MOORE^S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY JOURNAL. 
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FERTILIZING ISTFLUENCE OF THE ATMOS¬ 
PHERE. 
Mr. Editor; — Farmers are indebted, in 
a great measure, to atmospheric inliuences, 
in restoring their land to fertility. The con¬ 
tinued cropping of land will reduce it to 
sterility, unless a constant stimulus be kept 
up by the application of manure; nor does 
it appear that manure of itself will prove a 
substituc for particular fertilizing elements 
derived from the air. Our knowledge of 
making manure is so limited that we are de¬ 
pendent upon the atmosphere to supply the 
deficiency, which our chemical knowledge is 
not adequate to perform, in composing our 
dung heaps. It is known to eveiy experi¬ 
enced farmer, that his land Avill improve on 
having rest from exhausting crops; over 
stimulating produces premature decay; and 
land, like the animal or vegetable, stimulat¬ 
ed to excess, will prematurely exhaust itself 
and fall into decay. The fertilizing quali¬ 
ties derived from the atmosphere are not 
sent down in sudden showers, but the pro¬ 
cess is a gradual one; whether these fertil¬ 
izers descend in the rain, frost, snoAV, or pro¬ 
ceed from the winds, or are blessings unseen, 
Avhich a drought produces, is a question I 
shall not attempt to ansAver. 
The land must have rest at stated period.s. 
In this time of rest, the air is administering 
its restoratives. In a time of drought, the 
land is unproductive, and consequently in a 
*tate of rest. It Avas said by an ancient far¬ 
mer, that dry seasons Avould enrich his land 
equal to a good manuring. Be that as it 
may, after a succession of a few dry seasons, 
and on the return of rainy ones, I have seen 
the grass revive and groAv on lands Avhich 
preATously had been almost barren, produ¬ 
cing fine crops of a good quality Avithout the 
aid of manure. In the tAventy-fifth chapter 
of Leviticus, Ave find these directions from 
God himself to the children of Israel: “Six 
years thou shalt soav thy field, and six years 
thou shalt prune thy vineyard; bmt the 7th 
year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the 
land;” “thou shalt neither soav thy field 
nor prune thy vineyard; and the Sabbath 
of the land shall be meat for you,”—inti¬ 
mating that there should be great increase. 
It is not probable that God would have giA'- 
en these directions to the children of Israel, 
but for Avise purpo.ses. In this year of rest, 
the land Avas receiving a supply of “ atmos¬ 
pheric influences” which tend to fertilize the 
soil by decomposing vegetable matter, or 
distributing their imperceptible feilUizers.— 
It is to be Avished that there could be some 
method contrived to enrich our land, less 
tedious and expensive than the never-end¬ 
ing and back-breaking process of compost¬ 
ing manure. 
Physiologists tell us that vegetables derive 
a considerable portion of their nutriment 
from the air. The ploAving in of grass crops 
Avould render the gxoimd no benefit, if the 
nutriment which supplies the green crops 
Avas all derived from the earth, as the earth 
can restore nothing but its OAvn, the same 
prolific principle, supplied from the air, Avhich 
nourishes the groAving plant, fertilizes the 
earth in its Sabbath of rest I have an idea 
that the nutritive gases which escape from 
manure into the air, descend again to the 
earth, on meeting a condensing agent, and 
assist in the groAvth of vegetables, as well as 
fertilize the soil. The atmosphere is a mag¬ 
nificent chemical laboratory, where affinities, 
attractions, and combinations take place.— 
Whatever this fertilizer may be,— whether 
nitre, ammonia, or some other agent,— we 
are much indebted to it for assisting us in 
making our fields more productive .—JVetv 
England Farmer. 
SMALL POTATOES. 
Some years ago a gentleman visiting a 
farmer in Tolland, Connecticut, took from 
his pocket a small potato, Avhich somehow 
had got in there at home. It Avas throAvn 
out Avitli a smile, and the farmer taking it in 
his hand to look at, a curious little boy of 
twelve, at his elboAv asked Avhat it was. 
“ O, nothing but a potato, my boy—take 
and plant it, and you shall have all you 
can raise from it till you are free.” 
