VOLUME IV. NO. 13 . v 
MOORS’S RURAL NEW-YORKER : 
A QUARTO WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Literary and Family Newspaper 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
WITH AH ABLE CORPS OK ASSISTANT EDITORS. 
Tim Rural New-Yorker is designed to be unique and 
beautiful in appearance, and unsurpassed in Value, Purity 
and Variety of Contents. Its conductors earnestly labor 
to make it a Reliable Guide on the important Practical Sub¬ 
jects connected with tlie business of those whose interests 
it advocates. It embraces more Agricultural, Horticul¬ 
tural, Scientific, Mechanical, Literary and News Matter — 
interspersed with many appropriate and handsome engrav- 
n " s Oian any other paper published in this Country. 
!TW” For Terms, &c., see last page. 
lit nil fta-gaiicr. 
Progress and Improvement. 
THE WOOD PILE. 
I Wiiat comfort on a cold night to gather 
around the cheerful, roaring fire and take 
one's oaso in converso with good books and 
papers, and to hold social communion with 
the loved ones that cluster under the “ roof 
troo ot homo. There’s warmth in tho 
hickory s blaze that goes deeper than the 
skin. It melts tho feelings of tho heart and 
opons them to tho genial influences of fel¬ 
low feeling in other bosoms. 
But tho wood that makes tho glow must 
bo fitted for its purposo. It must have the 
elements of sociality interwoven among its 
constituent parts. In other words, it must 
have tho elements of heat and combustion 
well developed, else there will be a corres¬ 
ponding failure, and what, otherwise is the 
source ot comfort, becomes one of vexation 
and trouble, souring tho spirit and destroy¬ 
ing the joys of tho social hearth. There is 
therefore much importance attached to the 
wood pilo. What, in your instance, reader, 
I is its condition? Is it hoaped with your 
years supply ? Is that supply prepared for 
its proper use, and so bostowod that it shall 
season to tho best advantage? W^ell season¬ 
ed wood, of almost any description, can 
yiold you all the fireside cheer imaginable. 
It is sociable, or if you prefer it, it will in- 
> fuso sociability in your boing, and thus pro- 
| inoto your homo happiness. 
> .Seasoned wood is much moro economical, 
i Ti:i!s should commend the subject to evory 
| user ot the article, for a judicious economy 
is laudable, and when properly directed, it 
enhances tho comfort of individuals, and 
improves the world. It is economical, be¬ 
cause it takes a smaller amount to givo 
warmth to a givon spaco for a given length 
of time; and becauso it takes much less timo 
to start a fire and to thon koep it burning. 
I ho water and saji, which constitutes a large 
amount of tho woight of groon wood, has 
to bo oxpollod,—steamed away,—boforo the i 
wood can be applied to its legitimate use. 
Therefore tho fuel used to convort this wa- 1 
ter into steam, is wasted. Better therefore, 1 
is it not, to lot tho winds drink up tho moist- 1 
ure boforo tho wood is brought to tho stove 
or hearth. 
It is cheaper, too, becauso timo is saved > 
in tho gathering of the wood. When one ( 
makes a business of doing any sort of work, i 
ho can accomplish far moro, than when it is i 
done at hap-hazard. In tho former case t 
one “gets his hand in,” as is the common r 
saying. It can be dono at a season of the I 
year when tho farmer has moro leisure_ c 
when his timo is not as valuable. Tho do- e 
ing up of such odd jobs, then helps on tho a 
seed time and harvost,—the summer and t! 
autumn work—by relieving thoso times of h 
matter foreign to their purpose. At such w 
seasons a day’s dolay often works tenfold g 
injury in the loss of growth or in securing h 
the product in its best condition. There is c< 
a loss also by roason of an extra amount of ti 
timo required to get tho team every now fi 
and thon to run after a “jag” of wood. tr 
Tho “ women folks” find a groat saving ef- 0 i 
fectod in their department, by tho uso of it 
well seasoned fuol,—loss time being re- C 
quired to proparo the meals, whilst the oi 
cooking is of a much hotter ordor. Thoro st 
is, in this view of tho mattor, a saving of 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-SATURDAY, MARCH 26 , 1853 . 
i WHOLE NO. 169 . 
health to all. There is, too, a saving in the 
“ wear and tear of conscience.” Where 
good feeling prevails, matters aro quite apt 
to "go on like clock-work;” hence, more is 
accomplished—all of which adds vastly to 
the knitting together of tho bonds of broth¬ 
erhood between man and his fellow. But 
wo havo not timo now to enlarge on the 
benefits of a “well ordered” wood-pile. 
