90 
AMERICAN AGRICULT URIST. 
sacramental and medicinal use. One is called “ Still Isa 
beila,” a tart wine. A second is “ Still Catawba,” a less 
tart kind. The third, called “ Isabella-Catawba,” is made 
from equal parts of Isabella and Catawba grapes. 1 his 
last is a new idea of the Doctor’s, w e believe, and to our 
unpracticed taste it is the best of ihe three. Perhaps the 
sugar added adapts it for our palate. We are not a com¬ 
petent “ committee on wine,” but our German associate, 
who was brought up in a wine-region of Germany, says 
these w ines are “ wery gool,” which settles the question. 
As not one gallon in a thousand of the so called “import¬ 
ed wines” is grape juice, it is desirable to be able to get 
something that is reliable from home souices. 
Short-Horn Stock Sale.— It will be well for 
those interested in good stock to refer to the announce¬ 
ment of Samuel T. Taber in the advertising columns. 
His fine herd will all be sold at auction May loth. 
Winter Managemcsit oS Sees.—Jno. Sample. 
Works on bee-keeping by Qumby, Langstroth, and others, 
will give you full particulars. You will find many sug¬ 
gestions in our past volumes, which w e can not repeat 
here. 
SSiatl a plant an Orchard.— E. L. Smith, 
Iowa. Fruit-growing, properly conducted, is profitable, 
and the field almost unlimited. In your’seclion apples 
will be a paying staple for very many years. 
Money Uocmst Seed. —In answer to several 
asking where to procure seed, we must refer them to our 
advertising columns 
Sweet Potatoes. — E. Montague, Belchertown, 
Mass. They can be raised with proper care in Massa¬ 
chusetts. Directions for their culture in Vol. 17, page 150, 
and Vol. 15, page 1G4. 
Silver IVSedal tor Agriculturist Seeds.— 
D. D. C. Morris, Bergen Point, N. J., brought to our 
office a few days since, a silver medal awarded him at the 
fair of the American Institute, for the best green corn 
exhibited. The seed, “ Stow'ell’s Evergreen,” was re¬ 
ceived by Mr. M. from this office, in the regular distri¬ 
bution. 
Sjcatlier Shavings and 58cEusc.-J. R. P. 
These will serve a very good purpose as a mulch or ma¬ 
nure around trees. Their value will be increased by 
throwing them into the barn yard or compost heap, where 
they may become saturated with liquid manure. 
Coal Ashes as Manure.—R. Cutter, Newbury- 
port. Mass. Coal ashes are somewhat valuable as ma¬ 
nure, but not greatly so. They act like wood ashes and 
are also useful to some extent to lighten heavy clay soils; 
they are recommended to be applied about the roots of 
trees and shrubs as a preventive of worms and grubs. 
Potato Planter Wanted, — F. A., Queens 
Co., IS. Y., inquires if any of our subscribers knows of a 
really good potato planter—one which has been thorough¬ 
ly tested and can be relied on to do his work well. 
Tobacco Culture.— S. Armstrong, Col. Co., Wis. 
Full directions m;ty be found ill March Agriculturist, 
Vol. 10, p. 54. 
SalsaSy.—D. Johnson, Westmoreland Co., Pa. Cul¬ 
tivate it as you would parsneps. In the Fall take up 
what is wanted for use, the remainder will improve by 
being left in the ground until Spring. 
ICilS itijj BSriers.— S. O. Smalley. These are sharp 
fellows, and hurdiy know when they are killed. A suc¬ 
cession of hoed crops will, if properly cultivated, finally 
finish them. 
Ventilating' Bcc Blouses.—11. W. Brent, Mus¬ 
catine Co., Iowa. Ice houses should have ventilating 
apertures at the top to allow the vapors to escape, as 
moist air is a conductor of heat. 
Clieap Sewing Machines,— A. II., Williams- 
town, Mass. After an examination of several machines 
sold at a low price, from $5 to $25, we have been unable 
to find one we could safely recommend. 
Slow to get uj> a Farmer’s Chib.-B. R. 
Palmer, Clinton Co , Iowa, will find in Dec. Agriculturist, 
Vol. 10, page 279, full directions for organizing and con¬ 
ducting such an institution. 
Cure for Mange in Hogs.— A. C., Sandy 
Spring, Md., sends the following recipe. Take hog’s lard 
2 lbs., flour of sulphur 1 lb., gunpowder i lb., grind them 
well together, and rub the mangy spots thoroughly with 
the mixture. He says one application cures the worst cases. 
Driving away Ants.— Thomas R. Pomp, North¬ 
ampton. Pa., says, he expelled ants, both black and red, 
from closets badly infested by them, by putting in shelves 
of black walnut, instead of pine, He says, in one day 
after the change, not an ant was to be found. 
