THE AURAL NEW-YORKER. 
357 
farm Ctoranmj. 
A FEW THOUGHTS ON THE SIGNS OF 
THE TIMES. 
Labor agitation and agriculture; combina¬ 
tion in other industries; disadvantages of 
the farmer as a buyer and seller; what 
must be the end}' Need of co-operation. 
Tite agitat ion now pervading all classes and 
industries, looking to a decreased number of 
working hours and au increased compensation 
for labor; the combinations and organizations 
of manufacturers, merchants, and tradesmen 
generally for the purpose of advancing, or at 
least upholding, present prices of manufactur¬ 
ed products, demonstrate more clearly than 
any series of events of recent years the unfor¬ 
tunate aud defenceless® situation of the farm¬ 
er. The workingman, by organized effort, 
can in a measure regulate and even dictate the 
price he shall receive for his labor. The manu¬ 
facturer, by combination with manufacturers 
of similar products, can and does regulate the 
price he shall receive for his manufactures. 
The merchant, by similar means, can sot an 
approximate price for the goods which are 
displayed on his shelves and counters. But 
our farmers, the bone and sinew of our coun¬ 
try, the hardest-working, most industrious, 
careful, and reliable class of men our body 
politic contains, are *by the very nature of 
their calling placed at a tremendous disadvan¬ 
tage. 
As buyers, the prices of all necessaries, luxu¬ 
ries, and commodities are arbitrarily set for 
them, and they are powerless to regulate the 
prices of the goods which they stand ready with 
the money in their 1 lands to buy. But as sell¬ 
ers they find themselves placed at even a 
greater disadvantage. Each one finds himself 
the competitor of the others, without the slights 
est chance for combination or original effort. 
Each is used by the wily buyer as a lever to 
reduce the price of his neighbor’s produce, 
and fettered as he knows himself to be by his 
circumstances and his calling, the farmer 
victim gives up the hopeless attempt to obtain 
a fair remuneration for his toil and labor, and 
meekly accepts whatever price the buyer may 
see fit to offer him. 
The signs of the times show' danger ahead 
for our farmers. For several years prices of 
agricultural products have goue steadily 
downward, while the wages of the laboring 
classes are steadily advancing, and the prioes 
of the many necessaries the farmer must pur¬ 
chase are gradually increasing. The prices of 
what he produces are steadily decreasing, 
while the prices of all that he consumes are 
advancing. Where must such a state of 
things inevitably lead? He sees his candle 
burning at both ends, yet is helpless to pre¬ 
vent it. He sees his daily income gradually 
growing less and less and his outgo groov¬ 
ing more and more; can there be but one 
result-to this state of affairs? Is not bank¬ 
ruptcy the only termination of such a situa¬ 
tion? 
Then, where lies the remedy? Who can 
solve the problem? Its solution I leave to 
older and wiser heads than mine; my object 
is only to sound a note of warning as to 
whither we, the farmers of America, are 
drifting, and to point out our helpless, and I 
may add, almost hopeless situation. It is 
true the persons now engaged in agricultnral 
pursuits in the Unitesl States number over 
eight millions, a numl>er nearly twice as great 
as that of those engaged in manufactures and 
mercantile pursuits. It is true that the cap¬ 
ital invested in farms, buildings, stock, and 
improvements is also twice as large as the 
combined investments of the manufacturing 
and mercantile industries of our country. 
Surely, then, with such a vast power in their 
hands, the farmers should and could obtain a 
more just recognition of their rights and 
privileges than they now have, and will have 
but themselves to blmue if they are not ac¬ 
corded a more potent influence iu the manage¬ 
ment of the financial ami political interests 
of our country. How to attain that influence, 
how to secure the legitimate fruits of their 
capital, energy, and industry, that is the prob¬ 
lem we ask to bo solved. 
Does the answer lie in more thorough co¬ 
operation—co-operation in buying and co¬ 
operation i n selling ? Should we stand shoulder 
to shoulder, and by organized, systematic co¬ 
opera tiou “strike” for that position in the 
world of business aud industry to which wo 
are entitled. We must either rise or fall. We 
cannot stand still. We have been, and now 
are daily falling behind in the march of in¬ 
dustrial progress. Shall it continue? Shall we, 
the farmers of America, stand idly by, aud 
see the brave old ship of Agriculture drift 
swiftly down upon the reefs of bankruptcy? 
