-,! ■ ■♦ ,'m 
VOLUME I. 1- 
ROCIIESTEII, N. Y.-TJMJIISUAY, MAY 16, 1850 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
PUBLISHED WEEKLY. 
OflTicc in Hums’ Hlock, corner of Hiifliilo and State 
streets, (entrance on State,) Iloclicster. 
A PREMIUM FOR BREEDERS. 
Ed. Rural New-Yorkkr: — Will you 
permit one who is deejily interestetl in the 
cause of agriculture, and who entertains 
the best wishes for the success of the New 
York State Agricultural Society, to suggest 
through the medium of your excellent pa¬ 
per, an adilition to the premiums for 1850. 
The addition 1 would suggest is one for the 
encouragement of brecdcru of line animals. 
I would suggest that the Society award to 
the breeder and owner of the best animal, 
of the different ages in each class, a .silver 
medal, a diploma, or, if they can do noth¬ 
ing more, let them give a certificate. 
Breeders of line animals arc, in my opin¬ 
ion, more entitled to encouragement tlian 
purchasers. The one iimploys skill and 
2 )erseverancc—i\\Q other capital. Tlic one, 
as a general thing, improves upon his orig¬ 
inals, while the other not unfrc([uently pur¬ 
chases better animals than he ever breeds. 
Let no one, however, understand me as not 
appreciating the introduction of line animals 
into our Stfite. No one rejoices more to 
see our men of capital, who have amjile 
means, making liberal expenditures for the 
improvement of tlie stock of our cotmtry, 
than myself. Yet I submit it to the judg¬ 
ment of the Shite Society, wlicther they 
should not do a little to directly encourage 
breediirs of line animals. 
A Lover of I.mprovement. 
Remarks. —We think the suggestion of 
our correspondent is of suiricient importance 
)iot only to reciuve consideration, but elicit 
action on the part of the Society. The jR'r- 
son who breeds and improves shjck must 
nec(!8.sarily emplo}' more knowledge) and 
skill, than the one who purchases line ani¬ 
mals (perhaps for exliibition and sale only,) 
and allows their progeny to deteeriate, as is 
not unfretjucntly the c-ase. 
OONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE. 
{Late Publisher arid Associate Editor (Sen. Earmer.) 
1j. B. LANGWOKTHY, Associate Editor. 
Corresponding Editors; 
ELON (JOMHTOCJK, (former Ed. <;«ntral !\. V. 
Farmer,) of Onoida County. 
T. (L I’Tyi'ERiS, (Editor of the Wool (Jrowor,) 
of (fonew^o County. 
Educational Dcportinont by E. WETIIEKELI.. 
SUB-SOIL PLOW 
The Sur-Soil Plow is one of the most 
valuable implements within the reach of the 
farmer. 'I'liough introduced only a few 
years ago, and comparatively little known, 
great advantage has been derived from its 
use, c.sp(!cially by cultivators of shallow, 
hard-[)an soils. Our engraving represents 
the kind most generally used in this coun¬ 
try. It is constructed on the principle of 
the most ajiproved Scotch Sub-Soil l^low, 
but modilied and adapted to our soils, 'fhe 
object of this implement is not to turn the 
sub-soil upon the surface, but to loosen and 
thoroughly jmlverize it, and tlms secure a 
deep, I'riablo soil, which will retain moisture 
and allow the roots of jilants to descend 
further for their nutriment It is used by 
following directly after the plow wliich turns 
up the surface soil, and in the same furrow. 
farmers hxjated upon stiff, shallow soils 
will derive great benefit from sub-soiling.— 
Indeed all whose soils an; not already too 
rich and deep, should give the process a fair 
trial. Read wliat Prof. Johnston says on 
the subject, in the Ijecture jiublished in our 
present number. 
