TWO DOLLARS A. YEAEJ 



'PROGRESS AJSTD IMPROVEMENT." 



[SINGLE NO. FOUR CENTS. 



VOL X. NO. 46. f 



ROCHESTER, N.Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1859. 



\ WHOLE NO. 514. 



MOORE'S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 



BURAL, UTERAJir AND FAIIIIY NEWSPAPER 



and Contributors 



T ,„,1; . 



ifoi I 



ously * 



. frost 



ell bow long it would grow, if 

 it could be accommodated with a season suited 

 to its wants. On account of these bad Units 

 it was discarded by the producer, but having 

 fallen into the bands of potato growers in this 

 sectioo, after a few years it made its appear- 

 ance in our markets in abundance, and enjoyed a 

 very brief popularity. One season, and only one, 

 it was engerly sougbt by buyers for shipment to 

 New York. When in that city, in the spring of 



1857, we founds 



edeal 



- Willi t 



I, wWlfl 



cntw- they were selling under its true i 

 lentlflc, I others were selling the original Mercer as 

 ed with ( White Mercer, to distinguish them from the 

 erJ ?' ,r ' pie or Blue Mercer. In the market reports: 

 however, the Mercer, Mesbaiiock, or White Me 

 Duld be' ure the same. 

 The Mexican 

 White Mercer, a 

 fe - : lion. It is rather small, smooth, white, long, 



t, Blender tops, and is unsurpassed by any 

 for baking, but yields rather poorly, and is 

 very liable to rot. The Ladies' Finger is entirely 

 different; more slender, and deeper eyes. 



INQUIRIES AND NOTES. 



I'ofntoca— Names and "\'ariotie«. 



I would like a little information raipeotlng Pota- 

 toes. I raUed about eighteen acru of thai crop a yeai 



Slag, Or., x v., 18». 



Wb never feel moi 

 called upon to descr 

 potatoes. There is t 

 dozen different name 

 applied to different • 

 Every one, almost, see 



in different localities. 

 o tbink be is authorized 

 i potato already cultivated 



and named, or to give the ni 

 a new one. This makes great confusion. The 

 Mercer, or Nisbenock, or Mesbsnoek, if we under- 

 stand its history, was grown from seed nearly 

 fifty years ago, In Mercer county, Pennsylvania, 

 on Dig Nishenock Creek, by John Gokbt, who 

 culled it the Ntshenock Royal Potato. From this 

 place it was carried to the neighborhood of Phila- 

 delphia, where it was grown extensively, and 

 called the Mercer, because originating in Mercer 

 county. From Philadelphia they 

 the country under this name; while those sent 

 out from Mercer county, where they originated, 

 Umllnoea to be called Xisbenocks, for a While, 

 rtupted into NesUanocks ami Me- 







irlol t 



i H-itb 



H diagonal arms, against n 





u.uni] imuglv around »','— Imjpuieh. 

 i'i i-iiArs some of our readers can give the 

 : |. lion desired, butwe think there is no better 



o jcars since. It has been used by hundreds, 



d is declared by many to save one-third the 



10 annually employed in cutting up and stook- 



* corn. In its construction ia used a pole of 



nut 1'j feet in length, btring 4 inches in diameter 



the large* end, in which is placed two legs, wide 



ougb apart at the bottom to be admitted be- 



een the rows of corn, and in length according 



the height of the corn, say three or four feet, 



ule the other end rests on the ground. About 



ree feet back of the legs is a 1J^ inch hole, 



through which is placed a rod four or five feel 



long, that is easily admitted and removed, and is 



horizontal when the horse is standing, as shown 



The horse is placed i 



desired to be cut, the con 

 the four corners around the rod, the 

 tied, the horizontal rod removed, and the hors< 

 drawn ahead. The rod is then replaced, when it i 

 ready for forming another shock. 



obliged,— Wu 



new noraca, as Chenango, U„ nc Totalo, Ac. 

 Seedlings have been raised from tbe old Mercer, 

 like the parent in most respects, bat darker, and 

 these bare been called Blue Mercers, Purple Mer- 

 cers, Ac, and the true Mercers have been called 

 by some, particularly by buyers, tbe Wbi 

 Mercer, to distinguish them from these dark 

 sorts. They have of late become so mixed, ih 

 U is hardly possible to obtain or even to diati 

 guish the original sort. They are lighter colored 

 than all others, having less of the purple color. 

