the  medium  of  agonts.  The  mauufacturerg  will 
furnish  information  free. 
He  admits  that  it  might  possibly  have  been  a 
"  sport.”  Then  It  is  not  unquestionably 
a  cross 
between  the  Green  Cluster  and  Long  Green. 
That  a  seedling  plant  should  resemble  both  its 
pistil  parent  and  another  plant  growing  near, 
cannot  be  accepted  as  proof  that  the  latter  was 
the  pollen  parent.  The  possibility  of  spontan¬ 
eous  seminal  variation  or  of  bud  variation  would 
forbid.  But  were 
there  no  other  Cu¬ 
cumber  plants  in  the 
neighborhood  ?  Is 
the  Green  Cluster  or 
Long  Green  possess¬ 
ed  of  Mttoh  marked 
qualities  or  charac¬ 
teristics  that  a  seed¬ 
ling  resembling  eith¬ 
er  the  one  or  the 
other  must  needs  be 
the  offspring  of  the 
one  it  resombloB  ?  Is 
it  not  possible  that 
the  finality  of  a  care- 
Lt  ful  selection  through 
fifty  years  from  any 
variety  ol  Cucumber 
would  differ  as  much 
^  '  from  its  original  pa- 
t  wjjip  rentage  as  does  the 
vW;  Green  Prolific^ differ 
Wo  have  alluded 
only  to  tljo  first  sup¬ 
posed  cross.  The 
seedlings  or  seedling 
produced  from  this 
were  egain  crossed 
with  the  White  Hpino. 
8o,  In  the  same  mau- 
•  ner,  the  Cucunibor 
which,  many  years 
•  .  later  was  to  receive 
the  name  of  Green 
Prolific,  was  jilanted, 
wo  are  to  suppose, 
near  the  White  Bpino;  and  from  tbo  fact  that 
subsequent  seodliugs  displayed  a  resemblance  to 
this  also,  the  above  conclusion  was  arrived  at. 
Wo  do  not  know  how  many  parents  and  grand¬ 
parents  a  certain  variety  of  Cucumber  may  be 
seen  definitely  to  resemble  by  eyes  schooled  to 
thu  detection  of  Cucumber  ohuractcristlos;  but 
if  tiioy  may  ho  Judged  as  arc  other  monoecious 
fruits  of  (Jucnrbitacecr.  or  of  otlier  orders,  oven 
the  most  marked  r«fSomblauoes  or  distinctive 
«lualitioH,  of  which  tlie  Cucumber  is  compara¬ 
tively  destitute,  would  not,  as  we  have  said,  bo 
juxjoptod  as  iKjsitive  proof  of  a  first  eroK»*-hred  or 
l»yl»rid  origin — much  loss  of  a  second — supported 
by  tlio  solitary  fact  that  the  several  varieties  or 
Hpoeies  grew  near  to  one  another  or  even  side  by 
side.  To  weaken  such  a  claim  would  be,  first, 
the  fact  that  the  alleged  cross-broediug  occurred 
fifty  years  ago  wheu  cross-breeding  and  hybrid¬ 
izing  were  little  known  or  practiced  among  the 
mass  of  horticulturists  and,  second,  tliat  what¬ 
ever  account  of  the  origin  of  tlie  Green  Prolific 
we  may  now  have,  has  been  preserved  during  so 
long  a  period  by  word  of  mouth  alone.  At  least 
Dr.  Hkxamkr  makcH  no  reference  to  any  written 
or  printed  account  of  its  origin. 
Wo  can  not  see  how  the  fact  that  the  Green 
Prolific  “has  retained  its  special  qualities  for 
fifty  years,  gives  additional  proof  of  the  correct¬ 
ness  ”  of  Dr.  Ukxameu’s  assumption,  if  we  are 
to  credit  another  statement  of  his,  viz.,  that  it  is 
“the  result  of  careful  selection  ctjutiuiied  for 
over  fifty  years.”  Hod  it  retained  so  firmly  its 
“special  characters"  there  would  have  been 
little  need  of  such  careful  soloction.  So  much 
for  its  origin. 
