1875 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
171 
apples, and what makes the matter more absurd, is that 
while it is claimed as superior for mealing , people are 
advised not to buy Crosby’s, Moore’s Concord, and other 
well known varieties of sweet corn, but get this Isle of 
Wight thing instead. That is rather more than 
people who know anything about sweet corn can 
swallow. These things are offered every year, and many 
persons invest a dollar in them just out of curiosity, and 
if they can afford it, we have no doubt they get their 
money’s worth of fun out of the investment; the great 
harm they do is among those who test a novelty for the 
first time, and when they find the extravagant claims not 
sustained, they conclude every new thing must be a hum¬ 
bug, and will not try a really good thing when it is 
offered. Our seedsmen, nurserymen, and florists, are 
always on the lookout for every good and new thing, and 
stand ready to pay enormous prices for every novelty 
worth having, and it is safe as a general rule, when won- 
■ ders among fruits, flowers, and vegetables are offered by 
peddlers, or by people in obscure villages, to wait until 
•they have been sufficiently tested to get into the general 
trade. 
THE CHEAP SEWING MACHINES 
•did not all expire with the celebrated Mulligan.—By the 
way, we are glad to learn that some who sent money to 
M. , received it back from the dead letter office.—It looks 
as if Mulligan had more than one successor, and inqui¬ 
ries continue to come about cheap machines. What can 
we do except what we have already done ?—advise our 
friends to go slow. Take this for an example. An inqui¬ 
ry comes about a cheap machine that we have not before 
heard of. A representative from the Agriculturist goes 
to the number. After some trouble in mounting the 
stairs, he finds the place to be two obscure upper rooms ; 
one room occupied by a girl writing, with a great many 
• envelope boxes in sight, but no machine. Upon a machine 
being asked for, the envelope boxes, which cover a box 
in a corner, are taken off, and a fair looking machine, 
apparently the only one in the establishment, taken out. 
Now we can not denounce these parties by name as hum¬ 
bugs, but the whole thing looks—well just like such a 
place as we would not go to to buy a machine. There 
are several concerns, advertising freely in papers a long 
way off, but not at all in those at home, that seem to be 
first-rate places to fight shy of. We have an eye on them, 
but must wait for evidence before we call names. Re¬ 
member Mulligan, and be cautious ! 
THE LOTTERY HUMBUG, 
in its different forms, seems just now to be confined to 
Wyoming and Texas, the state last named having three 
of these gambling schemes on hand at once: but then 
Texas is a large state. One of the Texas schemes went 
to a friend in Missouri, who took the trouble to calculate 
the chances, and concludes that as it takes a dollar to 
pay the managers for putting each dollar into the hands 
of the winners of prizes, the chances of the game are 
too much on the other side. If every one would inves¬ 
tigate the absurdity of these schemes, there would be 
fewer tickets sold, though we would prefer that all 
should avoid them because they are wrong. That mem¬ 
ber of the firm of Egerton & Co., lottery dealers, Camden, 
N. J., is still dreaming that so and so have drawn prizes ; 
we are afraid the fellow eats late suppers, or he would 
sleep more quietly. 
COUNTERFEIT MONEY ENTERPRISES 
seem to be about played out; they have been so thor¬ 
oughly exposed by us ever since they started, and with¬ 
in a few years by the daily papers, and the law is so strict 
and so well enforced, that the operators stand a poor 
chance. Now and then one issues his circulars from 
some out of the way place, but he does not continue at 
it long; it is a game only successfully played in large 
cities. There is a fellow at Rumsbarger, Pa., who is 
either 
A FOOL OR A KNAVE, 
we are not quite sure which: Here is his letter, 
“Mr. Orange Jud & Co. Dear Sir i would like to know 
where i could get some bogas money and what it is worth 
and how soon i could get it i have a good chance to shove 
it i would want about one hundred and in 5 2 and 1 and 
as few a fives as posable. Yours Truly Direct to Curtis 
Reid Rumsbarger Clearfield Co. Pa.”—There Curtis is 
your letter, if you like the lookB of it in print we are 
glad of it. You are either a rascal who wants “bogas” 
money, or a fool who has written under an assumed 
name to see what we would say, probably the last, and 
we hope that by the time you see this, you will not feel 
annoyed at being pointed out as the man liable at any 
time to be arrested for using the U. S. mails for unlaw¬ 
ful purposes. Are you not ashamed of yourself, Mr. 
“ Curtis Reid ” ? 
