■ 
: ?;3 
VOLUME II. NO. 81. 
M.OOKE’S RURAL XI-W-YORKER: 
A WEEKLY ..’OCR'NA?,, DEVOTED to 
Agriculture, Horticulture, Mechanic Arts and Sci¬ 
ence, Education, Rural and Domestic Economy, 
General Intelligence, the Markets, &c.. &c, 
CONDUCTED BY B. D. T. MOORE, 
ASSISTED BY 
J. H. Bixnv, L. WETHER El,!,, and H. C. WHITE. 
Contributors and Correspondents: 
Dr. M. M. ItODGEItS, Foreign Correspondent. 
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l -mtiMM 1 
ltO CHEST Ell, N. Y.—THURSDAY, MAJTW, 1851 
I, . B. !,ano\vortiiy, Chester Dewey, lj,. d., 
IVlI.MW GaRBUTT, J. Or,EM ENT, 
S. i*. Chapman, 1). W. B.vi.i.ou, Jr., 
David Er.Y, R. G. Pardee, 
Myron Adams, 1. Hii.dreth, 
II. P. Norton, J.\s. H. Watts, 
T. C. Peters, W. K. WvokoFK, 
P. W. Lay, W. H. Bristol, 
T. E. Wetmorb, Wm. Perry Poqo, 
R. B. Warren, S. Luther, 
Archibald Stonb, X,. 1). Whitino. 
And numerous others—practical, scientific, and literary 
writers—whose names are necessarily omitted. 
PK0GRE8S AND OTPHOVE3ISON'JT« 
-■ .. - -- - ... . 
LP1TTERS" ON 
EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE, ETC. 
BY M. M. RODGERS, M. D- 
13 H 6* 5L A. ?>i 53 , 
THE WOULD'3 INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION, i 
London, April 20, 1831. 
D. D. T. Moore, Esq.— Dear Sir: We 
are now on the eve of the opening of the 
greatest Fair ever held in any age or coun¬ 
try. The Fair is to he opened by the 
Queen of England in person. In no coun¬ 
try but England, in my humble opinion, 
could a conception so grand, and a work so 
vast and costly, be carried out to perfection. 
The resources of the country are made evi¬ 
dent by the magnitude and costliness of the 
work,—the energy and determination of 
character, by the rapidity with which It has 
been carried forward,—and the liberality 
of the people, by their willingness to invite 
to their own country all nations, for- the 
purpose of an honorable competition of 
genius and skill. There is as yet no ap¬ 
pearance of jealousy, —no fear of rivalship, 
and no disposition to speculate at th# ex¬ 
pense of their foreign neighbors. Every 
effort is made to do justice to all,—to ren¬ 
der the sojourn of strangers profitable and 
pleasant,—and in fact to redeem all their 
pledges. 
This Exhibition is unique, and peculiar 
to the age we live in; —it is a great experi¬ 
ment, and will be attended by great and far 
reaching consequences, which no human 
foresight can* justly estimate before hand. 
Fears are entertained as to some of its re¬ 
sults. It is a fearful as well as novel enter¬ 
prise; and the consequences to nations and 
individuals must be in some respects im¬ 
portant and decisive. Every person who 
appears in this arena of the world, to make 
a public exhibition of bis skill, must re¬ 
member he is to undergo an ordeal such as 
he never before experienced, and to have 
his works recorded and held up to the na¬ 
tions of the earth, to be approved or ridi¬ 
culed and condemned. Here genius will 
have no sympathy for stupidity,—skill will 
have no' mercy on rude handicraft,—and 
taste be restrained by no arbitrary rules; 
and moreover, there will be no appeal from 
the decision of this tribunal,—as each case 
is decided, so it stands recorded till the 
next World’s Fair sets aside the decision. 
The work of finishing the building and 
unpacking and arranging ihe articles, is 
going on rapidly,—a thousand busy hands 
are plied from morning till evening, as if in 
a death-like strife against time, which will 
soon bring the fearful hour, and perchance 
find them without their house set in order. 
The whole thing has already passed the 
various transformations, and arrived, at that 
stage in which the shell is soon to be cast 
off, and the gaudy colors and shining form 
of the perfect being to appear. Here may 
already be seen the beautiful marbles from 
the once proud and classic Greece, and sun¬ 
ny Italy,—but with the revolutions of time, 
the genius that could bring from them the 
living forms, has passed away, and one looks 
upon the care-worn visage of the poor artist, 
and beholds in it the indications of a final 
struggle to save from annihilation the last 
spark of a fire that once illumined the world. 