That is the question of vital importance to 
each one of us tonlay, and if we look for the 
answer it will be found in agitation. Let us 
first agitate, and then as the only logical 
sequence we must co-operate, and in co-oper¬ 
ation only lies the future safety of the 
American farmer. w. E. s. 
Rensselaer Co., N. Y. 
A HANDY MARKER. 
Mr. Reuben Townsend, of Cape May Co., 
N. J., sends us the drawing for the handy im¬ 
plement shown at Fig. 232. It is intended to 
mark the rows and the places for planting po¬ 
tatoes, cabbage, beans, sweet corn, etc. The 
ground is prepared in the usual way and 
smoothed with the harrow and drag. The 
marker is then wheeled over the rows. The 
indentations made for the seed are all the same 
depth, aud the same distance apart. The 
frame of the implement is made very similar 
to a wheel-barrow. The wheel is of any con¬ 
venient size, say, two-feet in diameter. The 
felloe of the wheel is punctured with holes as 
near together as the closest plants will be 
planted. The markers can be inserted in any 
of these holes, so as to give any desired dis¬ 
tance between hills. These markers are made 
of wood with the part which enters the wheel 
made to fit closely into the holes, while the 
hole-making portion is made egg-shapped, so 
that the soil will not so readily adhere to it. 
The depth of the drills is regulated by a 
bag filled or partly filled with sand or stones, 
the weight to be regulated to suit the depth of 
trench required. 
CORN MARKER. 
Henry C. Marvin has used a com planter 
like that shown at Fig. 233 for two seasons, 
and says it works well. The head is made of 
4x4-inch scantling. It is jointed so that when 
used on uneven ground all the teeth will touch 
at the same time. Two mortices are made at 
the ends of the head for outside teeth; one be¬ 
ing three feet from the center tooth, for mark¬ 
ing potatoes, aud the other four feet for mark¬ 
ing corn. Two sets of teeth are used, those iu 
the frame being for general use, and that 
shown at a wheu corn is to be planted with a 
hand planter. This double tooth leaves a lit¬ 
tle ridge of mellow soil, and the corn is covered 
much better. The iron bars b b are three- 
eighths of inch in diameter, fasteued at one end 
to the head of the marker by a staple; the other 
end is hooked into a hole in the thrills. This 
rod is to prevent the head from being split at 
the joint by the end tooth. The teeth aud 
thills are made of inch-and-one-half plank. 
The haudles from an old plow or cultivator 
willansw'er. 
Various, 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
Pump and Haying* Tool Works.— Cat¬ 
alogue from F. E. Myers & Bid., Ashland, 
Ohio.—An elegant, neatly printed statement 
of the superior points claimed for the tools 
manufactured at this establishment. F, E. 
Myers & Bro., by purchase from the Ashland 
Pump Co., become sole owners of all patents, 
machinery etc., heretofore used in the con¬ 
struction of the celebrated Ashland pump, A 
number of new patents aud improvements in 
pumps and haying tools have been introduced, 
the aim being to make such machines second 
to none. The peculiar features of the Myer's 
Pump are the patent glass valve-seat aud the 
expansive plunger. These have proved very 
ucoessful. They are fully illustrated and ex¬ 
plained in the catalogue. Anti-freezing deep 
well pumps, drill well, force aud lift pumps of 
the best make are manufactured, as well ns 
pipe and hose fittings aud tools. The list of 
haying tools includes double lock carriers, 
w ooden and steel tracks and nickel plate car¬ 
riers, pulleys, sling attachments, grapple and 
harpoon hay forks and numberless smaller 
tools. 
Brinser Grain Cradle.— Circular from E. 
C. Brinser, Middletown, Pa.—The age of self¬ 
binders and reapers is not by any means com¬ 
plete. There are thousands of good farmers 
who still find good use for a grain cradle. 
Even on the great grain farms of the West 
there are many places where a man can make 
good wages with a cradle. All farmers will 
be pleased with the Brinser cradle. Thousands 
are in use in many Sta tes. The best white ash 
is used for wood work. The fingers are sawed 
to the proper shape, and are thus better than 
the steam-bent fingers. Each finger is well 
braced with a wire brace having good thumb 
nuts inside and outside the snath to regulate 
at will. Send for the circular and read what 
others say. 
