SINGLE :NO. FOUR CENTS. 



VOL X. NO. 42. [ 



ROCHESTER, N. Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1859. 



IWnOLE NO. 510. 



MOORE'S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 



SURAL LITERARY AND FAAOLY NEWSPAPER. 



With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors. 



MENTAL IMPROVEMENT. -TIMELY HINTS. 



Titb season of almost unceasing physical toil on 

 the port of soil culturists is again drawing to a 

 close, and that of recreation and mental improve- 

 ment rapidly approaching. Tbe long evenings 

 and leisure of Winter are coming on apace— and 

 for nearly six montbs tbc great mass of American 

 Rurutists will have a comparative vacation from tbe 

 arduous labors of tbeir occupation. As w« have, 

 at appropriate periods, offered suggestions rela- 

 tive to tbe labors of seeding, cultivating and 

 harvesting soil crops, we may now be permitted 

 to present a few thoughts touching the mental 

 improvement of tliose who have become physi- 

 cally strong by the manly and noble exercise 



management of Garden, Orchard and Field. 

 "Improve the Soil and the Mind" is a wise 

 maxim, and one worthy of far more consideration 



ratber, lower.) len hundred thousand of American 

 Agriculturists. In regard to mental improve- 

 ment, as iu other matters, it may truly be said, 

 and sung, of them that 

 "They knoxo tbe right, and they approve it too, 



The Rural Population of this country has more 

 leisure than any other laboring class— especially 

 during tbe (in the North) long season of Nature's 

 hibernation— and its members ought to possess 

 as much intelligence and mental cultivation as 

 those of other occupations. Indeed, our idea of a 

 trne farmer— the farmer for the present age— is 



be i 



truly i 



the 



■'learned professions" as any lawyer, physician 

 or divine; and the time is not distant when the 

 iutelligent cultivator of the soil will be entitled 

 to such rank and dignity. Ere that time, how- 

 opportunity to study his profession and the Natu- 

 ral Sciences in the Common School, tbe Academy 

 and the Agricultural College. Meantime, let us 

 suggest what may be accomplished by Ruralists 

 distant from, or in conjunction witb, these insti- 

 tutions of learning — what may be done during 

 the coming season of comparative leisure. 

 In the first place, the farmer, and every member 

 i has arrived at proper age, 



sl.oul 





reading, study and thought upon useful subjects- 

 moral, practical and scientific— subjects a knowl- 

 edge of which enables the possessor to think, 

 labor and act aright. Wo hold that tbe farmer 





only i 





throughout tho world. And all this ho can be 

 by devoting a little time to reading and study. 

 Every farmer should possess books and journals 

 devoted to Agriculture and kindred subjects, and 

 read, study and criticise them with earnestness. 

 As winter approaches the wise farmer will annu- 

 ally make additions of such books and periodicals 

 13 are best calculated to correctly advise and 

 instruct himself and the various members of his 

 family, and 5ce that the investment is properly 

 appreciated, so that it will ere long return good 

 dividends. Aud he will be as careful to provide 

 proper mental food for his wife, sons and daugh- 

 ters, as for himself— thus manifesting wisdom of 

 head, kindness of heart, and the foresight of a 



true educator. His centre table and library 

 shelves will be covered with books aDd journals 

 which discuss practical, scientific, historical, 

 moral and timely topics— while those of a light, 

 superficial or trashy character arc either entirely 

 ignored or extremely rare. Regarding the prin- 

 ciples training and mental discipline and improve- 

 ment of his children of paramount importance— 

 of greater consequence than the amount of money 

 or number of acres tbey may possess on arriving 

 at majority, or inherit at tbe time of his decease— 



and hearts of bis sons and daughters may be 

 properly directed and educated. Is not his exam- 

 p'e suggestive to thousands ol parents who read 

 the Rural New-Yorker, and worthy of emulation 



But, aside from the sources of individual and 

 family improvement at homt, there are other im- 

 portant means which can and should be rendered 



tal culture of tbe farmer. In many sections of 

 Rural America — and especially in thickly popu- 

 lated districts — we are rejoiced to know that 

 Farmers' Clubs, and similar associations designed 

 for tbe mutual instruction of their members and 

 " to improve the soil aud the mind" (more prop- 

 erly the mind and tbe soil,) are in successful 

 operation. These are proving of great benefit to 

 members and community— becoming popular, and 

 annually increasing in numbers and usefulness. 