England is here in all her pride, piling, 
in massive richness, the products of her 
mines and mountains, and arraying in shin¬ 
ing groups the productions of her man up* 
factories. Gay, volatile France is weaving 
into fairy forms her jewelry, carving, statu¬ 
ary, pearl and ivory fabrics. Germany, 
with thoughtful look and careful hand, is 
slowly bringing out to view, massive bronze ' 
statuary, carved furniture, and enormous 
engines of both peaceful and war-like occu¬ 
pations. The whiskered Russian is also 
seen rasing to a proud height, some coarse 
but true symbol of his taste and genuis, in 
the form of a massive bronze bear or lion. 
Here and there too, the “ poor Indian, 
whose soulproud science never taught to 
stray,” is represented by some gaudy'but 
humble production of his v primitive taste.— 
And last, but by no means least, “Uncle 
Sam” is here, with side-long, suspicious look, 
coolly and quietly stowing away his “ no¬ 
tion's,” so as to make them “ appear to the 
best advantage.” And considering the 
great disparity of age between him and his 
cousins, he does not make a had “show.” 
But still, to take a more serious view of 
the matter, I am not without my apprehen¬ 
sions, about the manner in which the Uni¬ 
ted Slates are to be represented. So far 
they have presented some articles which are 
admired, and considered very creditable: 
this is true of agricultural implements, 
which as yet eclipse all others, particularly 
those of wood. And as we are an agricul¬ 
tural, rather than a manufacturing people, 
this might be expected;—and it is a fact, 
indisputable, that as a whole, American Ag¬ 
riculture is many years in advance of that 
of any other nation. In art, we, like all 
young nations, can do comparatively little. 
Many articles have been sent here from the 
United States, which there was no apology 
or cause for .sending, except the vanity and 
misguided judgment of the makers—and 
which, for the pride of our country, and 
credit of the owners, might better have 
been sunk in the middle of the Atlantic. 
American machinery is considered good 
and philosophical in principle, but not per¬ 
fect in workmanship. There is the appear¬ 
ance tooof every thing benrg doneon a large 
scale, as is the fact in the States, generally; 
but it seems as though all was done in a 
hurry, and almost every thing made for 
mere temporary use. Much error exists in 
the States, as time will show, as to the ease 
with which we are to excel our neighbors, 
and many are to learn a lesson which will 
prove a sovreign cure for their “•brasrering” 
and popularity seeking propensities. They 
and their fabrics will meet a fate which 
might have been avoided by a more exten¬ 
sive knowledge of what and who was in the 
world. It is easy to sit in a corner and 
build castles, and to draw favorable conclu¬ 
sions when we arrange our facts all on one 
side; but a knowledge of what exists, is 
indispensable to a correct conclusion as to 
what can be. But so far as I have seen, 
American articles have this redeeming qual¬ 
ity,—they are all new. This is not true of 
many others. Many an old statue has been 
pulled down from its proud height,—many 
an obsolete machine dragged from its mer¬ 
ited oblivion,—many an antiquated picture 
cleared of its venerable cobwebs and “re¬ 
touched,”—many a long-forgotten trinket 
dug from among a chaos of rubbish, and 
brushed and lackered, as if for a holiday, 
—and all brought here and thrust a second 
time under the worlds nose, for “another .: 
run.” 
Many articles have suffered serious injury 
from transportation, * ad some have been 
entirely destroyed. In this respect Eng¬ 
land has The advantage of all other nations, 
as the articles can be brought-with compar¬ 
atively little injury. In another respect she 
also has the advantage, — articles can be 
brought with little expense. And finally, 
in making the decisiqp as to relative merit, 
she has the advantage in having on the very 
theatre of the exhibition, a powerful and 
partial press to sustain her. The oracles of 
the “Times” are taken as law almost thro’- 
out the world; and if is, indisputably, the 
most able journal‘of the kind that exists. 
One important result of this Exhibition 
will be to determine, to a'great extent, the 
state of civilization, r - v-ii as genius*and 
art, of the different bunches of the human 
family. A high smte of art, and especially 
ornamental and iimqe.ginative art, is a true 
index to the state of civilization, if not moral 
condition of a people part is rude and inef¬ 
ficient in proportion to barbarism,—so that 
this is a tolerable correct criterion of nation¬ 
al character. 
