AMERICAN AG-RICUETURIST, 
431 
] 3G0.] 
lion lias been called to what was, to say tlie least, very 
far from an honest, straightforward business transaction. 
An editorial notice appeared in the N. Y. Daily Times, 
referring to the award of the gold medal to the Buckej’e 
for sundry enumerated excellencies as a mower. This 
notice liad an extensive circulation in other journals, with 
the name of W. A. Wood’s machine substituted for that 
of the Buckeye, and the notice changed to read “forthe 
best combined mower and reaper,” followed by an enu¬ 
meration of the excellencies of the Buckeye, printed as if 
belonging to the Wood, viz., “ Perfection of work in all 
kinds of grass, and on every variety of surface, lightness of 
draft, ease of management, perfection of mechanical con¬ 
struction, simplicity, strength, and durability.” The com¬ 
mittee, on the contrary, gave to the Wood machine the 
preference over Us chief competitor, the Eagle, for ease of 
draft, and smallness of side draft. They gave the Eagle 
machine the preference for quality of work and facility of 
management, as compared with the Wood machine, and 
placed them on the same level as regards simplicity of 
construction and durability. The Buckeye will, of course, 
not be injured in the end by this improper borrowing of 
its plumes. The actual decision of the .Auburn committee 
will not be obscured by any specious etforts of interested 
parties. We are favorably disposed toward the Wood 
machine for its real excellence, but it is our duty to refer 
to the attempt to use the press to give a wrong coloring to 
the facts, as we understand them. 
Cri'b-aSitisig'. — An “ Ex-Oflicer,” tvlio lias 
studied this disease in the army, before he entered it, and 
since he returned from service, makes some suggestions 
which, considering the very indefinite views usually held 
by veterinarians about it, are worthy consideration. We 
regret he has no experience in regard to a cure. “ I have 
read the Agriculturist for years past, and have found that 
authors call this disease an affecliou of the stomach, or 
locate it mother places, still more remote from the seat 
of the complaint. I have taken pains for the last six or 
seven years, both in the army and while out of it, to look 
into every horse’s mouth that gave the well known in¬ 
timation of being afflicted witli what is generally termed 
‘cribbing,’ or ‘wind-sucking,’ and 1 liave in no instance 
failed to find that the gums grow down between llie 
upper teeth—some within a quarter of an inch of tlie 
ends of tlie loelh, otliers not so far, but all tliat char¬ 
acteristic without exception. From tliis I conclude 
it is a crowding of the teeth and gums, instead of any 
intestinal diseases. The pain and irrit.ation caused by 
the pressure, make.s tiie horse press Ins teetli upon tlie 
first horizontal piece of anything he comes in contact 
witli, to obtain relief. The pain he is in, no doubt causes 
liim to grunt, and tlie eructation of wind from the slomacli 
is blit tlie effect of liaving tlie head and neck in tlie posi¬ 
tion he takes. For a cure, I would suggest that keeping 
tlie teeth from crowding each other, or the gums, or both, 
will at once cure the malady.” 
Wlaite Wire for Clottlaes Hjisiies.— 
“White Wire” is simply galvanized iron wire, that is, 
iron wire coated with zinc, which prevents its rusting. 
Most telegraph wire is tlius prepared. Several cor¬ 
respondents have written that they use lids telegraph 
wire obtained from tlie telegraph companies, and find it 
to answer a very good purpose, while it is permanent¬ 
ly durable. Tlie “ Wasliburn & Moen Wire Works” 
make this galvanized iron wire with extra smooth sur¬ 
face for clotlics lines. It is wliolcsaled by the Agent in 
tliis city (E. A. Moen, 42 Cliff street) by the ton, at 13 or 
14 cents per lb., and in half mile coils (about 170 lbs.) at 
]5c. per lb. The No. 8 or No. 9 size is that used for 
dollies lines. No. 8 weiglis about 7 lbs. to tlie 100 feet, 
which at 15c. per lb. would cost one cent per foot, ex¬ 
clusive of freight. A few neighbors could readily com¬ 
bine and get a X mile coil, the smallest quantity sold by 
tlie agent, and divide it. Allowing $2.60 for freiglit on 
2,640 feet, would make tlie cost only $1,10 per 100 feel. 