How  many  years  would  Dr.  Huxam  eb  have  us 
take  to  experiment  upon  the  scores  of  “novel¬ 
ties  ”  offered  every  season  whether  favorable  or 
not  before  we  should  render  our  reports  ?  Sup¬ 
pose  last  season  had  been  as  favorable  for  Cu¬ 
cumbers  as  it  was  unfavorable,  and  the  Creeii 
Prolific  had  astonished  us  and  Dr.  Uexameb 
too — would  ho  censui-e  us  the  same  had  wo  pub¬ 
lished  results  as  oh8orve<l  in  our  gromids? 
W'ould  our  experiment  thou  have  proven  “  care¬ 
less  and  iutperfeot  ”  in  liis  ustimatiuu  ?  But  such 
an  account  would  uouc  the  less  “  unjustly  in¬ 
jure”  tho  purchaser  of  the  seeds  even  though 
it  hunofited  those  who  offered  them  for  sale. 
We  shall  endeavor,  life  spar  ed,  as  far  as  possi¬ 
ble  to  tost  all  new  plants  or  seeds  offered  every 
season  let  it  bo  wet,  dry,  cold  or  hot,  and,  with 
every  fair  qiuilillcatiun  to  publish  tho  results. 
Those  wlioso  products  we  can  not  view  through 
tho  producer’s  eyes  will,  perhaps,  pronounce  them 
“  cai’elosB  and  imperfect  ” — but  uuless  they  are 
as  perfunctory  as  Dr.  H’s.  dictum  as  to  tho  ori¬ 
gin  of  the  Groon  Prolific  Cucumber,  we  shall 
have  little  fear  that  we  are  not  working  “for  tho 
sake  of  fairuess  and  truth.” 
Dr.  Hexameb  may  prove  that  we  are  incapable 
of  distiuguishiug  a  dork  orange  from  a  light 
IMPLEMENT  TRIALS  IN  ENGLAND 
THE  GREEN  PROLIFIC  CUCUMBER, 
A  NEW  TRACTION  MOTOR, 
The  course  of  machine  trials  does  not  always 
run  smooth  even  among  our  Drittsh  cousins. 
By  the  report  of  a  late  meeting  of  the  (English) 
Tui:  illustration  given  herewith  shows  the  ap¬ 
plication  of  a  new  invention  of  Mr.  Geo.  Rooebs 
to  tho  i)ortahle  en¬ 
gines  made  by  Gie 
well-known  Mt.  Ver- 
non  Iron  Worlts. 
Tho  attention  of 
the  agriculturist  has 
been  coDHj)icuouHly 
directed  to  traction 
or  road  engines  by 
tho  admirable  work 
performed  by  tho 
English  machines  at 
tlio  Centennial.  It 
becomes  more  and 
more  apparent  that  ^ 
they  are  tlie  most  S 
economic  farm  en-  H 
gine  that  can  bo  used, 
as  tbey  serv'o  various  Mn?  SfEHIQPliSI 
pnrpoKOs,  at  very  lit-  i  '  '  I 
tie,  if  any,  additional  ^hi  ^ 
expense.  Jj  v 
The  cost  of  the  at-  Im  i 
taohment  apiiliod  at  |||l|t ,  2  - 
pi’oaent  to  the  en- 
giues  made  by  G.  &  •y 
0.  COOI-EU  A  Co., 
Mt.  Vernon,  Ohio,  is  / 
about  $100.  g, .  m  1  El 
Thresher  men,  far-  y'-  ■ 
mors,  and  those  who 
find  it  profitable  to 
use  portable  engines  ■) 
wonld  do  well  to  ox- 
amine  the  merits  of 
this  novelty.  Full  f "w i;,r 
and  complete  infor-  ^ 
mation  will  be  fur¬ 
nished  by  writing  to 
tlie  address  given 
above. 