Some fearful forebodings are felt here by 
those who are skeptical as to the expedi¬ 
ency of the Exhibition.- One has a thorough 
conviction that the socialists and revolution¬ 
ists of the continent are re ady to unite with 
the chartists of England to overthrow the 
Gi‘cerii:r-'r.t, a.m e: ate ~no .>lut ; i>n; an¬ 
other foresees a long train of evils following 
the close contact of foreigners of divers po¬ 
litical and religious creeds,—a third, with 
large organs of caution, suggests the possi¬ 
bility of fire,—a fourth, that the artizans of 
England are to sustain injury by the compe¬ 
tition, <fec., <fce. Whatever the results may be 
to all concerned, it is certainly a most won¬ 
derful and daring enterprise, and will con¬ 
stitute an era in the history of public exhi¬ 
bitions of this kind, the recollection of 
which will run parallel with written history. 
It is truly surprising that any project could 
be devised that should bring together from 
almost all parts of the world, men of so di¬ 
verse character and creed,—nations both at 
peace and at war,—rivals and co-workers, 
—kings, princes and subjects; not a partic¬ 
ular sect,—not a few leaders or demagogues 
— not the heads of allied dynasties,—not a 
vicious clique leagued against some other; 
but men from all climes,—of all colors, 
creeds and pursuits. Here they meet, 
shake hands, lay down their arms, forget 
their politics and religions, ar.d unite in a 
cordial admiration ar.d generous patronage 
of the productions of those who luork, as 
well as those who think merely. 
And although some unhappy results may 
follow, as perfect success without any mis¬ 
fortune could hardly be expected from a 
human scheme; still, it is certainly a most 
noble demonstration uf the common sym¬ 
pathy and feelings of dependence and fra¬ 
ternity, which, with all their waywardness, 
the different branches of our common fam¬ 
ily still possess for each other. And it ap¬ 
pears to cne who indulges the visionary 
hope of universal peace and unity of pur¬ 
pose, (though far distant beyond our time,) 
like the foreshadowing of that auspicious 
day. Here all manifest a desire to return 
from their widely diverging paths, and re¬ 
alize the truth that “ union is strengthall 
seem for this time to recognise the will of 
our common parent, that each should work 
for the good of all—and with the dispen¬ 
sation of the Divine benediction, the world 
will be the better for this enterprise. 
A pound of beef loses one quarter by 
boiling; an ounce more by roasting. 
1*^ WATSON AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE. 
A * r - 
^jbhuEND Moore:—H aving occasion to 
spend a day or two in this flourishing little 
village, I took the opportunity to inquire 
something of the Agricultural School re¬ 
cently chartered by the legislature, and 
which is to be located here, and also to visit 
the proposed experimental farm on the 
south bank of Clyde River, half a mile dis¬ 
tant from the centre of the business part of 
the village of Civile. The farm consists of 
about fifty acres, composed of almost every 
conceivable variety of soil, capable of being 
compressed into so small a compass. It 
has heretofore been owned and occupied 
by Joseph Watson, Esq., late President o! 
the Wayne County Agricultural Society, 
and one of the most scientific and enterpri¬ 
sing farmers in the county, as the arrange¬ 
ments and improvements on gv farm most 
abundantly show. 
Little more than a year since there was 
organized in the place a Town Society un¬ 
der the style of the “ Galen Agricultural, 
Horticultural, and Mechanical Association,” 
which was the result of Mr. Watson’s ef¬ 
forts, who also by procuring subscriptions to 
the Farmer last year obtained and donated 
to this Asso.fi ition the highest premium for 
subscriptions to that Journal.— It is worthy 
of note that the requisites to constitute 
membership in this association last year 
were a subscription to the Farmer and pay¬ 
ment in advance. 
This Association had frequent meetings 
and at one of these, Mr. Watson submit¬ 
ted a proposition for the establishment of 
an Academy which should embrace in its 
course of sudies, Scientific and Practical 
Agriculture and Domestic Economy, and 
offered, for that purpoSe to give his farm, 
(the one I have mentioned, and for which 
i am told, he has been offered $5,000) to 
the Association, or town, or village, or to 
any body of individuals who should com¬ 
ply with the following terms; viz.—First, 
expend upon the place $5,000 in suitable 
buildings and apparatus for such a school 
and provide for its permanency; and second 
pay to himself and wife during their natu¬ 
ral lives annually $300, and to the survivor 
of the two during life $150, and on the 
decease of both the farm, to become and 
remain the property of the Association. 
