s 
THE RURAL MEW-YOBKER. I 
our exposures several articles appeared in the 
New York Sun and Tribune bitterly denounc¬ 
ing the humbugs, and the New York Herald 
sent a “Special Commissioner” to investigate 
and “write up” the nefarious schemes on the 
spot, aud this be fearlessly did iu a number 
of trenchant articles in that, paper. These, 
like our own exposures, were widely copied by 
honest papers in other parts of the country, 
Not one of the places was anything like the 
picture drawn of it. All of them wore either 
in the woods, in the swamps, or in the sand 
dunes along the low, barren, marshy, pestilen¬ 
tial coast. The houses, the streets, the groves 
and plantations existed only on paper. The 
laud would generally be dear at 25 cents an 
acie, while lots in the paper cities were sold at 
§10 apiece. A great deal of money was invest¬ 
ed by credulous simpletons from various parte 
of this country and Europe; several colonies 
went down to take possession of their share of 
the promised land; hut. all ended in general 
disappointment, profanity, and disgust. The 
St. Andrew’s Bay Company, one of the worst 
of the frauds, according to the Herald Com¬ 
missioner, is again offering largo tracts of 
land “free”—or rather for 25 cents—to those 
who may be foolish enough to bite at the allur¬ 
ing bait, aud we are sorry to see that an 
esteemed New York State agricultural con¬ 
temporary has opened its columns to the fraud. 
Should our esteemed contemporary have inno¬ 
cently accepted a grant ol’ 4*) acres of Florida 
laud for the liberal space it gives to Bay R. 
R. and Land CA, we beg to assure it of our 
risible sympathy that it, as well ns the gullible 
among its patrons, has been deceived. The 
post oil ice authorities should prevent this con¬ 
cern from using the U. B. mails for fraudulent 
purposes. 
To Several Inquirers.— We do not rec¬ 
ommend C- S. Shoemaker, “ aural surgeon,” 
Readiug, Pa.The National Bazar of 
this city is a humbug.We cannot rec¬ 
omend the Gregg Remedy Co., Palmyra, N. 
Y_ A, .1. Olin, P, D. Clark, Thus. Noel 
and Jno. C. West & Co, Chicago, III., should 
be “left severely alone.’'.... The World 
Publishing Company, Kansas City, is report¬ 
ed to be a fraud. Bo is the Rutland Publish¬ 
ing <‘ompanv, ICaston, Pa....The Home Man¬ 
ufacturing Company, Boston, Mass., is one of 
the “work-at-home” heartless humbugs.. 
We do not recommend the “ International 
Banking Co.” of this city. 
cell a neons. 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
Artesian, Gas and Oil, Wells. —Cata¬ 
logue from the Pierce Well Excavator Co., 
Long Island City, N. Y. One of the best cat¬ 
alogues we have ever examined. The subject 
is so well analyzed and condensed that it is al¬ 
most impossible to give a synopsis without 
printing the whole catalogue. Some manu¬ 
facturers are inclined to undervalue the im¬ 
portance of the literary features of their cat¬ 
alogues. They make a mistake. Just as there 
is everythiug iu the wording of an advertise¬ 
ment, there is everything in the way an im¬ 
plement or system is described. This cata¬ 
logue comes as near to being a model as we 
are likely to And. The Pierce Well Co. are 
a reliable concern. From a small beginning 
they have worked up a good business, and they 
have conducted business in such a way as to 
insure satisfaction. 
Cocoa and Chocolate.— Walter Baker & 
Co., Rochester. Mass., issue a very neut little 
volume of 165 pages, giving n short history of 
the above articles of diet. The book is read- 
aide and interesting. It- is evidently the re 
suit of a vast amount of reading and study. 
The use of cocoa as a drink in the place of tea 
and coffee is rapidly increasing. We believe 
it to bo a. more healthful drink than either. 
Its more general use would bring new life to 
the thousands of women who have boiled their 
nervous systems up in the coffee pot or tanned 
themselves a dark yellow with poor tea. The 
cocoa made by Walter Baker A Co., is pure 
and good. Having used it for years we know 
it to be a pleasant,and nutritious drink. 
Health Papers is the title of a well printed 
pamphlet sent, out by the American Spectator 
Publishing Co., Boston, Mass. The “papers” 
are written by Dr. R. C, Flower, and are for 
the most part very sensible and practical. 
The articles on “The Value of Bleep” and “Eat¬ 
ing for Health.” are very sound. Sleep and 
eating are the two great sustuiuers of life, yet 
plenty of us do not know how to get the best 
out, of them. Speaking of consumption, Dr. 
