122 
[April, 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
containing a great variety of Items, including many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we throw into smaller 
type and condensed'form, for want of space elsewhere. 
SPECIAL Til EDITORS 
OF 
OUR EXCHANGES, 
We feel quite sure our editorial friends will find tho 
present number full of interest throughout—quite supe¬ 
rior to any previous issue—but not superior to what is to 
come, for we mean to keep on improving. As we have 
tried to make every column valuable, we can hardly call 
attention to any particular part of the paper. We think 
the execution and printing of the engravings are not 
equaled by any power-printed journal or magazine in the 
country. Below is a paragraph which may serve as hints 
to those who kindly notice this paper.-As hitherto, 
we are happy to reciprocate any favors, in any practica¬ 
ble way—and those who publish editorially any notice 
like the following, and send us their papers with the 
notice marked , will, of course, feel free to make do- 
mands upou us for extra copies of the Agriculturist for 
friends or others. O. J. & CO. 
THE “EXCELSIOR” MOTTO of the Publishers and 
Editors of the American Agriculturist , is well illustrated 
in the nnmber for April 1st, an advance copy of which has 
come to hand. This number-, like others, contains 
44 double quarto pages, including a beautiful tinted 
cover containing an original large engraving. The copy 
before us is literally packed full of tine, pleasing, and 
instructive engravings, and choice, instructive, original, 
and carefully prepared reading matter, prepared by the 
best practical minds in the country. Almost every line 
is full of interest and instruction. The multitude of sea¬ 
sonable hints about all departments of out-door and in¬ 
door rural life, will be found of great value, and particu¬ 
larly the Calendar of Work to be done during the month. 
The 35 finely executed engravings in this number em¬ 
brace many gems of the art, including large cartoons of 
“The Change of Pasture,” “Herons and their Nests,” 
“The New Comer,” etc. An amusing “Picture Story 
for the Times,” will interest the velocipedists. Taken 
altogether, the American Agriculturist is unequaled as a 
beautiful, reliable, practical journal for the Farm and 
Garden, and for the Household, whether in City, Village, 
or Country. Terms: $1.50 per year, or four copies for §5. 
Single numbers, post-paid, 15 cents. ORANGE JUDD 
& CO., Publishers, 2-15 Broadway, New York. 
“I Haven’t si Foot of Lnnil,” 
writes a City Merchant, “and I may never have, but 
I take your paper for the advertisements. It is a luxury 
to get hold of at least one flourishing, well-patronized 
paper, and look over its business items with a feeling 
that they are, as a class, from good men. I actually read 
them all through, and often buy things that I would not 
think of sending for if I saw them announced along with 
a lot of good, bad, and indifferent advertisements. You 
have adopted just the right rule, in requiring advertisers 
* not known to the editors personally, or by good repute, 
to furnish evidence that they have both the ability and 
intention to do what they promise to do in their advertise¬ 
ments.’ That rule, with the rejection of the villainous 
quacks and patent medicines, thoroughly lived up to for 
a few years, would be the making of any paper in the 
country. Can’t you stir up all your contemporaries to the 
importance of this, both for themselves and for the peo¬ 
ple? If practiced by all newspapers, it would every 
year save millions on millions of dollars, and thousands 
of lives, now destroyed by the oceans of syrups and de¬ 
coctions, and the tons of pills, etc., annually consumed.” 
WliitewasSiinsi-. —In these days of spring 
cleaning, the whitewash brush and pail are freely used 
by the good housekeeper, and none too freely, for aside 
from the effect that whitewash has upon the appearance 
of the dwelling rooms, its use in cellars, outhouses, etc., 
is doubtless of salutary effect. The essentials in white¬ 
washing are, good lime and a good brush. Freshly 
burned hard lumps of lime are the best. Rhode Island 
lime has long been celebrated for its excellence, and is 
sent for long distances away from the little State. The 
brush should be a good one; no a cheap affair made to 
sell, but with long, good bristles, and plenty of them. 
