THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
iljf  Criitnuiial. 
W’ESTMINRTHK  HOTEL, 
PlliLAUKLrniA,  Oct.  12,  1870. 
The  Exhibition  of  Shoep  and  Hogs  now  open 
in  connection  with  tiio  Centennial  Hhow,  con- 
taina  within  ita  nurabora  Koino  very  valuable  ani¬ 
mals.  Among  the  imitorted  flocks  the  one  sent 
over  by  Lord  Wfilsingham,  from  the  Merton 
Flock,  is  of  superior  excellence.  One  Itam  of 
the  lot  is  named  Dew  Turf ;  he  is  two  years  off, 
and  took  sevreal  first  prizes  all  over  Englattd 
during  this  present  season  of  1870.  'I'his  flock 
is  of  8<juth  Downs,  of  the  pure  Wobb  blood. 
H.  Overman  of  Fllford,  England,  exhibits  a 
splendid  collection  of  Gotswold  Hheop,  and  close 
to  them  stand  several  head  of  very  oxcoUcnt  Ox¬ 
ford  Downs.  These  latter  are  heavier,  and  so  to 
speak,  coarser  than  the  South  Downs  ;  both  are 
flue-woolwl.  The  best  Gotswold  to  my  judgment 
are  those  shown  by  B.  Hwonwick  ot  Cirencester, 
England.  The  pelt  and  fleece  of  one  recently 
slaughtered,  weighed  21 ths..  and  the  wool 
measured  10  inches  long. 
The  various  flocks  of  Merino  8hocp  represent 
nothing  of  supciior  quality  save  one  Ram  full  of 
quaint,  uucoutli  wrinkles,  and  black  grease,  with 
a  ridgy,  curling  jiair  of  Horns,  altogether  {josaess- 
ing  a  most  lucturesqne  appearance.  These  emi¬ 
nently  line-wooled  Hheup  have  always  boon 
largely  bred  in  Vermont,  hut  recently  the  Empire 
State  contends  wiih  her  sister  of  the  Green 
Mountains  for  pre-eminence  in  the  breeding  of 
Merinos. 
The  groat  markets  for  these  pure  bred  flocks 
are  the  Houfhern  States,  notably  the  State  of 
*l'exa8,  whore  the  climate  seems  to  be  peculiaidy 
adapted  to  the  growing  of  fine  wools.  There 
are  also  some  very  fine  Shropshii-o  Downs,  bred 
in  America  from  Imported  stock:  these  Sheep 
shear  to  JO  lbs.  weight,  are  heavier  than  the 
South  Downs  also  longer  and  not  so  flue. 
L,  0.  Fish  of  Oktgo,  Otsego  County,  N.  Y., 
has  a  flock  of  choice  quality  imporlod  Oxford 
Downs.  Those  are  very  comely  and  thriving  in 
aspect  with  llooccs  similar  to  tlioso  of  the  Shrop¬ 
shire  Downs.  Tlio  ollicial  catalogue  in  all  rium- 
bers  402  head,  and  comprises  loug-woolod  va¬ 
rieties  as  woil  as  tlioso  line-wooled  of  which  we 
have  Hi«^keu. 
At  this  present  moment  the  sheep  owner  of 
Ameiica  has  to  look  to  Ids  growth  of  wool  for 
romuuoration,  ratlier  than  to  the  value  of  his 
flocks  as  moat  producers.  Still  the  day  is  not 
ko  far  distant  as  soiiie  luuy  iiuagiub  when  Amrjr- 
ica  must  look  for  food  from  her  flocks  as  wall  as 
from  hor  herds.  Under  this  view  of  the  matter, 
it  is  well  for  sheep  funoiers  U>  keeji  before  them 
these  facts  t  Are  they  to  siiuidy  grow  wool,  or 
are  they  to  improve  their  flocks  as  mutton  sheep  ? 
