166 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[May, 
of that. When he came to test the chimney, he clipped 
it in cold water, then put it on the lighted lamp, and as 
soon as lie could he commenced throwing cold water on 
it without its breaking. I asked him to let the chimney 
get thoroughly heated, and then apply the cold water. 
The result was a broken chimney. Before lie commenced 
his experiments I asked him what was your opinion and 
also that of Munn & Co. His answer was it was some¬ 
thing new. lie acknowledged before he left that he gave 
up all hopes of selling any to me after my asking the 
opinion of the agricultural and scientific papers.” 
If any live where they can no; get this “magnum 
opus,” we can tell them that a little silicic oxide or cal¬ 
cic carbonate, which the unlearned call sand and chalk, 
if put into a lamp, exactly 33 grains of each, will pre¬ 
vent all danger to the lamp—provided the right kind of 
oil is used. It may be well to say here that even very 
dangerous oil will extinguish a lighted match— oil does 
not explode ; it is the vapor from the poor oil mixed 
with air that explodes. 
DOUBTFUL CASES. 
We have already stated that we keep many cases un¬ 
der advisement awaiting investigation, and when the 
suspected parties are at distant points this often takes a 
long time. Among the concerns that we have had inqui¬ 
ries about are several that look suspicious; but we can 
not give definite answers. If the writer of either of 
these inquiries should go to a merchant to buy goods 
upon credit, he would be asked at once for his refer 
ences. Every man who has money should put himself 
in the position of the merchant who has goods to dis¬ 
pose of, and before he lets his money go out of his hands 
into those of an unknown person, demand references, 
or some assurance that he is to be trusted. Tiie gentle¬ 
man who inquires about the “Mississippi Valley Man¬ 
ufacturing Co.” should not send money until he first 
finds out if there is such a company; which he can do 
by writing to the mayor or city clerk of the place. 
If there is such a concern as the “Empire City Paper 
Co.,” it does its business in a room far up stairs, with a 
hole in the door for letters. We hope our Tennessee 
friend will get his paper.The “ Five Dollar Sewing 
Machine ” chaps are—as the market reporters say—much 
Inquired after. We have yet to see a $5 machine 
worth the money, and we have tried very hard. At one 
time we had a curious collection of these rattle-traps. 
We have just now but one, that sent out by A. Cateley, 
Supt., corner Greenwich and Cortlandt streets. If any 
one wishes to buy this for something less than $5, we 
are open to an offer “ on account of whom it may con¬ 
cern.” We are asked if this Cateley is the same Cate.y 
& Co. who offer cheap watches in another part of the 
city. 
OFFERS OF COUNTERFEIT MONEY 
still continue. We say offers, for these people are not 
fools enough to have or part with any. If they get a poor 
weak fellow into their hands, they will get his money 
and give him nothing in return—well knowing that one 
who enters into a bargain with them dare not “ squeal.” 
It is of no use to publish the names under which their 
circulars are sent, as each one of the gang has a dozen 
aliases, and they are changed so often that it can help 
nothing. The postal law checked the flood of circulars 
for a while, but the chaps send them to be mailed at 
small places where there are no detectives. The busi¬ 
ness presents no novel features. 
MEDICAL HUMBUGS. 
Almost every montb there is some interesting novelty 
in this class of humbugs, but the spring styles do not 
open very attractively. A young man asks our opin¬ 
ion of “ Diffenbaugh’s Remedy.”—We do not give an 
opinion of secret remedies of any kind. If he wishes 
advice, we will say—let them alone.Here comes J. 
W. Van Namee, M.D., all along with a lavender-colored 
pamphlet about “ Psychometric and Clairvoyant Powers 
to Locate and Diagnose Disease.” There ! if that isn’t 
" pooty tasted," we don’t know. The whole subject is 
too much for us, and we turn to something more tangi- 
ole. “ The Good Samaritan," published by E. Andrews, 
Albany, N. Y. The great trouble about many of these 
incarnations of evil is that we can not tell just how bad 
they are without polluting our pages. Here is this An¬ 
drews, who blasphemously uses the name of Jesus, and 
on the next leaf proposes to do that which we can not 
mention. The pamphlet ®tirly reeks with foulness, de¬ 
ceit, and humbuggery. The wretch claims to have 
healed diseases “at the Holy Sepulchre, at the Well of 
Siloam ” and numerous other sacred spots upon one 
page, and upon the next offers to tell how to catch fish 
without bait or net. He claims to have lived in Albany 
for over a quarter of a century, which shows what a 
city in the present day may tolerate and not meet with 
the fate that befell Sodom and Gomorrah. 
THE “NATIONAL SURGICAL INSTITUTE.” 