 Every town or neigbborhood~>mbracing a dozen 

 farmers may and ought to have some such organ- 

 ization, holding frequent meetings,— especially 

 j anug winter, for lecture*. diocusBioDB. the reading 

 of essays, etc , — say weekly or fortnightly. This 

 wonld not only enable young men, and eveu the 



lion, but prove an excellent school to train mem- 

 bers in speaking, composition, &c, —matters sadly 

 neglected by the great mass of our population. 

 For example, the writing of an essay on any spe- 

 cified subject — practical, scientific or historical — 

 necessarily involves thought and investigation, so 

 that the essayist not only acquires valuable infor- 

 mation but also disciplines bis mind in properly 

 imparting it to others. The discussions would 

 prove of decided benefit to participants, the 

 practice of speaking enabling them to acquire con- 

 fidence and fluency in expressing their views pub- 

 licly. Why is it that each one of a company of sin 

 to twenty or more farmers, when seated, can talk 

 readily and sensibly on any subject with which 

 they are familiar— yet, when organized in a meet- 

 ing, and it becomes necessary to rise and address 

 the chairman or president, not one of them can 

 speak calmly or to the point on the same subject? 

 The reason is too obvious to be stated— the habit 

 of talking informally, and tbe lack of practice in 

 speaking otherwise, being the correct solution. 



— There are other matters connected with this 

 subject worthy of notice, but we 

 enough, it is hoped, to induce tboi 

 in the right direction. 



RINGBONE, CAUSES, TREATMENT, ftc. 



Some very strange ideas are entertained con- 

 utterance to our own convictions, by staling that 

 . ■■ 'urlve.siiitili.--li.' J ease is <'■■,-, anil,!,, we are aware 

 thatsuch expression u in eoutaci with the opinions 

 held by very many sound, practical, lhink.bg men, 

 Past volumes of the Rural have contained scores 

 of "cureB," so-called, and though we may appear 

 to join issue with those who have furnished these 

 recipes, we are in readiness to receive more light 

 upon the subject, and shall be happy to chronicle 

 experiences, no matter how widely they diverge 

 from our own views. This is the true mode to 

 elicit such information as will prove of value not 

 only to horsemen but to the entire community. 



Ringbone is a bony tumor— exoitceis— its situa- 

 tion is on or in the vicinity of the pastern bones, 

 and the end is generally anchylosis of the pastern 

 joint. To a proper consideration of thin disease a 

 knowledge of the construction of the pasterns is 

 essential, and we give an illustration from " Yottatl 

 on tko fforse." 



The uppir pattern receives the lower pulley-like 

 bead of the shank bone, and forms a hinge-joint 

 admitting only of bending and extension, but not 

 of side motion ; it likewise forms a joint with tbe 

 sessamoid-boues. Its lower bead has two rounded 



ding dcprei 



side, above the pasti 



jections for the attachment of very strong liga- 



nts, both in capsular lig. 

 aments, which render f 

 3 pasterns sullieienlh ■-<: 

 [A. The 



■ I'.Min. 



d bone, j 

 Upper pastern, ft Lower pa 

 tern. D. Navicular bone. J 

 Coffin bone.] 



thick bone, with its larger heo 

 downward. Its up 









i the loi 



rhead 



, bearing I 



pulley, 



dedly as the lower head of 

 ink-bone. Its lower head 

 lies that of the other pas- 

 nd has also two prominerj- 





nbling 



ley, by which it forms a joint with the colhn-boo' 

 and a depression in froat, corresponding witb 

 projection in the coffin-bone. There are also tw 

 Blight depreSSionB behind, receiving eminences i 

 the navicular bone. 



In tbe case mentioned by our correspondent, tt 

 ringbone lies "between tbe hoof and lowerjoint. 

 bony deposit, wo should 



e lower pastel 



n/cd l.i n.^ie 



enlargement, or bony tu 



just above the coronet. ' 



givts the appearance w 

 In* ,'Iistinguishableupon tbe 

 ' he pastern, above tbe 

 .nil where there is a prominence of bone, 

 causes, according to the best writers, are 

 "hereditary, structural, and incidental." — 

 s the view held by that oft quoted writer up- 

 ained by 



sioned by a strain 

 , violent gal- 



shon 



arid i 





I lie observations of praotj 



sell remarks:— "Ringbom 



tary; though it is usually 



taken in curvetting, bound; 



loping or racing." The latter author 



",:.rritii:.j causes" to any acts or efforts of speed 



or strength productive of concussion to the pastern 



bones. lie also thinks that blows may produce it, 



although "tbe bones of the past-ems are unlikely 



parts to be struck." 



