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VOLUME 1. J- 
ROCHESTEK, N. Y.-THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1850 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
} PUBLISHED WEEKLY. 
> Office in Bums’ Block, comer of Buffalo and State 
) streets, (entrance on State,) Rochester. 
^ CONDtrCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE. 
^ (Late Publisfier and Associate Editor Gen. Farmer.) 
) L. B. LANGWORTHY, Associate Editor. 
^ Corresponding Editors: 
) ELON COMSTOCK, (former Ed. Central N. Y. 
> Farmer,) of Oneida County. 
, T. C. PETERS, (Editor of the Wool Grower,) 
) of Genesee County. 
^ Educational Department by L. WETIIERELL. 
Mr. J. said he did not see the necessity of 
pruning, or trimming the grape vine at all. 
’ It was contrary to nature—nature had pro¬ 
vided no such ability in her wisdom for am- 
I putating and mangling its limbs. He had 
always been taught to follow nature, in all 
its tendencies and Avorkings. He did not 
, cultivate the article, but the practice of trim¬ 
ming and cutting off the bearing wood, he 
had always considered as injudicious and de¬ 
feating the evident design of the Creator. 
Dr. M. said that pruning the grape vine 
Avas an act of necessity in domestic culture; 
as it was usually planted in rich earth and 
trained on frames or trellises, and sometimes 
made the enormous groAvth of tliirty feet in 
a season; it therefore required trimming, and 
we were obliged to do it in our own defence, 
or they Avould soon cover the Avhole prem¬ 
ises—fall down—become smothered and fail 
to produce fruit. 
The Chairman observed, that he had cul¬ 
tivated the Isabella grape on trellises, for 
many years; that they Avere entirely un¬ 
manageable and unfruitful, except they Avere 
thoroughly shortened in—that latterly he 
never tiimmed them till Avarm weather com¬ 
menced in the spring—they bled freely to 
be sure, but he thought they made less wood 
Avithout any falling off in quantity or quality 
of fruit. Sometimes he had neglected them 
till after the leaves were coming out, Avhen 
they cease bleeding and do Avell. 
Mr. Van V. said, he Avas of opinion that 
trimming was not necessary, except in gar¬ 
den culture upon trellises and arbors as lie 
had several hardy kinds groAving in shade 
trees, which gave him more satisfaction, with 
less trouble, than any other method he had 
tried. 
Mr. Van V. said he would like the vieAvs 
of the members, on the subject of the best 
period of the year to set out fruit trees, 
whether spring or fall —as he was desirous 
of planting a neAv orchard of the different 
kinds and he had been advised to wait till 
hill, and he would be the gainer. 
Dr. M. said he thought that Avas mistaken 
advice. He had always set out his trees in 
the spring, and they never failed of living. 
There Avas one important fact, hoAvever, to 
be attended to, which Avas, to do it early, 
before the swelling of the buds, or the shoot¬ 
ing of the spongioles of the roots, Avhich 
were so delicate and tender that, if injured 
in the eiirly stages of their vitality, they were 
with difficulty rencAved. 
Mr. McD. observed, that truth is said to 
lay between extremes—that he had planted 
trees at both periods with nearly equal suc¬ 
cess—that many persons, and particularly 
nurserymen, advocated fall setting; perhaps 
through interested motives, as the rage for 
planting Avas more feeble in the autumn than 
in the spring, the season of flowers and foli¬ 
age; but, let that be as it may, it was his 
opinion that for apples, pears and quinces 
and all hard Avood trees, it Avas as Avell, per¬ 
haps better, to plant in the fall, than at any 
other period. But the peach, apricot and 
cherry, Avere safest set very early in the 
.spring; and his reasons in favor of that opin¬ 
ion, were predicated on the fact which had 
been settled by vegetable physiologists, that 
there Avas a feeble circulation of the sap con¬ 
stantly going on, after the fall of the leaves, 
and during mild weather all Avinter; but 
Avhen a tree is taken up and removed, with 
a loss of its fine, extended and absorbent 
roots, circulation is destroyed, and the leaf, 
buds and small limbs for want of vitality 
dry, wither, and lose the ability to ex¬ 
pand, and call upon the roots to perfoim 
their office. 
Mr. A. said, the failure of many trees 
planted in the spring or fall, 
trees from New York, and set them out in 
the spring. They kept green and fresh till 
July, but neA^er leaved out. A friend, on 
examining them all but pulled them up, and 
then trod the earth about them, and in ten 
days they Avere in full leaf. 
