MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY JOURNAL. 
MORGAN HORSES-GEN. GIFFORD. 
Mr. Moore :—In reading the communi¬ 
cation of Mr. Marks, in your number of 
March 27th, I am highly pleased to see the 
history of the Morgan family of horses re¬ 
capitulated ; but am at a loss to discover 
that Mr. Marks after all makes out a case 
of necessity for his caution—on his own 
statement. 
The general description of the figure, ac ¬ 
tivity and excellence of Gen. Gifford is not 
disputed by him, but simply his descent 
from a Morgan dam. A pure Morgan of 
course means no more or less than a genuine 
Morgan—a dam unquestionably descended 
from a genuine Morgan horse. This I re¬ 
gard as of little consequence of itself, be¬ 
cause I am led to suppose that in and in 
breeding, except in a remote degree, is not 
likely to improve the breed of any animal 
—and Mr. Marks takes pains to lay down 
the same position in respect to draught 
horses, viz., that for draught a cross of the 
Morgan with other breeds is desirable. 
But upon this point, even, Gen. Gifford 
stands on as good footing as Mr. Marks’ 
horse. Mr. M. has only the authority of 
the gentleman he purchased of for saying 
his horse is from a Morgan dam. Mr. Ma¬ 
son had the authority of Judge Blodgett 
of whom he bought this horse, that the 
General is also from' a Morgan mare, and I 
presume no one will question Judge Blod¬ 
gett’s testimony any more than Mr. W ier’s. 
But Mr. Marks does the General the 
justice to say he is a horse of fine form, 
spirit and action, and that his stock is in 
good repute. Pretty good recommenda¬ 
tions, I should think. None of these points 
does he dispute, but expressly concedes 
them, and admits Gen. Gifford to be de¬ 
scended from Gifford Morgan — though af¬ 
terwards he speaks of him as only said to 
be descended from 'Gifford Morgan. By 
whom he was said to be, may be seen by 
reference to the Cultivator for 1846, in a 
letter from Mr. Wier, above mentioned, to 
the editors of that journal—accompanied 
with a cut of Gifford Morgan, and announ¬ 
cing his intention of exhibiting him at the 
then ensuing State Fair at Auburn, together 
with a six year old stallion of his get, “closely 
resembling him in form, color, action, dc., 
and a very perfect animal .” 
This six year old stallion was Gen. Gif¬ 
ford. I leave it to personal examination of 
the horse whether Mr. Wier’s judgment 
was not correct in selecting Gen. Gifford at 
at the first exhibition of Gifford Morgan in 
this State, as the best representative of the 
stock of his sire. Undoubtedly he consid¬ 
ered him if not the best, as good a speci¬ 
men as could be found, and he was larger 
and heavier, and considerably finer in the 
head and neck than the old horse, and uni¬ 
versally conceded to be a better animal. 
Gentleman in Onondaga county,acquaint¬ 
ed both with Mr. Marks’ horse and Gen. 
Gifford, and also gentlemen in Vermont 
who were acquainted with the Morgan hor¬ 
ses, were consulted as to the horse that 
should represent that class of horses, by 
the publishers of the new Edition of that 
standard work, Youatt on the Horse, with¬ 
out any reference to me and without any 
knowledge of mine, who were all agreed 
in selecting him as the horse of all others 
to be represented in that work—and doubt¬ 
less this fact more than any other has called 
forth Mr. Marks’ article in your paper.— 
Upon the authority of Mr. Wier, supported 
by the evidence of Mr. Morgan of Lima, 
N. Y.,—who has, as I understand, seen the 
old Justin Morgan horse—Gifford Morgan 
more closely resembled the old Justin Mor¬ 
gan horse than any other; and upon the 
authority of Mr. Wier that Gen. Gifford 
closely resembles his sire in form, color, 
action, &c., and upon the authority of all 
who have seen both horses that I have 
heard express an opinion, the General ex¬ 
celled the old Gifford in several particulars, 
may it not safely be said that Gen. Gifford 
is the best living Morgan horse ? 
