VOLUME I. !• 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
PUBLISHED WEEKLY. 
Office in Burns’ Block, corner of Buffalo and State 
streets, (entrance on State,) Rochester. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE. 
{Late Publisher and Associate Editor Gen, Farmer.) 
L. B. LANG WORTHY, 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. WETHEREI.L. 
O’ For Terms, &c., see last page. ^ 
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT. 
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE. 
Detroit, Mich., July 10, 1850. 
Mit. Moore :—Never was prophecy more 
true than ours of a month since, when we 
predicted that more wheat would be grown 
in Michigan the present year than ever be¬ 
fore in a single season. This prediction is now 
most conclusively verified, and is acknowl¬ 
edged by all with whom we have conversed 
to be a fixed fact What a change one short 
month has wrought in the farmer’s pros¬ 
pects. Instead of despondency and gloom, 
which then were too frequently depicted in 
his countenance, the cheerful smile of con¬ 
tentment and happiness lights up his fea¬ 
tures as he speaks of his prospects or looks 
abroad upon his golden harvests. 
Already has the wheat harvest commenc¬ 
ed in Michigan. On Friday last, 5 th inst, 
we seen several fields in Kalamazoo county 
partly cut, and this week the farmers in all 
parts of the State are making small begin¬ 
nings, preparatory to a general onset next 
week. We have recently passed through 
the counties of Berrien, Van Buren, Kala¬ 
mazoo, Calhoun, Jackson, Hillsdale, Lena¬ 
wee, Monroe and Wayne, and have reliable 
information from Branch, St Josephs, Cass 
and many others in the southern, as well as 
from the northern sections of the State, and 
we have neither seen nor heard of a single 
town where the crop is not more than an 
average one. There is not a particle of rust, 
nor, at this stage of the crop, is there likely 
to be. The straw is as bright as California 
gold, and the heads well filled. The early 
drouth shortened the straw somewhat, so that 
but few fields are lodged, and the conse¬ 
quence is that the heads are better filled 
and the grain heavier than usual. 
In another month the new wheat will be¬ 
gin to make its appearance in market, and 
by September we shall witness that revival 
of business and trade so much required to 
sustain and place on a firm basis the finan¬ 
cial affairs of the West. For two years 
there has been a failure of the staple crops, 
farmers have failed in their engagements 
to merchants, the merchants have been un¬ 
able to pay their New York bills, and thus 
the city has become almost as much inter¬ 
ested in the crop of the present year as the 
farmers themselves. 
We have visited a few counties in Mich¬ 
igan during the week past which we had 
not before seen; but were disappointed in 
our expected visit to Cass, St. Joseph and 
Branch counties, which we think rank high 
as farming lands. We have heard a high 
opinion expressed of the lands about Cold- 
water, in Branch county, as well as of the 
village itself, which is said to be one of the 
pleasantest in Michigan, Jonesville and 
Hillsdale, both In and the latter the county 
seat of Hillsdale county, are small villages 
of perhaps six thousand inhabitants each, 
neither of them growing much at present, 
but both anticipating great benefits from 
the Southern Railroad when it shall be ex¬ 
tended through to Chicago. To the credit 
of both places it may be said that they have 
built handsome churches, and that their 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-THURSUAY,-JULY 18 , 1850 . 
public .schools are of a high order and their 
school-houses very handsome. 
Adrian, the county seat of Lenawee coun¬ 
ty, is a town of some four thousand popu¬ 
lation. When we consider that this whole 
region of county is new, and that its villages 
have been all built up in the last 15 years, 
we cannot do otherwise than regard Adrian, 
with its handsome brick blocks, its pleasant 
private residences, and its air of cheerful¬ 
ness and improvement, as a fine town. 
