MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER : 
A QUARTO WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Literary anil Family Newspaper 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
WITH AX ABLE CORPS OK ASSISTANT EDITORS. 
The 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 the business of those whose interests 
it advocates. It embraces more Agricultural, Horticul¬ 
tural, Scientific, Mechanical, Literary and News Matter — 
interspersed wdth many appropriate and handsome engrav¬ 
ings— than any other paper published in this Country. 
I w For Terms, &c., see last page. 
V (MY i 1 . 
C VVV ' VM ''* c^ vvw (56 
Progress and Improvement. 
CULTIVATION OF THE POTATO. 
The cultivation of tho potato is a sourco 
of no little gain to farmers—or was formerly 
so regarded, when it was a suro crop. But, in 
consequence of tho disoase which has pro- 
vailod of late years so extensively, in many 
localities, farmers have planted fewer than 
formerly, and potatoes have not unfrequent- 
ly borne a very high price— selling higher 
por bushel than Indian corn—and some¬ 
times equalling or exeooding tho price of 
wheat. These faci$ show that tho potato 
has come to be considered as one of tho in¬ 
dispensable necessaries for daily uso. 
Fifty years ago, and perhaps a little more, 
the cultivation of tho potato excited very 
little interest, even in this country. Eng¬ 
lish turnips, then, wore extensively raised. 
A farmer, who gathered from five to soven 
bushels of potatoes in tho autumn, was tho’t 
to have a large crop. Ho then counted his 
bushels of turnips by tho hundred. Since, 
and for many years before the “ potato dis¬ 
ease” made its appearance, tho order of 
things was entirely reversed—the potato be¬ 
ing considered a much more productive crop 
than the English turnip. 
New ground seems to be the best adapted 
to grow tho potato. If well prepared, it 
usually produces well, and whon the crop is 
removed, the ground is in a fine condition 
for a crop of wheat, or Indian corn. Tho 
best crop of Indian corn wo have seen was 
produced on ground which, tho year beforo, 
was sward-land, upon which potatoes woro 
planted—dunged in tho hill with greon sta¬ 
ble manure. According to our observation, 
cither now land or sward land is bettor for 
potatoes than old, mellow soil. 
The method of preparing the soil for the 
potato crop is very similar to that of corn. 
Deep planting should bo avoided. The 
rows should be about three feet apart one 
way—tho other, tho hills should bo nearer, 
or more remote, according to tho richness of 
tho soil. It is better to plant whole pota¬ 
toes, than cut tubers—and those used for 
planting should be of middle size, greon 
and vigorous—that is, full of sap, or juice. 
Potatoes that wero producod from late 
planting last year, are, it is said, tho best for 
seed, so far as tho condition of tho tubers is 
concerned. 
Whon manure is employod in tho hill, tho 
quantity required will depond upon the con¬ 
dition of tho soil. Somo drop tho potatoes 
and place the manure on them, others place 
tho potatoes on the manure. Wo have the 
experiment of a man who tried both ways, 
other conditions being equal. Tho experi¬ 
ment was performed with equal woights of 
potatoes, and so of the manure. Those 
placed over the manure, produced 105 lbs. 
—while thoso under yielded only 84£ lbs. 
— making a difference in favor of planting 
on tho manure, of 20 per cent. 
After planting, in duo time, tho business 
of hoeing must bo well attonded to, if you 
would have a productive crop. Weeds aro 
no friends to tho potato crop, thoreforo de¬ 
stroy them while tho potatoos aro growing 
and maturing. Many farmers inako it a 
rule to hoe thoir potatoos twico, and corn 
threo times. Tho numbor of hooings in ref¬ 
erence to oithor must dopond upon tho 
ground and tho woods, rather than upon 
the number of times. 
Many farmers pinch off tho blossoms of 
the potato, thinking that if permitted to re¬ 
main, they diminish the sizo of tho tubers, 
and it is a well-known fact to botanists, that 
the flowers are very exhausting to tho plant. 
The potatoos aro not only made less, but 
tho crop tends to exhaust the soil more than 
it otherwise would, and this will tend to di¬ 
minish the cereal crop which is to follow' in 
rotation. With regard to digging and stor¬ 
ing, timely remarks and suggestions will bo 
made. 