Mr. Marks undoubtedly has a horse pos¬ 
sessing, (according to the certificates of his 
pedigree published in his article,) a high de¬ 
gree of Morgan blood—possibly a little too 
much; that is, descended from rather too 
near relations. But be that as Jit may, 
whether he is equal to General Gifford or 
superior, can best be determined by those 
who have not seen both by a comparison 
and personal examination. If Mr. Marks’ 
horse is possessed of a greater share of 
Morgan blood, but deficient in size, sym¬ 
metry of form, strength and activity to 
Gen. Gifford, no one would be at a loss to 
which to give the preference. 
Mr. Wier’s good opinion of Gen. Gif¬ 
ford’s stock is derived as well from experi¬ 
ence as observation, he having a colt from 
him, if I mistake not, by his mare Dolley, 
and is fortified also by the judgment of the 
Onondaga County Agricultural Society, 
which, in 1848, awarded a silver medal to 
Munro <fc Mason for the stallion (Gen. Gif¬ 
ford,) producing the ten best sucking colts. 
As I do not see that Mr. Marks has 
made out much cause of objection to Gen. 
Gifford, I hope at the next State Fair he 
will favor the public with an exhibition of 
his horse, and let his merits be judged of 
somewhat from his external appearance, and 
if that shows him to be the better horse 1 
shall certainly be willing that he shall take 
the place as such. Those acquainted with 
Gen. Gifford, and with Morgan horses, think 
he is qualified to do his own talking, and to 
demonstrate what right he has to be con¬ 
sidered the best living representative of his 
race. Very respectfully yours, 
C. W. Ingersoll. 
Lodi, N. Y., April 9, 1851. 
ABOUT PLOWING. 
Mr. Moore: —When my welcome “Ru¬ 
ral” is received from the post office, and the 
boys have allayed their impatience to “swal¬ 
low the whole,” by looking at the pictures 
of mighty men, tall mountains, pretty hou¬ 
ses, and all other things of nature and art, 
that seem to be coming on its pages in 
proper order—and my wife has read the 
“Ladies department,” “Domestic Econo¬ 
my,” and particulalry “ The Story,” invari¬ 
ably on the last page— then comes my turn 
to give it a perusal with intense interest. 
In number 12, present volume, I no¬ 
tice (page 89) L. Manly says some good 
things upon plowing, and allows others to 
“controvert any of the points laid down.” 
This would not be my desire were I com¬ 
petent. I notice his manner of flat and lap 
furrow plowing, and object to his leaving 
any portion of the land uncut for a hinge to 
turn upon, which is too nearly approaching 
the “ cut and cover ” system. If in any 
case it is best to lay flat furrows, the only 
way in my experience is to plow sufficient¬ 
ly shallow to allow the slice to drop into 
the furrow, not being rolled over far enough 
to lap on the next furrow by the thickness 
of its edge, which is the true cause and 
the only reason for lapping furrows. Sup¬ 
pose a furrow r 5 inches deep when it rolls 
over moves towards the last furrow the 
same number of inches, it falls flat, perfect¬ 
ly upside down; whereas if 10 inches deep 
it rolls the same number of inches, and 
consequently, where the 5 inch furrow would 
drop in, the 10 inch furrow laps 5 inches 
on the next furrow—either cutting wider 
than the share will cut clean, or so narrow 
as to depend upon the mould board to 
“ shove it out of place,” and creates un¬ 
necessary friction, one of the difficulties 
your correspondent wisely desires to over¬ 
come. When a plow has raised its furrow, 
cut clear, and carried it so far over that its 
own gravity will carry it to its resting place, 
without any further moving the slice from 
its original place than is accomplished in the 
act of rolling over, then is the work done 
with the least possible friction, and conse¬ 
quently greatest ease to team and plowman. 
To cause a furrow to lap, and fie the lap¬ 
ping angle, can not be done by any “ shov¬ 
ing it a little out of place,” unless the fur¬ 
row is at least 3 inches in width to 2 in 
depth, with any plow I have used. 