IVeiv Use for Guano.— A subscriber writing from 
Portsmouth, Va. (?) says, he has effectually destroyed the 
mounds of black ants by the application of two or three 
quarts of guano to a hilt, mixing it in with a spade. After 
the first rain, most of the ants came tip, and after the sec¬ 
ond rain, they all put forth. 
Killing Two Birds with One Stone. 
Many persons will be sending in for their seeds this 
month, (see last page.) Are there not many who can at 
the same time send along a new subscriber ? For any fa¬ 
vors of this kind we shall be duly grateful, and recipro- 
cato as best we can. New subscribers will of course be 
entitled to their quota of seeds; and further: Any one 
now forwarding a new name may also double the amount 
of seeds to be sent to himself if he desires. 
We desire to extend the circulation of the Agricul¬ 
turist into tens of thousands of families where it is still 
unknown. To accomplish this, we offer to those who will 
assist in the work, the following premiums, which are cer¬ 
tainly liberal, if the cost of the paper, and the low price at 
whicli it is furnished be taken into account. [A few of the 
less important premiums, though still given when de¬ 
sired, are omitted here. They can be found in the Janu¬ 
ary number.) 
Premium S 6 J.—Any person sending in a club o 
10 subscribers at $8, may order a free copy of either Vol. 
XVI or Vol. XVII, w hich will be sent in numbers. 
Prcmiuui V.—Any peison sending 25 subscribers 
and $20, will be entitled to both Volumes XVI and XVII, 
sent in numbers post-paid. (N. B — If $21 be sent, the two 
Volumes will be bound neatly in one cover, and forward¬ 
ed post-paid.) 
Premium VJ,-Any person sending in $24 for 30 
subscribers, one-third or more of them new ones, will be 
entitled to a silver cased Microscope, with the celebrated 
“Coddington lens”—the same as fig. 4. in July No., page 
219. Price $4. (It will be safely packed and sent by 
mail, post-paid.) 
Premium VII.—Any person sending $32 for 40 
subscribers, (one-half new names,) will be entitled to the 
large unabridged Webster’s Dictionary, containing 1,376 
3-column pages—the best and most complete work of the 
kind in the world. Price $6. It weighs 7 lbs , and can 
be sent by express or by mail ($1.12) at the expense of the 
recipient, after leaving the city. 
Premium IX.— Any person or company of per¬ 
sons sending in 144 new subscribers at the lowes 
club price (80 cents each) or one hundred new sub¬ 
scribers at $t 00 each, will be presented with one 
of Wheeler & Wilson’s best $50 Sewing Machines, new 
from tile manufactory. These $50 machines are just as 
good for all working purposes as those recently sold at 
$100. No better working machines are made. The 
names can be easily gathered in single towns or in two or 
three adjoining ones (they need not all be at the same 
Post office). Two or more ladies may unite their efforts 
and secure a Sewing Machine as common property. As 
fast as these machines are secured by the requisite number 
of subscribers, they are selected at the manufactory by 
the Publisher, and securely packed and forwarded by any 
route or conveyance desired. There are no charges of 
any kind, except for transportation after leaving the city. 
Full instructions for setting up and using go with each 
machine. 
Premium X.—The Lady or company of Ladies 
sending the largest list of names above 144, before May 
1st, will be presented with a higher priced machine, that 
is, one put up in an extra case. 
Remarks.—It will be noticed that any person trying 
for one of the higher premiums, and failing to get names 
enough, can still take one of the lower ones, according to 
the number of names obtained. 
Every person collecting names for premiums, can send 
ihem in with the money as fast as received ; but if de¬ 
signed for premiums, a double list of the names should he 
sent, ore of them marked at the top, “ For premiums,” 
and with the name of the sender. These duplicate lists 
will be kept on file by themselves to be referred to in 
making up the premium u hen any person has completed 
sending in names for Volume XVII1. 
We do not set any time for the completion of the lists 
it being understood that these premiums are only for sub¬ 
scriptions for volume XVIII (1859), whenever received. 
The premiums will be paid as soon as the names are in. 
Seeds for Free Distribution in 1859 
Each person whose subscription to the American Agricul¬ 
turist is paid beyond February, 1859, will be entitled to 
select tlivec parcels of seeds from the general list given 
below. (If only flower seeds are chosen, 5 parcels may be 
selected by each person—or 3 of flowers, and one other kind.) 
A. It is of absolute importance that the follow ing direc¬ 
tions be strictly followed, even to the minutest particu 
lars. We have 73 distinct varieties of seeds, to be dis¬ 
tributed among 50,000 or more persons scattered all over 
the country, which, at the best, will involve immense 
labor ; and some mistakes must unavoidably occur, unless 
each subscriber take special pains to facilitate the work. 