For the information of those wishing to 
procure sub-soil plows, we may add that 
there arc three sizes of the kind represent- 
xid above, which vary in price from ^7 to 
$14. 'I’hey are manufactured by Rug- 
gles, Nourse & Mason, of Roston, and can 
be obtained at the principal Agricultural 
Warehouses throughout the country. We 
observe that Rai'aue & Briooh, of this 
city, have a fine assortment. 
ITJ’ Eor Terms, & lc ., last page. ,PI] 
PHOUKEHB AND IMPROVEMENT. 
TILLING ORCHARDS. 
All fruit trees experience great advan¬ 
tages from the tilling of the earth, even if 
no manure is applied, by keeping the ground 
free and open to the influence of heat, wa¬ 
ter and air. Wlien the grasses form a firm 
and C/Ompact sod over the entire roots, they 
not only absorb a great portion of the nu¬ 
triment required by tlie tree, but from the 
close and fibrous nature of the grass roots, 
absorb and keep back all the water tliat 
falls in ordinaiy summer showers, depriving 
the tree, which from the great exertion re¬ 
quired to produce fruit and make new wood, 
needs all and often more during certain pe¬ 
riods than nature supplies. 
Timothy grass is the least objectionable 
for an orchard, as it alone never forms a 
very close interwoven sward; only increa¬ 
sing by offsets like wheat, it exists in ciumjis. 
White clover belongs to the same class of 
non-combatants of fruit trees; as its roots 
skim the surface and never penetrate deep, 
tliey leave a tender permeable sward. Red 
clover perhaps maintains the most open and 
porous soil of any of the .articles used for 
stocking, or rotating crops; but still it is es- 
teemiid as having a very deleterious effect 
on orchards, particularly on young trees, as 
the roots penetrate deeply, and dispute the 
])OS8e.ssion of the moisture and nutritive 
gases belonging to and nec-essary for the 
life and existence of the tree. 
But those gra.ss(is that increase by snaki;- 
he.ads, or runners under ground, like June, 
quack, red bjj), and various others, lue the 
most decidiidly detrimental, from their im¬ 
pervious compactness, and hard feeding on 
the soil. 
Young orchards should be kept under 
the hoe till the trees acquire a strong 
healthy growth, and begin to bear cleverly, 
when they may bo rotated with grain and 
grasses; and in manuring for corn and oth¬ 
er lioed crops, manure the trees and lioe 
and dress them out us carefully as you 
would the corn plants. 
In plowing be careful to shallow the fur¬ 
row near the roots, which reach as far or 
farther than the tops do, or you not only 
cut off the supjilies of the tree, but cause 
the broken roots to se.nd up a multitude of 
suckers, detrimental to the fruit, and being 
troublesome in cultivation. 
Where grass has got possession of an or¬ 
chard, or fruitcry, and it is not convenient 
to cultivab! it, a very good process is to give 
a strong coat of chip manure, straw or in¬ 
jured h.ay from stacks, so thick as to smoth¬ 
er the grasses and cause the turf to rot — 
(hire must be Uikcn in the fall to clear it 
away from the base of the tree, to deter the 
depredations of mice. 
Many jiersons think if they throw rotting 
vegetable substances a foot or two around 
the tree, that they have done a clever 
thing, but it is a great mistake; the roots 
extend mmiy feet, and the fine spongioles 
or absorbents are mostly at the extremity 
of the roots, and not immediately about tlie 
bole or neck of tlie tree. 
GRASSES.-JUNE, RED TOP, TIMOTHY. 
Of the few grasses cultivated in this coun¬ 
try, Timothy is the most esteemed, and will 
bring much the greatest price in market, 
particularly to feed horses, but is not relish¬ 
ed as well by ruminating anivials as softer 
and more pliable varieties—owing proba¬ 
bly to the difficulty of forming and shaping 
it into rolls for the future cud. June, 
or spear gras.s, is the ])est of the summer 
fTillow; being very tenacious of life, and in¬ 
creasing by runners und(‘r ground, it mat¬ 
ters but little which side up it is jilaciid— 
it is alive and Icickiny. It is an early gnuss, 
and if cut early, at or soon after blossoming, 
m.akiis good hay, and horned cattle iiat it 
with avidity and thrive well; but if cut at 
the usual seiuson of haying, there is none 
poorer. 