 This, however, cannot be regarded as a true t«t, 

 for they grow darker when grown for a series of 

 years on heavy land, and continue to bleach ont 

 until nearly white on light land. 



o a gentleman of this county 

 ' potato, from seed, resembling tbe Mercer 

 in appearance, but entirely white, which he named 

 ■ White Mercer. It produced well, was fine to 



On this subject perhaps some of our Southern 

 readers, or those of experience in tbe north, where 

 tobacco Is extensively grown, will give better 

 directions than we are able to do. Having, how- 

 ever, Investigated the subject somewhat, and ob- 

 served the practice of the largest growers here, we 

 give the result of our obacr vat ions. Curing tobacco 

 requires great care. As soon as gathered it must 

 be hung on poles in a tobacco house or shed, the 

 butta being fastened to the poles and the points 

 hanging downwards. The plants are fastened 

 the poles with twine, about sis inches apart, and 

 the poles about one foot apart. It will be neces- 

 sary to have a circulation of air through the build 

 ing, but when the wind is high, unless the building 

 is closed, the leaves will be injured. As soon at 

 sufficiently cured, it must be taken down and tin 

 leaves stripped from the stalks. It will generally 

 be in this state about the first of December. If, 

 on a dry day, the leaf stalk will break from near 

 the butt, it is sufficiently cured to take down and 

 trip. The tobacco grower, while stripping, as- 

 HTti into different grade?, the largest, soundest 

 rod beat colored leaves being put in the first class, 

 md the narrow, torn and light colored leaves 

 sake the second class. Somegrowersmake three 

 grades. There is a good deal of difference in 

 he value, the price ranging from five to twelve 



*af around, bo as to hold ihetn together. These 

 bauds" are then pocked away in a stack, with 

 le butts and the points of the leaves overlapping 

 ich other, and in this way the leaves will be kept 

 m and pliable, and the bulls he more thoroughly 

 ired. Tobacco should not bo handled when it is 

 ry and harsh, and all handling is better done on 

 damp day. 



The last and moat important operation is/etoeal- 

 irtg. This operation is thus performed: Boxes 

 ade about two feet four inches by three feet 

 icbes. Into these boxes the "hands" of 

 :o are placed, lengthwise of the box, the 

 at the end. In this way the box is filled. A 

 heavy " follower " of two-inch plnnk just made to 

 it tbe inside of the box is then pressed upon it 

 rtth a lever or screw. The top or " follower" i 8 

 hen removed, and more tobacco put in and pressed, 

 nd so on until the case is full of pressed tobacco, 

 nd these cases will generally contain from three 

 o four hundred pounds. After the box is full the 

 'follower" is removed, and the cover nailed on, 

 ,ud the cases packed away in a dry, close building, 

 where they must remain during the next summer, 

 fall, when the tobacco is fit for market.— 

 When packed for sweating, the tobacco should be 

 soft and pliable without being wetor sticky. Any 

 that appears too damp maybe packed at the top 

 es of the box, or dried. 





„hiy 



> unite two feeble swarms, 

 winter very weak colonies, 

 iod i-i supplied. They con- 

 luch more food than strong 

 a perish before spring, from 



smallness of their numbers. Feed- 

 ig is somewhat difficult in the common hive. 

 ANcsTiiOTii says "impou'i-i-ii'il stocks, if in com- 

 on hives, may be fed by inverting the hives and 

 juring a teacupful of honey among the combs 

 i which tbe bees are clustered. This does no 

 arm, and they will lick each other clean, with as 

 uch satisfaction as a littlecluld sucks its fingers 

 hile feasting upon sugar candy." The operation 

 ,ny be repeated at intervals, as fast as the bees 

 ;ore it away. With hives that have surplus 

 honey boxes, feeding is easy, as a feeder cau be 

 n the form of one of these boxes, and put 

 place. On one side of it on apartment 

 should be divided off for holding the honey. 

