VOLUME I. 
EOCHESTEll, M. Y.-THURSDAY, JANUARY "24, 1850. 
NUMBER 4. 
MOORE'S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
WEKKI.Y. 
Ofllce ill Burns' Block, corner of Jiuflalo and State 
street.s, (entrance on State,) Roclie.ster. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE. 
(iMte Publisher and Associate Editor Gen. Farmer.) 
L. B. LANG WORTHY, Assoct.\te Editor. 
Corresponding Editors: 
Ef.ON CO.MSTOCK, (former Ed. Ontral N. Y. 
Eanner,) of Oneida County. 
T. C. PEI’ERS, (Editor of the Wool Grower.) 
of Genesee County. 
tlducntional Department liy T.. WET'HEREI.L. 
(O’ For Tkkm.s, «S,’c., .see last page. 
PROGRESS AND IMPR0VE:>IENT. 
PLANK ROADS. 
Tins rnudern innovation upon the tvell 
settled and long endured liabits of traveling 
over our up-liill, doivn-dale, corduroy, dip- 
tliong- and puddle system of roads, lianded 
down to us by our forefotliers, seems to be 
in a fair tvay of receiving the loving care 
of projectors and speculators. A. kind of 
mania is prevailing,—a special revival among 
the hi(jhv)aymen. of these latter days.— 
■They are however a decided improvement, 
monopoly as they are, in all this country 
designated a.s the west; as it is a well set¬ 
tled conclusion that good roads and good 
land are antagonist principles. 
It is feared, however, that they cannot 
become a lasting and permanent improve¬ 
ment, as the immense quantity of timber 
required (about 400,000 feet per mile,) will, 
in a few years, (with all the other demands 
for buildiiu 
fire-wood, ftailroad 
and other engines,) so exlnuist our forests 
as U) render the expense of procuring the 
material to re-lay, out of the question.— 
One good, howes er, will grow out of their 
consti-uction—the bed of the roads will be 
la.xtingtly improved by gTading and ditching. 
The Me Adam track is entirely -worthless 
for countiy roads oi- great thoroughfares, 
especially in this region of the secondary 
rocks, wheie we liave none of the primitiA C 
flints and granites. Our stone f a- forming 
the mebil for the track, are so soft and de- 
conqxysing that they not only crush under 
the wheels of ordyiary loads, but crumble 
underexposure to the elements; they .soon 
become guttered, and in wet weather be¬ 
come filled wdth the most adhesive, luictii- 
ous mud that can be conceived; the coat¬ 
ing becomes deranged; the winds and 
Avater carry off the abraded materials; the 
coating breaks through in the spring tind 
fall, ajid they become wome tlu'ui ordinary 
roads, fn cities, Avhere the continual cros¬ 
sings and turnings keep them from gutter¬ 
ing, tliey work better; but are dusty, and 
expensive to keejY in repair, and in our 
opinion, arc altogether a nuisance, and 
should be supenseded by an 18 foot plank 
Avay, with paved sides and guttei-s. 
All pri-s ileged companies are monopolies, 
obnoxious to censiire, and beget a bad 
state of feeling among the people,— and in 
many in.stances justly so. I'lie Plank Road 
Law is not without objections. There are 
no provisions foi' .securing the grounds in 
front of dwellings fi'om being ruthlessly c\ 8 l 
down Jind mutilated, and large open drains 
made in front of one's door, or gates—spoil¬ 
ing the bcjiuty of lawns and entrances, and 
injuring the fences and road-Avay. The 
conti-actors will take e<uth for embankments 
from the nearest point to their Avork: often 
making grc'.at pits, which fill with Avatai’, 
Avithout the possibility of draining, and per¬ 
haps before farm gates or ba* entrances to 
fields, obliging the OAvners to make and sus¬ 
tain bridges over these nuisancc.s, and many 
other little annoyances that exasperate per¬ 
sons living on the road, and rendei- them 
unfriendly, and the improvement unpop¬ 
ular. The laAV .should be amended in these 
points. 
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NEW YORK 
STATE AG. SOCIETY. 