We iiresume liardware dealers would get it and retail it 
at about 2c. per foot if requested to do so. Anybody has 
a right to buy, or sell, or use tliis wire. 
To tfte Wives of fSesaeralg, Judges, 
Senators, etc.—We have been shocked recently by 
seeing tlie names of the wives of some of our most 
esteemed Generals, U. S. Senators, etc., boldly published 
as patrons and endorsers of various “ Gift” and other en¬ 
terprises, ostensibly got up in aid of charitable or benev¬ 
olent objects. A close examination shows that in 
most cases the operators use these names only in¬ 
directly, tliough in such amanner as to deceive the public 
into a belief that these ladies are really at the head of the 
schemes, or at least largely interested. But in some of 
our liiimbug investig.ations, noted elsewliere, we have 
seen letters, undoubtedly genuine, from some of the 
•ladies referred to, in whicli they do give their direct 
countenance and encouragement to Gift Enterprises, 
presentation festivals, charitable fairs, etc,, which are in 
reality neither more nor less than “ covert Lotteries.” 
These are of a worse character, if possible, than the old 
fashioned “ regular ” lotteries, where a man is boldly told 
tlie risk he runs, the chances in Ids favor, what he is to 
pay, and what to hope for. In these, on the contrary, 
his kind feelings and sympathies are worked upon, to 
filch money from him, ostensibly for good objects, when 
the chief part of it really goes into the pockets of the 
shrewd managers. We earnestly entreat these ladies 
not to lower the good reputation of their liusbands, whose 
names we have delighted to honor, by connecting them 
in any way with these enterprises, andnotto allow them¬ 
selves to be made the instruments of extracting money 
from people who would not think of giving it but for the 
endorsement of distinguished and esteemed names. 
Give liberally to our country’s defenders and their fami¬ 
lies, but do it directly—not $l to them, and $4 for poor 
plated ware, and to tlie pockets of artful operators. 
MaiMire Malciiig toy System.—Last 
month (p. 386,) we noticed the fact that Bommer’s Patent 
Method for making manure was open to the public, and 
tliat we liad a stock of tlie pamplilets describing tlie pro- 
ce* for sale.—(See Book List.) We liave received so 
many letters that we add : The description is in bolli Eng- 
lisli and German, illustrated sufficiently to give a clear 
idea of the process by whicit alt kinds of herbaceous 
vegetable growth, muck or peat, in short all tlie litter and 
refuse of the farm may, with the addition of a certain 
quantity of animal manure, solid and liquid,on simple sub¬ 
stitutes easily obtained, be converted into a rich manure. 
Paimtiisg's, Eiag'a-sa.vlng's, etc.—To sev¬ 
eral inquirers in regard to objects of art, we wilt say 
that the largest and best retail slock in the city of these 
things, including beautiful carved work in wood, artists 
materials, etc., is probably at Kncedler’s (late Goupil & 
Co.), 772 Broadway, cor. 9th st. There is a fine picture 
gallery connected with the establisiiment, to which ad¬ 
mittance is usually free, tliat is well worthy of a visit, 
Bjarge Floclis of Ctoiclccms.—“A. C. 