The lad took it, and the farmer tliought 
no more about it at the time. The boy, 
however, not despising small potatoes, care¬ 
fully divided it into as many pieces iis he 
could find eyes, and put them into the 
ground. The product Avas carefully put 
aside in the fall, and planted in the spring, 
and so on until the fourth year, the yield 
being good, and the actual product Avas 
four hundred bushels! l^he farmer, seeing 
the prospect that the potato field Avould by 
another year cover his Avhole farm, iisked 
to be released from his proposal. With 
the same calcidation, prudence, and indus- 
tiy, hoAV many Avho are disposed ttj regard 
the trifling things on Avhich fortune is built 
as too small potatoes to receive their atten¬ 
tion, Avould have been in independent cir¬ 
cumstances if they had husbandtHl small 
{ulvantiigcs. Small potatoes shoidd not be 
despised, even though there be at first few 
in a hill.— Maine Farmer. 
It is true Avisdom to bend rather than to 
break, Avhere one has to be done. Break¬ 
ing is generally the result of huny, rash¬ 
ness, and precipitation; bending, that of pa¬ 
tient and gradual operation, Avitli tlie use of 
the best appliances. 
SrtEtinaiiaii. 
lortiniltiiriil lE|iiirfnKut. 
CHOLIC IN HORSES. 
We often see horses in great distress, 
Avhen Ave attribute it to the bots. They lie 
doAATi—groan—roll over—cast the head 
around to the flank, thus indicating that the 
distress is there. Although symptoms sim¬ 
ilar to these, indicate the bots, still I am 
persuaded the ailment is cholic in ten in.stan- 
ces, Avhere it is bots in a single instance.— 
Acidity in the stomach, occasioned by sour 
mill feed, or Avhatever other cause may pro¬ 
duce flatulency, Avill induce an attack of 
cholic. For this ailment, the use of alkalies 
is an efficacious remedy. 
I Avas once at the stable of an eminent 
OAvner and breeder of blood horses, in Dutch¬ 
ess County; and in speaking of his care, 
mode of culture, and success in rearing and 
using horses, he remarked, that the usual 
number in his ownership was about thirty, 
of all ages and characters. That it had 
been his invariable custom to administer a 
small amount of dry ashes in the food to 
each horse once a Aveek. And that for the 
period of thirty years, he had not been 
troubled with a sick horse. I have for sev¬ 
eral years, resorted to this practice, not in¬ 
deed ^with the uniformity it merited, but 
still with satisfactoiy results. 
FToav, at a period Avhen root culture is so 
deservedly coming into general esteem, as 
furnisliing valuable Avinter food for stock, 
this practice, as a preventive remedy, may 
be highly useful. It Avoidd not be surpri¬ 
sing, if in some given circumstances of the 
horses condition, a mess of green succulent' 
roots might induce an attack of cholic. The 
celebrated horse “ Duroc,” the Sire of “Amer¬ 
ican Eclipse,” died, as Avas supposed, from 
an attack of cholic, produced by a feed of 
potatoes, Avhen his system happened not to 
be in safe condition for such food. A small 
amount of this remedy, given at regular pe¬ 
riods, would almost insure against tenden¬ 
cies of this sort e. d. 
Rochester, February, 1850, 
Cure for Tetters and Ring-worms.— 
The juice of the common cranbeiTy, expres¬ 
sed and daily applied, is a certain and safe 
cure for these troublesome inflictors, and 
leaves no stain nor abrasion of the skin. 
Lame Cows.— Mr. Editor: In 1802 or 
1803 my father had about 44 head of cat¬ 
tle ; the foot ail got into the stock, lost two 
oxen and one cow before Ave found a reme¬ 
dy ; the hoof began to crack off at the back 
part and kept on gaining till it came oft'.— 
We took a fine toothed savv and cut the 
point of the hoof off so that the hole was 
sufficient for it to discharge, and put on 
.some tai' or other healing ointment. The 
complaint begins in the hoof and cannot find 
any other way to discharge but to crack off; 
the back part Avithout the point is cut off; 
the inside is dead and rotten and emits a 
great stench when cut oft'. We did not lose 
any after cutting off the point— Mass. 
Plovmian. 
