* 
■miSmii 
VOLUME IV. NO. 2 
ROCHESTER, N. Y 
1 WHOLE NO. 179 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER 
A QUARTO WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Literary a 
been made in England on peaty soil, tur¬ 
nips were found to increase by growth 
fittecn thousand nine-hundred and ninety 
times tho weight of their seeds, each day 
they stood upon it. 
The judicious farmer does not confine 
two crops, but 
g tho preference 
in our own State, largo quantities of salt in 
every respect equal to the brand which ho 
recommends the Otsego dairyman to use. 
Wo are aware it is often urged that On¬ 
ondaga salt is not pure, that it contains lime 
and many other foreign substances, which 
detract from its good qualities, and render 
it unsafe for dairy purposes. Do thoy ever 
stop to inquire whether tho Liverpool or 
other imported salt contains any of these 
impuritios ? We think not. The dealers in 
Now York protend to give a preference for 
butter put down with foreign, and hence 
the Onondaga is generally decided as un- 
safo or unfit for that purpose. 
If dairymen would but take the trouble to 
ascertain the fact, they would find that every 
analysis proved the Onondaga Salt more 
free from obnoxious substances than the 
Liverpool or Turks Island; that it is not on¬ 
ly purer, but stronger, and can be used with 
quito as much cortainty; and that it will 
preserve butter and chceso, as well as any 
salt that can be obtained. In every trial, 
where each has received an equal test, the 
good qualities of tho Onondaga Salt have 
been triumphantly vindicated. It is time 
the humbug of sending to Europe, for salt 
to preservo American butter, while we have 
a superior article at home, was exploded. 
ihI Family Newspaper 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOOSE, 
WITH AN ABLE CORPS OF 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 Guido on the important Practical Sub¬ 
jects connected with the business of those w-liose interests 
it advocates. It embraces more Agricultural, Horticul¬ 
tural, Scientific, Mechanical, Literary aud News Matter_ 
interspersed with many appropriate and handsome engrav¬ 
ings— than any other paper published in this Country. 
For Terms, &c., see last page. 
himself wholly to one or 
cultivates a variety, givin; 
to those that most renumerate him, while 
they make the lightest drafts on the soil.— 
As one among these, tho turnip claims a 
prominent placo, and to those who do not 
yet cultivate it, it is well worthy of consid¬ 
eration. The large amount of watery mat¬ 
ter.— according to most authors, nearly 
ninety per cent,—renders it valuable to mix 
with dry and concentrated food. By such 
a course, tho bowels of tho animal are moro 
properly distended, and kept in a healthy 
condition. LTndergood management twen¬ 
ty and twonty-fivo tons to tho acre is not 
an uncommon yield. After deducting the 
watery substance of the turnip, the remain¬ 
ing ono-tonth, being solid nutritious matter, 
gives a greater yield of real substantial food 
than any of tho grain crops. Compared 
with wheat, tho difference is double and 
more. Oats range nearly in tho same ratio, 
whilo with corn tho difference is one-third. 
Ruta Baga is an exceedingly cheap crop 
to raise,—tho cost per bushel of tho various 
crops that have from time to time been 
awarded tho premiums of our Stato Society, 
Progress and Improvement, 
MORRILL'S IMPROVED DITCHING MACHINE. 
1ms engraving is a perspective view of a 
ditching machine, patented by Jonathan 
W. Morrill, of Hampton Falls, N. II., May 
10th, 185 3. 
A A aro the wheels; B is the axle of tho 
same, across which the beam lover, C, is se¬ 
cured. The cutters for ditching are placed 
and secured in this lever. D D D aro the 
cutters for cutting tho sides and front edgo 
of the sods. These cutters are united to¬ 
gether and are braced and supported by 
the stirrup brace, E, which has a vertical 
bar, F, secured to tho front edge, and pass¬ 
es up through the slot, G, in the lever, C. 
Ibis bar, F, has a slot, II, cut in its uppor 
end with a pin, I, passing through it to 
make it fast to the lover. As the cutters 
are raised and lowered, tho slot in tho bar, 
F, admits ot the lever, C, being depressed 
and raised. J is a spade, cutter, or seoop- 
er; it has a bent handle, Iv, L, which turns 
on a fulcrum pin, a, which passes through 
tho bar, F. The part. L, is secured to a 
link, M, which passes up through a mortice, 
N, in the beam, and it is loosoly secured in 
the same by a pin. c, which it allows to move 
back and forth, as the cutters, D D D, and 
spade, J, aro depressed or elevated. O P are 
thin plates of metal for guiding the sod as 
it is raised up, and for throwing it out at 
tho side of the ditch. The plate, P, is only 
to incline the sod to tho one side. 