The Annual Meeting of the State AgTicul- 
tural Society Avas held at Albany, on Wed¬ 
nesday and Thursday last. The attendance 
Avas large, nearly eveiy' section of the State 
being represented by gentlemen long knoAvn 
to the public as active and enlightened 
friends of agricultural improvement. The 
Society convened in the Assembly Chambei-, 
at 12 o’clock, on Wednesday. The report 
of the Executive Committee Avas read by 
the Secretary. It is Jin able document, stat¬ 
ing clearly and succintly the action of the 
Committee and of the Society the past year, 
and embodying a large amount of infoi-ma- 
tion Avhich Avill be read Avith interest Avhen 
published in the Transactions. 
The Treasiu-fu-’s report gives a flattering- 
exhibit of the finances of the Society.— 
About two thousand dollars have been add¬ 
ed to the funds, after defraying the expen¬ 
ses of the Society, paying premiums, Ac. 
The balance in favor of the Society is now 
about nine thousand dollars. 
Mr. Peters moved the usual Committee 
of three from each J udicial District, to nom¬ 
inate Officers and recommend a place for 
holding the next Cattle Show and h'air.— 
The following gentlemen Averc named bv the 
delegates from the several disti-icts: 
1 st—Messrs. A. Gilbert, J. Monroe, A. 
Stevens. 
2 nd.—Messrs. P. W. Fisk, John A. Lott, 
A. C. Biadley. 
•hi.— Messrs. G. Vail. .1. P. Leekman, A. 
Van Bergen. 
4ih.— Messns. S. CheCA'or, L. R, MoAvley, 
G. 'T. Thoma.s. 
5th.— Messrs. E. Comstock, II. BaldAvin, 
H. Clapp. 
Cth.—Messrs. B. Enos, 0. C. Chamber- 
lain, P. Barber. 
Tth.—Messrs. J. M. Sherwood, J. Dela- 
iield, E. Harmon. 
8 th.—Messrs. T. C. Peters, S. M. Bur- 
loughs, E. Ford. 
In the aftei'noon the Committee reported, 
through Judge Exo.s, their Chairman, the 
folloAving gentlemen for Officers of the 
Society: 
For President —Ezr.\ P. Prentice, of 
Albany. 
Vice Presidents — 1 st Dist Ambrose 
Steven.s, New York; 2 d, Leavis G. Morris, 
Westchester; 3d, Anthony Van Bergen, 
Greene; 4th, Zephaniah C. Platt, Clinton; 
5th, John B. Burnett, Onondaga; Cth, E. 
C. Frost, Chemung; Tth, Oliver Phelps, 
Ontario; 8 th,N. V.an Ness, Chautauque. 
Cor. Sec’y. — Ben, 4 . P. Johnson, Albany. 
Rec. Sec’)/. —J. McDonald McIntyre, 
Albiiny. 
Treasurer. — Luther Tucker, Albany. 
Additional Memhers of Ex. Coni .— B. B. 
Kirtl.and, Rensselaer; H. W.tGEit, Oneida ; 
Dr. Hkr.man Wendell, Albany; Dr. Alex. 
Thompson, Cayuga; John J. Vielie Rens- 
sehu;)-. 
The ('ommiiiee recommended Albany 
os the place for holding the next Fair, pro¬ 
vided the citizens furnish funds for the neces¬ 
sary expenses, under the direction of the 
E xecutive Com in itt e(.‘. 
The report Avas accepted and the gentle¬ 
men named elected officei-s. 
Resolutions Avere passed responding to an 
invitation to our countrymen to contribute 
to the great exhibition of the “ Industry and 
Art of all Nations,” to be held in London, 
in June, 1851. 
The Constitution t)f the Society was so 
amended as to provide, that the ex-Presi- 
dents of the Society who are not'ex-officio 
members of the E.xecutiA-e Committee, (those 
Avho liaA'e been five yeiirs or more out of of- 
iice,) constitute, a Board of Councillors. 
The lecture of Prof Johnston, in the 
evening, on “Chemistry and its relations to 
the Soil,” Avas one of great interest, and Ave 
venture to say, that of the great numbers 
present, all Avent away Aviser than Avhen they 
entered the house. These lectures should 
most certainly be published and Avidel}’’ cir¬ 
culated. 
'l-'lie meeting on Thursday, Avas held at 
the Agricultural Rooms, in the- pld State 
Hall. Premiums Avere aAvarded as folloAvs: 
Winter Wheat —1st, Adam Clark, West Dres¬ 
den, Yates Co., 42 20-60 bush, per acre, .‘|15: 2d. 