I perceive your correspondent “Plowboy” 
says, (in No. 14, present volume, 1st page,) 
that “from 15 years experience and obser¬ 
vation the best plowing is done by taking 
a good plow, that will turn a furrow not 
over one foot wide, and not less than ten 
inches deep.” Now to do this would be 
very satisfactorj', and if there is such a 
“good plow,” I hope he will inform your 
readers of its whereabouts, which will in¬ 
sure the manufacturer the sale of at least 
one. With the plows I have seen used a 
furrow slice of these dimensions is turned on 
the edge, which is 10 inches, into a furrow 
12 inches wide, and leaves a space of two 
inches, with plenty of air, light, and moist¬ 
ure, and the dirt sufficiently loosened to 
give the grass a fine start and growth, and 
would be in my soil difficult to overcome 
with even a fifty tooth harrow. 
In No. 13, page 99, a common sense 
mode of plowing twice in one furrow, is 
SEYMOUR’S GRAIN DRILL. 
[In one of the early numbers of our first | 
volume we called attention to this Drill; 
and, having no reason to change the opinion 
then expressed,, republish the notice for the 
benefit of grain growers. Those wishing 
further information than is given below are 
referred to an advertisement in this paper.] 
This machine is the invention of a prac¬ 
tical man and good mechanic, and the re¬ 
sult of several years trial and experience. 
It is well and thoroughly made—simple in 
its construction and certain in its operation. 
It possesses one advantage that we think 
very important in a seed sower—the readi¬ 
ness with which the person attending it can 
see whether any of the droppers (or tubes) 
copied from the Dollar Newspaper. I have 
practiced successfully in this description of 
plowing. It leaves no edges of sods with 
grass to contend with in after culture; nei¬ 
ther is there too flat and thin inverted sod, 
from which to raise sufficient tilth to sup¬ 
port the crop put upon it; but we have a 
pulverized bed of mould, easy to plant or 
sow, with a preparation of vegetation in the 
required place, to be reached by the roots 
of plants at the proper time, and in the 
proper condition to do the desired benefit. 
To save this double work of team, I have 
taken one of a gang of plows and put upon 
it a coulter shear, and placed it on the un¬ 
der side of my plow beam, which cuts 6 
inches wide and 3 inches deep,-turning half 
of the 12 inch furrow taken by the plow 
following over upon the other half, doubling 
the grass sides together; then comes the 
plow, 5 inches deeper, turning the sod en¬ 
tirely into the bottom of the furrow, and 
covers it 5 inches deep, with a perfectly pul¬ 
verized mould. After many years experi¬ 
ence in the use of the plow, this is to me 
the most satisfactory experiment. The same 
thing is done (only on too large a scale for 
a small farmer,) by the “ Michigan Subsoil 
Plow.” I commenced plowing for my 
father in 1810, at 10 years of age, when the 
old • “ Bull plow,” with wood mould board 
was in use. Farmers then made the wood 
part of their own plows, and in fitting the 
“ chip,” a rule was to take a good 12 feet 
oak rail, and by the time it fitted the shear 
perfectly it was just long enough to receive 
the handle and beam. I have been trying 
to learn to plow ever since, and the more I 
try to learn, the more I find I need to learn. 
I am no theorist, and this is my first effort 
at writing upon the subject, which has for 
its object to ask theorists, first, to reduce 
their theories to practice, which may possi¬ 
bly save me the trouble of testing each 
theory, as I invariably do to prove its valid¬ 
ity or falsity—my own judgment to the 
contrary of some theories notwithstanding. 
I hope to learn yet many valuable les¬ 
sons from the various agricultural papers of 
which I am in regular receipt. I am now 
over 50, and have only had 40 years prac¬ 
tice, and hope as I become infirm by age, 
that an informed head upon this nice art, 
will alleviate the task of the hands. 
Truly, <fec., A Down Easter. 
April 7, 1851. 
Rural Advantage.— In an essay on 
“Currency” we find a little fact stated, 
which is worth pasting on the outside of 
the sugar-bowl for a few days, till your 
memory has made sure of it: 
> “ Wealth is altogether a comparative 
term. It denotes the accumulation of val¬ 
ue to the degree of pre-eminence. This is 
the reason why a man is in one place re¬ 
garded as wealthy, who in another would 
be deemed poor. A rich man does not sig¬ 
nify the same thing in all situations. A 
city competence makes in the country of¬ 
tentimes an abundant fortune.” 