Cure for Heaves in Horses. —A farm¬ 
er tells us that he has recently cured two of 
his horses, which had the heaves badly, by 
the use of the folloAving remedy: To three 
quarts of sweet milk add a teaspoonful of sul¬ 
phuric acid, (oil of vitriol,) and mix with 
the horse’s feed. Give at first three times 
a week, and afterwards once or tAvice as 
there may seem occasion for a few Aveeks 
longer. Our informant says there was lit¬ 
tle appearance of the heaves after the first 
Aveek.— Christian Alliance. 
The NeavYork Neavsboys.— On seve¬ 
ral occasions Ave have spoken of oui- NeAv 
York newsboys and their peculiarities.— 
We haA'e, at present, an incident to relate 
of these ragged little urchins, that Avill 
shoAvhoAv cai-efully they lay up their pennies. 
A gentleman, one day lately, wanted a boy 
Avho could pay his own expenses, to accom¬ 
pany him to California, and oft’ered $100 a 
month for such a lad. John Clark, a neAvs- 
boy of some thirteen years, heai-d of the 
situation, and, Avith a bundle of papers un¬ 
der his arm, presented himself as an appli¬ 
cant for the place. The gentleman Avas as¬ 
tonished at the boy thus offering his ser- 
A'ices, inquired, rather sneeringly, if he had 
requisite funds to pay his passage out ?— 
The lad, Avith an air of triumph, presented 
his bank book, Avith credit for $250, for 
inspection, and Avas immediately engaged. 
He Avent out in the last steamer, and Avill, 
Avithout doubt, if he is blessed Avith good 
health, return in a feAv years, in the prime 
of life, with a sufficient quantity of “ dust” 
to make him comfortable during life.— N. 
Y, Express. 
We are forbidden to muinaur, but Ave 
are not forbidden to regret; and what we 
have loved tenderly Avhile living, Ave may 
pursue Avith an affectionate remembrance. 
PEACHES: 
Their Premature Decay — Want of Productive¬ 
ness — Its Causes. 
In the Family Visitor, published at 
Cleveland, Ohio, one of our most reliable 
and interesting exchanges. Prof. Kirtland 
— in answer to a correspondent’s queries, 
Avhetlier the process of budding has not the 
tendency to depreciate the bearing qualities 
of the Peach, and to shorten their period 
of life—takes gTOund in favor of that sup¬ 
position, and gives his experience, and sev¬ 
eral instances of the short period of dura¬ 
tion, and defection in the crop, Avhen com¬ 
pared Avith natural trees, and advises the 
planting of the stones of knoAvn fine A’ari- 
eties, three-quarters of Avhich, he says, Avill 
produce the like of the parent Avith a little 
variation—some for the Avorse, and, perhaps, 
some quite superior. He advises, after 
testing their productions, to head in those 
that are worthless, and bud them Avith fine 
knoAvn kinds, rather than lose the stocks. 
He also gives some good and sound ad¬ 
vice as to location, and the aA^oidance of a 
Avet subsoil; and, when planted in clay 
ground, to only put them on eieA^ated ridges 
that can never be droAvued or overcome 
with Vr'ater. This adA’ice is strictly correct 
The soil most congenial to the Peach is a 
loose permeable sand, or grave’ly loam, open 
and friable to a good depth. 
From some singular discrepancies in the 
gi’OAvth of the apple in Ohio, which we 
gather from the Report of the State Soci¬ 
ety, Ave are disposed to think that the cli¬ 
mate, or soil, has something to do with the 
peculiarities complained of by Prof K.— as 
we, after spending over twenty years in the 
Peach region of Western Ncav York, have 
never observed that fault in budding trees, 
when the operation was performed in tlie 
proper period — that is, on a seedling of 
one, or at most of two years groAvth, and 
near the roots. 
Old trees headed in, never do well, or 
renew their age, as was once asserted; now 
when the budding is performed on stunted 
stocks of three or five years groAvth. In 
such cases, the heart wood becomes dark, 
the stagnation of the sap for the Avant of 
leaves to elaborate it, sours, and an incipient 
dry rot takes place — the tree loses Antality, 
and does not push vigorous shoots, or form 
fruit buds — the bark becomes coarse and 
rough, and puts on a premature old age. 
