19S 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER 
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE. 
Crops in Onondaga, &c. 
In this section, there seems to bo con- 
> siderable complaint about crops and the ex- 
> tromo backwardness of the season. Our 
| seasons are, in a word, cold and backward; 
> and yet after all, grass never looked hotter 
) apparently than it does now—at least, in 
> this part of tho country. We shall got a 
> fine crop of hay, and have already an abund- 
) ant supply of pasturage, which, by-tho-by, 
i makes butter plenty among us. 
? To speak in flattering terms of corn in 
) this quarter would bo exaggerating, for cer- 
( tainly it does not look as well as wo could 
> wish, though there is yet, I hope, time enough 
> to mature it so that we shall get a good crop. 
> Worms, crows, and cold springs, aro our 
I chief and most troublesomo enemies in 
raising corn in Onondaga. Wo yet think 
that wo have about as good a corn region as 
there is in York State, notwithstanding the 
drawbacks above mentioned. Cold winds, 
> blowing from Lake Ontario, tend greatly to 
> make our seasons late, and another thing 
) which allows the wind to circulate more 
) freely then formerly, is the fact that tho 
> timber in this and Oswego counties has been 
J in the main cut off, and as a consequence 
' the air gets a rapid motion, producing cold- 
> ness, &c. 
I Fruit. —In many orchards young fruit is 
) comparatively plenty, while in others it is 
] scarce. As usual tho curculio, or plum-wee- 
> vil, has committed its depredations, though 
] these insects have not been quito so severe 
this season as they were last, and 1 think 
the reason is because wo have had so much 
cold weather. The curled peach leaf is 
common, both on thoglanded and glandless 
varieties of trees, and I am of opinion that 
the disease, (for it seem3 to bo a disease,) 
does not help the growth of the fruit in tho 
least; on the contrary, is is an injury to it. 
Tho cause of the peach leaf curling is at¬ 
tributable, no doubt, to a misdirection of 
the sap and to tho state of tho atmosphere, 
including cold weather, of course. Wo 
shall get considerable many poaches, how¬ 
ever, in most parts of the county. Other 
crops look very well; barley, oats, potatoes, 
&e. —W. Tapp an, Baldivinsvillc, June 11. 
A Suggestion.—Farm Histories. 
Farmers please notice! Give us a de¬ 
scription of your farm culture for years 
past. Describe your farm—its soil and sit¬ 
uation—to what crops is it adapted ? Give 
us an outline of its history from the time it 
was deprived of its covering of forest trees, 
to tho present—the crops it has produced; 
bushels per acre—the cultivation, &c. Let 
farmers do this all over the country, if 
friend Moore has no objections. Let us 
compare notes, observe differences, note ob¬ 
jections, advantages, &c. Why would not 
histories of our ancient farms be as inter¬ 
esting as of Greece and Rome ? I must be¬ 
lieve that wo would gain more real profit 
from their study. Como, farmer, write 
your farm’s history ; be it a dairy, sheep, or 
grain farm, give us your practice. I am 
tired of reading the changes rang upon old 
subjects. I want to read more of what we 
Jo Jo—not of what we may do. Come, re¬ 
port, roport.—J. Sanfield, Hill Farm , A*. Y. 
My Experience with the Fotato. 
It appears by ’Hiel’s experience that the 
potato will change its color. Surely, his 
land must be composed of different materi¬ 
al from land in general, for I have planted 
different varieties and colors in tho same 
hill, andeould produce no change in coloi^ 
or variety, Rut from tho seed of tho pota¬ 
to. ball we get different colors, shapes and 
varieties. J have produced ono variety 
.which is very peculiar — it is a fine indigo 
blue, inside and out ; also, after they are 
cooked, they are very blue, very mealy , and 
very good. Our only objection to them is ; 
they are rather too bluoj if their color 
could be changed, it would bo an improve¬ 
ment. I find that mulching potatoes is a 
great improvement. I last year planted a 
patch as usual, only on one part of the field 
I covered with straw to the depth of six 
inches-; the product was nearly double on 
tho mulched part, and saved tho labor of 
hoeing, and were very easily dug.—L. N., 
Windsor, Jleht...Co., Ohio. 