I  would  roconimemi  both.  Thus,  for  iiistaucci,  a 
puro-brod  Merino  is  valueless  as  mul.ton,  but  tlie 
very  best  iiiio-wooled  variety  known.  The  South 
Downs  arc  choice  mutton,  and  likewise  of  groat 
value  as  a  iiuidium-woolod  sheep.  The  Cots- 
wolds  are  the  very  best  wavy-floeoed  slieap  we 
possess  ;  they  are  good  iu  mutton,  hut  not  equal 
to  the  South  Downs.  The  Lincolns  and  Leicos- 
tors  stand  side  by  side  as  long-wooled  sheep. 
Their  tteecc.s  have  been  gi'own  to  M  inches  long  ; 
I I  inches  is  quite  a  usual  growth. 
But  of  those  various  trilx's  of  the  peccarino 
faiiuly  broitdors  can  scloct,  but  to  do  so  judi¬ 
ciously,  flock  owners  must  suit  their  flocks  to  the 
climates  iulo  which  they  take  tliem.  Differoucou 
of  heat  ami  cold,  qualily  of  water  and  variety  of 
pastures,  tell  seiiously  on  the  mutton  and  wool. 
Then,  again,  a  judicious  cross  often  gives  a  most 
fortunate  result  for  wool  growers.  This  fact  is 
ostablishod  by  the  (iuotalious  of  Ihe  English 
wool  markets,  where  the  medium  wool  of  New 
South  Wales,  grown  on  tliO  cross  of  the  Cots- 
wolds  and  Merinos,  bears  the  higliost  price. 
These  fleeces  measui'e  about  four  inches  long, 
and  shoai'  heavy  in  proportion  to  their  length. 
This  w'ool,  when  wovou,  Jias  a  luster  peculiar  to 
itself,  and  may  to-day  be  regarded  as  the  host  on 
the  market.  When  looking  over  the  cases  of 
wools  in  the  Main  Hall,  I  observed  that  Messrs. 
Shannahau  &  Jennings  of  Warbroccou,  Now 
South  Wales,  did  not  please  the  Judges  by  their 
exhibition  of  wool.  This  firm  roooivod  no  prize. 
Their  being  passed  over  may  safely  be  regarded 
as  a  mark  of  distinction  with  wliich  they  may 
well  ho  content.  Our  excellent  contemixirary, 
the  New  York  Times,  roceutiy  jested  on  tins 
prize-giving,  and  said  that  where  everyoue  got 
an  award  those  passed  over  were  the  most  com 
plimeuted,  if  for  no  other  reason  than  by  being 
in  the  minority. 
Of  the  mutton  varieties  of  the  sheep,  there  are 
tlie  Black-faced  sheep  of  Scotland,  a  hardy 
mountain  race,  yet  little  known  iu  America,  also 
the  flocks  of  the  Cheviot  Hills  ;  and  in  Ireland 
the  Kingdom  of  Kerry  hiLS  a  breed  of  small  sheep, 
unsurimssed  for  juiciness  and  delicacy  of  flavor. 
That  one  or  all  of  the  States  of  the  Union 
could  proiiuce  equally  valuable  wools  and  equally 
excellent  mutton  is  not  to  be  looked  for,  and 
therefore  the  sheep  breeder,  for  his  own  finan¬ 
cial  benefit,  must  study  the  requirements  for 
8U])6rior  quality  in  mutton  as  an  investment  and 
for  wool  growing  as  another.  A  warm  climate 
and  a  dry  atmosphere  will  less  injure  the  fine- 
wooled  sheep  than  the  long-woolod  families. 
This  can  be  seen  by  the  clunato  of  India,  where 
the  peccarine  family  assume  tlie  goat  form. 
Heat  produces  hair  rather  than  wool.  Cold,  dry 
air,  with  short,  sweet,  raountaiu  pasture,  gives 
the  best  mutton,  as  I  go  on  U»e  footing  that 
prize  South  llowns,  salable  at  from  $500  to  $1,000 
per  hoiwl,  would  lie  only  lit  to  servo  in  chops  as 
an  after  course  U>  Cleopatra’s  soup,  in  which 
pearls  were  dissolved. 