John J. Thomas, Macedon, experiments in wheat 
growing, $5. 
Spring Wheat —1st, George K. Eells, West¬ 
moreland, Oneida Co., 30 54-60 bush. $15; 2d, 
Henry B. Bartlett, Paris, 31 13^-60 bu. $10, 
Rye —David Conrad, Brunswick, RensalearCo. 
30 bush. $1.5. 
Indian Corn —1st, Eli R. Dix, Vernon, Oneida 
Co., 83 bu. 4 qts, ,$20; 2d, Peter Crispel, jr., Uls¬ 
ter Co., 80 15-56 bu. $1.5. 
Barley —1st, E. Yl. Bradley. East Blooudicld, 
50^ bu. $15; 2d, E. R. Dix, Vernon, 48 bu. 28 lbs. 
,$10; 3d, Benjamin Elios, DeRuyuT, Madison co., 
47 bu. $5. 
Oats —1st, Peter Crispel, ji.. Hls-ter Co., 85 -20- 
32 bu. $1.5; 'Jd, E. M. Bradb-y. Ontario (Jo., 75 
bn. $10. 
Buckicheat —l.et, Robert Eells, Westmoreland, 
33-^22 bu. .$10; 2d, YVin. Baker, LiA’ingston Co., 
29-14 bu. $8. 
Peas —Edward 8. Salisbuiv, Jefl'erson Co., *27- 
20 bu. .$10, 
Potatoes, (quality considered)—1st, Henry B. 
Bartlett, Paris, Oneida Co., 252 bu. .$15; 2d, Chas. 
W. Eells, Kirkland, .$10; 3d, Nelson Van Ness, 
Chautauque Co., $5; Martin Springer, Renealear 
Co., (quantity onl\’,) 316 hn. $15.. 
Rata Jiagas —Joseph Hastings, Renselaer Co., 
980 bush. $10. 
Carrots —1st and 2d, li.. Ilisley, Chautauque Co., 
941 bush. $8, 864i bu. .$6; 3d, ].■. B. LangAvorthy, 
Monroe Co., 574^ bu. $4. 
Dairies —1st, Horace Clapp, Houseville, Lewis 
Co., silver cup, value $50; John ilolben, Che¬ 
mung Co., received the first premium last year and 
the committee this year uAvard certificate. 
Baiter — Horace Clapp, Lewis Co. — Joseph 
Cary, Albany—John Jlolbert, Chemung—Hector 
C. Tuthill, Cayuga—samples considered equal, 
and each awarded $15. Noah Hitchcock, Homer, 
silver cup, value $10. 
There Ava.s a. fair exhibition of fruits (most¬ 
ly apples,) but not as extensive as last year. 
This deficiency Avas no doubt OAving mainly 
h) the very short crop of last season. 
The address of Hon. John A. King, late 
President, Avas delivered on Thursday eve¬ 
ning. AVe Inwe heard it sjxiken of (for our 
engagements did not permit us to hear it,) 
as an able and useful production. After its 
close he introduced the President elect, E. 
P. Prentice, Esq., Avho addressed the So -1 
citny in a brief but very happy and appro- 
ate manner. 
'laken all in all, the present Annual Meet¬ 
ing seem.s to have passed off very satisfac¬ 
torily to all interested. It has been an oc- 
ocasion for an agreeable interchange of 
vicAvs and opinions among its members, and 
we doubt not, that all are impressed Avith a 
conviction of its capacity for usefulness and 
the advancement of the public good. c. 
Agricultural Societies. —“The great 
practical truth and characteristic of the pres¬ 
ent age is, that great public improvements 
ai-e carried out by means of A'oluntaiy asso¬ 
ciation. 'Phis principle — the principle of 
A-olimtary association —of bringing minds to¬ 
gether to act upon each other, is tht^ great 
principle and truth of the age. Its germ, 
to be sure, Avas to be seen centuries ago in 
the old Avorld. It Avas to be traced in the 
establishment of cities in the feudal age; it 
Avas still further extended in the profession¬ 
al associations of Europe at a subsequent 
period. But it has been long—^both in the j 
old counti-}’ and in this—before the idea av as 
brought to bear upon agi-iculture and the ! 
tillaire of the soil.” 