From Adrian we passed over the Rail¬ 
road to Toledo, Ohio. Toledo, as all our 
readers are aware, is on the Maumee river, 
some four or five miles from its mouth, and 
at the termination of the Miami canal con¬ 
necting it with Cincinnati, and the Wabash 
canal connecting it with Terre-Haute, Indi¬ 
ana. There is one channel to or near De¬ 
fiance, where one branch turns south to 
Cincinnati and the other pursues its course 
south-westerly to Terre-Haute. These ca¬ 
nals bring large quantities of produce to 
Toledo for shipment down the lake, and 
take in return the merchandise for the mar¬ 
kets on the line. Toledo is for this reason 
an important point, and on the completion 
of the Michigan Southern Railroad to Chi¬ 
cago, will attract still more the attention of 
business men. It has extensive warehouses 
and convenient elevators, by which loads of 
wheat and corn are quicklyYransferred to 
the warehouses or vessels from the canal 
boats. The country about Toledo for many 
miles is not interesting or very pleasant, and 
was formerly supposed to be unhealthy.— 
We have, however, heard very little com¬ 
plaint in this respect for several years past, 
and believe that it is more healthy than in 
former years. 
Should we extend our journey to the 
southern part of Ohio, as we noAv contem¬ 
plate, we may perhaps see something worthy 
to “ make a note of,” in Avhich case you will 
hear from us again in a few days. 
Yours truly, c. 
WEATHER AND CROPS IN CENTRAL AND 
EASTERN NEW-YORK. 
Observing in the “Rural” notes of the 
weather and crops in different sections of I 
the country, perhaps a bVief view of those 
things in Central and Eastern New York 
would not be wholly uninteresting. 
During a part of May and early in June, 
there was some want of rain, and vesreta- 
tion suflFered much from the cold. Corn 
and other spring crops were put in very late. 
Broom corn, on the river bottoms, was plant¬ 
ed later than usual. Commencing in June 
it has rained much, and for the last two 
weeks as often as every twenty-four hours. 
The small streams from the hillside have 
been swollen into torrents, doing damage to 
fences, crops and roads. 
All the spring crops, with the exception 
of broom corn, look unusually promising. 
Some farmers have abandoned the broom 
corn, and others consider it a poor chance. 
Winter rye promises an abundant har¬ 
vest Grass, both in meadow and pasture, 
is abundant—making the dairies yield quite 
as much as usual. 
During the continuance of warm weath¬ 
er but little cheese is going forward, and as 
the market is full, prices are receding. It 
is more than probable that the highest point 
in price, for the season, has been reached. 
Mohateky N, Y., July 6, 1850. H. c. w. 
Housing Manure.— It is miserable econ¬ 
omy to throw manure out into the open air, 
and leave it exposed to all the variations of 
the weather till it is wanted for use. Some 
build sheds over their hovel windows, to 
protect their manure heaps. This is a good 
improvement, but a manure cellar is better. 
So thinks the American Agriculturist 
HARVESTING WHEAT. 
The results of repeated experiments, with 
a view to determine the proper time of cut¬ 
ting wheat, show us that it can hardly be 
done too early after the grain is fully form¬ 
ed; and the late Mr. Colman, from the 
practice of English farmers and his own 
experience, concludes that “the best rule 
for harvesting is not merely when the stalk 
below the head has changed color, and the 
circulations have consequently ceased, but 
when the grain, though it has ceased to 
yield any milk upon pressure, is yet soft.— 
It then ripens well in the sheaf; it yields 
more and better flour; and none is lost by 
shaking as it is when it is suffered to stand 
until it has become dead ripe.” The dif¬ 
ference made by a week’s earlier harvesting 
has amounted to 3 lbs. in the bushel, while 
a greater quantity, as well as better quali¬ 
ty of bread is given from the same amount 
of wheat by measurement. 
When the weather is good, it is perhaps 
best to leave the grain lying in the swath 
for one day, or if bound up immediately, it 
should be in small sheaves, the quality of 
both wheat and straw being thereby im¬ 
proved beyond the additional labor. It is 
well in all cases to have sufficient help to 
do the raking and binding well and thor¬ 
oughly ; for more is gained in grain than is 
lost in wages, and a good cradler should 
keep two men busily employed in taking up 
after him. Good implements are ever an 
advantage, and it is better to i-xpend a few 
dollars to procure them on the start, than 
to be obliged to stop, with half a dozen 
hands waiting, to tinker up defective ones. 