A  sheep  run,  to  be  what  it  ought  to  be,  should 
jiosaesa  a  southoni  aspect  and  he  on  sloping 
ground  naturally  under-drained.  It  should  also 
be  sheltered  from  cutting  winds  and  of  snob  a 
depth  of  soil  as  to  allow  a  sure  hold  for  hurdles. 
The  free  range  of  flocks  must,  eveu  in  America, 
oome  to  an  end.  liuuuing  wild  is  had  for  beasts 
as  well  as  for  men  and  children. 
Altliough  the  given  number  of  the  entries  of 
hogs  is  212  still  the  actual  arrivals  represent  a 
greater  number.  In  these  herds  there  are  sev¬ 
eral  good  spiecimons.  Walter  Colo  of  Clinton. 
N.  J.,  exhibits  a  Isiar  13  months  old.  He  is  of 
the  small  Y’orkshiro  variety,  Is  white,  and  is  al¬ 
together  a  charming  pig,  having  ham  and  fried 
bacon  in  view.  Some  of  the  Clioster  whites  are 
very  good,  being  long  iu  the  hack,  well  fllled  up 
and  short  on  the  leg.  T.  8.  Coopei'  exhibits  a  hixd 
of  about  fifty.  They  are  ruled  over  by  as  b»;au- 
tiful  a  boar  and  s<;w  as  any  one  could  desire  to 
own.  The  boar  has  been  hut  recently  imjHjrt.e<l. 
He  took  first  prize  at  the  Royal  last  July,  when 
the  Exhibition  was  held  at  Birtninghani,  Eng. 
These  black  Borkshlres  are  very  Un  ifly  and  are 
sprung  from  the  old-fashioned  blaok-oud-tan 
nafJves  of  the  same  county  in  England. 
On  the  whole  the  sheep  and  hogs  at  the  Cen¬ 
tennial  Exhibition  make  a  most  creditable  show, 
both  as  regards  number  and  quality,  and  speak 
well  for  the  enterprise  of  the  breeders  and  ex¬ 
hibitors.  M.  M. 
CENTURY  BLOSSOMS. 
Tue  W'heklkr  a  Melliok  Co.,  Albany,  N.  Y., 
make  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  progressive 
displays  of  agricultural  implements  at  theCeuten- 
nial.  They  have  had  their  share  of  unxluls  and 
honors,  which  isas  it  should  l>e,  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  this  o<)mpany  is  a  pioneer  in  the  business, 
having  sent,  since  their  establishment  iulHJU,  im¬ 
plements  to  all  parts  of  the  world.  In  onr  iw>«ie  of 
Aug.  5,  w’c  give  a  detailed  account  of  the  work 
done  by  the  Tbreshors  and  liorsc  Powers  of  this 
firm.  They  made  a  record  that  should  he,  and 
doubtless  is,  most  gratifying.  The  house  has 
been  further  honored,  by  the  fact  that  the  Com¬ 
missioners  of  the  Japanese  Oovernmont  have 
bought  the  entire  exhibit  in  Agricultural  Hall, 
to  be  shipped  to  Japan. 
The  old-established  firm  of  Wm.  L.  Bover  A 
Bro,  Philiidelphia,  Pa.,  have  been  abundantly 
rewarded  at  the  Centennial,  having  taken,  as 
their  advertisement  fully  exiilains,  three  Grand 
Medals.  The  Premium  Farm  Grist  Mill  lias  long 
l»ecn  K  favorite,  on  account  of  the  excellence  of 
its  work  and  its  durability,  the  grinding  parts 
Ixiing  made  of  steel  instead  of  caBt-irou,  Tlio 
Union  Railway  Horae  Power  is  too  well  and  fa¬ 
vorably  known  to  need  more  than  a  meutiou.  It 
is  most  appropriate  that  the  award  for  Broom 
machinery  should  come  last,  thus  nuiking  a  clean 
sweep,  and  conferring  on  the  house  honors 
euough  to  last  at  least  another  oentiuy. 