Flower thinks that medicine alone never has 
and never can cure the disease. A proper use 
of remedies coupled with thorough and wise 
treatment of the patient will,if started in time 
cure a majority of cases. Too much of the 
book is taken up with an advertisement of Dr. 
Flower and bis practice, In a free advertis¬ 
ing pamphlet this would be excusable, but hi a 
book of the price of this one, 50 cents, it is out 
of place. 
“ Corn Is King” is the title of n pamphlet 
sent, out from Lincoln, Neb., by Hon. Robert 
W. Furnas. It is a synopsis of addresses de¬ 
livered by the author before various agricul¬ 
tural societies. It is devoted to the origin, 
history, uses and abuses of corn, and tells the 
story in a plain, readable way. Mr. Furnas 
thinks the most successful com farmers are 
those who have, as it were, made their own 
varieties. They lust, select, of the corn in 
their own locality, the most, obtainable typo. 
From this they annually choose the best seed 
of oar, until it 1ms been bred to a desirable 
or required standard. 
President’s Inauguration. A pamphlet 
containing the addresses delivered at the in¬ 
auguration of W', I. Chamberlain to the presi¬ 
dency of the Iowa Agricultural College. We 
have already given copious extracts from 
President Chamberlin u’s address, which We 
consider the ablest contribution to the litera¬ 
ture of agricultural education we have ever 
read. The United States Government would 
do well to print an edition of 10,000.000 copies 
Of this pumphlct and see that, it was placed 
in the hands of every farmer in this country. 
Published by the Iowa Agricultural College 
at Arnes, Iowa, 
The annual meeting of the Indiana State 
Board of Agriculture will be held at Indi 
anapolis, January 4-0. An excellent pro¬ 
gramme has been arranged, including papers 
from eminent authorities. Other Indiana 
associations will meet as follows, at Indi¬ 
anapolis: Short-horn Breeders, January 25 ; 
Wool Crowd's, January 215; Swine Breeders, 
January 27; Horse Breeders, January US; 
Jersey Cattle Breeders, February I; Cane 
Growers, December 30 aud 81. 
American Florists. Proceedings of the 
second convention held at Philadelphia, Pa., 
August 18-21. Au exceedingly interesting 
pamphlet of 150 pages. If we may judge from 
these proceedings, the American Florists must 
be business people of m very jolly nature. 
Those who attended the convention appear to 
have had a royally gootl time, while the vol¬ 
ume contains much valuable information. 
Beautiful Calendars are sent out by 
John Watmmaker, Philadelphia, Pa. One is 
given up to quotations from Dickens. On the 
panel are pictures of Cnpi, Cuttle, Tilly Blow- 
boy, Mr. Pickwick ami other popular char¬ 
acters. The other calendar is made up from 
Tennyson’s poems. Botli are very neat. 
Cvfnjxbljcrc. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Idaho. 
Horse-Shoe Bend, Boise Co., Dee. 9.— 
Without irrigat ion we could not succeed. Our 
summers are long aud dry. Thermometer to¬ 
day 60“ in the shade; no frost in the ground. 
Here lies the great trouble we experience with 
all kinds of fruit—a warm spell, enough to 
start the sap, aud tlieu a freeze up. A. L. R. 
Illinnix. 
Pleasant Valley, Joe Daviess Co., 
Dee. 13.—This country has frozen up, with 
creeks aud wells very low, and many are 
driving their stock several miles for water. 
Corn is scarce and high, and none to be had 
except at the It. R. to which it is shipped from 
Nebraska, Kansas, etc., and sold to farmers 
at, 40 cents per bushel. We have had hardly 
snow enough to cover the ground; but there 
have been several mornings when the mercury 
stood below zero. Prices ore ad va ueing slowly; 
but the blatherskite loaders of the strikes in 
Chicago have knocked off farmers’ profits to 
the turn- of several million dollars this full. 
If they ain’t satisfied with §1.75 to 84.00 for 10 
hours’ work, let them come out and work us 
farmers have to do to live—14 to Hi hours for 
$1. W. S. 8, 
Indiana, 
Madison Co,, Dec. 14.—The winter has been 
mild thus far. Corn all iu the crib; price 
80 cents. Hog cholera has bees more preva¬ 
lent than ever before. In 1870 this eouuty 
had 5i.OOO hogs. The estimated total loss this 
year is onc-fiftli of all, or 11,000 head. If 
valued at §3 eueli, It, makes an average loss of 
about §10 to each farmer. Some counties in 
the State have had heavier losses. All other 
kinds of stock are healthy and in good condi¬ 
tion. Feed IS almndunt. The area to grass is 
being enlarged every year, which means less 
hired help and more stock and richer fields. 
