1870.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
peuses. They are nothing else than mean thieves, who 
steal from the ignorant and foolish, and usually from the 
poorest class of persons.The. Humbug complained 
of by “Anonymous,” of Lawrence, Kansas, does not be¬ 
long to the class discussed in these columns.Costly 
■advertising is that of one Taylor, who offers to send a 
lottery ticket, sure to draw a first-class prize, worth ever 
so many thousands of dollars, to each of a million or 
less people who will send him $1, and tell their neigh¬ 
bors who bought their tickets for them. As thirty-one 
of these ofl'ers went to one small Post-office, lie proposes 
to give some $(10,000 for advertising his business in a 
small country place—otherwise he would keep the tickets 
and draw the money for himself 1 AYhtffv 1 How liberal 
some of these lottery dealers are 1 Lloyd, Semmes & 
Co. are nearly as liberal, for they propose to give $10,000 
to the fools who remit them $10 for tickets.To 
many inquirers. The “ Children’s Aid Society” of this 
city, of which Chas. L. Brace, 10 E. 4tli street, is Secre¬ 
tary, Win. A. Booth, 100 Wall street. President, and J. E. 
Williams, Metropolitan Bank, 103 Broadway, Treasurer, 
is not a humbug, but an efficient, valuable Society, doing 
a world of good, and worthy of the support of all good 
people. The circulars of this Society returned to ns for 
inspection, with the above names and addresses on them, 
are genuine.Beware of cheap oils, and don’t invest 
your money in “ rights ” for selling until you know just 
what and whom you are dealing with. We have several 
ingenious circulars, filled with gffeat pretensions, and 
making prodigious offers to “agents.”.A Salem, 
Mass., gentleman sent $1 to Nassau street, New York, 
for a “ Parlor Steam Engine,” and after long waiting and 
writing, got a circular 6tating that the thing had “ bust¬ 
ed,” and was dangerous, and that a book would be sent 
for the dollar. It finally came—“ a mean, low, paper 
covered book, worth (or costing) about 10 cents." Tho 
Boston Magazine should be careful what and for whom 
they advertise.Harris, or any other man, who offers 
to send for $1 “ a Silver Cased Watch, patent lever move¬ 
ment, hunting cased, full jeweled, and warranted a cor¬ 
rect time-keeper,” is a swindler. So of the “ Ladies 
Watches,” etc .A New York concern offers pay for i 
lists of names of persons afflicted with certain diseases. 
Pray don’t furnish them as a guide for hurling at the un¬ 
fortunates a lot of circulars of “Patent” or “ Quack ” 
medicines. These circulars beget anxieties, and false 
hopes, and medicine gulping, of ten thousand times 
more damage to the patients than the medicines will 
ever be beneficial. One of these “agency ” circulars is 
W., and other inquirers. The “great Doctors” you in¬ 
quire about, and all other advertising Doctors, are hum¬ 
bugs. We don’t know of a single advertising doctor in 
whose hands we would place a cent of money, or entrust 
the life of a friend, on any account. We don’t speak at 
random. The religious papers publishing their adver¬ 
tisements ought to bo sent to purgatory—for a season. 
Pi-esli ^Iaitnrc lor Corn. —“Had I 
better apply fresh livery-stable manure broadcast or in 
the furrow for corn 5”—Spread it over tho whole surfaco 
and plow it under. If the soil is poor, put a little well 
rotted manure in the furrow or hill, to give the plants a 
good start. In the mild climate of Tennessee, by draw¬ 
ing out your stable manure now, and piling it in a heap 
in the field, covering it with three or four inches of soil, 
and turning it once or twice, it will ferment rapidly, and 
be ready to apply to corn in the hill. 
A Ton of ^liasaaare. —Several have asked 
what Mr. Henderson, in his “Gardening for Profit,” 
means by a ton of manure. He means 2,000 lbs. He 
used this term as being more definite than load. 
Value of a Yardful of Manure.— 
Mr. J. Townley, Jr., of Elizabeth, N. J., calculates to 
have 300 loads of manure in his yard this spring. He 
feeds 18 head of neat stock, and 3 horses. They cat 100 
bushels of “beer grains” in winter, and 50 bushels in 
summer, per week, besides about 118 bushels of corn- 
meal in the course of the year. The meal and grains are 
fed upon hay and corn-stalks, cut up and soaked. He 
wants to know how much his 300 loads of manure 
will be worth.—We estimate from the figures given 
in the tables in the Agricultural Annual for 1868, 
and repeated in 1860, and from those in John¬ 
son's “How Crops Grow,” that the manure made 
from feeding 3,000 bushels of brewer’s grains is worth 
$500.28; that from tile 2 4 1 6 tons of meal, $18.62; while 
(allowing only one ton and a half of hay and stalks to 
each animal.) that from the coarse fodder will be worth 
$222.03, making in all $830.05, based upon the price of 
Peruvian guano, when it was $60 gold, per ton. We 
have not. estimated the value of the litter, forming a good 
part of the bulk of the manure. This would, at a low 
estimate, add $170 to the value above stated, making 
$1000 for the 300 loads, If the hay consists largely of 
clover, it would materially add to this valuation. In 
adding froely Jitter of swamp grasses, leaves, dry muck, 
etc., the bulk will be increased more rapidly than the 
value per load, but the aggregate increase of value 
would be very great—thus, instead of 300 loads, worth 
$1,000, with these 21 head of stock 600 loads, worth 
$1,500, might easily be made. 