(The Hollow Horn. —In past numbers of 
the ©URAL, I.have observed different reme¬ 
dies fqr tho hollow horn. But few of my 
cattle h$,ve been so afflicted, and whenever 
such a case has occurred, my novor failing 
remedy has boon to bleed in the tail, then 
apply about & table spooEful of spirits of 
turpentino, whe^e the head joins the neck. 
In severe cases it ;pay be.advisable to apply 
it a second.—W., Fh,djp.s, 3Y.*Y. ,$Iay, 1853. 
,Le Rot Plowing Match. -j»The/Commit¬ 
tee cf the Farmers’ and Mechanics’ Associa¬ 
tion of Le Roy, Genesee ,Co., havo offered 
.Premiums for the four bes* plowmen, to be 
.contested.fqr on the 2“2nd inct. 
We give a representation of this Machine, 
as manufactured by J. Ganson & Co., of 
Brockport, in this county. Of its merits wo 
are unable to speak from personal knowl¬ 
edge, never having seen tho machine in op- 
AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE. 
Report on Agricultural Implements. 
Tiif. number of implements exhibited at 
Churehville, was not largo, though many of 
them were of a valuable class, and excellent 
of their kind. 
Chappell, Whiteside & Barnett, Brock- 
port, exhibited three of the Curtis pattern 
plow of their manufacture, also a Cayuga 
Co., plow, and ono of White’s and ono of 
Wright’s horse-hoes. They were all finished 
in excellent style, and received much com¬ 
mendation from tho farmers. 
J. Ganson & Co., Brockport, had on the 
field one of Palmers & William’s self raking 
reapers, which, from what could be judged 
without having tho machine in operation 
promises to bo a valuable improvement.— 
Also ono of Root’s three-wheeled Cultivator, 
too well known, and too highly esteemed to 
need any commendation. 
Francis Van Doren, Adrian, Michigan, had 
on exhibition a very ingenious machine in 
which tho Seed drill, field Cultivator and 
broad cast sower are combined. The ma¬ 
chine is simple and easily operated, and has 
tho appearance of promising well, which can¬ 
not howover bo determined without use.— 
Ho also exhibited a double reacting Churn, 
for which is claimed, as is usual on patent 
Churns, superiority over every other kind— 
a claim which many people aro at liberty to 
doubt. 
D. & D. C. Bangs of Churchvillo brought 
forward some beautilul plows ol tho Curtis, 
Lord and Mt. Morris patterns, also a Gang 
plow, corn cultivator and shovel plow. The 
work, manship was highly creditable to the 
manufacturers, and the plows among the 
best on exhibition. 
E. B. Waterhouse, Parma Center, exhibited 
an excellent model of J. Robb’s Patent Bee¬ 
hive, which had the appearance of possess¬ 
ing merit. 
The Comittce have made awards as fol¬ 
lows : 
To Chappel, Whiteside A Barnett, vol. 
Trans, and vol. Institute ; J. Ganson & Co., 
vol. Trans, and vol. Institute ; F. Van Doren. 
vol. Trans; D. & D. C. Bangs, vol. Trans; 
E. B. Waterhouse, vol. Trans. 
Monroe County Fairs. 
The fall exhibitions of tho Monroe county 
Agricultural Society have beon appointed 
to tako place as follows : 
On the west side of tho river at Brock- 
port, on Tuesday, Sept. 27th. At Rush, on 
the east side of tho river, on Thursday, 
Sept. 29. An Agricultural, Horticultural, 
and Mechanical exhibition will be held at 
the Court House, in Rochostcr, Saturday} 
Oct. 1 . 
At Brockport and Rush, tho Exhibition 
will be mainly devoted to farm products} 
animals and implements. There will bo al¬ 
so a limited exhibition at each place of 
fruits, flowers and household products, un¬ 
der a spacious tent provided by the Society. 
Efficient committees of arrangement will 
provide all necessary conveniences for ani¬ 
mals and implements. A liberal premium 
list will bo offered, comprising tho valuable 
articles grown and manufactured in tho 
county, and no effort spared on tho part of 
the officers and committees to develop and 
reward the skill and enterprise of our citi¬ 
zens, Wo invite tho co-operation of all.— 
Every citizen by becoming a member of the 
Society, can render good service to the causo 
of improvement. Promium List, rules, reg¬ 
ulations, and full particulars, will bo pub¬ 
lished as soon as prepared. 