A^ far as our observation has extended, 
trees that are budded the first year from 
the seed, and groAving in the nursery, in a 
soil of sufficient richness to produce, the 
next season, a growth of four to six feet, 
and removed that fall or the next spring — 
in which case nearly all the fine roots can 
be taken—they flourish better than on any 
Other period of taking up, or of transplant¬ 
ing — and in no case, when thus manipu¬ 
lated, have we ever heard of any complaint 
of Avant of productiveness, or premature 
decay; and in relation to both faults, com¬ 
pare with seedlings in all cases, as to vigor 
of growth, productiveness and durability, 
BUFFALO HORTICULTURAL SOdETY. 
The Annual Meeting of this Society was 
held on the 18th inst We subjoin the 
proceedings on the occasion: 
The President, W. R. Coppock, declined be¬ 
ing a candidate for the same office for the ensuing 
year. 
The Treasurer, John R. ]^ee, also declined a 
re-election. 
The following gentlemen Avere then elected offi¬ 
cers for 1850, viz: * 
President — Lxwis Eaton. 
Vice Presidents —H. B. Potter, W. W. How¬ 
ell, Jesse Ketchum, W. H. Sotham, Abner Bry¬ 
ant, Thomas B. Chase, Morgan G. Lewis, James 
G. Masten, Jason Sexton. 
Corresnondinff. Secretary — Benj. Hodge. 
Recording Secretary —C. F. S. Thomas. 
Treasurer — A. A. Iloward. 
STANDING COMMITTEES. 
On Flowers and Flowering Plants — Messrs. 
W. R. Coppock, J. W. BroAvn, and Isaac F. 
Brj'ant. 
On Fruits — Me&srs. Lewis F. Allen, C. Tain- 
tor, and J. Dart, Jr. 
On Vegetables — jNIessrs. Jason Sexton, Orlan¬ 
do Allen, and Elijah Ford. 
On Finance — Lewis Eaton, H. B. Potter, and 
C. F. S. Thomas. 
The Treasurer Avas directed to procure for the 
use of the Society, a -copy of Hovey’s Fruits of 
America, and also to subscribe for the periodicals 
taken last year, and the Prairie Farmer also. 
A resolution was adopted recommending Ho¬ 
vey’s Magazine and The Horticulturist to the con¬ 
fidence and support of all engaged in the promo¬ 
tion of Horticulture. 
A resolution was also adopted fixing the price of 
Members’ Tickets at One Dollar, and the fee for 
admission to those not members at one shilling 
each, to all the exhibitions for the year. 
On motion, it Avas 
Resolved, That the award of the Diploma of 
the Society shall be considered as evidence of the 
highest merit. 
67 
BALDWIN APPLE. 
This far-famed New England Apple, has 
never been so good, or more fair, in West¬ 
ern New York, than it has this season — 
lomiatit (Stonamij. 
TO KEEP SILK. 
notwithstanding the bad repute it bears in 
middle and southern Ohio. It is in eating 
noAA', and me hesitate not to pronounce it a 
very superior apple. It groAvs better here, 
even than at Boston, or in the neighborhood 
Avhere if originated. It should be in every 
one’s orchard, amongst the choicest varieties, 
and find a place in the amateurs garden. 
This year the B.aldAvin has exhibited the 
pecular quality, that, Avhile every other kind 
Avhich we are advised of failed, or was bad¬ 
ly blotched, it has in all cases borne freely, 
Avhere it was not OA-erloaded the last year— 
the fruit being uniformly fair and of good 
size. If this quality should prove constant, 
and not accidental, it renders it valuable in¬ 
deed. J. H. AA'. 
HOVEY’S GREEN HOUSES. 
The Messrs. Hovey, who have 30 acres 
devoted to horticulture in the vicinity of 
Boston, have also five large Green Houses, 
Avhose united length is near 1000 feet— 
One of them contains about 2000 Camellia 
Japonicas in full bloom!—according to a fra- 
gvant description in the Boston Transcript 
A plant of Acacia pubeacens, standing 18 
feet high, branching oft' into a head 8 or 10 
feet through, and presenting a dense mass 
of blossoms, is also noticed, as the most 
graceful plant knoAvn. Like a willow in 
form, each branch Avas Aveighed doAvn with 
its load of bright yellow racemes of flowei's. 
