VOLUME IV. NO. 27. > 
-(WHOLE NO. 183. 
ROCHESTER, N. Y. — SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1853. 
MOORE’S RURAXi NEW-YORKER: 
A QUARTO WEEKLY 
Agricultural, (Literary anil Family Newspaper 
CONDUCTED EY D. D. T. MOORS, 
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 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 with many appropriate and handsome engrav¬ 
ings— than any other paper published in this Country. 
For Terms, &c., see last page. 
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Tier. 
Progress and Improvement, 
HAY.—CUTTING AND CURING-. 
The hay-makers are at work and the sum¬ 
mer air is full of the fragrance of the now- 
mown grass. Tho farmers are early and 
late afield, and the season is one of bustling 
activity to them, their wives and children. 
O, there is work to do in tho country about 
those days,—days when tho denizens of the 
city think most of their country relatives, 
and oftenest go out among them. Let them 
not forget how busy their farming friends 
must be. 
In what stage of tho growth of grass it 
shall bo cut, and the manner in which it 
shall bo cured, aro questions of considera¬ 
ble importance to tho farmer, though as 
yet, no decisions in which all acquiesce, 
have made any ono practice the uniform 
and general ono. Some cut in tho season 
of flowering, before tho blossoms have fallen, 
■ others not until the seed has formed, and 
others defer the operation until it is fully 
ripo. Each class bring arguments to sus¬ 
tain their plan of procedure, as also is tho 
case in relation to tho several modes of 
curing. Wo will state now, some facts rela¬ 
tive to both subjects—drawn from chemistry 
and practical analogy—but bearing more 
particularly in favor of early cutting and 
shade curing, which is conceded, by many 
of our best farmers, to secure the greatest 
nutritive value of tho hay. 
Chemistry shows us that all plants con¬ 
tain the largest amount of matter soluble 
in water, at tho period of flowering, and 
that tho sugar and gluten of the grass, and 
a few other soluble ingredients, constitute 
its chief value as food for animals. These 
rapidly diinish as the seed forms, changing 
into insoluble woody fibre, and tho hay 
which should, as far as may be, rosemblo 
grass in its most perfect state, is worth much 
less if not made until after that period.— 
There aro but few exceptions to this rule, 
but wo believe the Kentucky blue grass, the 
Juno grass, and some others which furnish 
but a light amount of stem, and aro most 
valuable from their loavos which continue 
growing through tho summer, may stand 
far past tho flowering stage benoficially. It 
has been supposed, because ripo hay yielded 
tho greatost amount of extract when boiled, 
that therefore it must contain most nutri¬ 
ment, but it is now found that tho boiling 
very imperfectly imitates tho process of di¬ 
gestion, and both analysis, and experiment 
with tho living animal, confirm tho fact that 
the best hay js that cut and properly cured 
when nearest the period of blossoming. 
That process of curing which shall most i 
perfectly retain tho nutritive properties 
present in the plant, is tho best process. In 
drying herbs for medicinal and culinary 
uses, tho experience of many centuries 
teaches, that drying in tho shade is tho only 
way to accomplish tho desired object. In 
making hay this cannot bo entirely accom¬ 
plished, but tho plan which most closely 
follows it, that of curing in tho swath and 
cock, is a good and safe one—advantageous 
also, as requiring less exposure to injury 
from rain than any other. 
Clover hay and coarso herds-grass espec¬ 
ially, need to bo cured in this way, as they 
will not boar much handling when dry with¬ 
out loss of leaves and blossoms. When 
mowed, let the grass got fairly wilted and 
tho external moisture dried off while in the 
swath, with, perhaps, a single thorough sha¬ 
king-up and spreading, and then be put into 
cocks, and it may bo cured with very little 
loss. The partial fermentation, or “ sweat¬ 
ing,” which it undergoes, causes but slight 
change in its constituent parts—save that 
it separates the water therefrom—and after 
standing thus for twenty-hours, it needs but 
littlo after tending, to prepare it for tho 
mow or stacks, and has far less of that harsh 
and strawy tendency than it would possess 
if cured in a different manner. Care should 
be exercised in curing this way, not to put 
up tho hay before it is fully wilted, and that 
tho cocks bo small and woll-constructed, so 
that tho “ sweating” process may not bo 
carried to excess, and induco so great a fer¬ 
mentation as to decompose tho sugar of tho 
bay, changing it to alcohol and carbonic 
acid. 
The weather has a great influence on tho 
real value of tho hay crop, but that wo can 
neither foreseo nor control. If tho weather 
should prove unfavorable, and constantly 
changing, it is thought that tho less tho hay 
i3 stirred the better—that it will retain its 
value while lying wet in tho swath, much 
longer than if disturbed with repeated dry¬ 
ings and wettings. Nothing so injures hay 
as washing by rain, and this, if many times 
repeated, will totally destroy its value as 
food for animals. 