Two men take their position at the handle 
of tho lever, facing the wheels. They press 
down the lever, which causes the spade to 
fiy out, at tho same time cutting the sod on 
three sides; then, raising the lever (without 
changing their hold,) forces tho spade in, 
cutting tho sod off at the bottom. The ma¬ 
chine being now at tho surface, swings for¬ 
ward seven inches, when tho samo opera¬ 
tion is repeated, ouo sod pressing out tho 
other, throwing them upon the sido of tho 
ditch. Or the lever can be extended across 
tho axle, a man working at each end. 
The machines can he made to cut ditches 
one, two, or three feet deep, and seven 
inches wide, or fourteen or twenty-one 
inches wide, by going over the ground twice 
or thrice, or wider by repeating the opera¬ 
tion. It is comparatively easy work for two 
men. It is fitted to the largo wheels of a 
single horse wagon. 
DIRECTIONS OF PARALLEL DRAINS. 
Editors Rural:— [ consider Mr. Red- 
path’s Essay on Draining an able produc¬ 
tion. Its main features are excellent, and 
it will bo of great value to that class of your 
readers who aro beginning or extending im¬ 
provements by draining. Yet it would he 
suprising to find tho author perfec on evo- 
ry point where the case calls for so much 
variation in its application, and tho materi¬ 
als to be used aro of so many different 
seems to be a sandy loam. If this is new 
and fresh, so much tho better. A stout 
growth of clover, well turned under and tho 
surface finely pulverized, will give a most 
gonerous yield. If tho crop succeeds somo 
other, especially if the former has had no 
manure, tho soil must bo mado rich artifi¬ 
cially. 
From tho 10th to tho 13th of Juno is tho 
proper time for putting in tho seed, which 
should bo sown jn drills, somo thirty inches 
asunder. Iho plants should be thinned to 
eight or ten inches apart in tho drills. In 
the matter ot cultivation time should be 
taken by tho forelock, and so soon as they 
can bo well distinguished in the drills, give 
them a weeding,—thus will they get the 
start, and tho weeds bo easily kept under; 
and afterwards tho cultivator, passing fre¬ 
quently betwoen tho rows, will keop tho soil 
mellow and all right. 
Turnips may be left growing as long as 
tho weather can bo prudently trusted, as 
they grow quite rapidly in tho cool autumnal 
temperature. Indeed, thoy will grow till the 
ground is frozen. Nor will a slight freezing 
injure them, if the frost be extracted by tho 
oarth again. At all ovonts they should be 
socurod in tho cellar and pits before Decem¬ 
ber. Thoy should be kept in a cool tem¬ 
perature, lower than one would have for 
potatoes. In the pit the covering may be 
quito light, with a passage loft at tho sum- 
conduit or water course. But in a few weeks 
Mr. Cone’s article placed that item correct, 
only had he closed by saying, at least 2i in¬ 
stead of two feet of oarth above the conduit, 
it would havo suited me better. As Mr. 
Cone finds it profitable to pulverize tho soil 
and subsoil to tho depth of 20 inchos, ac¬ 
cording to his statement ho would have but 
four inches of undisturbed soil above tho 
conduit. But the soil is liable to be moved 
off in somo places, by long and constant cul¬ 
tivation ; so Mr. C. might find after a term 
of years, his drains too shallow for his deep 
tillage. 
Again, wo get another articlo making 
some exceptions to the Essay, over tho sig¬ 
nature of Uncle Abram Dan. Uncle A. is 
surprised that Mr. Redpath is so much be¬ 
hind tho times, as to lay his parallel drains 
diroctly up tho hill. He says, that was tho 
practice in England, many years ago, but at 
present, together with his own experience 
in draining, that it is found best to put 
parallel drains sideways of the hill, with but 
a little tall. Now, I havo had some experi¬ 
ence on this very subject for the past twelve 
years, and with such soil and subsoil as 
mine, I have becomo convinced that Mr. 