Another object of special beauty was a 
lemon tree, over 40 years old, haA'ing upon 
its strong branches upwards of SQ large | 
lemons. An adjoining conservatory is made 
to accommodate 10,000 plants and trees.— 
Eveiything rare and beautiful in the floral 
kingdom may be found in these enclosures. 
: C. M. Hovey, Esq., one of the proprie- 
' tors of the above named Green Houses, is 
also editor of “ Hovey’s Magazine,” publish¬ 
ed in Boston, and devoted to Horticulture. 
It is a valuable work; and, as Mr. H. is par¬ 
ticular in noticing all western fruits—hav¬ 
ing a predilection in favor of our climate 
and soil — we hope it will be extensively 
read. The price of the Magazine has been 
reduced to $2 per annum. * 
AMERI CAN G RAPES. 
The CataAvba deseiwedly stands at the 
head of the list of all American Grapes, 
both for table use or for making wine. It 
is cultivated extensively near Cincinnati, 
and from it excellent Hock Avines have been 
made, equalling the best that come from 
Europe. It can grow in all parts of Ncav 
York?^ 
The Isabella is undoubtedly better knoAvni 
and more extensiA'ely cultivated than any 
grape in.this covmtry. It is hardy and 
A'igorous—and like the Catawba, exceed- 
ingly prolific, both kinds often producing 
ten bushels to a single vine. From the Is¬ 
abella an excellent Avine is made, equalling 
when it has a little age, the best Madeira. 
The Elsinburg is highly esteemed by 
many as a table grape. It is Avithout pidp, 
sweet and delicious flavor, the fruit small 
but a good bearer. 
The Longworth’s Ohio, or Segar-box 
Grape is an excellent dessert fruit, but small, 
A’ery similar in appearance to the Elsinburg; 
it is without pulp and produces large bunch¬ 
es, sometimes measuring fifteen inches. It 
ripens early and is an excellent bearer. 
Norton’s Virginia Seedling is in appear¬ 
ance and size of fruit very similar to Long- 
Avorth’s Ohio and Elsinburg. Is A'ery pro¬ 
ductive, both in the garden or A'ineyard, 
and especially valuable at the South, Avhere 
many kinds rot in Avet seasons. 
The White Scuppernong is the great vine 
grape of the South, and is found groAving 
Avild from Virginia to Georgia. It is knoAvn 
from all other gi-apes by its small leaves, 
Avhich are seldom over tAA^o or three inches 
in diameter. At the South, it is a prodig¬ 
ious bearer, one vine having produced 150 
gallons of Avine in one season. For many 
years an excellent wine has been made from 
this grape. This grape is only suited to die 
climate of our Southern States. 
The Alexander, or Muscadel, is an excel¬ 
lent grape and makes first rate red Avine.— 
It is very hardy, and is only surpassed by 
the Catawba. 
The PoAvel Grape produces a fruit that 
is easily preserved in jars for Avinter use, 
and on this account it should meet Avith 
great faA'or. America Avill soon be able not 
only to supply her oAvn market Avith good, 
pure Avine, but aviH also be able to supply 
other nations.— Sci. Am. 
Great Pear. —At a late meeting of the 
Horticultural Society of London, a paper 
Avas read Aviiich stated that at the last 
Guernsey Fruit ShoAV, a Chaumontel Pear, 
of perfect shape, and of the weight of tAvo 
pounds and four and a half ounces, English, 
was exliibited. It greiv on a quince stalk, 
and no artificial means Avere employed to 
increase the weight of the fruit, of Avhich 
there was a fair crop on the tree. 
Silk articles should not be kept folded iu 
white paper, as the chloride of lime us?d in 
bleaching the paper will probably impair 
the color of the silk. Brown or blue paper 
is better; the yelloAvish smooth Indian pa¬ 
per is the best of all Silk intended for 
di-ess. should not be kept long in the house 
before it is made up, as lying in the folds 
Avill have a tendency to impair its durability 
by causing it to cut or split, particulai-ly if 
the silk has been thickened by gum. 