If your year’s supply is not secured and 
properly prepared and housed, then lot not 
a day bo lost till you sot about tho mattor 
in earnest. Spring work and seed time aro 
hard by, and thoro is no timo to bo idled 
away. Gather up tho sticks with diligence, 
and hereafter forover forswear this stick to 
stick, shivering and fretting way of getting 
through the world. Try tho matter and 
soo if fretting wives, scolding servants, 
smoky, food and a thousand} potty annoy¬ 
ances that sour tho temper of all, do not 
vanish away as if by magic, and give place 
to that state of things which shall charm 
back good feeling to your fireside. It will 
help to establish a thorough system in all 
| your works, so that, really, there is no cal¬ 
culating how much good may result in the 
end, from a proper care in this one item of 
good husbandry. 
Instructions might be given for tho prep¬ 
aration of wood, but tho circumstances of 
each, and the extent of his forest will sug¬ 
gest what is best in tho selection of kinds, 
whilo his good senso will tell him that good 
philosophy, would split tho round sticks and 
place thorn in tho pilo, back downward, that 
tho moisture may speedily escapo upward 
and not bo confined undor the bark to in¬ 
duce incipient docay. But enough is said 
that ought to induce action in those who 
have heretofore, though reading the Rural 
regularly, neglected to act in this matter. 
nor ability to study and investigo tho laws 
of this abstruse scienco—and even if I had 
both, thoro aro neither schools nor colleges, 
whore I could obtain tho necessary aid and 
instruction in tho prosecution of this inval- 
uablo art and scicnco. For as yet, there 
does not exist an Agricultural School in 
our country. 
Notwithstanding this is truo, thero aro 
many able teachers of this invaluable sci¬ 
ence—laborers that aro striving with all 
their might to disseminate light and knowl¬ 
edge on this subject for tho good of the 
farmer. For what such pursons have aL 
ready dono, the tiller of tho soil has reason 
to bo thankful, and take courage—though 
what has been accomplished is but a fore¬ 
taste of tho good timo coming — a time 
when scienco shall bo regarded and receiv¬ 
ed in its truo senso, to wit, as knowledge 
classified. 
Thoro aro few if any, who do not look 
upon knowledge as conferring power upon 
thoso who possess it,—a power that shall 
enable its possessors, in whatever dopart- 
mont of labor thoy engage, to prosecute it 
with success. Lot farmers then seek that 
Chemical knowledge which shall enablo 
them to combine their labor and the ele¬ 
ments so as to produce tho most favorablo 
results.—w. 
MR. ROTCH’S “FANCY” LOP-EARED RABBITS. 
For description of this variety, and remarks on rearing Rabbits, see next page. 
IRISH CUP POTATOES. 
AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY. 
r “ Agricultural Chemistry,” says Sir 
1 Humphrey Davy, “has for its object all 
- those changes in the arrangements of mat- 
i tor connected with the growth and nourish- 
. ment of plants,—tho comparative valuos of 
- their produce as food,—tho constitution of 
- soils,—tho manner in which lands aro en¬ 
riched by manure, or rendered fertile by the 
. different processes of cultivation.” 
r Now it would seem to any thinking, re- 
r fiocting mind, that tho scienco and art which 
; treats of, and expands tho laws of growth 
[ and nourishment, whether of plants or ani- 
• mals, would be of the doopest interest to all 
i who arc engaged in agricultural pursuits.— 
Tho groat problem which every farmer 
needs to solvo is, IIow can I produce the 
greatest amount of wheat, or any other 
grain, root, bulb, or grass, with the least 
outlay of money or labor ? This inquiry is 
susceptible of the clearest and most satis¬ 
factory solution and demonstration. The 
key to this problem is found in the science of 
Chemistry — a scienco scarcely more than 
throe fourths of a century of age. 
To the farmer no less than to the artist 
and mechanic, tho scionco of Chemistry is 
what tho ancients sought through many 
centuries, with great diligence and care, but 
nevor found. Thoy, like the moderns, wore 
intoxicated, as it were, with tho idea of 
boundless wealth, and spent their time in 
nothing so much as searching for the phi¬ 
losopher’s stone, and a panacea which should 
confer tho boon of eternal youth and of 
I oarthly immortality. Notwithstanding the 
alchemists sought in vain for these specifics, 
thoy wero, nevertheless, tho groat pioneors 
in tho scienco of Chemistry,—that science 
which, though not able to change load into 
gold, or drive away disease which flesh is 
heir to, nor to abolish, decay and death, the : 
common fate of all organic bodies, yet, has ; 
taught man and is still teaching him how \ 
ho may with a moderate degree of labor ] 
transmute common earth into that which is I 
of far greater value than gold—and though i 
it cannot confer immortal youth, yet, by 
Chemical therapeutics, many a poor suffer- ? 
or of bodily pain has been relieved and ro- t 
stored to health. v 
But, says tho farmer, I have neither time 1 
This is a variety which should bo better 
known among gardeners and farmers. — 
Thoy attain good size, aro firm fleshed, 
mostly of an orange color, mealy and dry 
when cooked, with an excellent flavor, equal 
to any potato with which wo are acquainted. 