 Short, clean straw maybe placed upon the honey, 

 upon which the bees can stand, and will sink 

 honey is consumed. Some apiarians re- 

 ;nd sugar candy (rock cohdy) for feeding 

 bees, which they will readily consume if placed 

 n their reach. Sirup made from sugar is 

 good, so is West India honey, to which a 

 water should he added, then boiled and 

 tiied. A feeble colony should be exposed to 



therefore place the hive in a dry cellar, or some 

 sheltered place. 



CATTLE -CHARACTERISTIC OF BREEDS. 



Wk have presented Spbal readers with portrai- 

 tures of representative animals from the Aldemey, 

 Ayrshire and West Highland Breeds of Cattle, and 

 now give the form *nd features of one of that 

 class known as the H»lderness— which, according 

 to Yooatt, almost exclusively occupy the London 

 dairies. The old Yorkshire cow was a great favor- 

 ite in the London market, as regards milking 

 qualities,— but when the began to fall off at the 

 pail, she was sold W quickly as possible. It 

 required a long periol to get much flesh upon her, 

 and when the expensi of getting her In condition 

 was calculated, it was always found cheaper to 

 dispose of her for what she would bring, and 

 the price seldom eiceeded twenty -five dollars. 

 Although yielding »orc milk, for the food con- 

 sumed, than any otter breed, tbe deficiency in the 

 fattening properties was a serious drawback upon 

 their value, and the core intelligent of the breeders 

 bout Becking out a remedy. Cautiously 

 adopting the principle of selection— by finding a 

 Short-horn bull whose progeny were generally 

 milkers, and crossing some of the Yorkshires with 

 him— they produced a breed possessing much ot 

 the grazing properties of the sire, and retaining, 

 almost undiminished, the excellencies of the dam 

 for the pail. Tbe two qualities of fattening and 

 ulking were united perfectly; not at tht *amt 

 m>, but succeeding e*eh other at the periods 

 hen it suits the convenience of the dairyman, 



full description of 

 lat is good for the 

 then may be quickly and cheaply brought ini 



.bio condition, and we ore not aware of any 

 matter that will "■pay better" for publishing, or 

 fully reward tbe American breeder for study. 

 b we give it, as follows :— " She should have 

 ; and rather small head ; a large-headed cow 

 eldom fatten or jield much milk. The eye 

 should be bright, yet peculiarly placid ond quiet 

 pression; the cbops tbin, and the horns 

 small. The neck should not be so thin as common 

 ion has given to the milch cow. It maybe 

 towards tbe head ; but it must soon begin to 

 thicken, and especially when it approaches tbe 

 shoulder. The dewlap should be small; the breast, 

 ■ up-.- that have an unusual 

 disposition to fatten, yet very fur from being nar- 



to a certain degree fleshy, and even inclining 

 less; the girth behind the shoulder should 

 be deeper than it is usually found in the Short- 

 horn ; the ribs should spread out wide, so as to 

 ;ive as round a form as possible to tbe carcass, 

 nd each -Inmlil project further than the precrdiri^ 

 the very loins, giving —if after all tbe mi Mi 



; be a little wider 1 





much breadth as cau possiMy In' ullorded tot lie 

 ire valuable parts. "She should be well formed 

 ross the hips and on the rump, and with greater 

 length there than the milker generally possesses, 

 r if a little too short, not heavy. If she stands a 

 ittle long on the legs, it must not be too long. 

 The thighs somewhat thin, with a slight tendency 

 crookedness in the hock, or beiug sickle-ham- 

 ;d behind : the tail thick at the upper part, but 



!>].,■!■.[- ' 





and she 



lould 1 



lellow 



1 1 



ttle coars 



■ Lair 



Common opinion has 





r large 



dlk-i 



eins; and although the 



D 







do with the adder, bill 



111 



blood from t 



e fore part of the cbesi 





tbe ing 





vein, yet a large milk 





ly indie 





-tmtiL'lv developed v;i* 



St* 







e tusLeretion generally 



I of tbe 





The last essential in a milch cow is the udder, 

 atber large in proportion to the size of the animal, 

 tut not too large. It must be sufficiently capa- 

 ;ious to contain the proper quantity of milk, but 

 mt too bulky, lest it should thicken and become 

 oaded with fat. The skin of the udder should be 

 bin, and free from lumps in every part of it. The 

 eats should be of moderate size | at equal dis- 

 ;ances from the end, where they should run to u 

 kind of point. When they are too large near the 

 udder, they permit the milk to ttow down too 

 freely from the bag, and lodge in them ; and when 

 they are too broad at the extremity, the orifice is 



..fi.-i 



., that t 



Th 



after the bag begins to be full nnd beavi 

 udder should be or nearly equal size before and DC 

 hind, or, if there by any difference, it should b 

 broadef and fuller before than behind." 