In early harvesting it is necessary that 
the wheat should dry longer in the shock, 
than when fully ripe. Should no rain oc¬ 
cur, the common practice of setting up the 
sheaves in a double row, with the heads 
resting against each other, is the most sim¬ 
ple and will prove to be the best. But 
against heavy rains, this affords little pro¬ 
tection, as does covering .shocks formed in 
the same manner, with sheaves laid on hor¬ 
izontally, the heads touching each other.— 
The best mode perhaps, while at the same 
time it gives but little trouble, is to set up 
half a dozen sheaves in a round, compact 
form, and cover them with two others, bro¬ 
ken in the middle and laid on in the form 
of a cross, with the ends spread out forming 
a perfect and reliable cap for the shelter of 
the shock from the severest storm. 
If, as a late writer supposes, smut in wheat 
is caused by sowing unripe and defective 
grain, and that the efficacy of brining the 
seed is derived from its separating out such 
wheat, it would be well to suffer a portion 
of our fields to ripen, especially for sowing, 
for any crop which will improve the staple 
production of our country is worth our 
trouble and attention. n. 
FOWLS.-ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES. 
Mr. Moore :—Will you inform “ W’^. R. 
S., and two or three otliers,” that I keep 
none other but Dorking fowls, and can sup¬ 
ply a reasonable demand, next fall, at twelve 
shillings per pair. They can be shipped 
heads up, with care, to any respectable place. 
Yours, &c. S. Heston. 
Batavia, N. Y., June, 1850. 
Cochin China Fowls. — In the Rural 
New-Yorker I noticed an inquiry respect¬ 
ing this breed of fowls — where they could 
be had, &c. Mr. J. Crist of this place pro¬ 
cured a stock of them from Massachusetts, 
and is now raising a quantity of them.— 
He will have from twenty to thirty in con¬ 
dition for marketing this fall. Orders ad¬ 
dressed to him at Mohawk, Herkimer Co., 
will receive attention, and the fowls careful¬ 
ly forwarded as desired. h. c. w. 
PROF. ESPY’S THEORY OF STORMS. 
As some interest has been awakened here 
of late on meteorology, we propose to present 
our readers a brief view of the “theory 
of storms,” called the •■“Espy theory”— 
so designated to distinguish it from another 
and kindred theory, named the “ Redfield 
theory.” The latter theory presented by 
W. C. Redfield, Esq., of New York, is sup¬ 
ported by Lieut Col. Reid, of the Royal 
Engineers, and Dr. Dove. 
Mr. Espy, in his theory, professes to ex¬ 
plain all the seven phenomena of rain, hail, 
snow, waterspouts, winds and barometric 
fluctuations. The following is a brief sy¬ 
nopsis of his theory: 
“ 1. Atmospheric air is subject to expan¬ 
sion, — either by heat or by a diminution of 
pressure. 
• 2. Aqueous vapor is spacifically lighter 
than atmospheric air,—its weight, under 
given circumstances, being only about five- 
eighths of that of air. 
3. When a portion of air becomes lighter 
than the surrounding air, from expansion by 
heat, from being more lightly charged with 
vapor, or from any other cause, it ascends. 
4. Air, in ascending from a lower to a 
higher region, is subject to diminished pres¬ 
sure, and consequently to expansion. 
5. The atmosphere is capable of contain¬ 
ing, and does always contain a certain quan¬ 
tity of water in a state to transparent vapor. 
6. This capacity of the atmosphere for 
containing water increases much more rap¬ 
idly than the temperature. 
V. The quantity of water actually in so¬ 
lution, varies greatly, at different times and 
places, independently of the temperature; 
the air, at a given temperature, sometimes 
being filled nearly or quite to the extent of 
its capacity, while at others, it falls far short 
of it. 
8. If from any cause, the temperature of 
a portion of air, containing a given quantity 
of vapor, be reduced to a certain point, that 
is, at all below the dew-point, it must de- 
posite a portion of the water. 
9. Expansion, arising from diminished 
pressure, is attended by diminished temper¬ 
ature. The actual diminution of tempera¬ 
ture, on this account, in ascending from 
the surface of the earth, is about a degree 
and a fourth, for every hundred yards; and 
consequently air, highly charged with va¬ 
por, that is, with a high dew-point, would 
not have to ascend very high before con¬ 
densation must commence. 
10. The condensation of vapor is attended 
with the disengagement of a very large 
quantity—more than a thousand degrees— 
of latent caloric. In other words, sufficient 
caloric is set at liberty, by the condensation 
of a given quantity of vapor, to raise the 
temperature of-a hundi-ed times that quan¬ 
tity of matter (of the same specific caloric) 
ten degrees.” 