Portable Poultry Fence.— Circular from 
Sam'l H. Roberts, 12 Lispenard St., New York. 
A new and apparently happy idea. The fence 
is a combination of twine netting and wire. 
It may be run 75 feet between trees or posts. 
It can bo used alone or in connection with 
other fences. It is so easily put up and re¬ 
moved that the poultry runs can be readily 
shifted or changed in size or form. It will be 
particularly valuable for use iu orchards or in 
grain stubble. The price is given at six cents 
per running foot (four feet high) with a dis¬ 
count when large quantities are taken. 
Houle Photography.— Pamphlet from 
Franklin Putnam, 4S5 Canal St., New York. 
The desire for having a “picture taken” is uni¬ 
versal, There are dozens of objects about the 
home that might well he preserved upon paper. 
Such pictures would be doubly attractive if 
the work could he done at home. It is the de¬ 
sign of the above-mentioned house to send out 
complete outfits of photographic goods, with 
such complete instructions that amateurs can 
readily learn to do fair work. The outfits are 
furnished at $13 or $20. We have seen sam¬ 
ples of work done by amateurs with these out¬ 
fits. It is certainly very fair. 
Thomas Hood is the name given by a more 
than usually profane scoundrel who is adver¬ 
tising “green goods” for sale in this eitv. This 
is the old “sawdust swindle,” which has been 
exposed over and over again in this depart¬ 
ment and in other papers all over the country. 
It was thought by some that the murder of 
Tom Davis, one of the principal rascals en¬ 
gaged in the “business” here, some months 
ago, by a Texas desperado, while negotiating 
for the “goods” in one of his dens, would have 
a deterring effect for some time at any rate; 
but, bless you! the crooks in that line have 
been unusually busy ever since, and unusually 
successful in swindling dishonest fools, who 
wished to get from them counterfeit money to 
be passed off as genuine among their friends 
and neighbors. The business is always done 
by sending circulars through the mails. The 
person addressed is assured that his name was 
obtained through a friend passing through the 
place. This is always false. There are men 
here who make it their sole business to collect 
lists of names from directories, advertisements 
in various papers, lists of newspaper subscrib¬ 
ers when they can get them, and a multitude 
of other sources, and these they sell for so 
much per 1,000 to any body. Many of them 
art* classified, so that people in a certain line 
of business may appeal to those most likely to 
become patrons. Thus people with chronic 
or imaginary diseases are grouped together for 
the benefit of advertisers of medical nostrums; 
those who hat e been duped by one swindle 
are bunched for the benefit of other swim Hers; 
for the gudgeon who bites at one bait, is 
pretty sure to jump at another, however 
severely he may have been damaged by the 
first. The names of tin we who receive letters 
and circulars from strangers are generally ob¬ 
tained l>y the latter from these “dealers in 
names.” Murdered Tom Davis was con¬ 
stantly sending out circulars, and had IS 
different addresses in this city, a different 
name being giveu for each. On asking for 
Hood at the address given iu his circular (a 
menu little cigar store) the Eye-opener was 
informed that no such person was known 
there; but the rascal got his mail there, never¬ 
theless. Iu no case is counterfeit money sold; 
and those who are mean, dishouest and con¬ 
temptible enough to try to get it, are pretty 
certain to Lie swindled. 
In the Rural of April 24th, we advised our 
readers “to have uotliiug to do with the ‘new 
seed oats' offered by a certain seed company of 
Westeru New York. The plan followed by the 
company is precisely that by which hundreds 
of farmers have been heavily swindled by 
other companies offering Bohemian and Hul- 
les Oats, Senaca Chief and Red Line Wheat, 
etc. Ten or §15 a bushel are charged for the 
seed, and a contract Is made to buy back a cer¬ 
tain proportion of the product (usually twice 
the amount of seed purchased) at the same price. 