The  statement  in  the  “  Rubae”  of  Nov.  11th 
A  NKW  a’llACTION  MOTOH 
Tlio  Traction  Engine  can  bo  used  for 
such  a  variety  of  pur]}osoH  that  a  stroug  poiut  in 
its  favor  is  the  fact,  that  a  man  who  owns  a  port¬ 
able  ongiuo  with  this  attachmeut  oan  find  work 
for  it  constantly. 
“  that  in  tlio  estimation  of  many  wlio  have  tried 
tlio  Green  Prolific  Cucumber,  it  is  all  that  Dr. 
Hexameu  claims  for  it,”  is  sufficient  to  require 
no  further  argument  in  its  favor.  But  there  are 
a  few  other  points  in  tho  same  article,  which  are 
of  more  general  importance  tliau  the  question  as 
to  which  is  tho  host  Cucumber. 
Is  tho  Green  Prolific  Cucumber  a  *•  cross  ?”  I 
say  it  is,  and  the  Rubai,  is  kind  enough  to  oou- 
sidor  this  opinion  a  ridiculous  assumption.  Now 
I  do  assume  that  wlion  ono  variety,  grown  near 
another  variety  of  the  same  spocios,  produces 
an  offspring,  wliioh  partakes  of  tlio  character¬ 
istics  of  each  variety,  it  may  lie  iissortod  that  the 
new  seedling  was  produced  by  cross- fertilization 
and  is  therefore  a  “  natural  cross.”  This  is  ex- 
aotly  tbo  case  of  the  Green  I’rollfic,  ami  tho  fact, 
that  it  lias  retained  its  special  qualiUos  for  fifty 
years  gives  additional  proof  of  tlie  correctness  of 
the  asHumptiou.  If  h  soudling  so  originated  is 
not  a  “  cross,"  wliat  is  it  ?  It  niiglit  possibly  bo 
a  sport,  but  not  mure  likely  than  that  a  Mulatto 
is  a  s])ort  instead  of  a  cross. 
Tho  care  and  attention  given  to  an  experiment 
can  often  be  found  out  from  its  results,  and  so 
“  did  I  find  out  ”  that  tlie  experiment  in  question 
was  “  caroloBB  and  imperfect.”  When  an  ox  peri- 
moiitcr  expects  to  establish  tho  yield  of  pickles 
from  different  varieties  of  Cucumbers,  witliout 
picking  and  counting  the  pickles ;  and  wheu  ho 
can  not  find  any  difference  between  a  compact 
growing  variety  with  dark  orange  skin,  and  one 
of  rampart  growth  and  a  light  straw-colored 
skin,  I  must  consider  tho  experiment  “careless 
aud  imperfect,”  and  no  amount  of  argument  can 
convince  me  to  the  contrary. 
I  am  so  well  aware  of , tho  difficultios  of  experi- 
monting,  aud  how  numerous  are  the  causes 
whioli  may  lead  to  false  conclusions,  that  I  do 
not  “foci  jusUfiod  in  drawing  any  oonGlusions, 
frijiti  experiments,  made  under  such  unfavorable 
conditions,  that  their  results  oan  not  teach  any¬ 
thing.  Of  tho  exporimeuts  I  made  last  season, 
with  a  largo  number  of  new  varieties,  1  do  most 
decidedly,  hesitate  to  state  ooiiclusions.”  Tho 
season  was  so  unfavorable  to  the  develop¬ 
ment  of  vegetables  that  such  a  rtatemout  oould 
benefit  no  one,  while  it  would  causelessly  preju¬ 
dice  some  said  unjustly  Injure  others. 