The varieties of tho potato are quite nu¬ 
merous, and we have not spaco now to 
treat of this subject—neither would all 
agreo if we had—for nearly every variety, 
as various as they aro, has its warm advo¬ 
cate tor particular reasons. Every farmer 
and gardener should plant thoso he deems 
host, it he can get them. Potatoes when 
tlioy yield well, are a good crop at twenty- 
five cents per bushel—and with a slight hope 
that they will sell for tour times as much, 
somo fanners will plant many, notwith¬ 
standing tho “ potato disease.”—w. 
HACXLEY’S PATENT CHEESE PRESS- 
Tiie above engraving, is a correct repre¬ 
sentation of a now Choose Press, just pat¬ 
ented by M. A. Hackley, of Belleville, Jef¬ 
ferson Co., N. Y. Tho Press has "been 
thoroughly tried the past season, and pro¬ 
nounced by those testing it as unequalcd by 
any thing yet before tho public. It com¬ 
bines durability and power—simplicity and 
convenience. By turning the crank, the 
scrow is raised or depressed, and a pressuro 
easily given of 1,500 lbs., which may bo in¬ 
creased and made a continual pressure by 
attaching a weight to tho lever. A weight 
of 12 pounds is sufficient for a cheese weigh¬ 
ing 50 pounds; and 20 pound weight for a 
cheese of 100 pounds. Tho frame is used 
for a turning tablo, on which to rest the 
whey—hoard in turning tho cheeso ; when 
this frame is depressed the roller is elated, 
and tho cheeso rolled in, or out of the Press, 
with ease. 
This Press took tho first premium at tho 
State Fair, at Utica, last September, at tho 
Jefferson County Fair in tho same month, 
and at every Fair wdiorever shown. Wo are 
assured that the Holmes’ press was examin¬ 
ed in competition with this at our last State 
Fair, and not overlooked as stated in tho 
published proceedings—and that tho com¬ 
mittee unanimously awarded Mr. Hack- 
ley’s press tho first premium. 
SAVING AND APPLYING MANURE. 
Eds. Rural : — As this is the particular 
time, more than any other, when farmers 
aro commencing operations upon the farm, 
a few thoughts upon tho saving and appli¬ 
cation of manure may not bo inappropriate. 
I am of tho opinion that no part of farm 
economy is so little cared for, or so little 
understood by farmors generally, as this 
vory thing. Wo have been in the habit of 
plowing and cropping our land, without 
oven a thought or concern from whence tho 
increase should come — expecting the good 
Lord would send it to us from somewhoro; 
and when it failed to come in as great 
abundance as to our more fortunate neigh¬ 
bors, wo have almost charged Him with 
partiality,—never dreaming that we had 
boon neglecting tho very means so neces¬ 
sary, nay, so indispensable to tho growth of 
our crops. Now it is unreasonable to sup¬ 
pose that the earth is always going to bo 
pouring its treasures into our granaries, 
without ever receiving any returns back 
again. It has thus far been good to us, and 
we have drawn largely from its stores, and 
but little have we returned again. 
When looking at this subject, I havo been 
astonished to sco how little rogard is paid 
to it. And if occasionally some may be 
found who havo thought upon it, and tho’t 
somo reform was necessary, even theso have 
frequently sought for the remedy anywhero 
but in tho right place. They have spent 
much money and labor in procuring abroad, 
tho fertilizers necessary to bo applied to the 
soil, in the shapo of gypsum, guano, limo, 
&c., when the very thing needed, existed in 
great abundance and much cheaper upon 
their own farms. Tho writer is acquainted 
with a large wheat grower, in the interior of 
this State, who annually purchases manure 
to the amount of from $75 to $100, while 
upon his own farm may be seen piles of old 
wheat straw, in various stages of decompo¬ 
sition, that havo been accumulating for 
years. And I pity the man that undertakes 
to wado through his barn-yard in the spring. 
This man fattened last fall, about 40 hogs. 
In conversation with him, recently, I asked 
him how much manuro ho made from them. 
Ho replied, not much. Ho s’posed he ought 
to, but it was a good deal of troublo to do 
it, and he had’nt time. 