The  lioatmg  ball  business  exhibits  iu  another 
instance — that  of  the  Westingbouso  air  brake 
—  an  illustration  of  the  law  that  gave  to  our 
earth  its  form  of  a  spheriod.  A  fine  jet  of  air 
keeps  up  a  rubber  ball  m  mid-air  and  holds  it  up, 
eveu  when  the  jet  is  turned  obliquely,  driving 
off  the  hall  to  an  angle  of  45  degrees.  The 
swift  rotation  of  the  hollow  hall  gradually 
ehaugea  it  from  a  true  sphere  to  a  sphoriod — ^the 
poles,  or  extremities  of  the  axis  of  rotation, 
flaltening,  as  those  of  the  earth  flattened,  ere 
yet  our  whirling  planet  had  attained  its  solid 
fonu. 
The  huge  boat,  from  the  Alaska  Indians, 
shown  iu  the  Government  Building,  is  interest¬ 
ing.  Sixty  feet  long,  and  very  deep,  this  Ijevia- 
than  of  a  rowboat  was  actually  cut  or  burned 
out  of  one  single  vast  log ;  apparently  a  tree  of 
the  mammoth  California  redwood  kind ;  at  any 
rate,  one  of  the  Coniferte— though  who  ever 
supposed  such  giant  trees  grew  away  up  m 
Alaska.  It  had  to  be  sawed  in  two  before  it 
could  be  got  into  this  Exhibition. 
An  we  go  to  l*resB  we  hear  the  mutteriugs  of 
discontent  mingled  with  the  cries  of  exultation 
over  the  Centennial  Award  Reports.  Some  are 
happy  and  others  are  savage. 
Cook,  of  tourist  fame,  has  on  view  in  his  pavil- 
lion  a  mummy  of  an  Egyptian  Princess  some 
Centuries  old.  The  mummy  is  somewhat 
tanned  I 
Inkstrkl  ®opifS. 
PATENTS  AND  PATENT  AGENTS. 
Of  late  years  there  has  been  manifested,  con¬ 
spicuously  in  England  and  only  a  trifle  less  no- 
tioeahly  in  several  continental  countries,  a 
growing  agitation  for  the  entire  abolition  of  the 
oppressive  mnno)X)lies  inseparable  from  the 
liresont  patent  system. 
Tlie  prime  cause  for  the  exiatenco  of  this  sys¬ 
tem  is  to  reward  inventors  for  their  toils  and 
talents  with  the  profits  from  a  temporary  mon¬ 
opoly  of  their  special  devices,  as  a  stimulant  to 
further  improvements  In  the  arts  for  the  benefit 
and  convenience  of  the  public.  Experieuce, 
however,  has  amply  demonstrated  that  in  all, 
but  a  few  exceptional  cases,  the  system,  while 
fostering  a  host  of  spurious  pretentions,  and 
iniquitous  extortions,  has  fallen  lamentably 
short  of  the  remunerative  design,  the  fulfilment 
of  which  could  alone  justify  its  existonoe. 
Rarely,  indeed,  does  u  tithe  of  the  vast  profits 
arising  from  patents  find  its  precarious  way  into 
the  pockets  of  the  deserving  inventor,  while  the 
exorbitant  residue  is  greedily  absorbed  by  capi¬ 
talists  and  agents  who  have  given  to  the  public 
no  equivalent  for  the  exactions  they  pitilessly 
leNTT  upon  it.  A  moiety  of  the  ingenuity  wastisl 
on  many  an  alxirtive  (latent  could  readily  de¬ 
vise  some  effectual  scheme  for  acoomplishiiig 
the  object  missed  by  our  jirOBont  system,  wliile 
avoiding  the  frauds  wiiicb  the  latter  has  noto¬ 
riously  promoted.  Of  those  the  two  most  mis¬ 
chievous  sources  are  delusory  patents  and  fraud¬ 
ulent  agents. 