A creamery on a large scale has been estab¬ 
lished at Noblcsville—the first in this part of 
the State. The Fat Ha mb cans are used; 15 
cents a guuge is the present price, equivalent 
to 15 cents a pound for butter. s. w. h. 
l>linnr*o(n. 
WASECA, Waseca Co., Dec. 16.—In this 
county and the county west of this (Blue 
Earth) crops were the best for some years. 
D. P. 
Pennsylvania. 
Ariel, Wayne Co., Dec. 21.—We are hav¬ 
ing a very tine, healthy commencement of 
winter. Good sleighing has been the rule 
since about the first of November. The past, 
season has not been considered a goon one for 
farm crops. Corn and potatoes are light,; 
grass heavy; winter rye an average crop. 
All kinds of farm produce excepting meat 
stock, are uow bringing fair prices. Apples 
and most other fruits were but partial crops, 
aud sell readily. Berries of all kinds were 
plenty. Honey crop lighter than common. 
Sheep are now iu good demand and scarce. 
We have the best of sheep-grazing land, and it 
ought to he well stocked; liut the exception is 
the rule in that, respect. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be necompauleil by the name 
nml address of the writer to Insure attention. Before 
askliiKii question, please see If It Is not answered In 
oUr advertising columns. Ask only u few questions at 
one t ime. Pul questions on a separate place of paper. 
CHRONIC NASAL DISCHARGE IN A HORSE. 
II. F. G., South Manchester. Conn .—My 
14-year-old horse for about a year has been 
troubled with free nasal discharges of a thin 
grayish matter. A t times he coughs iu sum¬ 
mer as well as winter. He is always in 
good spirits. What should be done for him? 
ANSWERED F. L. KILHOHNE. 
The chronic discharge may be due to any 
one of several causes. Use the following in¬ 
jection on alternate days for a week or two, 
unless the discharge censes before—sulphate 
of zinc aud carbolic acid each one dram, 
glycerine t wo ounces, and water two quarts. 
When used, the solution should lie milk-war in 
and injected with a nasal siphon made espec¬ 
ially for this purpose. In the absence of the 
siphon, procure about three feet of one-inch, 
firm rubber tubing, and a glass funnel to fit 
into one end of the tubing (any druggist can 
supply them). On the other end of the tubing 
place a piece of thick leather cut to fit the 
nostril to prevent the return of the liquid; and 
to make the lit, more perfect use wads of tow 
or cotton. Bring the horse’s head into a ver¬ 
tical position, insert the end of the tubing 
into the nostril, and pack the tow about, the 
leather to perfectly close the nostril (of 
course, leaving the other nostril open.) Now- 
raise the funnel to the level of the top of the 
head and slowly pour in the wash until it rises 
in this side and cseapes by the other nostril. 
Then repeat, the operation on the other nostril, 
so as Hi make sure that nil parts of the nasal 
raucous membrane have been reached. Also 
give twice daily, as a ball or in solution, in a 
|iint, of water or a bottle of ale, two drams 
sulphate of iron, one dram aloes aud one 
ounce powdered gentian: omit, the powder on 
alternate weeks. Report condition in two 
weeks; and if there is no improvement give a 
careful description, noticing whether the dis¬ 
charge is from one nostril* or both, and also 
whether as free when head is raised as when 
lowered. Examine teeth to see that all are 
sound. With the ends of the fingers tap on 
the bones of the fuee to sec if there is any ten¬ 
derness on either side below the eye. 
SCAB IN SHEEP. 
W. A., Gloucester Co ., N. J. i have 100 
ewes that, will commence to lamb in January, 
and some cf them have the scab. They are 
naturally wild and I have not a warm barn 
so T cannot shear them. Would there be much 
danger of losing the lambs if they were thor¬ 
oughly dipped? 
Ans.—T) f course, the sheep cannot be shorn 
without warm quarters in which to keep them; 
neither should they be dipped at, this season 
without, warm quarters while getting dry,and 
even with such quarters dipping isa severe or¬ 
deal for a pregnant ewe. We should by all 
means advise the use of crude petroleum. A 
stiff brush, something like a large stencil 
brush, should be used, and pains should he 
taken to find every diseased spot and to break 
lip the scabs and work the petroleum well into 
every part of the sore, even to its bottom, and 
also well around the margin. Petroleum is 
cheap and it will not in the least injure the 
wool, und with careful handling no barm can 
result to mother or tender offspring. The 
sheep should he examined once a week fora 
few weeks so us to find any spots that might 
have previously been skipped. 
LADY BIRD BEETLES. 
A. M. S., Fast on , N. V .—What are the in¬ 
closed beetles? 