Red I'op {^Ayrostis vulgaris) is entirely 
one of the most desirable grassiis for low 
lands and riiclaimed swamps. It may be 
cut from July to Hejitember in eipuilly good 
order. It gives a great yield, and there is 
no hay that cattle prefer. No farm with 
any low .'ind permanent meadows, which 
are of that description of soil or wet bottoms 
not suitable for rotation with grain crops, 
should b(! without a field of this grass.— 
The seed is the most diflicult to procure of 
any of the giusses, and is apt to be mixed 
with June, quack and spear gnuss seeds.— 
Red top is the true herds gi-ass, as it is alto¬ 
gether prefenible for f(!eding to cattle, in- 
sti'.ad of 'Pimothy, which has usurped that 
name from having been first inti’oduccd by 
one Timothy Hurd, k'ifty years ago, Tim¬ 
othy was only known as fox-tail, aiul mea¬ 
dow cats-Uiil grass. It is supposed to be in¬ 
digenous to the linited States, but the locale 
of its nativity is not known. It makes but 
pwr pasture after -Inly, and is supposed to 
be a hard feeder on land. 
Red top, (the true /ier(/«-gras.s, as before 
stated,) is a native ol' this countiy, and was 
discovered and first brought into notice at 
Dedham, Mass. It is pretty diflicult to get 
a clean meadow of this gnuss. 'Po subdue 
foul grasses on swamj) .and mucky bottom.s, 
potatoes are a good crop; but since the pre¬ 
valence of the potato diseiuse, they enfirely 
fail on those lands. Ih'rhaps sowing with 
a c.rop of g<M)(l wliite turnips would be the 
mo.st convenient jirocess—only that a large 
field would produce more of that article tluui 
any one individual would like to be blessed 
with, or know how to store or disjxise of.— 
It is a strong rooted grass, and will in time 
gain the ascendiuicy over most other grasses 
on low land. 
PREPARATION FOR SEED CORN. 
Ed. Rural Nkw-Youker:—I promised 
you last year while you were connected with 
the Farmer to send you a recipe for re¬ 
publication in regard to the preparation of 
seed corn. I took it from that journal sev- 
crid years since, and hav«* used it with 
much satisfaction. 
“ Dissolve one pound of Sal. ammoniac 
in eight ((uarts hot water. When reduced 
to blood heat, put one pock of seed com in¬ 
to it it remain eigjitiien hours, roll in 
jiliuster and plant it” 
I jirefer not to let the corn remain in the 
in-eparation more than 10 hours, iw if it re¬ 
mains a little too long, it will not vegetate. 
It should be planted soon alt(*r it is prepa¬ 
red. I have used this recipe some 4 or 5 
years and with the best results. Corn pre¬ 
pared in this way will be ready for hoeing 
at the same time lus com planted without 
any preparation —one week earlier, unless 
it happens to be very wet weather. When 
this is the ca.se the Sal. ammoniac is of lit¬ 
tle value. I have raised 80 bu.sliels U) the 
acre of corn prep.-ired in this way. And 1 
have never been troubled with the crows 
pulling up the seed. 
Berhaps I should add that Sal. ammoni¬ 
ac can be purchased for twenty-five cents 
per pound, although some merchants ask 
four and iwen six shillings. 
S. P. Chapman. 
(.■tockoitte. Mud. Co., N. V., Man, 1850. 
PLASTER.-BENEFIT AND QUALITY. 