H.,” Wasliington, Iowa.—We have never known of more 
than a few hundred fowls being kept in one yard in this 
country, and these large flocks did not do well more than 
a year or two. It is our opinion that, with ordinary care, 
when 25 or 35 hens and 2 or 3 cocks are wintered in one 
well furnished yard, and are allowed to hatcli 300 to 350 
chickens before the middle of June, that tliese may all be 
well cared for upon one acre of ground, and the chick- 
en.s, say 250 to 300 of tliem, fattened for market. But even 
then we would plow this acre, a quarter at a time, once or 
twice during the summer, and tlie next year take a new 
piece of ground, and raise a crop on the first. With this 
practice we think a man might keep as many separate 
yards of fowls as he can devote land and labor to, allow¬ 
ing about 3 acres to each yard, and iiaving conveniencies 
to isolate diseased birds, if it is desirable to give them a 
chance for life. On some such plan great numbers of 
healthy poultry may probably be raised on the same farm. 
Expeirience witBa. ^i45l£ ClaiclceBss.— 
Airs. E. A. F. A., of Vincennes, Ind., writes in sympa¬ 
thy with Mrs. J. R. T., thinking the disease he describes 
on page 347 (October) is identical with one by wliicli lier 
poultry has suffered. She says she dissected many 
tliat died, and found in every instance the liver badly dis¬ 
eased. “ AVe tried every remedy we could hear of with¬ 
out avail; as a last resort we shot them up in a light airy 
coop, and lost no more until we again let them run at 
large, when they again sickened, and we again confined 
them as before. This fail, after several weeks, we again 
let them out, when five took sick and died. Since then we 
keep them shut up, and they are in perfect health, and 
when we occasionally kill tliem for the table, we find their 
livers very different from the gangrenous things of tliose 
that sickened and died wiien allowed their liberty.” 
Bai-toeri'y Seeds.—T. Eoselough, Douglas 
Co., Kansas. It is not necessary to sprout these. Tlie 
seeds may be sown as soon as ripe, or they may be kept 
mixed with sand, in a cool place, until spring. 
I*Iait4s Named.—J. McNicol, Co. Bruce, C. 
W.. The grass is probably Etj/TOK® stn'atMS, a species of 
Lyme Grass, or Wild Rye....H. F. Hyde, West Wood- 
stock, Conn. Not a Cactus at all, but one of the very 
best Sedums, .SedwOT Sieboldii; a most valuable recently 
introduced herbaceous plant, as it is a late bloomer_ 
Doctor Lceffler, N. Y. The vine is Boussingaultia 
basselloides, commonly known as Madeira Vine, a useful 
climber with very fragrant flowers. The leaf is tliat of 
the comnwon Pitcher-plant, or Side-saddle flower, Sara- 
cennia purpurea _Wm. Warder, Pine Meadow, Conn. 
The Fringed Gentian, Gentiana crinita, and one of the 
most beautiful of our wild flowers ...R. Parnell, Queens 
Co., N. Y. Apparently Solidago latifolia, Solidagos 
and Asters are not always certainly determined from 
fragments.... II. Stidolpli, Jefferson Co., Mo. The 
Spider-wort, of which flowers but no leaves are sent, is 
probably Tradcscantia pilosa _N. B. B., Troy, N. Y. 
Apparently Coronilla varia, but pods too young to tell 
certainly_flirs. M. Beck, Litclifield Co., Conn. Tiie 
annual is Centrnstegia macrosiphon; the other is some 
Zepkyranthes, but too much broken_L. W., Jolinsou's 
Creek. No. 1 is like the leaf of Artemisia vulgaris, or 
Mug-wort. No. 2, tlie young growth of Red Cedar— 
or some .sucli_J. K. Leaning, Otsego Co. Some 
Euphorbia, which needs seeds for determination....A. L. 
Child, Glendale, Nebraska. No. I, an Aster, related to 
multijlorus, no telling without leaves. No. 2^ another 
Aster, ditto. No. 3, ditto. No. 4, Gentiana Saponaria, 
Soapwort Gentian.-With the exception of a few speci¬ 
mens put aside for more careful examination than we can 
now give, we have named all tlie plants on hand that 
could be named, and the rest have gone into tlie rubbish 
basket, and we thus close up our botanical matters for 
the year. Now a word to the good friends who send us 
specimens. We do not keep a guessing shop, we cannot 
afford to soak out crumpled specimens. Such help as 
we can give in delermining plants, is given cheerfully, 
but you must do your part, and give decent specimens. 