II. C. White, Sec’y. 
Cure por Cholic in Horses. —No disease among 
horses has so many remedies prescribed for its 
cure, nearly all of which have failed, as that of 
cholic. The following has been used in an exten¬ 
sive livery stable in town for many years, and 
never known to fail: — Oil of turpentine 2 oz., 
sulphuric ether 1 oz., sweet spirits of nitre 3 oun¬ 
ces. Give it at one dose, and repeat in two hours 
if relief is not afforded in that time. The first 
.dose seldom fails. 
oration,—but from tho strong recommend¬ 
ation of it by Messrs. Brinkeriioff, Root, 
and other practical farmers, we conclude it 
worthy tho attention of those interested. 
Soo advertisement in this paper. 
THE AGRICULTURAL FRES8. 
Analysis of Soils. 
Without professing any intimate knowl¬ 
edge of the subject of Analysis of Soils — a 
matter concerning which we believe much 
moro is said and written than is clearly un¬ 
derstood by speakers and writers them¬ 
selves, to say nothing of tho generality of 
readers — we aro inclined to think tho fol¬ 
lowing article is mainly correct. We copy 
from tho Boston Cultivator : 
We deem it a well-established fact that 
practical husbandry has derived advantage, 
in various ways, from the results of chemi¬ 
cal investigation. In assuming this point, 
however, we aro willing to admit that the 
benefits of the application of chemistry to 
agriculture have been overrated. The great 
point, that the success of tho farmer de¬ 
pends chiefly on the practice of a judicious 
and economical system, applicable to his 
peculiar circumstances, is too often lost sight 
of. A knowledge of principles which de¬ 
pond on any one science, however import¬ 
ant, must be secondary to this. 
Exaggeration of the advantages of chem¬ 
istry is especially conspicuous m reference 
to tho analysis of soils. It is not denied 
that benefits have been realized by tho pro¬ 
cess, but wo think they have not been pro¬ 
portionate to the expectations which havo 
been excited. Doubtless much of the dis¬ 
appointment which has arisen may bo attri¬ 
buted to tho quackery which has been min¬ 
gled with tho science of chemistry, and to 
tho spurious and fraudulent analyses which 
have been made. And as quacks and im¬ 
postors aro generally the boldest in assump 
tion, they often obtain a load which, ending 
in disastrous results, produces a re-action 
detrimental to the advancement of a good 
cause. This has, unfortunately, been the 
result to some extent in regard to the analy¬ 
sis of soils. The undue pretension which 
has been set up, and tho failures which 
havo followed, have fostered the idea that 
the system itself is fallacious. 
Prof. Jas. C. Booth, of Philadelphia, a 
well-known chemist ongaged in the assay 
department of the mint, has lately brought 
out a paper on tho “ Practical Value of tho 
Analysis of Soils,” in which he takes the po¬ 
sition that “Chemistry has not yet advanced 
to such perfection that those analysis can 
have any immediate practical value.” 
Without assuming to possess a knowledge 
of the details of chemistry, hut judging only 
from facts brought within our observation, 
in regard to soil analysis, wo are unable to 
subscribe to this conclusion. If wo were to 
admit that in ninety-nine cases out of a hun¬ 
dred, the analysis of soils was of no benefit, 
it would not necessarily follow that the sys¬ 
tem was wholly useless. There are some 
questions that analysis can settle, and others 
that it cannot. Still, as there is less danger 
in adhering to practices which experience 
has sanctioned, than in running into the op¬ 
posite extreme, the ground taken by Prof. 
Booth may he deemed safer than the ultra 
doctrines of visionary enthusiasts, or mer¬ 
cenary charlatans. 