I would not speak lightly of the use of 
plaster, but on tho contrary, think perhaps, 
more might be us6(l to advantage than is, 
especially on our wheat farms. But I do 
protest against that careless, exhausting 
system of farming, practiced by many, who 
then, becauso their land does not produce 
as well as it once did, “get the blues,” and 
denounce tho wholo business as hard, un¬ 
profitable and wholly destitute of pleasure, 
and embark in somo other, or else sell their 
farm as worn out, and of hut little value— 
move to the west, on to a new farm, to com¬ 
mence the same system of exhaustion, re¬ 
gardless that tho agents of fertilization and 
renovation aro in their own hands. 
But, says ono, what would you do ? An¬ 
swer : When you thrash your wheat and 
other grain, see that tho straw, chaff, &c., is 
all safely secured in a good nice stack.— 
Save all your corn stalks and everything 
else that your cattle, horsos, sheep, or hogs 
can eat, drink, or lie upon — secure it, for 
you will want it. See that your stables— 
and a sufficient numbor of them for all the 
cattlo you koep — are in good order, with a 
plenty of shed room for all your sheep*— 
And if you have not stock enough to con¬ 
sume your fodder, buy it. It is bad econo¬ 
my to sell off your fodder and coarse grain 
from tho farm; better feed it out on it, even 
if you may not roceive quite as much, you 
will gain in tho end. WhenMold weather 
comes, put up the cattlo and horses in the 
stablos, and tho sheep in tho shods, with 
yards provided with good racks for feeding 
straw, and troughs for grain. Feed the straw 
from your stack liberally; this, with some 
corn, will be all the store sheep will want. 
Tho straw that is not eaten, scatter about 
tho yard for litter, and under the cattlo and 
horses in the stablos for bedding, to bo re¬ 
moved every morning and night, and if a 
plenty is used, I think there will bo but little 
use for tanks, as tho straw will absorb most 
of tho liquid excremonts of the animals.— 
Occasionally apply a small quantity of plas- 
tor to tho manure heap, to rotain the ammo¬ 
nia that might oterwise be carried off in the 
atmosphere. Provide for your fatting hogs 
a good pen, with a yard corresponding in 
sizo .with the number of hogs to bo fed.— 
Keep in this yard a plenty of straw, muck 
from the swamps, ditches, old chip manuro, 
or any thing else that will make manure.— 
The hogs will root this over, and give it 
many turnings, incorporating with it their 
own droppings. This you will find the very 
best manure for your corn crop. 
Make it a prominent part of your busi¬ 
ness to manufacture as much manure on 
the farm as possible. As soon as the ground 
is sufficiently sottled to admit of it, com¬ 
mence to haul the manuro on to the ground 
&y7Ts~c> 
GROUP OF SPANISH MERINO SHEEP. 
The accompanying engraving was made 
from a daguerreotype of Spanish Merino 
Ewes owned by Mr. Geo. Campbell, of West 
Westminster, Vt. In relation to these 
sheep, Mr. C. writes us (under date of April 
20, 1853,) as follows :—“ The group of ewes 
of which I send you a cut, are of my old 
Spanish stock—descended from the Jarvis 
intended for spring crops, reserving most of 
it for corn. Put it all out, except tho most 
strawy, and least valuable. This I would 
make into a compost heap, mixing with it 
muck, ashes, and plaster; and by tho time 
you will want to sow your wheat, next fall, 
it will all bo decomposed, without losing 
much of its value, and will be found vory 
good for a top dressing for the wheat in 
spots most liable to be thrown out by the 
frost. I have found it almost a sure remedy 
against winter-killing. This system is one 
I havo followod for a few years, and believe 
it to be a good one; and I think that, with a 
judicious rotation of crops, wo need have 
no fears about our farms running out, but, 
on the contrary, we may incroase their pro¬ 
duce to doublo what it now is. c. k. w. 
LeRoy, N. Y., April, 1853. 
MR. REDPATH’S ESSAY ON DRAINING. 
A AVORD TO OBJECTORS. 
Friend Moore : — It is well remarked by 
your respected correspondent, Linus Cone, 
Esq., in his objections to somo statements in 
my Essay on Draining, “that it would be 
exceedingly difficult to form a set of rules 
for draining that would bo applicable to all 
the different soils and situations.” This is 
tho language of experience ; tho sentiment 
of a candid mind. To lay down any deter¬ 
minate rule or set of rules for draining, is a 
consummation never to be expected in tho 
philosophy of farming. General principles, 
however, may be advantageously inculcated 
and enforced, leaving tho details, in their 
various modifications, to be directed by tho 
circumstances of soil and situation. 