No  cue  can  bo  more  impressod  with  the  import¬ 
ance  and  infiuonoo  of  the  agricultural  press  than 
I,  as  well  as  of  tho  difficulties,  which,  iu  the 
abscucu  of  public  uxixirimeutal  stations,  the 
editor  must  encounter  at  every  stop.  It  Is  for 
this  reason  that  1  consider  it  the  duty  of  “  every 
fair-minded  person”  to  correct  errors  and  mis¬ 
takes  wherever  he  finds  theni ;  nut  because  the 
results  of  othei's’  experiments  do  not  accord  with 
his  own  views,  but  for  the  sake  of  fairuoss  and 
truth.  F.  M.  Hexaaieu. 
Reply.— Dr.  Hexameb’s  assertion  that  the 
Green  Prolific  Cucumber  was  the  result  of  certain 
crosses  is  uot  maiutaiued  by  any  demoustratiou. 
Royal  Agricultural  Society,  published  in  tho 
Mark  Lane  Express,  we  learn  that  Mr.  Jabez 
Turner  reported  the  recommendation  of  the 
Committee  that  the  gold  medal  of  the  Society  be 
again  offered  at  the  Liverpool  meeting  for  an 
ofiicient  sheaf-binder,  and  that  the  ten  silver 
medals  bo  offered  as  heretofore,  llio  Commit¬ 
tee  had  mado  such  alterations  in  tho  existing 
regulations  as  tho  adoption  of  this  rocommonda- 
tion  by  tho  Council  would  render  nocoBsary. 
The  Committee,  in  addition,  recommended  the 
adoption  of  the  following  now  regulation : 
“Every  protest  against  aii  implement,  on  the 
ground  of  an  infringement  of  patent-right,  shall 
be  accompanied  by  a  deposit  of  £25,  which  shall 
be  returned  in  tho  event  of  the  protest  or  action 
at  Ia^v  being  decided  in  favor  of  tho  person 
lodging  the  iirotest ;  but  otherwise  the  said  sum 
of  X25  shall  he  for  feitod  to  tho  Society.”  This 
report  was  adopted  after  a  conversation,  in 
which  a  Htualler  amount  of  fine  was  suggestod 
by  Colonel  Kingsooto  and  otlior  monilicrK  of 
Council,  while  Mr.  Amos  urged  that  such  a 
course  would  render  tho  intention  of  tho  Com¬ 
mittee  inoperative,  and  if  any  fine  at  all  was 
considered  necessary,  it  must  bo  one  of  a  sub¬ 
stantial  sum. 
He  also  reported  that  the  Stewards  had  had 
under  consideration  tho  protest  of  Mr.  Spencer, 
on  behalf  of  the  “Johnstone  Harvester  Coin- 
jiany,"  against  tho  Belf-delivery  reaping  ma¬ 
chine  of  Messrs.  Hornsby  <t  Suns,  worked  in 
Class  1.  at  Hoathooto  Farm,  for  an  itifringe- 
mout  of  patent  rights.  This  protest  having 
been  rocoivod  by  the  Secretary  on  tho  IDth 
August,  and  no  satisfactory  reanous  having 
been  assigned  for  the  delay,  Uio  stewards  wore 
of  opinion  Uiat  It  cannot  be  entertaiuod,  as  the 
rules  expressly  jirovldo  that  all  protests  must  be 
delivered  on  the  evening  of  tho  first  show-day. 
Tho  stewards  tiad  further  to  reiiort  that  Mr. 
William  Anson  Wood  removed  from  the  show- 
yard  two  reaping  niaohinos.  Nos.  fiSl  and  552, 
which  were  cutcrod  for  trial,  aud  had  undergoiiu 
tho  preliminary  examination  of  the  engineers 
and  judges.  This  was  in  direct  contra  volition 
to  Section  20  in  the  “general  regulations.” 
This  rejjort  having  been  received  and  adopted, 
on  the  motion  of  Mr.  Turner,  the  Secretary  was 
instructed  to  write  to  Mr.  W.  Anson  Wood  for 
an  explanation  of  the  circumstances  attending 
the  removal  of  his  reaping  machines  from  tho 
Birmingham  show-yard. 