The  issue  of  a  patent  is  an  absolute  guarantee 
neither  of  tno  worth  nor  originality  of  the  device 
it  covers,  nor  of  its  inununity  from  compulsory 
royalty  to  prior  patents  (wssibly  infringed  uiion 
in  the  oontrivaiioo  iu  which  it  isomiKslled.  Fns- 
qiient  decisions  of  the  U.  S.  Sui)reme  Court  have 
demonstrated  the  innocent  gullibility  of  the  wise¬ 
acres  of  the  Patent  Ofllce  on  the  first  and  second 
of  these  (aiints,  while  a  flagrant  obtrusion  of  tlxo 
third  is  no  bar  to  the  issue  of  a  subsidiary  pa- 
teut.  When  a  patent,  however,  has  (iasned  un¬ 
shaken  the  crucial  test  of  this  judicial  arbitri- 
meut.  Its  value  is  vastly  onhuuoed  by  the  cer¬ 
tainty  of  its  validity.  It  is  then  only  that  a 
farmer  should  think  serioosly  of  Jiivestiug  his 
hard-earned  gains  in  territorial  rights  under  it, 
and  after  mature  deliberation,  firmly  decide  in 
the  negative. 
A  farm  is  paradoxically  ihe  jealous  master  of 
its  owner,  and  stubbornly  insists,  under  penalty 
of  his  certain  demoraiizatioa  and  ruin,  on  his 
exclusive  labor  and  attention.  By  distracting  his 
mind  and  means  from  his  legitimate  pursuits 
the  free  gift  of  a  palont-right  would  generally 
prove  as  disastrous  to  him  as  that  of  a  white 
elephant  to  a  Siamese  political  offender. 
Fur  mischief,  however,  the  superfluous  patent 
far  outstrips  its  untenable  rival.  The  latter  is 
often  sought  in  inuoceut  ignorance  of  its  invaUd- 
ity,  and  not  unfrequently  drops  unoffensivoly 
into  the  crowded  Umlai  of  still-bom  patents.  Its 
noxious  congener,  on  the  other  hand,  is  coin- 
tnonly  obtained  with  tlie  determinate  purpose, 
on  the  (lart  of  its  speculative  owner,  of  realizing 
from  it  a  competency  or  fortune  tbi’ough  the 
simiilicity  and  credulity  of  its  purchasers. 
Some  bright  inveutiv©  genius  devises,  adapts, 
or  blunders  upon  “  Iweedle,"  patents  it,  arul 
makes  a  hit;  another  improves  It  by  adding 
“dum,"  while  a  thinl  ornaments  It  by  aflixlng 
“dee,”  and  straitway  a  multitude  of  superfluous 
patents  deluge  the  country,  ooveriug  every  im¬ 
aginable  variation  of  the  adjuncts  of  the  popular 
••  tweedle  "  to  which  they  all  owe  a  royalty,  as  it 
necoBsarily  enters  into  their  construction.  Of  all 
these,  imiwsition  not  improvement  is  tlie  direct 
design ;  and  their  sole  originality  is  strictly  lim¬ 
ited  to  their  snbhme  impudence. 
This  also  is  a  pre-eminent  characteristic  of  the 
gentry  who  handle  them.  An  important  patent 
is  frequently  controlled  by  a  man  of  unimpeach¬ 
able  honor,  capacity  and  tnitli ;  but  when  eagles 
adopt  the  habits  of  vultures,  then  only  will  such 
a  man  peddle  patents  through  the  country. 
These  deal  chiefly  with  manufacturers  whose 
keen  competition  makes  each  house  eager  for 
some  exclusive  advantage  over  its  rivals.  A 
patent  for  a  valuable  iuvention  or  Improvement, 
therefore,  is  sure  to  find  among  them  a  ready, 
though  cautious,  purchsser.  Experience  has 
taught  them  tliat  a  large  proiKirtion  of  patented 
devices  are  either  impudent  shams,  crude  abor¬ 
tions,  or  cunning  infringements  on  prior  patents. 