Mr. Cone, very naturally, from the data 
adduced, concludes that my “ method of 
draining is based upon a system of shallow 
tillage.” My motto is not only drain deep, 
but as Dr. Franklin says, in his “ way to 
WEALTH,” 
“ Plow deep while sluggards sleep, 
And you shall have corn to sell and to keep.” 
This may not appear reconcilable with the 
directions given under tho hoad of Stone 
Drains, where it is said — “After the com¬ 
pletion of tho conduit, the drain is filled up 
to within 12 inches of the surface,” &c. 
There is a mistake hero; either a misprint 
or a transposition of the figures in copying; 
thoreforo instead of 12, road “21 inches,” 
which will allow ample scopo for subsoil 
plowing. I hold it a miserable policy in 
farmers, for a small saving at first, to con¬ 
struct drains in such a manner as to inter¬ 
fere with future improvements. Tho wise 
man’s eyes aro in his forehead; he makes his 
calculations not only for the present but for 
the future. 
and Humphrey Merinos. Their last year’s 
fleeces averaged 5| lbs. each, and sold at 
52 \ cts. per lb. The present season I havo 
■ sheared from 30 two year old ewes, 240 lbs. 
: 11 oz. of wool, (of only eleven months 
growth,) making an average of a fraction 
j over 8 B>s. per head.” A profitable yield; 
i much more than the average of good sheep. 
I have now to reconcile another apparent 
discrepancy, pointed out by Mr. C. He 
says:—“Again, tho writerspeaks of tile drains 
being laid two feet deep, and one foot of 
gravel or small stones placed above the tile, 
and then adds :—‘ This will allow a sufficient 
depth of soil above for the operation of sub¬ 
soil plowing.’ ” The paragraph in question 
runs thus :—“ The drains for tiles are gen¬ 
erally cut very narrow; a tributary two 
foot deep, 18 inches at tho top, and tapering 
down to 6 inches at the bottom, would be 
considered perfectly sufficient.” (Here fol¬ 
lows a parenthetical clause, regarding tho 
implements for excavation, a caution to ex¬ 
amine the tiles beforo their deposition in tho 
drain, and a recommendation to add a foot 
of gravel or small stones abovo the tiles, 
when tho soil is of a retentive nature; it bo- 
ing taken for granted that in such a caso 
the drain would ho dug to an extra depth, 
corresponding at least with the deposit of 
stone or gravel above tho tile.) Then it is 
added, “'this will allow a sufficient depth of 
soil above for tho operation of subsoil plow¬ 
ing.” It will thus bo seon that 18 inches 
are allowed for subsoil plowing. 
Your correspondent again differs with me 
regarding the mode of water furrowing. 
Now I confess that instead of any difference, 
1 see nothing hut the most perfect oneness 
of opinion. I allow 6 inches to be a suffi¬ 
cient depth for water furrows upon a ridged 
field, while Mr. C. recommends from 16 to 
18 inches. Now, my recommendation of G 
inch water furrows is applicable to any sys¬ 
tem of tillage, deep or shallow. In the dia¬ 
gram of an undrained field A. A., the water 
furrow is dug 6 inches below the level of the 
ridge or parallel furrows, so as to give a 
sufficient fall.* It is evident that if the 
crowns of ridges aro raised 10 or 12 inches 
abovo tho furrow, even allowing tho land to 
be a dead level, then the water furrows will 
stand 16 or 18 inches — which agrees with 
Mr. Cone’s requirement, and also allows a 
free passage for the water below the surface 
soil Before I conclude, I have a word to sav 
to my friend Uncle Abram Dan. His ob¬ 
jections are threefold. First, as regards the 
inodo of running drains; second, as regards 
tho kind of tile to be used ; and lastly, ob¬ 
jects to my plan of constructing Turf drains. 
While our dear relative admits that my 
essay is good in its general features, (it is 
only a general essay,) he, like a good critic, 
* The advice of Mr. Smith, quoted in page 5 of the Ru¬ 
ral, is equally applicable to surface and under drains:— 
“Drains should always be cut G inches deeper than the 
drains running into it, that the water may have a free 
drop, which will prevent the lodgment of mud or sand at 
their junction or mouths.” 