Thread lace veils are very easily cut; sat¬ 
in and veh’et being soft are not easily cut, 
but dresses of velvet should not be laid by 
with any Aveight above them. If the nap 
of thin velvet is laid doAvn it is not possible 
to raise it up again. Hard silk should nev¬ 
er be Avrinkled, because the thread is easi¬ 
ly broken in the crease, and it never can be 
rectified. The way to take wrinkles out of 
silk scarfs or handkerchiefs, is to moisten 
the surface evenly Avith a sponge and some 
Aveak glue, and then pin the silk with toi¬ 
let pins aroiuid the selvages on a mattrass 
or feather bed, taking pains to draAv out the 
silk as tight as possible. When dry the 
Avrinkles Avill have disappeared. The rea¬ 
son of this is obvious to every person. It is 
a nice job to dress light colored silk, and 
few should tiy it. Some silk articles may 
be moistened Avith Aveak glue or gum Avater, 
and the wrinkles ironed out by a hot flat- 
iron on the Avrong side.— Sci. Am. 
THE MINCE PIE. 
The mince pie is Avorthy of a chapter by 
itself. The prince of pies; standing at the 
head of all others, not excepting the famous 
pumpkin, or the Avell loved tart People 
are in the habit of putting on its head the 
qtiiet malediction of being “ unhealthy.” If 
eaten by the quarter section it may be true; 
but in the delicate sized piece as dessert 
Ave do not believe a word of it It is far 
less so, to many people, at any rate, than 
the pumpkin, or even the demure and inno¬ 
cent apple pie. 
To keep the meat from year to year. — 
We ai*e astonished that so few people know 
that mince meat should not be made b:it 
once in three years', and that it may be 
kept good as new, if not better, for four, five 
or ten years; yet so it is. We knoAv of 
what Ave affirm in this particular. Boil, chop?, 
and season the meat, without any apple, as 
if for pies; then pack it down in a jar and 
pour over it good molasses enough to cover 
it. If the molasses disappears, put in more, 
and keep it covered with the same. When - 
ever you Avish mince pies, in summer or 
Avinter, the mince meat is ready. To peo¬ 
ple who live on farms aAvay from market, 
this is a most worthy truth. In the “ time 
of killing,” the year’s stock, and as mueb. 
more as is Avanted, may be got ready. 
Since Ave have begun to be astonished, 
Ave may as well be astonished once more, 
at the fact that so few housekeepers know 
hoAv to make a good mince pie. There is a 
A'^ast deal of humbug SAvallowed under the 
name—a vast deal. We shall be glad to 
teU the public, if somebody Avill tell u.s, how 
to make a first rate mince pie.— Prairilp 
Farmer^ 
To Correct Sourness in Milk, Cream, 
and Bread. —It is not generally known 
that the sourness of milk and cream may be 
immediately corrected by the addition of a 
small quantity of the common carbonate of 
magnesia, in poAvder. Half a teaspoonful 
(about equal to four grains) may be added 
to a pint of milk or cream, if only slightly 
soiu-; a larger quantity in proportion to the 
degree of sourness. From tAvo to three 
grains may be added to every pound of 
flour to prevent soimiess in bread—so in¬ 
jurious to health. Carbonate of soda is 
sometimes employed for the same purpose, 
but it communicates a very unpleasant fiar 
A’or to the bread; and, in the case of milk 
or cream, is Avorse than the disease. 
Recipe for Washing.— To CA-ery twenty 
gallons of Avai-m water, add one bar of soap 
seven tablespoonfuls of spirits of tuipentine, 
and one of sal ammonia, and let the whole 
stand for one night. In the morning, put 
in the fine clothes, and let them soak one 
hour, or, if veiy dirty, one and a half hours; 
then take out, Avring, and rinse Avell in clear 
Avater; wring and rinse again in bine water 
— then drj’. Tdie coarse linen may ther 
be put in the same water, and undergo t'ae 
same process. iVb rubbing is necessary, 
and the clothes will be perfectly clean and 
sw'eet. 
Process for Preserving Milk for any 
Length of Time.— This process, invented 
by a Russian chemist named Kirkoft', con¬ 
sists in evaporating neAv milk by a very gen • 
tie fire, and very sloAvly, until it is reduced 
to a dry poAvder. This powder is to be kept 
in bottles carefully stopped. When it is to 
be employed, it Is only necessary to dissolve 
the poAvder in a sufficient quantity of Avater, 
According to Mr. Kirkoff, the milk does not 
lose by this process any of its peculiar 
flavor. 
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