Prof. Booth’s paper would occupy, if giv¬ 
en in full, moro space than we can devote 
to it; but as we desire to make a fair rep¬ 
resentation of his views, we copy the follow¬ 
ing paragraph's: 
The difficulty and uncertainty attendant, 
upon the analysis of soils that has any pre¬ 
tensions to accuracy, are such, as to render 
it valueless. Those constituents believed to 
be of greatest value exist in exceeding mi¬ 
nute quantity in soils, and in an ordinary 
analysis they are liable to bo either left out 
or grossly exaggerated ; in either of which 
casos tho analysis is useless, bocause it tells 
an untruth, and forms an unsound, or rather 
wholly unreliable basis for calculation. Lot 
us examine more narrowly how far what 
may be called a tolerably correct analysis 
may bo relied on. 
Alkali, lime, phosphoric, sulphuric and 
muriatic acids, ammonia and organic matter 
are generally regarded as the fertilizing con¬ 
stituents. Of these sulphuric acid and lime 
(including maguesia) may he determined 
with sufficient accuracy, especially lime, 
which is often present to the extent of sev¬ 
eral por cent. Tho exact determination of 
Chlorine (or muriatic acid) is often impeded 
from tho accompanying organic matter, and 
the volatility of chlorides during evapora¬ 
tion. I would regard inferences drawn from 
the data both of sulphuric and muriatic 
acids as unsafe in sound farming practice 
The precise amount of ammonia is ascer¬ 
tained with difficulty, and the amount gi en 
in analysis must be lookod upon with some 
distrust, unless the quantity is unusally 
large, sufficient to overbalance tho errors of 
analysis. Wo can ascertain with considera¬ 
ble nicety tho amount of organic matter; 
but of what avail is that knowledge ? Are 
tho remaining, half-decomposed, rootless 
and organized portions those which give 
fertility to a soil, or is it that very unknown 
humus body, soluble in alkali and reprecip- 
itable by an acid ? This last idea being as 
jet a mcro conjecture, wo may summarily 
dismiss the determination of organic mat¬ 
ter, as of no immediate practical utility to 
tho farmer. 
Of all the minute constituents in a soil, 
alkali or potash and phosphoric acid are 
generally regarded as tne-greatest causes of 
fertility, and yet these two aro precisely the 
most obstinate impediments to the accurate 
analysis of soils. Their precise estimation 
is attended with difficulty under nearly all 
circumstances, and peculiarly so whore their 
total amount falls below ono per cent., 
as in soils. It may bo fairly questioned 
whether the small fraction of a per cont. of 
phosphoric acid which is usually returned 
in soil analysis may not often be due to er¬ 
rors of analysis or be far above or below the 
true amount. I will assert that no accurate 
and candid chemist can declare with confi¬ 
dence and truth, that ho has ever deter¬ 
mined in a soil tho exact amount of this pest 
of analyst. Our means of determing it, 
when in conjunction with alumina, as it is 
most likely to be or to become in the analy¬ 
sis of soils, are still avowedly imperfect in 
the hands of tho best a alitical chemists.— 
There is not much moro confidence to be 
put in the precise estimation of potassa in 
very minute quantity. 
There is a confirmatory argument against 
tho practical value of soil analyses, which 
has been so clearly set forth by Major J. F. 
Lee, of Washington, that I tako tho liberty 
of quoting his letter to me on tho subject. 
“ We know that, on all poor land of proper 
texture, the application of 200 lbs. of guano 
to tho aero will produce fair crops of grain 
and roots. And this is tho difference be¬ 
tween a barren and tolerably fertile soil.— 
Now this guano applies only G lbs. potash, 
24 lbs phosphoric acid, and 34 lbs. ammo¬ 
nia. But the acre contains 2 920,000 lbs. of 
soil (to tho depth of a foot.) Can analysis 
now, or will it in any progress we may rea¬ 
sonably expect it to make, ascertain 1 part 
of potash in 500 000 parts of fore'gn matter, 
or 1 part of phosphoric acid in 150,000 parts 
foreign matter, or 1 part of ammonia in 
100,000 ?” It may be answered without the 
slightest fear of contradiction, that such de¬ 
terminations are generally beyond tho pre¬ 
sent power of chemical analyses. Whether 
they will ciyitinuo so, I will presently in¬ 
quire, but the argument is strong against 
the present valuo of analysis applied to 
soils. 