MEDICAL MATTERS 
Are just a little livelter than they were, as we get now 
and then a novelty ; still we don’t think the business can 
be flourishing, for some of the dealers are trying the 
"black-mailing dodge. One of the diamond-wearing, 
many named New York quacks is trying this game in 
Florida, and we venture to hope that he will find that 
climate docs not agree with him. There is a chap in 
Pittsburgh, Pa., who has a catarrh remedy, and is at work 
on the same track: a person in N. Y. state received one 
of the Pittsburgh fellows circulars, in which lie offered to 
send the stuff free of charge: the N. Y. man replied 
that he was willing to try the stuff, and it came by ex¬ 
press with charges; New York man declined to pay, 
whereupon Pittsburgher sends a threatening letter, but 
offers to compromise and release N. Y. man from all ob¬ 
ligation if he will send him a list of names of persons 
who have the catarrh. Rather than have any difficulty, 
and to settle the matter, N. Y. man paid express charges. 
Our N. Y. friend has at last had his eyes opened, and 
wishes us to warn people against accepting packages of 
medicines free. If our friend lives longer he will learn 
that no offer of this kind is made unless the one who 
proposes it expects to get repaid somehow. It is aston¬ 
ishing—but here is an evidently intelligent person who 
will accept a medicine about which he knows nothing, 
from a quack about whom his circular should be a suffi¬ 
cient warning. When it comes to medical matters, com¬ 
mon sense appears to step one side.Here is 
another case from Pa. At a place called Highville, 
one “Dr. Osborne” issues “The Cabalistic Jour¬ 
nal,” which presents the inducements for joining 
the “Cabalistic Society,” which is to straighten out the 
crooked places in the present state of things, and do 
wonders generally ; it costs only $5 to join this concern, 
which is wonderfully cheap, considering that instruction 
in alchemy “ by which he or she can increase their wealth 
at will,” is among the advantages gained by joining 
this select company of idiots. A large part of this circu¬ 
lar or “ journal,” is absolutely too nasty to be described. 
The post-master at Highville cannot be aware of the 
character of this sheet, or he would discharge his duty 
by preventing its passage through the mails, and the de¬ 
cent citizens of the place should at once take measures 
to prevent further disgrace to their community by put¬ 
ting a stop to one of the most rascally sheets that has 
fallen under our notice... .Not since the days of sweet 
Eddie Eastman, have we had anything so truly “ tech- 
ing" as the “Rev.” Levi W. Remington’s account of the 
Cherokee Discovery. Levi was in the City of Mexico— 
he saw an American being very much shot at and like¬ 
wise clubbed on to; this was more than Levi could 
stand ; the blood of the American eagle riz, and in short 
he “ went for ” that crowd, and for some not very obvi¬ 
ous reason, he, with aid of soldiers, got this much mob¬ 
bed Yank into prison. Yank died, but not before he 
told Levi bis story about how once a big Injun told him 
about a wonderful plant, it was up in the mountains— 
the wonderful plants always are—but as this Yank’s 
time was short, he had it all conveniently down in a book 
which he then and there made over to Levi. We wish 
we had space to tell the old Yank’s story of the discov¬ 
ery of the wonderful shrub, and how afterwards he 
joined Gen. Taylor’s army in Mexico and cured the men 
after the army surgeons bad given them up, and all the 
rest of it; it is better than any two dime novels, as Levi 
tells it, and it is just a little ungrateful in Levi that he 
don’t give the old fellow’s name. Oh Levi W., you 
missed your calling when you went for a missionary ; 
this effort of yours shows your true sphere would be 
found in writing blood and thunder plays for the Bowery 
theatres. Levi, are yon good at word puzzles? Take 
the letter v out of Levi, and properly transpose the other 
letters, and it will make a word that exactly describes 
your story. 
VARIOUS AND DOUBTFUL. 
Inquiries continue to come about “ real estate agents,” 
who want $5 or $10 in advance, about curb-stone Wall 
street brokers, who are flooding the country with their 
circulars, which offer immense returns for small invest¬ 
ments ; remarkable mining companies, in which the 
purchase of a $5 share is likely to lead to a fortune, and 
similar projects. Regarding these, we can only repeat 
our advice not to put a dollar into the hands of an un¬ 
accredited stranger for any purpose whatever. Remem¬ 
ber that legitimate schemes, those which offer a fair 
prospect of profit, do not have to go a begging all over 
the country by means of circulars ; there are a plenty 
who stand ready to invest in any enterprise, if it can be 
shown that “ there’s money in it.” 
Fertilizers for Corn.— Special fertili¬ 
zers for corn are most effective when applied near the 
seed in the hill or drill. One ounce to a hill, will use 
but about 300 pounds per acre, which is a liberal dressing. 