We have been using Langworthy’s Seed¬ 
ling White Mercer all winter, and for baking 
esteem thorn superior to all others. The 
Cups come nearer to thorn than any thing 
wo have known. These potatoos are dry 
and moalv, whether boiled or baked; they 
will bo more generally preferred for family 
use. At this time they aro fresh, firm flesh¬ 
ed, and every way a desirable spring potato. 
J. H. Watts, Esq., favored us with tho 
samplo of which wo spoak. Thoy wero 
grown by R. H. Brown, of Grooco, of whom 
possibly a few might be obtained by thoso 
wanting seed. 
seriously diminish tho capacity of the drain. 
I would proposo an improved manner of 
constructing the turf drain. This should bo 
dug very narrow ; then a tapering piece of 
wood, like a straight pole, should be placed 
in the bottom, and tho turf pounded down 
firmly upon it, and then filled in with earth. 
A section of tho drain is thus completed, and 
the polo is then drawn along, and the opera - 
tion continued until the drain is finished.— 
Theso drains are as good for marsh lands as 
any other kind, and much cheaper, I have 
made a great many drains of various kinds, 
as well as tho tools to uso in their construc¬ 
tion, and it any one wishes any information 
upon the subject, it will be cheorfully given 
by applying to— Uncle Abram Dan, Pitts- 
ford, JY. Y. 
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE. 
i Draining. —Parallel and Turf Drains- 
Editors Rural : — I am gratified in seo- 
I ing the growing interest upon tho subject of 
■ draining. Tho frequent and well written 
■ articles upon that subject, in your excellent 
i paper, aro well calculated to increase that 
interest — especially tho essay of Mr. Red- 
patii in the threo first numbers. Yet to this 
though good in its general features, I must 
beg loave to make a few exceptions. 
First, in regard to parallel drains from 
fiftoen to forty feet apart. These aro only 
necessary on very low, lovel pieces, and our 
land is generally rolling. 1 wish to show a 
plan by which this important work can be 
moro effectually, as well as more cheaply, 
performed. Many voars ago this plan of 
parallel drains, from the top to tho bottom 
of the hill, was considered tho best in Eng¬ 
land, but time and experience has shown its 
fallacy. Now, four or five drains, and somo- 
times loss, across the hill, with a very little 
fall, will drain a field better than twenty or 
thirty of these parallel drains running 
straight down the hill. The reason is obvi - 
ous, for let the water procoed from springs 
or any other source, it naturally makos its 
way down the hill, and my cross drain cuts 
off theso water courses, and fully answers 
the purpose intended. Indeed I have known 
large fields moro effectually drained by one 
good drain across tho upper side of tho field, 
than by a great number running in the op¬ 
posite direction ; and I am much surprised 
that Mr. R. is so much behind the improve¬ 
ments of the age. 
There aro some other particulars in his i 
article, from which I must dissent. One is ] 
the uso of tilos without bottoms, which I < 
would oppose on any kind of land, as tho i 
least Bottling of one below anothor, must t 
r Farmers’ Clubs. — Town Fairs. 
> Messrs. Editors :— Mr. Abbott’s sugges- 
; tions in a recent number of the Rural, in 
reference to Farmers’ Clubs, are humor- 
’ ous as well as interesting. On the whole, I 
r like what ho has to say on the subject, and 
think a vast amount ot valuable information 
might bo disseminated among us by tho in- 
i stitution of Farmers’ Clubs. Whether 
i it would bo advisable to have the women 
connected with such Clubs, or not, is a ques¬ 
tion to bo settled by experiment. For some 
reasons, it seems objectionable. We should 
havo Farmers’ Clubs in evory neighborhood 
in tho country. Periodicals, agricultural 
works, &c., should bo taken and placed in 
somo suitable place in the neighborhood, 
where thoy could be perused at pleasuro by 
thoso who would take an interest in reading 
them. 