Proceeding's of Am. B®obbio» 
logical Society.—AVith commendable promptness 
the proceedings of the 12th session of the society, held 
in Sept, last, came to us early in January, in a well 
printed volume of about 240 pages. The discussions at 
the meeting are given, reports of various committees, 
and the Catalogue of Fruits. Every fruit grower should 
have these biennial volumes, which he can only obtain 
by remitting $2 to Thomas P. James, Treasurer, Pliila., 
which will const itute him a member of the society for two 
years. The payment of $10 makes one a life member. 
CSeolog-icsiI JRejiort of the Exploration 
of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers, • by Dr. F. V. 
Hayden. This is the geologist's account of a survey 
made under tho direction of Capt. (now Col.) Reynolds, 
and the U. S. Engineers, and gives the geological features 
of the mineral resources of a region of which we have 
hitherto had but an imperfect history. An admirable 
map accompanies the report, and gives at a glance the 
geological formations of the different portions of the 
country. The government explorations have been of 
great value to the early settlers in the far West, and we 
always welcome reports' like the present as evidences 
of government money well spent.—We suppose copies 
may bo obtained from members of Congress. 
Ecrrets.—“ F. R. E.,” Cleveland, O., writes: 
“ The article in January number relative to Ferrets 
should be read by every farmer. My good friend, Pro¬ 
fessor J. P. Kirtland, keeps a ferret, and has no trouble 
from mice or rats. He makes a pet of it, as he does of 
all useful animals which ho has around him. He keeps 
it in a box, takes it out, and gives it a chance to work 
among the rats from time to time, then plays with It 
awhile, and puts it away in its nest again. There is only 
one trouble in keeping ferrets, and that is, they are cross 
towards children, and disposed to bite; but when pro¬ 
vided with a box or pen, and there kept, except when 
wanted for use, no trouble ensues. 
Eilncs.—Mrs. A. 0. McCarter. There are two 
or three varieties of Lilac that are near enough to red to 
be called so in common language. A poet often calls a 
flower by any color that suits his rhyme or meter best. 
Specinl Fi'eiiiinm.—'Siie Elegant 
Picture “ Dandelion Time.” By Mns. Lilly 
j M. Spencer. —The name of Mrs. Spencer has become 
I familiar throughout the country. Though of a poetic 
imagination, and the author of many paintings, which 
comprise classical and allegorical subjects, she is best 
known for her pictures of domestic life. The publishers 
of the American Agriculturist have purchased of her the 
beautiful painting called “Dandelion Time,” and having 
issued it as a chromo, it is now offered by them for sale. 
But in response to requests from many who desire to se¬ 
cure the picture without paying money for it, we have 
consented to offer it as a special premium for subscribers. 
In this elegant picture, are three children, of whom the 
youngest is a plump, rosy babe, and a huge Newfoundland 
dog, which they have decked with a dandelion wreath, 
and are represented out at play upon tho green grass. 
The scene is full of happy life, and cannot fail to delight 
both old and young. The picture would prove an orna¬ 
ment in any home, and be a most beautiful and accept¬ 
able present to make to a friend. It is 13 by 18 inches in 
size, mounted on linen, and will be sent by mail, in a tube 
with all materials and directions for stretching. Price, 
post-paid, $6.00. AVe will send it in this form,—for 10 
•subscribers at $1.50 each, or 30 at $1 each. The price of 
this picture in a neat black-walnut frame, gilt band, is 
$0. For 15 subscribers at $1.50 each, or 45 at $1 each, 
we will send it in this style by express, carefully boxed, 
the receiver to pay express charges. 
Flower <^ej«isS,Iosa».—Mrs. “ AV. G. 13.,” 
Fort Howard (State?). You do not say whether the 
Fuchsia dropped its buds in the house or out-doors. If 
the latter, it probably had too much sun. But few kinds 
will bloom in winter... .Probably your season is not long 
enough for the Madeira vine, or it may have had too 
much shade... The Gladiolus formed one new bulb— 
sometimes they form several. The old one always 
perishes. The little bulbs, the size of a pea, and smaller, 
will grow, and in time produce flowering bulbs... .The 
Petunia is probably an exhausted plant. AVhen taken 
up in the fall, it should have been cut back severely. The 
best way js to start new plants from cuttings for winter 
47 
blooming in summer. Old plants seldom do well_The 
reason some Tuberoses bloomed and some did not, may 
be owing to the manner in which the bulbs wore kept 
the winter before. If kept too cold, they fail. 