From the observed effects of guano, hones, 
ashes, lime, and green sand, as well as from 
tho analyses of ashes of plants, it is fair to 
infer that ammonia phosphoric acid, potas¬ 
sa and lime, possess fertilizing qualities, hut 
the numerical measure of their value is 
hypothetical, if not conjectural. Much of 
what wo term our knowledge on this sub¬ 
ject is an idea floating in the region of hy¬ 
pothesis ; and until it alights upon the 
ground, and can lie handled with some de¬ 
gree of certainty by weight and measure, 
the practical farmer would do well to keep 
to his well trodden paths of practice, and 
rather be content with the accumulating ex¬ 
perience of practical trials, than depend up¬ 
on results of analysis. 
Lastly—It will be observed that in tho pro¬ 
coding part of those remarks, 1 havo confin¬ 
ed myself exclusively to tho consideration 
of the practical uselessness of the analysis 
of soils at the present time. Can wo look 
forward to a period when such analyses can 
bo performed with such accuracy, expedi¬ 
tion. and moderate cost, as to bo available 
to the art of agriculture ? I am well satis¬ 
fied that such an expectation is well found¬ 
ed. Our assay balances can now show the 
millionth part of the weight placed in them, 
and may bo still further improved. Reason¬ 
ing from tho past, the methods of analysis 
admit of almost indefinite improvements; 
and it is highly probable that new analyti¬ 
cal processes will be devised of much great¬ 
er power, rapidity and accuracy, than those 
at present known, because every journal of 
chemical science conveys to us monthly and 
even weekly notices of tho progress of 
chemical analysis. 
But although soil analyses may not he 
useful at present to the operative farmer, 
they may be made available for the advance 
of scientific agriculture; and for this pur¬ 
pose tho enlightened agriculturist should 
lend his aid by having analyses of soils most 
accurately performed, not ono or two. but 
numerous analyses of tho same soil under 
varving conditions. Such investigations 
keeping pace with the advance of vegetable 
physiology, will the sooner tend to deliver 
husbandry from the thraldom of empiricism 
and place it under the dominion ot a ration¬ 
al system. Besides the analysis of ashes of 
plants and of manures, by throwing light 
on vegetable physiology, will contribute to 
the progress of rational agriculture. Above 
all other things, frequent and carefully con¬ 
ducted experiments on manures of known 
composition, and close and continued obser¬ 
vation on their effects on various crops, will 
accumulate a treasure of experience, from 
which sound theory will draw her data, and 
which will then react most beneficially on 
plants. Then may we look for a litoral ful¬ 
filment of the expression, that “ tho desert 
shall blossom as tho rose.” 
Value of the Corn Crop. 
The following paragraphs aro from an ar¬ 
ticle in tho Culturist and Gazette. They 
aro truthful and important: 
The demand for corn has increased, and 
the price much increased, notwithstanding 
heavier crops aro raised at loss expense.— 
While wheat hasi maintained, in general 
terms, about the same price for several years. I 
sometimes a little higher then lower again, | 
corn has advanced 20 to 33 per cent. It 1 
now stands as a kind of indispensable article ( 
at all times, for some uses, and a very con- i 
venient substitue in place of other articlos, ) 
for other purposes. For stock, in no other < 
grain can bo realized tho same fattening and J 
labor sustaining power for the same expen- ) 
diture. Tho man who loves sweet, solid ( 
pork, of tho true New England stamp, has s 
looked as yet in vain for a substitute for the ) 
full crib of sound corn. And at this lato ) 
day tho the European is learning, and glad- < 
ly learning, tho true valuo of Indian corn. i 
The farmer has every encouragement to ( 
plant broad acres of this true American S 
grain. In no crop is he more sure o^'a fair \ 
amount of grain, of a more ready salo, or ( 
what is better, a profitable return for that ( 
consumed on his own ground. Tho fly may ^ 
cut off tho wheat and tho rot the potatoes, ( 
but if you do your part well, the corn crop ( 
rarely fails of giving a fair return ;—but if j 
you but half plow, half manure, half till, its < 
growth will be slow, early frosts will be sure < 
to catch it, and not half a crop will be ob- ( 
tained ; everything will bo halves except tho 
expense. That will bo diminshod but little if 
any. Through planting and hoeing after 
thorough plowing will cost less than half 
tillago after plowing, and a long, sound ear 
is more easily picked and husked than a 
short, green ono.— Culturist and Gazette. 