CHEAP ORNAMENTAL FENCE. 
Mr. Moore : — I Avill beg IcaA'C to sub¬ 
mit for the consideration of your readens, 
the folloAving plan for making a cheap orna¬ 
mental fence: 
'Phe next Annual Fair of the State 
Agricultural Society, is to be held in Alba¬ 
ny, on the 3d, 4tb, 5th luid Ctlt of Sept 
Take posts and place them in the ground 
twelve feet apart, and Avith tAvo cross bar.s 
each tAvo by three inches, connect by pla¬ 
cing one upon the tops of the post, Avith 
both ends beveled so as to receive the ad¬ 
joining bai-s AAdiich Avill lap upon it — Avith 
the other, saAv in each end one-half of its 
thickwss, and the remaining thickness and 
Avidth saAv in the post so that the surface of 
the bar and post Avill be even. The top 
bar Avill lie upon its broadest surface and 
Avill be fastened Avith the adjoining ones by 
tAvo forty-penny nails driven through into 
the tops of the posts. The second bar Avill 
be reversed, i. e., stand upon its edge, and 
its ends Avill be .squared and secured into 
the posts Avith ten-penny nails. Then put 
on the bottom board so that it Avill lap about 
midAvay of the loAver bar. Next in order 
Avill be to nml the lath — saAved three feet 
long, one and one-fourth inches wide, one- 
half inch thick — in the form of lattice Avork; 
after which saAv oft' the projecting <‘nds cif 
the huh even with ihe evo^^brir, .ind put oii 
the cap, Avhich Avill project on either side, 
or if heavy capping is desired, Iaa o one inch 
caps can be put on; the upper projecting 
more than the under one. Tlie folloAving 
estimate for one length of fence is rather 
above than belov.- the real cost of matei-ials: 
Two Poste,.0.3 cents. 
Two Crossbars,.10 “ 
One Bottom Board,. .12 “ 
Forty Lath,.i.. 20 " 
One Cap,.05 “ 
Nails, .03 ” 
7.5 
These materials are put togi.'ther in a 
rough state, consequently any pt'rson of 
ordinaiy ingenuity may erect <1 fence that 
Avill far exceed the “bungling concerns,” 
that usually grace so many larm yards. 
The subjoined recipe for making a com¬ 
position Avill be found admirable in giving 
color and durability to a fence of this kind : 
“ Take a half bushel of nice nnslaked lime; 
slake, it with boiling Avater; cover it during 
the process to keep in the steam. Strain 
the liquor through a fine seive or strainer, 
and add to it a peck of clean salt, [ireviously 
Avell dissolved in Avarm Avater; three pounds 
of ground rice, boiled to a thin paste, and 
stirred in boiling hot; half a pound poAvder 
Spanish Avhiting, and a pound of clean glue 
Avhich has been previously dissolved by 
soaking it well, and then hanging it over a 
slow tire, in a small kettle Avith a. large one 
filled with Avater. Add five gallons of hot 
Avater to the Avhole mixture; stir it well and 
let it stmid a fcAv days covered from the 
dirt. It should be put on right hot; for 
this purpose it can be kept in a kettle on a 
portable furnace. It is stiid that aliout one. 
pint of the mixture Avill coA-er a scpuu-c j'ard 
upon the outside of a house, if properly ap¬ 
plied. Brushes, more or less small, may be 
used according to tin* neatness of the job 
)-equired. 
It ansAvers as Avell its oil paint for wood, 
brick, or stone, and is cheaper. It retains 
its brilliancy for many years. There is 
nothing of the kind that Avill compare with 
it, either for inside or outside Avails. Col¬ 
oring matter may be put in and made of any 
shade you like. Spanish-brown stirred in 
Avill make red pink, of more or less deep, 
according to the ejutmtity. A delicatt^ tingii 
of this is very pretty for inside Avfdls. Finely 
puh'erized common clay, avcU mixed Avith 
Spanish-broAvn before it is stirred into the. 
mixture, makes a lilac color. Lamp-black 
in moderate quantities makes a slate color, 
very suitable for the outside of buildings. 