A gentleman writes from Indianapolis that he highly 
approves of our course in showing up “ humbugs,” but 
thinks we ought not to include the above named con¬ 
cern, as he believes that it is doing “a great deal of 
charitable work, pecuniarily and professionally.” If the 
persons managing this “institute” had not claimed in 
their circular to be regularly educated physicians, we 
perhaps should not have noticed it. We judge the “ in¬ 
stitute” solely by the manifestoes it sends out. Let us 
ask our correspondent what he would think if he re¬ 
ceived a circular like this: “ The National Church, 
served by first-class, regularly ordained Ministers, open 
every day to attend to the cases of sinners. The most 
hardened that have been to other churches, and not con¬ 
verted, are advised to try here. We have several re¬ 
markable sermons on hand, of a kind not preached in 
any other church.” Following this an enumeration of 
i particular sins ; then a lot of portraits—A B before at¬ 
tending, A B while being preached to, and A B after 
conversion. Besides this, the pattern of the clergyman’s 
gown, three or four styles of baptismal fonts, and an 
exact representation of the communion service. Im¬ 
agine a whole broadside covered with engravings of 
this kind to match an equal space on the other, covered 
by the most ridiculous claims for the peculiar efficacy of 
this church over all others. Would not our Indianapolis 
friend be simply disgusted with a circular of this kind ? 
Would lie not feel not only that the claims were absurd, 
but that the pictures were of things that should not be 
presented to the public eye? Would he not say, “If 
this church is not a humbug, and its ministers quacks, 
why do they act in a manner to make people think they 
are? ” That is all we have to say about this institute. If 
the persons connected with it are educated men, why do 
they act like quacks ? If properly educated physicians, 
as they claim to be, how horribly must they feel when 
they see the circular, which is absolutely repulsive with 
its human deformities and suffering 1 and is in form and 
manner like the advertisements of quacks and impostors. 
Itntter-work i usg - Machinery. — “ J. 
A.,” New York. The “Dake” process of working but¬ 
ter is as well adapted to the purposes of country stores, 
where butter of all kinds is received, as any we know of, 
and perhaps better. Such butter of various colors and 
qualities is not salable in the market except at a low 
price, but if well mixed and brought to a uniform color 
it is more readily salable, and fills the demand for a low 
grade by the poorer class of consumers. This is accom¬ 
plished by this process. The address of the party is 
D. W. Dake, Beloit, Wis. 
Patent Phosphate.—“T. M. H.,” Hun¬ 
terdon Co., N. J. There can be no patent upon a so- 
called superphosphate made by mixing 600 lbs. bone-dust 
with 200 lbs. oil of vitriol, and seven bushels of earlh with 
some salt, gypsum, and nitrate of soda. It is wanting in 
novelty, as such mixtures have been made for years back 
by hundreds of people. 
Milk Fever in Cows.— This disease is 
to be feared amongst cows over four years old that are 
well bred and good milkers, and that receive more than 
ordinary care and attention. The system in a vigorous 
condition, filled with rich blood, and not having the 
elasticity of that of a younger and growing animal, is 
snddeuly subjected after calving to a reflux of the blood 
which has been circulating through the system of the 
calf. The drain upon the mother’s system consequent 
npon the support of the calf’s life is stopped, and a great 
reaction occurs. The parts of the body which have been 
excited during the birth of the calf suffer from the re¬ 
action, and the womb and udder and frequently the bow¬ 
els become inflamed. Sudden changes of the weather 
also increase tiie difficulty, and after a fit of shivering, 
which may occur from the first to the third day, a fever 
sets in, tiie appetite fails, rumination is stopped, weak¬ 
ness across the loins causes a staggering gait or an in¬ 
ability to rise, the udder is hard, hot, and swollen, the 
animal groans, looks wild, and frequently falls into con¬ 
vulsions, or becomes frantic and dashes her head about 
violently. When these last symptoms occur, rapidly fol¬ 
lowing the first, recovery is very doubtful. To prevent 
an attack of this disorder, the cow’s feed should be re¬ 
duced some time before calving, and only hay and bran 
gruel be given to her. Tiie bowels should be kept loose 
by a few handfuls of linseed meal, and plenty of salt 
should be given. If the cow is in good flesh she should 
have one pound of Epsom salts with half an ounce of 
ginger a week before her time is up, and as soon as she 
shows signs of calving in the relaxation or looseness of 
the hinder parts, she should be kept in a quiet and well- 
sheltered part of the stable ; a loose box or stall being 
the safest place, in which she need not be tied up. If 
there is a flow of milk it should be drawn from the udder. 