AA'hen the lower leaves of a plant differ from tlie upper 
ones, send one of them. YVe like conundrums, but don’t 
care for them in tiie shape of jilants, and liereafter shall 
not guess at the little snips that are sent. Very few have 
any idea of how much time may be wasted in trying to 
make out what would be plain enough, did tlie coKector 
take a little pains to give us a leaf with the flowers. 
S. Seymour, Rock¬ 
ford, Ill.— The nuts are difficult to keep and do best if 
planted in autumn. Plant in seed beds of light soil, not 
deeper tlian the thickness of the nut; then cover tlie bed 
with several inches of leaves, upon wiiicli a litlle earth 
may be sprinkled to keep tliem from blowing away. 
Tliis closely imitates the natural sowing in the forest. 
Of course the leaves are to be removed in spring. 
Ma.rtole»lBea«TL MiaaBajaafflili Cafotoaft'c. 
—Mr. J. J. H. Gregory, of Marblehead, introduced Ibis 
variety some years ago. lie sent us one of tlie kind lie 
buries for the winter to be used for seed raising next 
spring. Tlie man of the Independent will please notice 
that this was a Cabbage and not a Cabbage Stump. We 
are glad Jlr. G. sent only one, or there would not have 
been much room fo^' anything else in the office. This 
liead, divested of its outer leaves, measures 24 inches in 
diameter; weiglis over 30 lbs, ; is very solid, and is crisp, 
and sweet in tlie raw state ; certainly a fine specimen. 
Sisitclry Miamitoiag’s.—Subscribers are cou- 
tinnally writing to inquire about parties that have already 
been shown up in tliese articles. We cannot afford room 
for reprinting. Please look througli Ihe past numbers. 
Over 200 svvincliers have been directly or indirectly ex¬ 
posed during tlie present volume....After the continu¬ 
ed hard knocks administered to the swindling fraternity, 
in every paper for a year past, we are iialf disposed to 
lake a “ breathing spell ” for a month. We would very 
gladly drop the subject entirely, as it is always a disagree¬ 
able one; but somebody should do it, and until the press of 
the country generally shall help to open the eyes of the 
people, and cease to aidswindlers by advertising for them, 
we shall not shrink from Ihe labor, at whatever cost of 
time, expense, and pleasure. If need be, a half column, 
or more, will be devoted to this subject in the numbers of 
the next volume, and our readers will, llierefore, please 
aid in the important work, by keeping us promptly advised 
of all neiu circulars and other scliemes tliat come to their 
knowledge. The reports for a month past, embraced in 
a peck or so of letters before us, we will not take up in 
detail, but give a few general liints covering most of them ; 
1st, Here are nine different gift enterprises, generally of 
a very plausible character, and well calculated to deceive 
the unwary, and even some intelligent people. The most 
dangerous of these are those got up professedly to aid 
wounded and disabled soldiers, or their wives, widows, 
or orphans. Concerts, tickets, gifts, greenbacks, houses, 
farms, pianos, watches, sewing machines, jewelry, etc., 
etc., are offered to subscribers in large amounts as bonuses, 
to be distributed by lot to subscribers to these charitable 
funds, of which, ostensibly, a large, but really a very 
small proportion, is promised to such funds. The daily, 
weekly, and illustrated paper.s, set up these schemes in 
large displayed type, and attractive form. Tlie names of 
generals, and of men in higli places, and Iheir wives— 
generally obtained under false pretences, are used with¬ 
out any permission—or displayed in a way to make them 
appear patrons of tliese enlerprises. AVe liave looked 
into tlie machinery and operations, and, mark our 
words, all of tliese soldiers', soldier orphans' and widows' 
charitable festivals, concerts, etc., in which presents are 