The English EneyelqpaHa, in speaking of tin 

 Holderness stock, sayu:— " 

 boned, possess ereat aptitui 



1,.,-f 



for I: 





dairyman, ■ 





lerhaps the 

 tj quarts of 



I their shoulders are well posited for 

 Being beautifully variegated in 

 d, spotted, speckled, red and white, 

 ■xcellent 'park stock;' and in one, 

 lost important respect, great miibing, 

 irivaled; the cow* giving from 24 to 

 rich milk per day." 

 upon the farm of the Earl of Chester 



e celebrated 

 n them, the Iloldernesa 

 quarts of milk, pro.li. 



HOW TO GET THROUGH THE WLrJTEB. 



I qave observed whou people wished to bo par- 

 ticularly impressive they commenced, "There Si 

 ide in the affairs of men." I beg leave very 

 ■pectfully to suggest this same idea as a fit intro- 

 ction to a diatribe on fodder. 

 ' Fodder is scarce in Western New York," Is an 

 iom which nobody, since the 4th of June last, 

 has any particular doubts about ;— in ordinary 

 discourse it is assumed (not as a " glittering gen- 

 erality" but) as a pregnant tilf-nidmt truth. 

 That it is all for the best, men of my theology 

 would lit! hound to assume, so fur as it originated 

 control j— uninterrupted 

 plenty and prosperity beget indolence and waste. 

 eaven could not hold blessings enough tu satisfy 

 people exempt from all reverses. 

 If " the calamity," so called, above referred to, 

 shall teach us how to make the moot of everything, 

 will be worth more than a year of plenty! 

 The other day I called upon a friend to whom I 

 had previously sold a load of rye straw, and 

 bis horse waa luxuriating in a bed 

 of that material. There it lay, unpicked over by 

 horse or cow, mixed with duff and heads, perhaps 

 sent smoking to the 

 dung heap tbe following morning. Then and 

 ■d my emphatic protest! The next 

 friend applied for " three loads of 

 buckwheat straw for bedding." I scowled at him 

 ;han common, and demanded if he did not 

 hat buckwheat straw was good to eat. lie 

 zed as any scamp ought to, and promised 

 to the woods some dry day and rake up 

 and deposit them iu the burn or under a 

 abed, and use them for bis wiuter bedding. 



I forget whether it was my excellent friend 

 P.," or some one else, who seemed to forget that 

 cattle (at least some cattle) have teeth, for h« 

 recommended that all fodder should be cut before 

 it was fed. Nature's own provisions deserve con- 

 siderable respect. I tbink health and economy 

 admit of feeding both hay a 



and i". 



kept a 



j the process of chewing excite 



the glands, 



IS every way normal and healthy 



I propose 



od hay und straw in capacious b 



ox mangers, 



clear of refuse material, and t 



e fodder bo 



down that the animal cant 





itever is not eaten, if not musty 



r worthless, 



be cut fine, wet, and sprinkled w 





every particle of hay and straw 



shall he con- 



ed— not one pound for bedding, t 





P^toi I do not undervalue be 



ding; every 



for- 



animal should have a warm, soft material to rest 



ond sleep upon. 



The more comfortable an animal is, tbe more 

 quiescent, and the less food is required to support 

 tbe system; but the leaves of our forests, the 

 coarse grass and flags of our marshes, and tho 

 rakiogs of our yards, should amply supply this 

 great necessity. 



Whoever does not provide a warm place for his 

 stock tAit winter, is incorrigibly perverse. No 

 "tide in his affairs" can lead him "to fortune," 

 or to any good thing, Whoever doe* not provide 

 good /■'.iKh.j ■placet, or through 

 wasteful of fodder, hardens bis I 

 most signal reproofs and warnings, i 

 profit either by prosperity or advo 

 useful in their way. 



Our fall fre>*U have done damage 



under the 