Education of Farmers. 
Judge Watts, President of the Pa. State 
Ag. Society, contributes to tho last number 
of the Farm Journal, a good article with tho 
above caption, a part of which we annex, as 
deserving general perusal: 
It is a curious inquiry why tho knowledge 
of agriculture progresses so slowly ; and 
why it has yet attained so little in this 
country. It is a fact which wo aro willing 
to concede, that our productions are little 
moro than ono half of what they should bo, 
and far less than what they are elsewhere; 
and yet wo seem to be content to bide our 
time, and be satisfied with results, when ac¬ 
cident or chance shall produce them, or 
when wo shall be jostled from the “old way” 
by the coming generation. 
More than seven hundred years before 
tho Christian era, Isaiah prophetically 
speaks of a thresing machine, “Behold, I 
will make tho now sharp threshing instru¬ 
ment, having teeth.” And yet this intima¬ 
tion pointing out almost the very structure 
of tho machine now in so common use, was 
not realized until the nineteenth century; 
and then received with a doubting caution 
that well nigh dampened the experiment. 
The merchant has carried his enterprise 
into every nook and corner of the known— 
and I had almost written unknown world 
— tho learned have exerted their talents to 
the development and practical application 
of scientific principles, which has given to 
their class an enviable place in the estima¬ 
tion of mankind;—the mechanic, availing 
himself of those developments of science, 
has given them form and shape to an ex¬ 
tent which entitles them to tho admiration 
of the world ; while tho farmer stands to 
gaze with mingled feelings of doubt and as¬ 
tonishment, that all the other pursuits of 
life whirl so rapidly past him. 
What is the remedy for this admitted 
evil ? Wo answer—tho education of farm¬ 
ers’ sons through the medium of an Agri¬ 
cultural school. We mean a school to edu¬ 
cate boys in the art and science of farming; 
and unloss the farmers of our State will 
zealously embrace this idea, and avail them¬ 
selves of it, there is no hope that their con¬ 
dition can be otherwise improved, but by 
tho lapse of timo. and happening of acciden¬ 
tal circumstances. 
Increasing the Wool Clip. 
The Agricultor translates tho following 
paragraph from tho Chronique Agricole, 
(French.) It is rather hard to swallow : 
About to years sinco a farmer named 
Yirel, residing in the Canton of Chatolet, 
had ono of his sheep seriously torn and in¬ 
jured by a dog. Although he had but little 
hopes of saving the animal’s life, he decided 
on dressing its wounds, which ho did with 
some fatty substance, mixed with tho juice 
of certain plants. The animal soon recov¬ 
ered ; and in about two months after, the 
farmer remarked that the wool on tho parts 
which ho had rubbed with his preparation 
was much finer and longer than elsewhere. 
Determined to try further experiment, ho 
last year pulled off all tho wool from tho 
bodies of six of his sheep, and rubbed them 
with the preparation for three days follow¬ 
ing, and then turned them out with the oth¬ 
ers. At tho end of August they wore shorn, 
when they produced a much larger weight 
of wool than ordinary, and of a very supe¬ 
rior quality. It is neodloss to say that ho 
afterward extended his experiment to a 
greater number, and a few days sinco ho 
proceeded to what he calls his spring shear¬ 
ing, when each of tho animals yielded about 
five pounds of very superior wool. He cal¬ 
culates that by the aid of his process, ho will 
be able to have two shearings a year, spring 
and autumn. Tho groase he uses is said to 
bo only mutton fat, but the herbs employed 
are a secret. However, tho paper from 
which we translate intimates that the prin¬ 
cipal plants used aro Sempervivum Tactor- 
urn and Chelidonium Majus, which are well 
known to be valuable curatives. 
Millet. —This is a fine crop for haying 
for winter fodder. 801110 farmers of experi¬ 
ence say it is as valuable as an equal amount 
of English hay. Sow about the 10th of 
June, eight quarts of seed to the acre.— JY. 
E. Farmer. 
A cultivator will go over two and a half 
times as much ground in a day as will a 
plow, and therefore time and labor are econ¬ 
omised—two vory important considerations. 