WATCHES, 
Among  the  many  articles  which  have  kept 
pace  with  the  rajiid  march  of  improvement 
during  tho  ninotoonth  century  are  watches. 
And  witli  tho  advance  in  quality  a  proportionate 
reduction  in  price  lias  boon  witnessed,  so  that 
this  very  useful  companion  is  now  much  bettor 
and  clieaper  than  ia  tiiuns  gouo  by.  Switzer¬ 
land  has  always  been  celebrated  as  tho  watch¬ 
making  niition  of  tho  world  and  does  not  fail 
even  now  to  take  advantage  of  all  maeiiinery 
and  dovleos  which  may  have  a  tendency  to  im¬ 
prove  in  this  direction.  Tlie  importation  into  this 
country  of  Swiss  watches  is  somelhitig  enornious 
as  can  very  easily  be  learned  by  communicating 
with  Messrs.  QniNOUE  &.  Kruoi.ku  of  15  Maiden 
Lane  in  this  city,  where  oan  Im>  seen  watches  of 
every  description  from  tho  cheap,  but  perfect 
tlmo-koejior,  to  tlio  best  o.hronomoter.  About 
this  season  of  tho  year,  when  jicoplo  are  casting 
about  for  a  suitable  Christmas  present,  no  ono 
could  do  better  Uiari  to  investigate  the  large  and 
elegant  assortmeut  always  to  ho  found  at  the 
office  of  tho  above  firm.  Ono  thing  they  can 
depend  upon ;  they  will  got  exactly  what  they 
buy  and  jiay  for,  as  tho  reputation  of  tho  firm 
sustains  an  assurance  of  that  fact. 
HOME  HAND  CORN  SHELLER 
The  “Homo"  Hand  Coru-Sbollor  is  a  neat 
little  contrivance  tlmt  is  admirably  adapted  for 
the  purpose  it  is  intended  to  serve.  The  need  of 
a  good  hand  corn-sheller  lias  been  apparent.  No 
further  proof  of  this  is  needed  tliau  tho  fact 
that  Moasrs-  Livinoston  A  Co.  of  Pittsburgh, 
Pa.,  have  sold  upward  of  10,000  of  their  Sholler 
iu  tho  comiiaratively  brief  time  it  has  boon  be¬ 
fore  tho  public. 
This  Rlieller  is  compact,  made  of  good  mate¬ 
rials,  and  when  adjusted  it  works  easily  and  is 
not  liable  t.o  gel  out  of  order.  Its  makers  unhesi¬ 
tatingly  assert  that  it  removes  tho  corn  clean 
from  tlio  cob  without  broakiug  the  kernel. 
It  adapts  itself  to  large  or  small  ears,  and  its  ca¬ 
pacity  is  from  five  to  tun  bushels  per  hour. 
A  Shellor  which  wo  saw  in  this  city  seems  to 
corroborate  tlie  claims  of  the  makers,  and  we 
would  add  tliat  the  “Homo”  has  been  distin¬ 
guished  by  receiving  a  First  Premium  at  tho 
Tradesmou’s  Industrial  Institute,  Pittsburgh, 
1876. 
Those  of  our  readers  who  are  interested  in 
poultry,  or  any  agricultural  pursuit,  would  do 
W’ell  to  examine  into  the  merits  of  the  Sholler. 
Tho  “Home”  is  sold  either  direct  or  through 
The  Centennial  Exposition  Medal  and  Diploma 
of  Merit  have  been  awarded  to  U.  W.  Johns  for 
Asbestos  materials,  among  which  are  his  im¬ 
proved  Steam  Pipe  and  Boiler  Coverings,  con¬ 
sisting  of  Asbostos-lined  Hair  Felts  an  I  Cement 
Felting;  also,  Fire-proof  Paints  for  structural 
purposes,  a  Roof  Paint  of  Superior  quality.  As¬ 
bestos  Roofing,  Cement,  Steam-packing,  etc., 
etc. 