In  dealing  with  an  inventor  these  personages 
haggle  as  penuriously  as  if  every  dollar  paid  for 
his  patent  mast  lessen  their  own  hoarded  accu¬ 
mulations  ;  but  in  fixing  the  price  of  the  goods 
covered  by  it,  the  measure  of  the  public  need  of 
them  is  the  only  limit  to  their  grasping  cupidity. 
The  mild  objections  of  the  storekeeper,  or  mid¬ 
dleman,  they  blandly  silence  by  the  cheerful  re¬ 
minder  that  the  oonstuner  must  be  the  ultimate 
sufferer,  aud  that  his  own  profits  must  increase 
in  proportion  to  the  price  of  his  wares. 
Ordinaiy  patent  agents  are  largely  recruited 
from  the  ranks  of  book,  aud  notion  jieddlers — 
men  who  take  to  the  trade,  not  from  choice  but 
necessity,  because  their  vagrant  habits  unfit 
them  for  stoailier  jiursuits.  and  also  because 
references  as  to  character  are,  as  a  rule,  charita¬ 
bly  dispensed  with  in  those  avocations.  The 
difference  of  their  methods  naturally  classify 
those  under  two  heads ;  glib  spouters  who  retail 
territorial  rights,  and  prying  extortioners  who 
zigzag  through  the  country,  exacting  under  the 
si)ociou»  title  of  royalty,  an  arhitary  tax  on  goods 
alroatly  honestly  paid  for.  Never  surely  has 
Royalty  l<ooii  so  objoctly  dogradod  as  when  sub¬ 
jected  to  the  coutroll  of  these  tricksters. 
Among  the  former  class  congenially  mingle  a  lib¬ 
eral  sprinkling  of  arrant  swindlers  some  of  whom 
deal  in  forgeil  (laUints,  wlulo  otliors  confine  their 
operations  to  genuine  patents  for  which  their 
own  character  as  agents  ulono  is  eounterfeit. 
Marvelous  is  the  tlueui'y  of  tills  whole  triljo  on 
the  exceptional  merits  of  tlieir  several  devices. 
To  every  possible  objeetlon  Urn  most  plausible 
answer  Las  been  carefully  formuliittMl  before- 
liand,  BO  tJiat  a  roiily  to  every  exoeiitioii  drojis 
from  the  Ups  of  tlie  agent  us  sjiontaneuusly  as 
an  agreement  “to  liquor.”  'I'heir  volubility, 
however,  runs  strictly  iu  the  line  of  laudation, 
and  not  a  hint  is  ever  accidently  dropjied  on  the 
cognate  (jutonts  on  which  their  own  generally 
infringe.  TJie  (ilauMibility  of  some  ef  these  has 
filched  from  tlio  public  and  (Missihly  from  their 
prlnciiials,  considerable  wealtli,  so  that  they 
could  well  affonl  to  jiurchase  the  patents  they 
huff  so  vigorously  if  their  conviction  of  theii- 
worth  coiucedeil  wltli  their  (iraisoH.  So  hazard¬ 
ous  a  risk,  however,  is  seldom  run,  and  the  ex¬ 
ceptional  speculator,  until  he  has  unloaded,  is  as 
restless  as  a  timorous  merchant  overstocked  with 
perishable  goods  on  a  falling  market.  Their  own 
participation  iu  the  work  of  ruin  wrought  by 
such  rashness  is  too  extensive  to  allow  tlieuiselves 
to  sleep  peacefully  while  exposed  to  its  chances. 
In  pursuit  of  the  common  design  of  enriching 
themselves  by  fiocciug  the  public,  Um  method 
of  those  is  far  loss  surreptitious  unmanly  and 
dishonorable  than  that  of  their  prying  bretlireii. 