There are two modes of treatme 



nt, and, as w 



give both, our readers are left to n 





cboioe. Dr. Daoo,— one of our mo 



t skillful vete 



ioarians, and in whom we have 



much faith,- 



states that tbe old method ot tre 





by fire and blister is fast giving wa 





tional procedure. It has been J 



iscovered ths 



there is not, really, any cure for thi 



malady; ifw 





that is all tba 



can be expected. We treat the tiis 



asc, when firs 



discovered, just as we would a recent splent. or 



evaporating lotions, cold water 



I. amines, iVc. ; rest, too, so much disregarded by 



siciaus, is of some importance." In ebronic 



is Dr. D. applies acetate of canto arides dady, 



I tbe parts appear hot and tender, then subsli- 



iS cold water bandages, repeating the process 



if necessary. 



Mr. Spooner, one of the most distinguished of 



agland's veterinary practitioners, says "tbe best 



eat men t for ringbones of either kind is, after the 



(lamination has been in a great measure removed 



by cooling applications, to fire the part, or otber- 



tbe iodide of mercury ointment, 



washing off the effects on the following day, and 



•cpeating it again and again. We have by 



neana succeeded in removing the lameness. 



t state of useful- 



EUEOPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



Winter Barley for Feeding Sheep.— A corres- 

 pondent of the London Agricultural Gaz-dte, 

 rnal :— '' Last spriDg a farmer in 

 Hants fed his sheep on this dry plant, after it was 

 ■; his flock have not recovered from the effects 

 August it first scoured them, and 



s lost s 











ject, speaks of tbe ditliculties of " too much grass," 



aggeets a variety of courses to pursue with 



It is always desirable," ho says, "to have 



plenty ; but profusion is certainly an evil in graz- 



The stock leave the coarser herbage for the 



spots; consequently these get overeaten and 



bare; the coarser grows still coarser, and in the 



becomes nearly worthless." One course would 



O shut up a part for mowing, which would bo 



same in result, but less risk and expense tbau 



WHIST HIGHLAND FAT OX. 



In perusing " Rural LiUt.ru from Europe" by 

 Sasford Howard, Esq., recently published in the 

 New Yorker, our readers have doubtless noticed 

 the frequent meution made of West Highland Cat- 

 tle. This breed has its admirers, and we give, in 

 connection with a brief description of its habits 

 and peculiarities, the above illustration of an ox 

 in condition for the butcher. 



The West Highland Cattle areaprimitivebreed, 

 and are principally found in a range of islands 

 (tboHebrWrc^skirtingthf Western coast of Scot- 

 land from the promnn-oiy <>rCautire to tbc North- 

 ern extremity of the country. From the earliest 

 accounts we have of Scotch cattle, this breed has 

 remained unchanged, or improved only by selec- 

 tion. This group of islands extends nearly two 

 hundred miles from North to South, and while the 

 striking features of the Highland cattle are evi- 

 dent in all, (here is considerable difference in size, 

 earliness of maturity, and consequent value, the 

 change being readily traced to the effects of cli- 

 mate and superior pasturage. Those upon the 

 island of Islay, the most Southern of the group, are 

 awarded the palm in the specialties mentioned.— 

 The increase of six.', however, is not eniisidered an 

 advantage in the Northern islands, or even on tbe 

 mainland, as it is gained by a loi 

 rendering them unable to wiibstaud the iucl 

 cy of the weather, or to subsist upon the 

 forage that the Highlands supply. " Breedi 



■ of t 



irks V.- 



they endeavor to preserve the purity and value of 

 tbeir stock, by selecting, not from the districts 



eral consent, from the Isle of Skye, where t tic cut- 

 tle are small, but are suited to the soil and to the 

 climate ; and can he most easily and securely rais- 

 ed at the least expense; rind, when removed to 

 better provender, will thrive with a rapidity al- 



After viewing them at the Glasgow Cattle Show, 

 Mr. Howard writes :— "They are very handsome 

 in form, occupy the bleakest districts, and thou- 

 sands of them are reared without shelter aud with 

 no other food, except a little milk from their dams 

 in early childhood, than what they grub from tbe 



rugged pastures. Nature ba3 given them a coat 

 of hair which protects their bodies against the 

 winter's storm. Some of them at this show had 

 b considerable portion of tbeir last year's hair, 

 three or four inches long, hanging in patches on 

 them. They arc bred almost exclusively for beef, 

 but some of the Highland cows present by no 



their milk is of the richest kind aud affords butter 

 of the best quality." 