Once Ulore.—For the benefit of our many 
new subscribers, we must repeat what we have often 
stated: that editorial letters, to meet with attention, 
must be signed. Aside from the impropriety of writing 
to any one an anonymous letter, it is to the writer’s in¬ 
terest to give his name. A large share of inquiries are 
of a kind that the answers to them interest no one else 
In the world save the person who makes them. Rather 
than take up space that belongs to all our readers, to 
answer questions for the benefit of one of them, we pre¬ 
fer to reply by mail. Every day almost brings us let¬ 
ters which the writers omit to sign.—“ C.” of Hanover, 
N. H., and many others, will understand why their let¬ 
ters are un-noticed. Our new readers should understand 
that we do not publish names if the writers do not wish 
it. Sign any name, but give us your own name and 
address, and draw a line around it, and we shall under¬ 
stand that the writer desires his name withheld. We do 
not notice anonymous letters. 
Saving; CJreen Clover.— “P. O. H.,” 
Clover in a green condition, but free from damp, has been 
perfectly well preserved or cured, by putting it away in a 
mow, with layers of straw alternating with the clover. 
The layers should not be over a foot thick, and some salt 
should be spread upon the clover. The whole mass 
fermented strongly, but when used, was found to be ex¬ 
cellent feed, the straw smelling like clover hay. The 
straw must be perfectly dry. 
To Remove Warts.—“ W. G.” When 
the wart admits of it, a strong waxed thread may be tied 
tightly around it, close to the skin. In a short time the 
wart, will become loose and fall off. The spot may be 
touched daily with a piece of moistened lunar caustic. 
Puinp for :t Stock Farm.—“ J. I. K.,” 
Adams Co., Pa. The American Submerged pump is one 
of the best for a stock yard. The valves being of metal, 
do not wear perceptibly, it can not freeze up, and is eas¬ 
ily worked as a suction or force pump. It is made by 
the Bridgeport Manufacturing Co., Bridgeport, Ct. 
Flan for ISaru.— “ C. R. S.,” Berrien Co., 
Mich. The stock barn of which a plan was given in the 
Agriculturist of April, 1874, could be built by any carpen¬ 
ter from the plan itself. If he were furnished with the 
size of the buildings, he could easily make up a bill of 
the lumber needed. The size will depend upon the num¬ 
ber of stock. For a 100-acre farm, well stocked, the yard 
should be 100 ft. square, and the sheds each 160 ft. long. 
Effects of Sitbsoiling’. —" G. P. W.," 
Union Spring, N. Y. The effects of subsoiling are to 1 
dry the surface, by permitting the water to sink through t 
the upper soil. This tends to warm and aerate the sub¬ 
soil. It also permits the roots to penetrate deeper, and 
we have never known or heard of a case in which a field > 
was not improved by subsoiling. By subsoiling Is meant 
only the breaking up of the subsoil, and not the bringing - 
it to the surface. 
Fre*erving’ Fence Posts.— C. Harlan, 
Wilmington, Delaware, writes that on March 8, 1845, he 
built a new fence. “ The chestnut posts were sawed 
the year previous, and then soaked in a solution of cor¬ 
rosive sublimate for several weeks. The solution con¬ 
tained one lb. of corrosive sublimate to 14 gallons of wa¬ 
ter.” “ A few weeks since,” writes Mr. H., “ this fence 
was removed, and the posts were found to be as free 
from every appearance of decay as when set nearly thirty 
years ago. Judging from their perfect appearance, there 
is every reason to believe that they would last a hundred 
years.”—The effect of corrosive sublimate is to coagulate 
the albumen, and also to prevent the growth of fungi. 
Many other substances have the same effect, such as 
crude carbolic acid and petroleum. Heating the wood to 
the temperature of boiling water, or even less, has the 
same effect, and this is one reason why charring posts 
helps to prevent their decay. Corrosive sublimate is a 
dangerous poison and an expensive article, and we 
should prefer to use some other preservative. 
Jacks and Mules.—“ F. W. G.,” Ellis 
Co., Kansas. Mules are chiefly bred in southern Indiana, 
Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Good 
jacks can be procured in almost any portion of these 
districts. They are valued at $300 and upwards. The 
breeding of mules is as profitable as any other stock busi¬ 
ness, but it must be carried on with skill to be successful. 
Chicken I.ice in a Stable.—“J. H. 
B.,” Watertown, Ct. When a horse stable has become 
infested with chicken lice, the vermin may attack the 
horse and give him a great deal of trouble. He will be 
very restless, bite himself, roll and kick, and if not freed , 
from them may be seriously hurt. It would be well to 
wash him all over with luke-warm carbolic soap suds, 
and rub him dry with a woolen cloth. The stable should 
be washed with lime-wash, to every pail of which an 
ounce of carbolic acid is added. This trouble is easily 
prevented by not keeping poultry in or near the stable. 
Basket Stents cosi- 
tiniied on page 197* 