The Chairman said, another fault in set¬ 
ting Avas, that the earth did not come in 
contact with the roots, especially underneath 
the centre, when they bend doAvn, and form 
a holloAV cavity. In all cases of setting trees, 
of the fine fruits in particular, after half fill¬ 
ing in, he abvays turned in a pail or half a 
pail of Avater, and gently agitated the tree 
up and doAvn, till the wet earth filled eveiy 
part This Avas called puddling, and if a 
shovel full of fine rich earth, or fine Avell 
rotted manure Avas added, it gave a stimu¬ 
lus to the first start of the tree. He also 
advocated the laying of small stone in the 
bottom of the hole, and even araonor the fill- 
ing, and top of the earth. The hickory, bass- 
Avood and chestnut, can, Avith difficulty, be 
safely transplanted by any other process. 
The Club then adjourned to the 9th of 
March, at the usual hour. 
HEAVING AND EXPANSION OF SOUS. 
The cause — Remedy—Anchor ice—Black frost — 
Its operation — Winter and spring killing of the 
Wheat crop—How to improve it—Dragging it 
—Letting it alone. 
All soils that absorb and retain Avater— 
all that are oveilying hard pans, and unper- 
meable sub-soils, and all that are constitu¬ 
ted of undecomposed vegetable matter—are 
liable, if frozen after rains or thaws, to sus¬ 
tain great derangement, vitally effecting 
vegetation. Even the lightest soils, when 
frozen beloAV, and the surface freezes and 
I 
thaAvs, are often very materially affected and 
the crop injured. 
There is no avoiding these evils, when the 
seasons are unpropitious. The only precau- 
^tions in our poAver, to avoid injury by the 
heaAdng of the soil, is deep or sub-soil ploAv- 
ing, and thorough surface drainage of each 
land breadth. 
There are some peculiar operations of 
cold upon Avater and moist earth, that are 
veiy imperfectly understood or accounted 
for. The formation of anchor ice in running 
streams—Avhich seems to be a congregation 
of an immense number of spicules, or needle 
shaped chrystals, that are heaA’ier than Ava¬ 
ter and sink to the bottom, contrary to the 
law that governs the formation of ice, which 
is about one tAventieth lighter than the same 
bulk of Avater, and always floats—has nev¬ 
er been satisfactorily accounted for. 
Another is the peculiar appearance call¬ 
ed black frost, and only follows thaws, and 
some unknown state of the earth and air. — 
It is a species of chrystalization, or vegete- 
tion of ice, growing and increasing from the 
bottom—shooting up in columns—lifting all 
loose substances, sometimes three or four 
inches in height in one night, and Avhen the 
leaves and stems of any vegetable are caught, 
the whole plant is completely draAvn from 
the earth—and Avhen it thaws, the soil set¬ 
tles back, but the root possesses no ability 
to recover its position and place again.— 
Even tap rooted plants, like clover, Avith 
roots six or ten inches long, are frequently 
completely torn up and bloAvn about the 
fields in winrows. 
Winter grain, nine times in ten, is spring 
killed. Wheat will endure great and con¬ 
tinued cold, if the land is not exceedingly 
THE ROLLEB-rrS CONSTEUCTION AND TTSES. j 
A Farm Roller is in the course of con- 
s^uction in this city, of which the heads or ; 
rufi^are of cast iron, Avith center hubs for | 
an iron rod or shaft to pass through, and ] 
with arms or spokes and a rim or flange, to | 
fasten the staves or covering to; much in ^ 
the manner large cylinders to carding ma- > 
chines are constructed, or the drums on the ' 
line shrifts of drmng machinery. Its diam¬ 
eter is about 30 inches, and of any leng-th 5 
that may be required. The shaft is intend- 
ed to revolve. i 
A great improvement in its construc¬ 
tion would be realized, if the roller Avas made > 
in tAvo cylinders; say three feet each, and to ) 
revolve on the shaft—the shaft being fast in ) 
the frame. This alteration causes it to work *> 
much easier in turning round, and otherwise ? 
better than Avhen in a Avhole cylinder. 
The use of the Roller is falling off among s 
farmers generally, and perhaps with some i 
propriety, as it is not found as beneficial to ! 
our system of husbandry as Avas anticipated 
on its first introduction. Its operation on , ) 
Avheat after soAving is found, in some sea¬ 
sons, to have a decidedly bad effect; as du- ' 
ring open Avinters, and in naked, freezing, 
thaAving, heaving land, the more in ridges ) 
it is left the better the wheat comes out in 
the spring—owing probably to the protec- ^ 
tion it receives from the descending earth ) 
of the ridges, covering and protecting the 
roots of all the plants in the furrow, Avhere 
most the Avheat lodges in sowing after 
the pfoAV, and" in hindd'-ing the snow from 
blowing off and leaving the field bare. > 
In summer falloAving of green SAvard, its | 
use is not to be tolerated, as sod to rot and 
decompose should lap on to the next furrow; 
especially if it conttiins foul grasses, so as to 
leave a clean space beneath, for air to cir- 
culate, and the sun’s heat and the season’s ^ 
drought to ferment and kill all the roots and < 
vegetable matter. 