If the cow has had this fever previously, or her symptoms 
cause an attack to be expected, she should be given 
twenty-five drops of tincture of aconite three or four 
hours after calving, repeating the dose every six hours 
until four doses have been given. If, in spite of all 
precautions, an attack occurs, tiie aconite, as pre¬ 
viously mentioned, should be given along with two 
drams of powdered opium in a bottle of thin gruel 
immediately. A pound of Epsom salts with half a 
pound of common salt dissolved in water, with some 
sugar or molasses to flavor it, should be given soon 
after. Cloths dipped in hot water should be placed across 
the loins, and the cow should be covered with blankets. 
Ail the cold water she will drink should be given as fre¬ 
quently as may be needed, and she should be kept as 
quiet as possible. The milk should be drawn every few 
hours. Pure, fresh air is also indispensable. 
Scvcn-Moiitlis’ CstJF. — “Subscriber,” 
Westchester, N. Y. It is not impossible for a cow to pro¬ 
duce a perfect calf in seven months. Cases occasionally 
occur the authenticity of which is undoubted. 
Eggs all 1 !i«‘ Year KLouu«l.—“ W. H. 
H.,” Jersey City, N. J. It can not be expected that a hen 
should lay continually. The productive capacity of a 
hen is enormous when she lays moderately well. If she 
lays 120 eggs a year she produces fifteen pounds, or thrice 
her own weight. Some time for rest is therefore neces¬ 
sary. But if hens are allowed to set and produce a brood 
of chickens, their time is not only profitably employed, 
but by skillfully arranging the time of setting, some may 
be brought into laying while others are “laying off.” 
Some hens may be set early in the summer and they will 
lay in the fall, and some may be set later and they will 
lay during the winter if fed generously and kept warm. 
Cross-Iired Fowls. —“W. H. H.,” Jersey 
City, N. J., writes as follows: “A neighbor of mine 
crossed a Black Spanish hen with a White Leghorn cock. 
Some of the chicks were black and some white, but the 
most of them were a mottled gray color, which have made 
very fine fowls, and have proved themselves remarkably 
good egg-producers. The pullets commenced laying 
December 26th, and by March 1st the flock of twenty-five 
had laid 686 eggs. 
As lo Rots.— “ D. J.,” Ontario. Bots are 
the larvie of the horse gad-fly (CEstrvs equus), and are in a 
condition exactly equivalent to that of the caterpillar ol 
a moth or butterfly. They therefore can not breed or re¬ 
produce themselves in the stomach of a horse, being im¬ 
perfect insects and incapable of breeding. It is easier to 
prevent their presence in the horse’s stomach than to get 
rid of them. If the yellow nits or eggs which may be 
seen upon horses’ knees or shoulders in July or August 
are washed off with warm water, or scraped off with the 
edge of a knife, the horse can not lick them off and carry 
them to their temporary resting-place. Every farmer 
Bkould learn the natural history of the insects and animals 
with which he comes in contact; then he would know 
how to treat them with propriety. 
To Kill Tice.— “D. J.,” Thornhill, Ont. 
Whale-oil is fatal to lice and not hurtful to cattle. An 
ointment of three parts of lard and one of sulphur liber¬ 
ally applied is also destructive to lice. 
Wheat Growing in Minnesota.— 
The St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company have insti¬ 
tuted a novel method of disposing of their lands in 
Minnesota. They sell 640 acres to one or four (not 
more) persons at $6 per acre without any payments 
until the third crop has been harvested. The terms of 
sale are that the purchaser shall fence the wholo of the 
purchased tract, break up the surface, excepting that 
part which may be too wet for tillage, plant forty acres 
in timber, and cultivate the rest in crops each year. The 
cost of the improvements by contract is as follows: 
breaking, $3.50 per acre ; sowing with wheat and seed, 
$2.8H ; harvesting, $3 per acre ; thrashing and hauling 
to depot, 14J cents per bushel. The average yield of 
wheat is 20 bushels per acre, and the price from 70 cents 
upwards. Persons with a capital of $5,000 are now en¬ 
gaged in raising wheat in Minnesota upon lands pur¬ 
chased on this plan, with every prospect of raising the 
purchase money out of the land before the time of pay¬ 
ment shall arrive. 
Spent Hops as Manure.— “W. B. C.,” 
Sandusky City, Ohio. Spent hops are a very valuable 
fertilizer and are worth drawing 5 miles. They may 
be used as an absorbent in the stable or be composted 
with the manure, or piled up until rotten, being frequently 
turned to prevent dry rot, and then hauled to the field 
and spread and harrowed into the soil. As a general rule 
manure should not be plowed under unless the land is to 
be soon cross-plowed, in which case the manure i» brought 
near the surface again ; and this is the best place for it. 