The Highland hull should be black, or pale 

 red, the head small, tbe ear3 thin, the muzzle fine, 

 and rather turned up. He should be broad in the 

 face, the eyes prominent, and tbe countenance calm 

 and placid. The horns should taper finely to a 

 point; and, neither drooping too much, nor rising 

 too high, should be of a waxy color, and widely 

 set on at tbe root. The neck should be fine, par- 

 ticularly when; it- joins the head, and risiug with 

 a gentle curve from the shoulder. The breast wide, 

 and projecting well before the lugs. The shoulders 

 broad at the top, and tbe chine so full as to leave 

 but little hollow behind them. Tbe girth behind 

 the shoulder deep ; the back straight, wide, and 

 flat; the ribs brand, the spute between them and 

 the hips small; the belly not sinking low in the 

 middle; yet, on tbe whole, not forming a round 

 and barrel-like carcass. The thigh tapering to 

 the hock joint ; tbe tail set on a level with the back. 

 The legs short aud straight. The whole carcass 

 covered with a thick, lone coat of hair, and plenty 



of bat 



about the (;:>.■■ 



Curly. 



pastures; that they will frequently gain from a 

 fourth to a third of their original weight in six 

 mouths' good feeding ; that the proportion of offal 

 is not greater tkan in the most improved larger 

 breeds; that they will lay their flesh and fat equa- 

 bly on the best parts ; and that, when fat, the beef 

 is close and fine in tbe grain, highly flavored, and 

 so well mixed or marbled, that it commands a su- 

 perior price in every market. Mr. Howari> thinks 

 the breed adapted to some portions of our country. 



irniog in more stock. Or the rough spots of 



quantities daily, and left to dry on the field, to be 

 at pleasure by the stock. Another sugges- 

 1 to let a portion stand for winter and early 

 spring pasturage. The grazing will possess con- 

 iderable value as an auxiliary supply to root-fed 

 at tie and sheep. 



■wEitiNu of Potatoes.— Dr. Masby, an emi- 

 English agriculturist, and tbe author of a 



prize essay on tho cultivation of early potatoes, 

 lys in that essay, which has recently been pub- 

 lished, that " a flower to an early potato is consid- 

 , sign of deterioration, the first symptom ol 

 rig out, it being contended that all tbe 

 strength of the plant should be thrown into pcr- 



le." He would therefore eradicate them as 

 i as they appear, and save seed from plants 

 which have shown no indication of flowering. 

 Experiments have shown that potato plants be- 

 -inning to show a tendency to flower, perfect their 

 ubers less early and perfectly (ban before that 

 tendency was developed. 



lSD-In Breeding.— About ten years ago the 

 Londonderry at.u,d.i.d published a .cries of letters 

 upon "Tbe Form of the Horse," written by Jahes 

 C. L. Carson, M. D., and the substance of these 

 have now made their appearance in book form. 

 The English press is giving some extracts to 



readers, am 1 ire thus enabled to obtain 



the following passage upon in-and-in b 

 "There is not the slightest foundati 

 strong prejudice which exist- in the p 

 against in-and-in breeding. Many o 



To acertair 

 little .iitl'erei 



Iher. 





was the result of I 

 folly established the im- 

 mense advantage of breeding In-and-in, when the 

 stock is of the right sort; indeed, I can see no 



possible way of retaining the perfections of 





elhat 



t thot of r 



We must be careful, 



c individuals we select 

 ) possible, 



defect, it will b 

 of. I think it i 



ir hand, if there is any special 

 sure to pass down, when it is 

 and will hardly ever be got rid 

 owing, in a great measure, to 

 o this rule, that there is so much 

 prejudice against close breeding. It will succeed 

 only when the good qualities bear an immense 

 preponderance over the bad ones. 

 Experienced breeders very properly place great 

 iliance on blood. In short, this lost amounts to 

 te fact, that good aud bad qu. 

 tary. Like begets like. No 

 Clydesdale foal got by a blood- 

 jrned calf by 





;2£23^22 