In spring ploAving of SAvard, for summer - 
crops, its use is palpably beneficial, to close ] 
doAvn the furrow, and render it fit for the ^ 
haiTOAv —for planting and plowing or culti¬ 
vating out, for hoeing or soAving—Avitiiout 
distm'bing the sod in the process. 
It produces a decided benefit in rolling 
doAvn Avinter thrown Avheat, if done before 
the drought and hot suns destroy the vital- ^ 
ity of the roots. Some persons are disposed 
to say, that the horses feet kill more Avhen \ 
the ground is soft, than the rolling saves.— ? 
It is a great mistake; the loss is mere noth- < 
ing, in comparison Avith the benefit. - 
If the soAving of grass seed in the spring 
is neglected till the freezing nights arc past; 
soAv as soon as possible, and pass the roller ■ 
OA'er it; the Avheat if forAvard Avill not be in¬ 
jured; it Avill cause the seed to take, and 
make an even fine surface for future mowing. ^ 
It is not an indispensable, but often a very S 
useful addition to the farming implements. \ 
It is an article that requires protection and I 
keeping from the ground, or it is short lived, ) 
make it hoAv you will, short of constructing 
the staves of Avrought bai*s of iron, AA'liich ; 
would not, if made less in diameter, add ' 
greatly to its expense—and its durability ^ 
Avould be unlimited. . > 
(UF For Terms, &c., see la.st pnge. XI 
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT, 
ARE YOU READY 1 
A LONG Avinter is about surrendering the 
sceptre of empire to the melting power of 
.spring. It is an agreeable change of mas¬ 
ters and should be especially so to the far¬ 
mer. If he has improved the Avinter months 
properly, his wood pile is* ample for the 
coming season—that season Avhen the sap 
having measurably rotreawd ^rom the body 
of the trees, leaves the Avood'compact and 
in the fittest state for fuel. If, in any case, 
this matter of an abundant wood pile is not 
attended to, the omission had much better 
be supplied noAv than in the time of harvest. 
As the season of Avinds is almost over, all 
fencing materials should be on the ground 
ready to be placed AAdiere they are needed, 
before the pressure of the spring business 
shall be such as to involve the necessity of 
dilapidated fences through the year, as is 
much too often the case Avith farmers who 
neglect to do things in proper and regular 
order. 
It often happens that the Avinter months 
accumulate many things on meadows Avhich, 
if left alone, greatly obstruct the free pass¬ 
age of the scythe through the grass. These 
should be removed early, lest by being neg¬ 
lected now, they are overlooked altogether. 
These may be deemed small matters, but 
attention to them is one of the marks of a 
good farmer. 
As nothing pertaining to a farm, should 
be regarded unimportant, it hardly need be 
hinted that a proper preparation of farming 
tools is “ noAV in order,” fis the politicians 
say, and should not be overlooked nor de¬ 
layed to a more convenient season. Among 
the conveniences, not less than the beauty 
of a good farm is a well ordered garden, 
combming the substantials of the vegefiible 
kingdom, as well as those pertaining to the 
ornamental. Ev'ery thing about this should 
be carefully attended to, so that nothing be 
left or omitted favorable to the amplest pro¬ 
duction of vegetables, fruits and flowers.— 
It is not so much because people do not 
knoAV how to make good gardens or appre¬ 
ciate them Avhen made, that so many fail 
in this appendage to a fiirm, but for the rea¬ 
son that timely preparations are not made 
to secure the proper developement of the 
soil set apart for gardening purposes. 
In no vocation is order more essential 
than in fiu-ming, and in none are its results 
more certain and beneficial. Let every 
thing be done in season and done Avell, and 
the results Avill be no crowding for time, no 
lack of production,—but croAvded barns, ani¬ 
mated folds, and plenty and content around 
the hearth stone of the farmer. 
Experiments. —There is no Avay of mak¬ 
ing improvements in farming but by exper¬ 
iments. If the farmer is informed ofj or 
has conceived a different or better method 
of his farming, he is to test the goodness of 
that method by experiments; and if these 
prove successful, he may congratulate him¬ 
self on having performed an act which is 
beneficial to his coxmtry and honorable to 
himself.— Farmer's Assistant. 
Correction.— The article on “Clover as 
a Fertilizer,” published on first page of our 
last number, was badly mangled by the 
compositor. The most important error is in 
the first sentence—Avhich, instead of read¬ 
ing “land cannot be left naked, and run 
over Avith clover or grasses,” should read 
“land cannot be left naked, and tmsoion 
Avith clover,” &c. 
Avas OAving to 
planting them too deep in the earth, particu¬ 
larly in heaA^y land. He procured some 
CoAvs Avell fed in winter, give more milk 
in summer. 
What ought to be done to-day, do it, for 
to-morroAV it may rmn. 