Heat is the life-giving element in this 
theory, as of every other storm theoiy. w. 
Millet.— A word or so upon the use of 
millet. It is excellent food for poultry, fed 
in the grain—young chickens are particu¬ 
larly fond of it, while it agrees with thena. 
When ground into meal, or chop, it is as 
good as rye for all the purposes of mash 
feeding; horses and all kinds of cattle are 
fond of, and thrive upon it; when made in¬ 
to slops for hogs and milch cows, it is found 
not only grateful to those animals, but the 
first will thrive and grow fat upon it, while 
the last will be assisted in the secretion and 
quality of their milk.— Ex. 
j 
In Cheshire, Mass., an apple tree measur¬ 
ing 13 feet in circumference, has borne from* 
90 to 110 bushels of apples in a season. 
NUMBER 29 . 
ABOUT THOSE VIRGINIA LANDS. 
Mr. Moore : —The description of farming 
lands in the tide-water region of Virginia, 
as given by Mr. Griscom, in number 25 of 
the Rural New-Yorker, attracted my at¬ 
tention particularly, and I am desirous of 
obtaining further information concerning 
that region of country. With your permis¬ 
sion I will offer a few suggestions, and make 
some inquiries which it is hoped Mr. G. or 
some other Virginia subscriber to your pa¬ 
per will answer. 
Mr. Griscom invites those tarmers of 
Western New York who are swarming off 
from oui' thickly settled districts, to go to 
the fine tide-water region of Virginia, and 
cultivate the “ now idle and waste lands ” 
to be had there at a very low price, instead 
of emigrating to the West. The prominent 
reasons given to induce emigration in the 
direction mentioned, are, ready access to 
market, the*cheapness of land, mildness of 
the climate, and the natural fertility of the 
soil and its easy cultivation. These reasons 
are- all of the first importance to the farmer, 
and where all are combined certainly pre¬ 
sent strong inducements tO those-who are 
in pursuit of a new home. The advantages 
mentioned, however, are not the only re¬ 
quisites sought, or that should be sought, 
by those who have been reared in the pop¬ 
ulous districts of New York and other Nor¬ 
thern States. Our people, and especially our 
enterprising young men, who would be most 
likely to emigrate in order to better their 
condition and prospects—to establis-h homes 
and rear and educate families of their own 
—•should look for sections where they may 
enjoy at least some of the religious and ed¬ 
ucational privileges which they leave, and 
to which they have so long been accustom¬ 
ed. These arc matters of considerable 
magnitude, and I would ask for information 
relative to the state of the country and so¬ 
ciety in the two particulars to which allusion 
has been made—religion and education. 
There is another matter of great import¬ 
ance to persons of limited means. Are not 
the lands in the region mentioned so im¬ 
poverished, so completely “ worn out,” as 
to require much expense and labor to make 
them sufficiently productive to grow profit¬ 
able crops ? My impression is that it would 
take from four to six years to put the ex¬ 
hausted lands under a fair state of cultiva¬ 
tion, and that the purchaser would be sub¬ 
jected to considerable labor and expense.— 
In this I may be mistaken, and shall cer¬ 
tainly be pleased to find that my impression 
is wrong—for I frankly admit that the cli¬ 
mate and location strike me favorably.— 
But unless the land could be made product¬ 
ive without a heavy outlay of both time 
and money, I am inclined to believe, that, 
taking all things into consideration, little 
would be gained by a removal from West¬ 
ern New York to Virginia. 
As Mr. Griscom has promised to give 
more light on the subject, I trust he will in 
doing so, allude to the points I have speci¬ 
fied. Also, the staple products, and pres¬ 
ent average of different crops, in his section. 
And likewise whether the soil is infested 
with “ evil weeds ” and destructive insects, 
and to what extent—all which are matters 
to be considered in purchasing farming 
lands in any section. The fine clim^||( and 
easy access to market, would be of little 
consequence unless good crops could be 
produced and secured. 
But I have already trespassed upon your 
valuable space, and perhaps wearied the 
reader. I will therefore close by repeating 
the wish before expressed, that Mr. G. or 
some other competent person, will furnish 
further information — particularly on the 
topics mentioned above. Ontario. 
Ontario Co,, July, 1850. , 