Lamp-black and Spanish-brown mixed to¬ 
gether make a reddish stone color. YelloAv 
ocre stirred in makes yelloAV-wash; but 
Chrome goes farther, and makes a color 
generally esteemed prettier. In all these 
cases the darkne.ss of the shade, of course, 
is determined by the (juantity of coloring 
used, it is difficult to make a rule because 
tastes are ver^- different; it Avotild bo best 
to trv experiments on a board, and let it 
dry. We liavi' been told that green must 
not be mixed with lime. The lime destroys 
tlu‘ color and the color has an efl'ect on the 
AvhiicAvasb, which makes it crack and peel. 
When AA-alls has e been iiadly smoked, and 
you wish to have them a clean white, it is 
Avell to squeeze indigo plentifully through a 
bai*' into the Avater vou use, before it is 
stirred in tlie whole mixture. If a larger 
(juantity than Iiat. galkms is wanted, the 
same proportions should b<' observed.” 
Glen Cole, Lx/1850. u. XL—u. u. 
STONE FENCE. 
Peter Minor, of Virginia, was a mau of 
rare modesty, and very rare merit, both in 
his dispo.sition and example—in his pursuit 
of usi'ful knoAvledge, and in bis perspicuous 
mannei- of imparting, um-esercedly. what he 
kneAv for the benefit of others. 
On the 1st of Oetober, 1840. a paper 
j ua.s lead frv>m him to tile .VUieniarle Agri- 
cultural Society, on tlie subjtwt of stone fen¬ 
ces. He maintained that the I'ost of keep¬ 
ing up timber fences, ivotild, in tliirtv-three 
yeai-s, amount to more than the worth of 
the land, supposing it to he worth $20 an 
j acre. The A’ieAv presented was this: 
I An inquiry naturally presents itself on 
j this subject: What is the relatiA-e value of 
a farm fenced Avith stoiu*, compared with one 
fenced witli dead timber'? Take the follow¬ 
ing data. From the best aceounts I have 
been able to obtain from otheus, and from 
ni}' OAvn experience, it may be fairly stattid 
j that one full month of the whole, labor of 
1 every form is consumed in tin* \ arious oper- 
j ations of cutting, mauling,- hauling, and 
I putting up feno.e.s. This is one tAvelfth ot 
j the yeai-, or one complete year in twelve, 
j that Ls (leA'oted e.xehisiA'ely to making and 
1 repairing dead fences; and as the expense 
is annual, it is i:lear that the condition of 
those fences is no better at tbe end of anv 
year than at the beginning. 
: Again — f think it ma.y be fairly stated, 
that Avlien the materials are in place, the ex¬ 
pense of erecting a stone fence does not ex¬ 
ceed that of erecting one of rails, imJuding 
the A'arious operations aboAe mentioned.— 
The value of the timber (whieli i.s not taken 
into the aecownt above,) and the advantages 
of having the land cleared of stone, will bal¬ 
ance the ('xpe.n.se of miiving the .stun<\ three 
or four hundred \-ards. 80 that on a farm 
ahouiuling Avith sume, and Avhere the trans¬ 
portation does not I'xcecd this distanee, 1 
think a stone fence, in the first in.stance w'ill 
be as cheap as a rail oiu*. .Suppo.se, then; 
j tAvo farms of 300 acres of arable land each, 
in all otluM- respects equal, except that om- 
is fenced with stone and the other Avith dead 
timber. Each of them e.nqxloys 1 2 laborers 
at $100 a piece per annum. One of them 
is at no expense, \Adiile he who fences Avith 
timbei- consumes one montkin every year, 
in making and repairing his fences. 'I’his is 
an e.xpe.ns(' of a $ 100 , being the labor of one 
hand dux-ingthe eonxplete yeai-. At annual 
compound interest., this would amount in 
! less than 33 years, to $10,000, which is the 
entire price of tlu' land, snpjxosing the farm 
to be Avorth 820 jier acre. 'Phus, in 33 
years, the one form aa’-oxiIxI be able to buy 
the other from ihe ^cxpimse .saved by the 
different mode of fencing. It is true there 
are not many foi ins eapabh: of being entire¬ 
ly fenced Avith stone, bxxt there are scarcely 
any that do not admit of it in some degree, 
and the advantagxis would be derived in a 
similar ratio to any part whiidi eoxild h<' thus 
enclosed. 