R.’s practice is much tho best. About 12 
years since, I put a main drain, through a 
swalo—tho land rising from it on each side, 
on an average about 1£ feet to the rod. for 
near 20 rods. About half way up the banks 
[ there wero layers of sand, and springs of 
water making out tho greater part of tho 
way across tho field. This being my first 
effort in laying parallel drains, I adopted 
Uncle Abram’s plan of laying them side¬ 
ways of tho hill, botween the wot and tho 
dry, to cut off the springs. But invariably 
tho land has been kept wot and cold below, 
by tho water filtering from tho bottom of 
the drains. I havo now put parallel drains 
directly up tho hill, 32 feet apart, and the 
land is moro effectually drained than it 
could bo by tho samo amount of parallel 
drains sideways of tho hill, and thoir liabil¬ 
ity to be fillod up by tho lodgment of quick¬ 
sand and dirt is much less. 
Thero has novor been a time in tho Uni- 
It may be used to good advantage with¬ 
out tho wheels and lever, by having attach¬ 
ed to it a pieco of wood two feet long, with 
handles, as represented in tho small cut.— 
It cuts a ditch smooth on the sides and 
bottom. 
Applications for machines or rights may 
be made to the patentee as above. 
ted States, when farmers so much needed 
correct information on tho subject of drain¬ 
ing as the present. And they are generally 
investigating the subject, and every drain, 
that is built is making now advocates for the 
improvement. I am glad to soe so much 
interest manifested, and hope if any of the 
readers of the Rural can show a better way 
than has been given, they will please pass it 
along to tho Editors. I havo many inqui¬ 
ries to answer, and feel the necessity of be- 
; ing correctly informed on the subject. 
Uncle Abram hints that he understands 
how to make tools to open drains. I havo 
thought for some time, that wo needed a 
different spado than I had ever soon, to take 
tho last cut out of the ditch aftor it is set¬ 
tled two feet, with a common spade. Ac¬ 
cording to my views the handle of the spade 
should bo similar to a common spade, only 
longer with much more crook to it. The 
blade should be 18 inches long and 5 inches 
wide, and sufficiently stout to break stiff clay 
subsoil. The handle being long and crook¬ 
ed, the loose dirt could be taken out and 
tho bottom leveled without getting into the 
bottom of a ditch so narrow as it might be 
dug for tile and pipe draining. 
Alvin Wilcox. 
West Bloomfield, N. Y., May, 1853. 
An increase of farm products lessons the 
market price, and tho consumer is more 
benefited than tho producer. Therefore 
the encouragement of agriculture is tho in¬ 
terest of the whole people. It is the first 
duty of tho States to encourage agricultural 
improvement. 
CHANGE OF CLIMATE-NO. H. 
As far as my observation has extended, 
the change in the climate of our country 
has not resulted advantageously to us ; in¬ 
deed, I think it has been constantly grow¬ 
ing worse and worso, as the “ improvements’’ 
(clearings.) havo been progressing. I am 
aware that nearly all who have written on 
the subject of the improvement, or clear¬ 
ing up of a country, havo expressed a dif¬ 
ferent opinion. But I am satisfied that it 
will be conceded by those most familiar with 
the facts, that tho climate is not now as 
genial, and promotivo of the perfection of 
plants and fruits, as it was sixty years ago. 
No large forests being left to chock its force, 
the pierce fi weslin” wind now wildly sweeps 
over the denuded face of the country, with 
the most searching scrutiny and effect. 
The frosts are more frequent, and much 
more injurious to grains and fruits. In the 
winter, the w 
— les, tarmers, give moro attention to 
root crops, tor you will certainly find it to 
your advantage. Don’t think the little 
plants “ aro such a trouble to tend,” but take 
clean land and give good care, and you will 
find tho little things will yield you monsters, 
that will make glad your stock, and add 
inds drifts tho snow off of tho 
fields, which leaves the tops of the wheat 
plants exposed to the action of severe frosts, 
by which they aro, oftentimes, entirely de¬ 
stroyed. From the same cause the roots of 
tho plants are frequently broken, and tho 
wheat is “ winter killed.” When the coun¬ 
try was first settled, the grain boing covered 
during tho whole winter by a thick mantle 
l of snow, was completely protected from in¬ 
jury by the alternate freezing and thawing 
processes which have lately been so destruc¬ 
tive to the great staple of our country.— 
“ Winter Killed” wheat was unknown here 
until many years after tho first settlement 
FOREIGN vs. HOME SALT. 
In an interesting articlo upon making and 
preserving buttor, contributed to tho Free¬ 
mans Journal, by Lorenzo Carryl, wo find 
tho oft-repeated and stereotypo rocommon- 
dation that butter should bo “ saltod with 
the best Ashton’s Liverpool Salt.” Wo have 
no doubt the writer thought ho was giving 
tho best possihlo directions without as much 
as inquiring whether thero was not made 