In dry pastures dig for water on the brow 
of a hill; springs are more frequently near 
the surface on a height than in a vale. 
fail to deliver the grain regularly, as they 
are all in plain sight, and under the eye of 
the driver. From its peculiar construction, 
a failure to deliver the seed constantly, 
is a fault not likely to occur. The drill 
teeth are easily controlled by the operator: 
they can be raised, and the dropping of 
seed stopped, at onct, with one lever—or 
one may be raised at a time. 
This Drill sows or plants wheat, oats, bar¬ 
ley, corn, beans, peas, &c. — and is also ca¬ 
pable of sowing fine manures with grain, 
such as plaster, lime and ashes. It can be 
changed, in a few minutes, from a drill to a 
broad-cast sower—an additional advantage 
and recommendation. 
NORTHERN WISCONSIN. 
Tjiat portion of country familiarly term¬ 
ed Northern Wisconsin, is situated in the 
valley of the North Fox or Neenah River, 
and the country adjacent to Lake Winne¬ 
bago. Deriving its name perhaps from its 
being the northern extent of the surveyed 
lands of the State of Wisconsin, it should 
more strictly be called Central Wisconsin. 
In the progress of that adventurous spirit 
which so characterized the French, at the 
time of their settlement of North America, 
this country came under their notice as 
early as 1670. Under the auspices of the 
French Jesuits, Lasalle, Father Marquette, 
Hennepin, and others, following the route of 
the St. Lawrence, and the Great Lakes ar- 
| rived at that portion of Lake Michigan, 
which from the fresh appearance of the 
vegetation upon its borders, they named 
Green Bay. Therjce pursuing the route of 
the Neenah to the Portage, between it and 
what is now called the Wisconsin, over 
which they carried their frail canoes, and 
following the course of the river to its junc¬ 
tion with the father of waters, they discov¬ 
ered a route, which, though long unoccu¬ 
pied, on account of a few obstructions, 
promises to be one of much consequence, 
not only to this State, but also to the Ter¬ 
ritory of Minnesota. 
From the meager records of those trav¬ 
elers, it appears, that they were enraptured 
with the natural appearance of the country, 
so different from the woody forests upon tlie 
banks of the St. Lawrence, smiling with, to 
them, unknown plants and flowers, and re¬ 
minding them much of La Belle France.— 
They urged its immediate occupation; ac¬ 
cordingly settlements both for trading with 
the natives, and advancing the tenets of the 
prevailing religious faith of France, were 
commenced at Green Bay, Prairie Du 
Chien, and other places further south, in 
the present States of Illinois and Missouri. 
But upon the occupation of the French 
possessions in North America, by the Eng¬ 
lish, these settlements were suffered to de¬ 
cay, on account of their immense distance 
from the occupied portions upon the At¬ 
lantic coast, and the constant aggressions 
of the hostile tribes of Indians, inhabiting 
the country, who, led on by French emis¬ 
saries, were more or less warlike until after 
the Revolution. 
Thus for a long period, this country re¬ 
mained unknown to the whites, except to 
some few traders. The French emigrants 
commingling with the natives, became assim¬ 
ilated to them in manners and customs.— 
But little of this country was further known 
to the whites until the exploratory tour of 
Gen. Cass, Schoolcraft and Doty, in 
1820; by them the eastern portion of Wis¬ 
consin was pretty thoroughly traversed.— 
Yet, but little of its natural resources were 
known till after the Black Hawk war, which 
put an end to native aggressions. Very 
soon after this war, settlements were begun 
in the mineral regions. Green Bay in 
Northern Wisconsin, and many other places 
attracted notice, and during the sudden in¬ 
flations of ’36 and ’37, occupied the atten¬ 
tion of speculators and pioneers. But the 
route of navigation setting in to the head of 
Lake Michigan, and it being the rage to 
settle prairie lands, rather than those tim¬ 
bered, this part of the country remained 
but little occupied until 1846, since which 
time the tide of emigration has set in to this 
quarter, and the country has been settled 
with a rapidity hitherto unexampled in 
Wisconsin. Such has been the rush of em¬ 
igration to the valley of the Fox river, that 
not only the surveyed portion of the coun¬ 
try has been occupied, but much of the 
country lately acquired by the treaty with 
the Menominees, has been settled by hardy 
emigrants, anxious for an early survey of 
these lands, in order that they may secure 
their titles! 