Many other companies, which have swindled 
their patrons, have had the names of quite re- 
spectible people on the list of officers. With 
regard to this “seed company,” a good friend 
of the R. N-Y, writes us: “I fear a late Eye- 
Opener did Mr. A and his seed company a 
bad turn. Mr. A is an honest, conscien¬ 
tious man, and the company are honorable^ 
and I am quite sure they will do just what they 
offer. I think the oat is a good one, and 
though the method chosen to put it out may 
look a little ‘wild catty,’ I have no doubt but 
it is legitimate.” 
Quite a number of papers, some of them 
really “high-toned,” are advertising Orange 
Grove Tract of 40 Acres Free, in Florida. 
The offer is made, it is claimed, “for the 
purpose of organizing a local colony” in the 
recipient's neighborhood; and he. of course, 
is expected to work in getting up such a col¬ 
ony and getting them to pay hard cash for 
land on the sandy dunes of the Florida coast. 
It is in repayment for such work that the 
“tract” would be given, and, therefore, it 
would not be “free.” We were offered an in¬ 
terest in the same place for publishing such 
an advertisement, but knowing the thing to 
be a wild-cat scheme of a parcel of land 
speculators, we declined to have anything to 
do with it on any condition. The place has 
been exposed already here among the Florida 
land frauds. 
To Several Inquirers.— Yes, there is 
such an “institution” as the “Civiale Remedial 
Agency” in this city. It will, most likely, send 
what it is ordered; but its claims on behalf of 
its remedies are greatly exaggerated: and as 
effective a ‘ ‘cure” os the best of them could be 
got for less than half the price at the nearest 
drug store... .We cannot recommend Heine & 
Co., of this city, who advertise to send, for §1, 
instructions by which a child can learn in a 
few minutes how to play the piano or organ. 
Only a child, and a very foolish one, would 
send money to such an obvious, barefaced 
humbug. By the way, one of the latest swin¬ 
dling schemes is that of the philanthropic 
sharpers who are anxious to put an organ in 
every farmer's parlor. They will send a speci¬ 
men free as an advertisement in the neighbor¬ 
hood; but, “as a proof of good faith,’’ they re¬ 
quire a pittance of §4 to pay freight. Two or 
three weeks after the “fool and his money 
have parted,” a 25-cent mouth organ arrives 
for the parlo . 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
Signs and Seasons. By John Burroughs. 
Published by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Bos¬ 
ton, Mass. Price, §1.50. 
John Burroughs is one of the pleasantest 
writers that we know of. His style is exactly 
suited to his theme. He is an enthusiastic ob¬ 
server and student of nature, and sees thous¬ 
ands of wonderful little things in the woods 
and fields which we, with our uncultivated 
eyes, would pass unnoticed. The book is made 
up of short essays which have already appear¬ 
ed in the magazines. The “Tragedies of the 
Nests” and "Bird Enemies” will be read with 
pec uli a r interest at this time, when such 
strenuous efforts are being made to protect 
our little feathered friends. 
Lend a Hand. A new monthly magazine. 
Published at 3 Hamilton Place, Boston, 
Mass. 
This magazine occupies a unique place in 
literature. It is a journal of organized chari¬ 
ty, having for its main object the fostering of 
worthy charitable institutions and the discus¬ 
sion of the best methods of reaching and help¬ 
ing the unfortunate. In its teachings aud 
spirit it is desigued to be but an elaboration of 
that best of all English mottoes—“Look up 
and not down; look out and not in; look for¬ 
ward and not back, and lend a hand.” The 
magazine is edited by Rev. E. E. Hale, who is 
assisted by so able a staff of contributors that 
it goes without saying that the literary feat¬ 
ures of the new publication are admirable. 
We know of no magazine more worthy of the 
support of benevolent, persons than Lend A 
Hand. 
Forgotten Meanings. By Alfred Waites. 
Published by Lee & Shepard, Boston, Mass. 
Place, 50 cents. 
This little book is rightly called “An Hour 
With a Dictionary. ” It is as though some student 
of words had invited us to glance through the 
dictionary with him, and listen to his explan¬ 
ation of the real meaning and derivation of such 
words as we may chance upon. We do not f.hinlr 
however, that an ordinary person would se¬ 
lect many of the words given in the book for 
explanation. They appear rather to be the 
selections of one who wished to present the 
curious or strange, yet any English scholar 
will find much to interest w and instruct him in 
