The alleged operations of certain patent sharks as recorded on third page of this paper reminds us of a couple of swindling operations humorously noticed in a late New York Tribune, viz: Certain Michigan farmers gave their notes, ranging from $50 to $500 each, for “hulless oats,” payment to be made out of the crop produced at $1.50 per bushel. But the I. O. U.’s were promptly sold on liberal terms at the bank or elsewhere. The persuasive agent “lighted out,” and the victims now think they perceive symptoms of the cutting of belated teeth, of the eye variety. Another interesting “little game” is this: Two men, apparently strangers, meet at a farm-house; get acquainted; arrange to stay over night. During the long evening they make a bargain with each other for some piece of property, draw writings, and ask their host kindly to append his name as witness. Just as might have been expected, the farmer’s signature turns out to be the most important of the three, since the document is so artfully constructed that by cutting it in two pieces one of them becomes a promissory note, which is subsequently negotiated, and, under the present bad law, has to be paid.—In view of such occurrences as these (still astonishingly common after years of repeated exposure by the press) the aggressive “Jabez” of the Tribune maintains that the countryman who doesn’t treat as frauds all tramps, no matter how well dressed, who seek his autograph, under any pretense whatever, would better have given his time to reading and not learned to write, for these bad signs indicate that he will never be forethoughtful enough in such emergencies to make his mark. MISSISSIPPI VALLEY HORT. SOCIETY The fifth annual meeting of the Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society held at Kansas City, Mo., January 22-25, was the most interesting and profitable ever held by this vigorous and valuable organization. Delegates were present from fourteen States, covering the great water-shed embraced by the “Father of Waters,” and its tributaries—in and of itself, an empire. The personnel of this body was excellent; it was a convention of practical, brainy men, alive to the interests of one of the most important pursuits in range of the rural industries. The essays, and the discussions they provoked, were full of interest, and highly instructive. We have attended scores of such assemblies during the last quarter of a century; none of them equaled this, all things considered, and we think this opinion was shared by the oldest and most prominent among those in attendance.