticultural 
department excellently conducted by D. W. Beadle, a 
well-known pomologist. 
A man who went to Florida to buy land for a company 
reports that the soil might possibly be made productive 
if manured every twenty-four hours. 
A. St. is informed that we do not treat with parties who 
do not give their names; also that we never decide to 
publish or reject articles without first seeing them. 
Deitz’s “Experimental Farm Journal” is a new agri¬ 
cultural monthly of 32 pages, octavo, in covers, issued 
fey Geo. A. Deitz, of wheat fame, at Chambersburgh, 
Pa., at $1.50 per annum. 
Tlie International Horticultural Exhibition to be held 
at St. Petersburg on May 14th offers a large silver medal 
for the best collection of North American Oaks suitable 
for cultivation in Russia. 
In Russia a water-melon is arboor and melon patch a 
bagshla ; moreover a cucumber is a goortsee. Those who 
wish more of the nomenclature can attend the Interna¬ 
tional Horticultural Congress at St. Petersburg next May. 
Some half dozen Secretaries of Horticultural Societies 
sent notices of their winter meetings in February, about 
the time half our edition was mailed. IIow could they 
have been published? 
A convention of American Philologists will be held at 
Poughkeepsie, N. Y., on the 27lh of next July. Profes¬ 
sors of Language in Universities, Colleges, Theological 
Seminaries, and other high schools of learning, Presidents 
of Colleges and other schools where Languages aro 
taught, and amateurs and patrons of Philological studies 
and investigation, are invited to.be present. 
A prolific writer is Mr. “ Ex.” whoso articles appear in 
so many agricultural journals. If a man can take our ar¬ 
ticles and satisfy his conscience by accrediting them to 
“Ex.” he must have his conscience under good subjection. 
We have more respect for an open thief, like one New 
England paper which took an art icle from the Agriculturist 
and printed it. double leaded, word for word, as its own. 
A highwayman is more respectable than a snoak-thief. 