IS. The seeds can be culled for at the office, or be sent 
by express, or in ready prepared envelopes to be fur¬ 
nished by the subscriber, as described below. 
<?. Subscribers at different points can estimate whether 
they can receive their seeds cheapest by Mail to separate 
individuals, or in a package by Express. 
D. If to go by Express, no envelopes will be needed. 
In that case, simply send us a written list of the names, 
marking against each name the kinds of seed desired, 
using the numbers in the Catalogue. Keep a duplicate of 
the list sent, and give particular directions, on the list, 
how the packages are to be forwarded, and to whom 
directed. 
E. If to go by mail, the applicant will (of course) fur¬ 
nish prepaid envelopes, of ordinary size, whicli should be 
prepared as in the engraving here given—that is : Put the 
figures corresponding 
to the Catalogue plainly 
on the upper left hand 
of the envelope, and 
put all the postage 
stamps upon the right 
side of the envelope— 
one above Ihe other 
when two or more are needed, as shown in this pat¬ 
tern. This will prevent the seeds being crushed in 
the stauqiing process, in ihe Post-Office. One ordinary 
envelope will generally hold the amount of seed-packages 
carried by two or three stamps. X!SP The amount of 
stamps can be calculated from the Catalogue. Single. I -cent 
stamps on letters are of tio value, unless there be even 
threes of them, as letter postage is rated by the half ounce. 
F. Let letters referring lo seeds be as brief as possible, 
and yet plain. All such communications are referred 
directly to the clerk superintending that department. It 
is especially desirable that whatever relates to seeds 
should be on a separate slip of paper. (We shall probably 
distribute over two hundred thousand packages, and a min¬ 
ute’s time saved on each of these w'oulti amount to 333 
working days of 10 hours each—more than a whole 
year!) 
G. Canada, California and Oregon subscribers will 
need to substitute 10-cent stamps in all cases wdiere 
3-cent stamps are named in the catalogue. When several 
send together from Canada, it will usually be cheapri 
to receive the seeds by Express. (Postage need not 
necessarily be prepaid here, on Canada letters ) 
M. Always put the stamps upon the envelopes, and 
not drop them loosely into the enclosing letter. 
I. It is always belter to send envelopes of Ihe ordinary 
size, and made after what is called the “Governmen 
pattern’’—that is, those in which the back comes undet 
the piece lapping over ; these seal up more firmly. Thi 
point is not essential, however. 
3. Usually, the lighter the envelope the better, tha 
more seeds may go under the same stamps. 
E£. Send only the number of stamps required for post¬ 
age on the seed. We have no seeds of any kind to sell. 
L. Those forwarding unpaid envelopes will of course 
not be disappointed if they do not return. We offer seeds 
free, but cannot, in addition, afford to pay postage also. 
M. All seeds sent by mail are put up at our countrv 
residence, and each package is there mailed direct, lo 
avoid its being overhauled at the Distributing Offices. 
N. (J7JP We shall take time to mail all the seeds care 
fully arid regularly. This will occupy tile entire months 
of February and Marcn Those going to subscribers on 
the Pacific Coast, and in Southern States where the sea¬ 
sons are earlier, will be mailed first, and with dispatch 
To others they will go as fast as the putting up and mail 
ing can be accomplished—but to all in ample season for 
Spring planting and sowing. 
LIST OF SEEDS. 
Field Seeds. 
1— White Sugar Beet—Single or double packages, as 
may be desired, requiring one or two 3-cent postage 
stamps. 
2— King Philip Corn—Single, double, or triple pack¬ 
ages, as may be desired, requiring one, two, or three 
3-cent stamps. 
3 — Stowell’s Sweet Corn—Same packages as No. 1. 
4 — White Poland Oats—Same packages as No. 2. 
5 — Chinese Sugar Cane—Any subscriber may select 
any amount, from half an ounce up to a full round of 
this, by providing for the transportation by mail, or ex¬ 
press, or otherwise. If to go by mail, a 3-cent stamp 
must be sent for each half ounce. No prepared envelopes 
will be needed if the address be plainly given. 
6— Ashcroft's Swedish Turnip—Half of 3-cent stamp. 
7 _River’s Swedish Stubble Turnip— do. do. 
OS—Purpie-tor Scotch, or Bullock Turnip— do. 
GO—Green-top Scotch, or Bullock Turnip— do. 
70 —Waite’s London purple-top Swede Turnip—do. 
03 —Hungarian Grass—One 3-cent stamp. 
04—Crystal Flint or Hominy Corn—One 3-cent stamp. 
JOHN JONES. 
BARRY 
DANE CO. | 
WIS. 