This in part has been brought about by 
a knowledge of the fact, that the United 
States Government has given the alternate 
sections of land adjacent to Fox river, for 
three miles in width, for the purpose of im- 
improving the river, and removing the 
obstructions which hinder its free navi¬ 
gation. This work is now in progress, 
and has been completed to some ex¬ 
tent, viz., a canal two miles in length at 
the Portage formerly spoken of—the up¬ 
per part of Fox river dredged, to open a 
channel obstructed by wild rice and allu¬ 
vial deposits, and several dams and locks, 
finished and commenced between the foot 
of Lake Winnebago and Green Bay. 
In my next communication, I will give 
your readers a description of the unlimited 
water power between Lake Winnebago and 
Green Bay, together with some account of 
the numerous villages and towns, springing 
up along this new inland navigation. 
William Blanchard. 
VVaukau, Winnebago Co., Wis., 1851. 
SUPERIORITY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 
It is well known to most of our readers, 
that an annual show of fat stock, of all kinds, 
is held in the month of December, at the 
Srnithfield Market, London, England, which 
is by far the largest and best of anything of 
the kind in Europe. That for last Decem¬ 
ber was superior, probably, to any one pre¬ 
ceding it. To exhibit in class 8th, the fol¬ 
lowing requisites were necessary:— 
“Fattened cows of five years old, and up¬ 
wards, without restriction as to feeding; 
yet, the kind, or kinds of food must be 
certified. Freemartins and spayed heifers 
are not qualified. 1st prize of £20, (about 
$190,) and silver medal to the breeder, and 
gold medal, as the best cow or heifer in the 
7th, 8th, and 9th classes.” 
The above prize and medals were won 
by Mr. Gooch, of Norfolk, on a short-horn 
cow five years and three months old. She 
was fed on linseed cake, (oil cake,) linseed 
and barley meal, mangel wurtzel, turnips, 
and hay. This is a kind of feed which does 
not equal our Indian meal; but as corn is 
not raised in England, it is too high priced 
to be fed to cattle, at a profit. 
Mr. Moreton, one of the best practical 
farmers and most able writers on ’agricul¬ 
ture, in England, and now editor of the 
Agricultural Gazette, thus speaks of the 
above cow, in his remarks in his paper, on 
the stock at the Srnithfield show; and let it 
be observed, that he has been an attendant 
on these shows, and a critical observer for 
20 years. 
“In class 8th, the prize silver and gold 
medal for cows went to a short-horn animal, 
which eclipses, in our opinion, every beast 
of the kind in the show, and of any other 
show of our recollection. The color was, of 
all others, the most fashionable in a straw¬ 
berry roan; the head, eyes, ears, and horns, 
faultless beyond comparison, and the car¬ 
cass level, compact, and cylindrical, without 
any approach to equality in any animal of 
the exhibition. No specimen of a cow ever 
struck us so forcibly as a prominent type 
of the necessary character. The touch was 
soft but not silky, and fleshy without being 
placed in lumps. Our pleasure is truly 
sincere in giving this opinion of the animal. 
The second prize went to a short-horn cow, 
of very good points, but completely shaded 
by the fore-mentioned animal.” 
When will the farmers of the United 
States awake to the superiority of this une¬ 
qualled breed of cattle, and more generally 
rear them, or the beautiful Devons, instead 
of the miserable animals that now pervade 
the country ? If improved horses, cattle, 
sheep, swine, and poultry were generally 
reared throughout the country; it- would 
add several millions annually to the value 
of our agricultural products.— Am. Ag. 
The growers of wool in Vermont are 
importing into that State the full-blooded 
merino sheep, and have already found the 
great advantage of the enterprise. A Mr. 
Jesse Hinds, of Meridon, imported lately 
wo ewes, at an expense of $200 each. 
They will yield, it is said, an average of 
twelve pounds of wool. 