The lime is slaked by pouring boiling water upon it, 
stirring until the lumps disappear; more water is added, 
until a creamy liquid is obtained, of proper thickness for 
application. The pail should have a stiff wire stretched 
across the top, against which to draw the brush, to re¬ 
move the excess of whitewash. Commence hy sweeping 
the ceiling and walls, to remove all dust; then go over 
the surface, making the strokes of the brush all in one 
direction, and parallel; when the first coat is dried, ap¬ 
ply another in a direction across, or at right angles with 
the former. A large paint brush will be found useful for 
corners and intricate places. Those who have never 
whitewashed must not be surprised to see the work look 
very badly while it is wet; the effect can only be judged 
of when dry. With a little practice, the operation can be 
done without spattering or letting a drop fall. Stir the 
whitewash occasionally, dip the brush in perpendicular¬ 
ly, and then draw it across the wire above spoken of, so 
as to leave as much in the brush as it will hold without 
dropping. Salt, white vitriol, starch paste, and other 
things are added with a view to prevent the wash from 
rubbing off, but there is little whitewash that will 
not rub off For nice work, the lime may be slaked sev¬ 
eral weeks before it is used. A thin pellicle or crust of 
carbonate of lime will form on the surface, which is to 
be skirumed oft’, and then the wash may be poured off 
from the gritty particles which settle to the bottom. 
Kalsomining is a term given to another method 
of whitening walls. It is Paris white, which is a very 
Cue whitening or chalk, to be had at the paint and 
drug stores, and put on with a glue size. The proportions 
are a quarter of a pound of ivhite glue to six pounds of 
Paris white. Put the glue in water enough to well cover 
it, and let it stand until perfectly soft; then put the ves¬ 
sel containing the glue into a kettle of hot water, and stir 
until it is thoroughly dissolved. Put the Paris white into 
a pail, add hot water gradually, stirring all the time, 
until it is brought to a smooth, creamy consistence ; add 
the dissolved glue, and then water enough to thin it suf¬ 
ficiently to work well with the brush. It is applied in 
the same manner as whitewash, and is used for hard- 
finished ceilings and walls that have become discolored. 
Swim Islsimil.—This Island, which has been 
so long identified with the cultivation of the grape, is 
sold by Dr. Grant to Messrs. Hasbrouck & Buslmell. 
Allen’s “ iVew American Farm 
Book.”—Allen's American Farm Book 1ms been one of 
the standard farmer's hand-books for twenty years. It 
was a real hand-book, where one might go for reliable in¬ 
formation about a thousand and one matters of practical 
or farm policy. This work is still valuable, but not up to 
the times, and as its author, Mr. R. L. Allen, could not 
give time to its revision, this was undertaken by his 
brother, lion. Lewis F. Allen, the distinguished farmer 
of Niagara County, editor of the American Short-horn 
Herd-book. The New American Farm Book is just pub¬ 
lished. It contains much of the same matter ns the other, 
but is greatly enlarged, and full of suggestions from the 
rich experience of its editor and reviser. It contains 526 
pages. Published by Orange Judd & Co. Price, $2.50. 
Postage. — To our published terms for the 
American Agriculturist, postage must in all cases be add¬ 
ed when ordered to go out of the United Slates. For 
Canada, send twelve cents besides the subscription money 
with each subscriber. Everywhere in the United States, 
three cents, each quarter, or twelve cents, yearly, must be 
prepaid at the Post-office where the paper is received. 
ISog’ers’ Oi'iijtes.—Mr. M. B. Batelinm 
writes that, in compliance with the request of tho Lake 
Shore Grape Growers’ Association, Mr. E. S. Rogers, of 
Salem. Mass., has proposed the following names for the 
leading varieties of his hybrid grapes, hitherto designated 
hy numerals: No. 1, Goethe; 3, Massasoit; 4, Wilder; 
9, Lindley; 14, Gicrtner; 15, Airawam; 19, Merri¬ 
mack; 28, Rcqua: 41, Essex ; 43, Barry; 44, Herbert. 
Our Young’ Folks.— The March number 
of this hoys’ and girls’ magazine is at hand, and as fresh 
and bright as a spring morning. This journal combines 
amusement with instruction in the most happy manner. 
There are pleasing stories, little poems, puzzles, and the 
like, and besides these, excellent articles on Glass-mak¬ 
ing, the Mariners’ Compass, etc. The wonders of glass 
manufacture, cleverly told and illustrated, give just the 
kind of knowledge every boy and girl should have; indeed, 
mostgrown people might leant something from thearticle. 
The history of the production of things in daily use has a 
great charm for intelligent youth. We are glad to learn 
that the magazine is meeting with the success it deserves. 