I think that we ought to pay moro atten¬ 
tion to the subject of establishing Town 
Fairs. I was going to say that not one- 
tenth part of the industry and cattle — that 
is, things worthy of being exhibited — are ^ 
over shown at our Conty and State Fairs.— 
Here is farmer B., who has, by tho way, a 
good cow or horse,—he does not exhibit the 
beast simply becauso he is not near enough 
to tho show ground to make tho matter of 
exhibition pay. Whereas, if the Fair were 
to bo held in his own town, and not twenty 
or thirty miles distant from him, he would 
“spruce up,” and show the best stock on his 
farm. Some towns in this State, I believe, 
have established Town Agricultural Socie¬ 
ties. This is a choico, good plan, and it 
would bo a pleasing thing if wo could have 
several such Societies in Onondaga, as well 
as in other counties in the State. 
Let both of these subjects be agitated 
more through the agricultural press, not 
only by editors, but by correspondents, who 
feel that thoy can awaken an interest in the 
minds of the peoplo on the topics proposod 
for discussion.—W. Tafpan, Baldicinsville, 
JY. Y., Feb. 26, 1853. 
| of corn on the shelf, and kept a supply 
i by them, lhero were but few days before 
> January when they laid no eggs, and thro’ 
January, the daily average of eggs was 
about half a dozen. The eighth of Februa¬ 
ry there were thirty hens and ono cock.— 
I weighed 75 lbs. of ears of corn, and shell¬ 
ed it, and had GO lbs. of shelled corn. Half 
of this I put in the box, and when it was 
gone I gave them the other half. It lasted 
them seventeen days. Tho weather was 
the most uniform we have had this winter, 
tho ground being covered with snow, which 
preventod them from getting much else, 
only from the manure heap. Thero was 
another cause to lessen the amount of eggs, 
eight of the layers wanted to sit within tho 
time of trial. 
Now for tho cost and profit:—1 bushel of 
corn, 63 cents, 10 dozen eggs at 1 shilling, 
the market price, $1,25 ; profit 63 cents.— 
But this does not show all the profit. Poul¬ 
try in tho fall aro generally considered 
worth 12$ cents apiece. If they havo full 
feed till spring, they are fit for market, or in 
first rate condition for layers, and would bo 
worth 25 cents or more. Farmers can you 
put corn into pork, beef or mutton, and 
show as good a price for it ? Many farm¬ 
ers will say, thoy have no place warm enough 
to make poultry profitable. It requires but 
a few hours labor to make a roosting place 
for them warm enough by covering it with 
straw, or long manure from the yard. It 
is a plenty of corn that they can get to at 
all times, that does the principal part to¬ 
wards keeping them warm. How many 
there are who resido in cities and villages, 
that occupy a house and lot with a barn on 
it, who might have a supply of fresh eggs 
all winter much cheaper than to roly upon 
the market for them. Full grown pullets 
will bo found much the best layers, as every 
year that thero is added to a hen’s ago, 
thero will be a falling off in the amount of 
her oggs. 
A word to the boys that gather tho eggs. 
Get a piece of the white of basswood timber; 
if thero is a turning lathe convenient havx) 
some nest eggs turned, if not, make them 
with your jack-knife. They seldom fail to 
answer tho purpose. Frost does not injure 
thorn, neither will anythin ' break tho nests 
up.— Alvin Wilcox, West Bloomfield, JY 
Y., Feb. 24, 1853. 
Keeping Poultry,—Again. 
Editors Rural :—In No. 2, of the pres¬ 
ent volumo, you gave your readers my ar¬ 
rangement for wintering poultry. I am 
now able to give you the exact cost and 
profit, whilo they were kept on one bushel 
of corn, which may be moro satisfactory.— 
As usual, at tho commencement of winter 
as soon as theyroquirod feeding, I put a 
The Australian Wheat. 
Messrs Editors :—I herewith enclose for 
your inspection, a samplo of my Australian 
wheat of last years growth ; tho first of my 
raising in Michigan. The head I send you 
is of tho average size, containing some sixty 
berries. The berries enclosed are a fair 
average sample. The Australian wheat is 
superior to all other varieties that I am ac¬ 
quainted with, for several reasons, which an 
inspection of it explains. It is a very largo 
kind of wheat, the berry being nearly twico 
the size of the common flint wheat; its heads 
are generally large and well filled ; its straw 
is large, transparent and strong — on this 
account it cannot fall down or lodge; its 
average yield, with ordinary culture, is 
thirty-five or forty bushols per acre—fiftv 
four bushels has beon raised with but ordi- 