A subscription was drawn up and put in 
circulation providing for raising the sum of 
$5,000 in 50 shares of $100 each, — each 
share to en title its holder to the gratuitous 
tuition of one scholar in perpetuity in the 
Institution. These 50 shares, as I under¬ 
stand, have been taken, and with few ex¬ 
ceptions in the town of Galen, in which the 
school is to be located. Nine Trustees 
were elected and a charter obtained with a 
capital of $10,000, with the privilege of in¬ 
creasing it to $30,000, and arrangements 
are hi progress for the erection of suitable 
buildings, and I understand an effort is to 
be made to r aise a fund of $20,000 as an 
endowment. 
The ground has already been determined 
upon for the buildings, and is really admi¬ 
rable ; commanding a full view of the vil¬ 
lage, the river, canal and railroad, and sit¬ 
uated on the road leading to Geneva, 18 
miles south. There probably could not 
have been selected in Western New York 
a more suitable farm or more desirable plan 
for such an Institution. 
The village—one of the most thriving 
and enterprising on the Erie canal—is to 
be intersected by the Rochester and Syra¬ 
cuse Railroad—is well located on the Clyde 
river, surrounded by a country almost un¬ 
surpassed in Agricultural resources and di¬ 
versity of soil—12 miles south of Wolcott 
-i WHOLE NO. 73. 
—14 north from Seneca Falls and Water¬ 
loo— IS from Geneva—8 east of Lyons— 
15 from Newark, and 25 from Palmyra; 
all flourishing villages,—and 20 miles west 
from the city of Auburn, and just midway 
between Rochester and Syracuse. 
IJ. H. Streeter, Esq., a well read prac¬ 
tical farmer is President of the Association, 
and the Trustees are all intelligent men, and 
with but two exceptions, practical farmers- 
No aid lias been solicited from, or fur¬ 
nished by the Legislature, but surely no 
more worthy object could be presented for 
the encouragement and aid of the State, 
and it is to be hoped some suitable appro¬ 
priations may soon be made to render this 
a permanent and successful effort to im¬ 
prove the agriculture of this part of the 
State, and to give that encouragement to 
this individual enterprise which it so well 
merits. This is the first undertaking oi the 
kind in the country, and entered upon as it 
seems, under auspices which should, and I 
believe from the interest taken in it at home, 
will render it successful. s. t. 
WASHING SHEEP. 
Eds. Rural: —As it is near the time of 
sheep-washing, I drop you a few lines on 
that subject, not that I have anything new 
to offer—but that I believe we do not all 
take the best course in performing the 
operation. 
There are four essential things to be con¬ 
sidered,—1st. The most effectual cleansing 
of the wool; 2nd. The ease and conveni¬ 
ence of the washer; 3d. The position and 
management of the sheep—which is hard 
at the best; and 4th, keeping them clean 
.after they are washed. 
The best way I ever tried was washing 
under a spout—and I will give you a de¬ 
scription of my plan, and advise all to try 
it who have not. I take three common 
fence boards, 12 feet long and 7 inches 
wide, nail them together for a trough, and 
in about three hours time, we erect a 
small dam, in a stream that runs through 
my farm, so as to get about four feet fall. 
We have a descent in the trough of about 
4 inches in the 12 feet, and when the water 
is 3 inches deep at the lower end, we have 
water enough —(for too much water and 
too great a fall will kill the sheep.) We 
then made a platform under the spout to 
keep the sheep out of the dirt and mud.— 
We then place a sheep under the spout 
and keep it constantly turning or moving 
until the water strikes every part of the 
sheep. The water turns the wool in small 
flakes, and drives with sufficient force to take 
the dirt all out. We then let our sheep run 
in a clean pasture till clipping time. 
Here are some of the advantages gain¬ 
ed by this course. The washer does not 
stand in the cold water while washing—the 
sheep is not all under the water at the same 
time—the dirty water passes immediately 
away; and, we need not drive our sheep 
two or three miles in a dusty road, after 
they are washed, their wet wool catching 
all tiie dust that rises. John Watson. 
East Java, N. Y., May 12, 1851. 
Fowl Industry.—B y an Essay on the 
latest discoveries and improvements in the 
breeding and general management of do¬ 
mestic fowls, we find that these little philo- 
progenitives turn their love of a family to 
some account: 
“ By the census of 1840, it appears that 
the value of this branch of productive indus¬ 
try amounted to nearly §13,000,000. The 
value of poultry in the single State of New 
York was $2,373,029; and it is estimated 
that the total value of poultry in the U. S., 
at this time, is not far from $20,000,000.” 