A’cst Eggs.—C. A. Davis, Berkley, Mass., 
makes nest eggs from real ones as follows : A sufficiently 
large opening is made to allow the shell to be emptied of 
its contents. Plaster of Paris is then mixed with water 
to the consistency of cream, and the shells filled with tho 
mixture, which hardens in a short time. The result is a 
nest egg, perfect in shape and color, and still serviceable 
if the shell gets broken off. 
Outs.—E. J. Dobrel, Ill. Oats do well on sod 
laud plowed in the spring. Barley seldom does. 
A CJrceii-!e:»r In Trouble.— “Mary 
Greenleaf” writes such a pleasant letter that we are sorry 
not to be able to print it and an answer, which would be, 
of necessity, much longer than the letter. If she will 
get Gray's Lessons in Botany, and read them apprecia¬ 
tively, she will understand more about plant structure. 
AVe can only say now that we call plants by other names 
than those she first learned for thorn, for reasons, to ex¬ 
plain which, would require an essay on nomenclature. 
We acknowledge to being one of the “ dreadful reform¬ 
ers,” if a desire to be correct makes us one. 
SlK'cial —Tlie Eui9iei;an 
drape.—This remarkable grape is now attracting much 
attention, being a beautiful black grape of tho first 
quality, and ripening some time before the Delaware. It 
has already been planted in many different sections of 
the country, from the Atlantic to west of the Mississippi 
and the promises of its success are most flattering. It 
lias proved, generally, vigorous and hardy. The quality 
of the fruit is, in our judgment, as good as any variety 
with which we are familiar, except, it be the Iona. It has 
taken the highest premium for quality at many exhibi¬ 
tions tills fall. AVe are convinced that this grape is 
worthy of general trial, and we shall take much interest 
in seeing its true merits developed. AVe have made ar¬ 
rangements with Messrs. Ilasbronck & Buslmcll, of Iona, 
near Peekskill, N. Y., who have the original stock of tho 
vines, and a very superior stock of the young plants, to 
furnish us a limited number of No. 1, and extra vines 
for the purpose of offering them as premiums , and we give 
our subscribers the benefit, of our large purchase by fur¬ 
nishing the vine’s as premiums at the lowest rate per 
thousand. AA T c furnish the American Agriculturist , witli 
Eumelan vines, as follows ; 
1 copy for one year and 1 No. 1. Eumelan vino for $2.50’ 
4 copies “ “ “ “ 4 “ “ “ “ '9.00 
10 “ “ “ “ “ 10 “ “ “ “ - 22.00 
20 “ “ “ “ “ 20 “ “ “ “ 40.00 
AVe will furnish an Extra quality of Vine, as follows : 
1 copy for one year and 1 Extra Eumelan vine for $3.25 
4 copies “ “ “ “ 4 “ “ “ “ 12 00 
10 “ “ “ “ “ 10 “ “ “ “ 29.50 
20 “ “ “ “ “ 20 “ “ “ “ 55.00 
Or we will give 
One No. 1 Eiimelan vine for 4 subscribers at $1.50 each. 
Or one Extra “ “ “ 6 “. “ 1.50 “ 
These vines will be of really No. 1 and extra quality, 
and will be sent by mail, postage paid, or boxed, by ex¬ 
press, the receiver paying express charges only. Orders 
received too late for sending this fail will bo entered, 
and the vines forwarded as soon as it is safo in tho spring. 
“ Ex-Squire.”—Please send your address. 
Kerosene.—The annual report of the N. Y. 
Fire Marshal for 1869 shows that onc-tenth of the fires 
last year resulted from the use of Kerosene. Ten per¬ 
sons were burned to death, and thirty-five more or less 
injured. The wonder is that the fires and casualities 
were so few when wo consider the great amount of dan¬ 
gerous kerosene in use. Insist upon having good kero¬ 
sene, and the dealers will provide it. Pratt’s Astral Oil 
is so good that we have placed it on our premium list. 
Weeds.—A. C. Cook, Iowa. AVe call a plant 
a weed, without reference to its utility when cultivated. 
Pine-apples would be weeds if they persisted in growing 
where we wished to raise cabbages. The fibre of t he 
“weed” sent seems strong—we are unable to givo any 
opinion as to its comparative value. 
Twin Steers.—Tho central engraving upon 
the cover is from a photograph of a pair of Durham twin 
steers, owned by Mr. Daniel AV. Barnes, of Munson, 
Geauga Co., O. They are one year old, weigh 2,100 lbs., 
and took the first premium at the Ohio State Fair. 
Ersiiiborries. —“ J. C.,” Quincy, Ill. Cran¬ 
berries cannot be raised with success unless the land cun 
be drained, and we doubt the practicability of your plan. 