Mr. Moore. —In No. 11 of the New- 
Yorker you have given the proceedings of 
the “ Central Farmers’ (.)lub,” during one 
meeting, the subject for discus.si()n being the 
eflects and use of Plaster as a manure. It 
was a subject I had long wished to see com¬ 
mented upon by able and e.xjierienced men, 
and of course I perused it with much in¬ 
terest It seems from the statements and 
opinions of the different members, that 
some were opposed to the u.se of it; from 
the fact that they never could see wherein 
it was of any benefit as a manure. Others 
w(M-<‘ of a different opinion, for they had 
tried or they had seen it tried to their sat- 
isfaiition. Sonu! of the latter stated insbinces 
wherein they thought it had been beneficial. 
Among the number was Col. G., who said 
that he was shown, by a friend, the effects 
of a bag of plaster left standing in a com 
field; the effect were such as to cause a 
great growth of <!orn some distance around 
the bag. 
This may be iis true as it is uncommon; 
but 1 have known plaster, to be left stand¬ 
ing in the field in boxes and barrels through 
neglect until they fell down, (and by-the-hy 
this is the way somt* farmers sow jilaster,) 
and never discovered any visible effect; I 
therefore think I have reasons to doubt its 
efficacy. It is my opinion, however, that 
there is much in the quality of plaster.— 
We get but little good plaster if any; hence 
the uncertainty of its effect. Many use 
plaster more because it is customary than 
because it is a fertilizer; they never could 
tell wherein it was a benefit, but at the same 
time they see fit to ust; it o. w. m. 
PLANTING POTATOES. 
In planting potatoes, it is preferable to 
plant them in a furrow, or below the gener¬ 
al surface of the ground. 'I’hey stand 
drouth much better, and are not so liable 
to rot, as the affected ones are near the sur¬ 
face — while those at the bottom of the hill 
are sound and betUw for eating, as they are 
secluded from light and air, both of which 
sensibly deteriorate the eating (juality of 
this important vegetable. 
In hoeing make no mole hills about the 
vines; leave the surface broad, flat and hol¬ 
lowing to catch and retain the rains, 'fhe 
potato haulm, or vines in common parlance, 
have no provision to arrest and carry falling 
water to the roots like corn, the cabbage, 
and many others —but on the contrary, to 
disperse it, particularly if the hill is a point¬ 
ed cone. 'I’liere is no more thorough way to 
divest the hill of all chance of ever getting 
w(‘t, except Imilding a roof over it at once. 
'The perfection of the art of growing a 
great crop of jiotatoes, on a limited ipiantity 
of land, is to plant below the surface-half 
cover, and give a shovel full of fresh and 
not too coarse manure, and cover again with 
earth, 'riuiy will not be quite as early, but 
it is a much safer proc(^ss than allowing the 
manure to come in contact with the potato. 
I'otatoes are often grown on a species of 
lazy bed, as they call it in Ireland—by sow¬ 
ing the jKilatoes on green sward, and cover- 
SOWING BROOM CORN. 
'I’he best soil for this jilant is similar to 
that reipiired for maize. It should be rich, 
warm, and not subject to early frosts, like 
the “ intervals,” or “ bottoms,” of the Con¬ 
necticut, the Mohawk, the Sciota, Ac. 'rhe 
best crops are usually raised on a green 
sward, turned over as late a.s possible in the 
fall, to kill the worms. But if tlie l.uid he 
poor, it must be enriched by a liberal siqi- 
jily of well-decomposv.d farm-yard dung, 
with additions of guano, plastiT, oyster-shell 
lime, or poudrette. It should be planted as 
early as the. ir)th of this month, (May,) in 
hills about two by three feet apart If the 
seed be goixl, drop 15 oi 20 of them into 
each hill, and cover them from an inch to 
an inch and a half deep. 
When properly cultivated and brought 
in good condition to the Netv York market, 
broom corn of the best (quality will now 
sell for $100 to $250 per ton. — American 
Agriculturist. 
Pruning Kkhinous Treks.— The worst \ 
time to prune these is in the spring when ) 
they are beginning to grow, the safest in \ 
autumn or winter. ) 
ill 