Oils, Stile and Unsafe.—On several 
occasions we have pointed out the dangerous character 
of the Kerosene oil generally in use, and stated that that 
only was safe which would bear to lie heated to 110° be¬ 
fore it would take fire. As very little in the market would 
stand this test, there has been a general alarm felt in re¬ 
gard to the matter, and many letters have been received 
asking how good oil could he obtained. Mr. Charles 
Pratt now offers an oil, which, according to the testimony 
of competent chemists, will hear heating to 118“ to 128° 
before forming an explosive vapor, and to 134° to 156° 
without burning. This, then, indicates perfect safety as 
far as danger from explosion goes. As it often happens 
that dealers purchase good oil and mix it with benzine 
and other dangerous fluids, Mr. Pratt has adopted a new 
plan of packing. Instead of sending it out in barrels, he 
puts his oils in cans, which are closed with a soldered 
seal of thin metal. Each can Is placed in a box, and the 
whole is as readily handled and transported as a box of 
soap. The perfect seal is a guarantee that the oil has not 
been tampered with. We have known Mr. Pratt from 
the time when he was struggling to acquire an education 
under difficulties, until he became a member of one of 
the largest establishments in tho country, and have con¬ 
fidence in his integrity. We depart from our usual 
custom in especially commending a particular manu¬ 
facture, as the welfare of the whole community is con¬ 
cerned, and it only needs that Mr. Pratt's endeavors to 
furnish a safe burning oil should be successful, to 
induce all other manufacturers to follow his example. 
How to Remit: —Checks on IVew- 
York Banks or Bankers are best for large sums ; 
made payable to the order of Orange JTinIA & Co. 
I*ost-Ofilcc RIoney Orders may be obtain¬ 
ed at nearly every county seat, in all the cities, and in 
many of the large towns. We consider them perfectly 
safe, and the best means of remitting fifty dollars or less, 
as thousands have been sent, to us without any loss. 
Registered ILetters, under tl>e new system, 
which went into effect June 1st, are a very sale 
means of sending small sums of money where P. 0. Mon¬ 
ey Orders cannot he easily obtained. Observe, the Jleg- 
istry fee, as well as postage, must be paid in stamps at 
the office where the letter is mailed, or it will be liable 
to be sent to the Dead Letter Office. Buy and affix the 
stamps both for postage and registry, put in the money and 
seal the letter in the presence of the postmaster, and take his 
receipt for it. Letters sent in this way to us are at our risk. 
JSoiiiad Copies oi' Volume XXYH8 
(1808) are now ready. Price, $2. at our office, or $2.50 
each, if sent by mail. Any of the previous eleven vol¬ 
umes (16 to 20) will be forwarded at the same price. Sets 
of numbers sent to onr office will he neatly hound in our 
regular style for 75 cents per volume, (50 cents extra if re¬ 
turned by mail.) Missing numbers supplied at 12c. each. 
Sundry BKiiiailnajHfS.—It is again neces¬ 
sary to call attention to the “Music Box Swindle.” 
Every week some new complaint is sent to us, seeking 
redress. The musical instrument, properly called the 
Music Box, is not to be had for $1.00 anywhere, no mat¬ 
ter of how poor quality; and offering a “ music box” for 
$1.00 is an attempt to swindle. Paul & Paul, who are 
among the largest advertisers in the business just no w, 
are not to be found at the number given. One of our 
readers sent $1.00 to said firm, and got in return a ten- 
cent toy known as a “ French Harp,” or “ Harmonica.” 
He was induced to send for the “ Music Box ” by seeing 
it advertised in an “ agricultural ” journal. It is a shame 
that agricultural journals, or any other, should admit the 
advertisement of such things.“Alaska Diamonds” 
are now offered hy unscrupulous men, who arc taking 
advantage of a desire for tawdry jewelry, and flooding 
the country papers with their advertisements of “ Alaska 
Diamonds.” A firm in Hartford, Conn., and Messrs. 
Monroe & Co., New York, are perhaps the largest deal¬ 
ers. The following, from the Now York Tribune, will 
show the plan of operation pursued hy Monroe & Co : 
“In their advertisements they state that, when for¬ 
warding them an order, it is necessary to inclose them 
a ring, to enable them to select one of the proper size. 
When they receive an order containing a size ring, if the 
ring is of any value, they retain it. and send the “ Alaska 
diamond” ring, the price of which is collected on de¬ 
livery. A case of the kind occurred a few days since, 
where a lady, seeing one of their advertisements, sent 
the “firm” twelve dollars, and a gold ring for a speci¬ 
men of the size wanted. She received the “ diamond ” 
ring, worth, probably, twenty-five cents, but not the one 
she had sent them, which site valued at five or six dol¬ 
lars, and as she did not care to lose it. she wrote on to 
the “ firm,” and receiving no reply to her communica¬ 
tion, wrote to other and responsible parties, who, after 
making diligent search and inquiry, came to the very 