These  owe  the  possibility  of  their  existence  direct¬ 
ly  to  an  unjust  jirovision  of  the  patent  laws.  One 
of  these  sago  embodiments  of  legislative  sagacity 
prohibits  tlio  manufacture,  sale,  or  use  of  a 
patented  article  witliout  the  consent  of  the 
patentee.  Both  the  manufacture  and  sale  of 
such  an  article  commonly  occur  iu  known  viola¬ 
tion  of  this  enactment.  The  user  of  the  device, 
however,  seldom  remembers  tlie  law,  and  stil 
more  rarely  has  ihe  remotest  kuowleilge  of  the 
patent.  Under  these  circumstance  a  the  only 
honorable  course  open  to  agents  aud  thek  prin¬ 
cipals  would  be  to  restrict  their  claims  to  the 
manufacturers  aud  salesmen  who  have  con¬ 
sciously  wronged  them. 
Those  they  could  readily  discover,  force  to  a 
legal  accomit  of  the  articles  they  had  iliegiti- 
matoly  disposed  of,  aud  collect  the  comhlned 
royalty  at  a  luuiimum  expense.  Tlirough  fear 
of  a  suit,  however,  either  on  account  of  the 
known  Invalidity  of  thek  pretentions,  er  the 
limits  the  court  might  jirescrihe  to  their  ex¬ 
actions,  tlioy  deliberately  refrain  from  postering 
the  bold  infringers  of  their  rights,  who  would 
he  likely  enough  to  comhitio  for  mutual  jirotcc- 
tiou,  and  dishonoiubly  (iress  tlieir  arbitrary 
extortion  on  tlie  scattered  innocents,  who  fool¬ 
ishly  imagine  theniHolves  legally  entitled  to  use 
what  they  have  honestly  paid  for. 
Farmers  are  the  favorite  (irey  of  these  sharp¬ 
ers,  who  base  their  host  hopes  of  success  on 
rustic  ignorance  of  the  merits  of  tlieir  preten¬ 
tions,  aud  rustic  dread  of  tlie  marvelous  expense 
aud  uncertainty  of  the  law,  and  the  still  more 
marvelous  vagaries  of  its  administrators.  In¬ 
timidation  is  their  darling  recipe  for  the  collec¬ 
tion  of  their  impositions — pity  tliey  cannot  be 
occasional!}'  nauseated  with  their  own  prescrip¬ 
tion!  A  vigorous  public  opinion  is  the  most 
efticient  exterminator  of  these  pests.  Their 
aims  and  uietliods  forfeit  all  claim  to  courtesy  or 
toleratiim,  and  a  lively  outburst  of  indignation 
is  the  fittest  mood  to  receive  tliem  in.  Bogus 
agents  are  plentiful  aiuoTig  them,  but,  apart 
from  verified  credentials,  it  needs  an  acute  per¬ 
ception  of  differences  to  dlsorhiiinate  the  counter¬ 
feit  here  from  the  genuine.  Many  jiatentees, 
not  only  allow,  but  encourage  the  free  sale  of 
their  monopolized  devices  with  the  premedi¬ 
tated  punxise  of  afterwards  wi-iuging,  by  arbi¬ 
trary  extortion  from  unsuspicious  users,  a  far 
more  exorbitant  price  than  could  lie  realized  by 
the  Icgitunato  sale  of  thtur  pateuts.  A  com- 
biiiwl  resisteuoe  shoulii  bo  offered  in  every 
neighborhood  to  the  exactions  of  those  vaga¬ 
bonds.  And  before  the  Institution  of  a  suit 
satisfactory  security  for  costs  should  bo  rigor¬ 
ously  insisted  uixm. 
It  is  duo  mainly  to  the  practices  of  fellows  of 
this  stripe  that  the  onliuary  conception  of  a 
patent  agent  fluctuates  between  that  of  a  char¬ 
latan  and  a  swindler.  In  warning  the  public 
agaiust  their  maebinations  it  has  been  an  un- 
pioasant  duty  to  reflect  on  the  whole  of  this 
energetic  class  as  more  than  a  trifle  tlisreputable. 
It  is  pleasant  therefore,  to  be  able  to  say  candid¬ 
ly  that  there  are  among  the  spoutei’  tribe  a  few 
excootious,  just  about  enough  to  strongly  con¬ 
firm  the  rule.  Keme. 