Ans.—L ady Bird Beetles. The species is 
Hyppodamia convergens. The black mark¬ 
ings on a bright, orange ground make this a 
very handsome beetle. It is more than 
“harmless; ’it is positively our friend. Both 
ns larva* and grubs they feed on other insects, 
and in such seasons ns the last, when plant liee 
—aphides—are so very common, these iieetles 
are correspondingly abundant, and by feeding 
on the aphides and other insect pests, they 
help to make it possible for inanto raise fruit, 
grains and vegetables. We don’t know 
whether I here is a single family of insects more 
worthy of our praise and fostering care. 
Last season we saw a single twig that had 
more I lian a score of these insects in the pupa 
state, quietly hanging from it, awaiting their 
transformations. We were asked how best to 
kill them. How much we need knowledge on 
those important matters—to kill these insects 
is to kill our best friends. 
TONS OF HAY IN A MOW. 
II. F., Owensboro. Ky .—What is a good 
rule for finding the number of tons of hay in 
barn, bin or stack, or the number of cubic feet 
of loose or bin hay it will take to make a ton 
when baled. 
ANSWERED BY WHITMAN AGRICULTURAL CO. 
We have found the following to give satis¬ 
faction in using our Continuous Rebound 
Plunger Hay and Straw Press. “Hay in the 
mow will vary a little in weight, with its vary¬ 
ing fineness or coarseness: also, with the dif¬ 
ferent amounts of pressure to which it has 
been subjected; but a very nearly correct 
estimate of the weight ot hay in the mow will 
he obtained by allowing 512 cubic feet to the 
tou.” To find the number of cubic feet in a 
circular stack, square the diameter of the base 
multiply by one-third of the bight. To find 
the number of cubic feet in a long stack, sub¬ 
tract tlie width of the base from twice its 
length; multiply by the width and one-third 
the bight (all dimensions must lie in feet). 
Having tba cubic feet divide by 512, and you 
will have the number of toils. 
EXPOSED SOILS. 
K. K. II., White City , Kans .—Is there any 
truth iu the statement sometimes made that 
bare ground exposed fora lengthy period to 
the weather will deteriorate, hence it is best 
to have something growing on the land, even 
if it he weeds? If so, what is the philosophy 
of it? 
Ans. —Suppose we give a field a rest of 10 
or 20 years—that is. uothing to be taken from 
the field and it is not, to lie cultivated. This 
land would yield a heavier crop than if it had 
been continuously cultivated and the crops 
removed. The field gams something during 
the “rest” of 10 or 20 years. How does it 
gam? The plants which grow ami die upon 
it add food to the soil in two ways—from the 
air and from the soil—from the air through 
the leaves chiefly; from the soil, through the 
roots which extend deep enough to enrich the 
surface oil at the expense of the subsoil. Nit¬ 
rogen is always forming in the soil. When 
covered with vegetation it is given to the 
plants. When Imre it pusses off into the utmo- 
spliore or leaches through the soil. 
Miscellaneous. 
K. Oblate. Kans. —I have some pure-bred 
Lincoln owes, w hat, other breed should I use 
to get finer wool while keeping up the size ? 
Anh.—T he Liecester breed has been used 
to refine t he course large Lincoln, and a cross 
of it will still further refine it, without de¬ 
creasing t he size much. But there is no breed 
existing which can be crossed on the Lincoln, 
which will make the wool finer without reduc¬ 
ing the size of the carcass somewhat. Oxfords 
would bo the next, best, lint being themselves 
ti mixed breed might make au unfavorable 
cross. 
./. D. I. St., Thomas, Fla. —1. What is a re¬ 
liable commission firm in N. Y. City to whom 
I can send early Irish potatoes for sale { 2. 
Who is the secretary of the Berkshire Hog 
Association? 3. What is the best book on the 
hog ? 
Ans— B. H. «fc E. II. Frost, 100 Park Place; 
or E. & O. Ward, 279 Washington 8t., N. Y. 2 
M. Springer,Springfield,III. 3. Coburn’s Swine 
Husbandry, 81,75,to be had'througli the Amer¬ 
ican News Company, this city. 
./. IF., Port Jackson, N. I'—How much 
per bushel are ashes worth, made from pine 
and spruce shavings? 
Ans.—D r. Kedzie, a good authority, gives 
the value of such ashes as 816.00 per ton, 
which would make 40 cents for each bushel of 
50 pounds. The value of any particular sam¬ 
ple of ashes can only be exactly determined 
by an analysis. 
W. Newton, Fast Newark, N. J .—1. Where 
can 1 get little Britany cattle? 3. Where can 
the grape Rose of Peru, spoken of in ‘Califor¬ 
nia Notes” in the Rural of Nov. 30, be ob¬ 
tained? 
Ans.— 1. Who within a reasonable distance 