In cutting grass, good tools and good 
workmen are essential to tho economical 
performance of tho work. There is more 
of ease as well as completeness with the 
good workman, in tho performance of his 
labors, and good tools aro also a great aid in 
these respects. Order and readiness in the 
whole round of preparations give largely in¬ 
creased facilities for pushing forward this 
and all other farm operations. It is import¬ 
ant to have ample moans to do everything as 
and when it should be, since so much depends 
on the right curing and securing of the hav 
crop. Tho introduction of mowing ma¬ 
chines and other labor-saving implements is 
of much importanco to the farmer, render¬ 
ing him independent, in some degree, of 
manual labor, often difficult to be secured, 
and always dear at this season of tho year. 
With tho requisite team, a good mowing 
machine and horse-rakes, the usual number 
of laborers employed on tho farm will soon¬ 
er secure in good order, an hundred acres 
of meadow than they could a dozen under 
tho old system. 
CULTURE OF INDIAN CORN. 
Eds. Rural : — Tho increasing facilities of 
transportation, by canal and railroads, are 
every year enhancing the value of the corn 
crop to western farmers ; and any informa¬ 
tion that will tend to increase the yield per 
acre should be sent broadcast among them. 
My early instruction in raising the crop 
was on the old system. After the land was 
plowed it was then thrown into ridges, the 
planting was across the ridges, and tho hills 
on the top of them. Tho finishing of the 
aftor culture was, to form tho surface into 
hills around the corn. 
Some fifteen years sinco I first obtained 
from tho Albany Clultivator the idea of 
keeping a level surface in cultivating the 
crop. Its advantages were set forth with so 
much clearness, that I was induced to in¬ 
vestigate and adopt it; and after giving it a 
trial that length of time, I am satisfied that 
more bushels of corn can bo raised from an 
acre, with a level surface, than there can by 
tho old system. But thoro was a difficulty 
to encounter at that time. My workmen 
choso to adher* to the old system, and would 
bring thoir arguments in its favor. And 
they must bo mot with fairness, yet I seldom 
failed to convince tho most skoptical on the 
subject. The following facts were the most 
convincing. Tho time of hilling corn was 
generally when tho most forward stalks be¬ 
gan to show the ends of the tassels. I 
would solect where there was four good hills 
standing; in the center between them I would 
dig down to tho subsoil, thon work under 
towards tho best hill. The ends of tho side 
or branching roots at that time wi re from 
throe to four inches below - tho surface of the 
ground ; to hill the corn would require two 
inches of soil betwoen tho hills, to be placed 
ai’ound the corn, where but a few roots had 
tho benefit of it. And tho ends of t ho roots 
that took up moisture and nutriment for the 
stalks were brought from an inch to two 
inches below the surface of the ground be¬ 
tween the hills, which rendered them nearly 
useless in taking up nutriment for tho stalks 
in dry weather. 
Again.—When the corn was cut up, there 
was another objection,—the stalks were 
leaning more in every direction. But the 
long and well filled ears explained why the 
stalks bent beneaah their load, and amply 
paid for extra labor on that account. 
I have seen corn in a neighboring field 
plowed out both ways, and then good hills 
formed around tho corn, but tho roots were 
severed so much by tho plow, and uncover¬ 
ed in forming hills, that it did not recover 
from the operation in a week’s time. 
Several times I managed to have grass 
succeed corn ; and grass seed has succeeded 
as well with corn as with small grain. I sow 
four quarts of timothy and four quarts of 
clover per acre; then pass both ways with 
the cultivator, following with the hoe, labor¬ 
ing to leave the surface level. And if it is 
intended for meadow the corn was cut close 
to the ground with a sharp hoe, having a 
handle about eighteen inches in length.— 
Such meadow has yielded me two tons of 
bay tho first clip, though the grass crop 
would be some later Than early seeding. 
Alvin Wilcox. 
West Bloomfield, N. Y., June, 1853. 
CHANGES IN CLIMATE.-NO- V. 
Highly stimulating manures and fertili¬ 
zers ai’o injurious to the potato crop, because 
they induce a too rapid growth, and conse¬ 
quently, a too tender state of the plant.— 
Northern slopes and aspects, and shades of 
high forest trees on the south side of the 
patch, servo to prevent the disease. Plant¬ 
ing in alternate rows, (east and west,) with 
Indian corn, is useful, as tho corn generally 
shades tho plants and ground, and prevents 
the great accumulation of heat from the 
rays of the sun. After all, howevoi', is done 
that can be, it will probably be impossible 
always to prevent the “rot” inasmuch as it 
is impossible, by human exertion, to pre¬ 
vent the recurrence of the increased degree 
of heat from tho causes before mentioned. 
Of course, until cooler seasons occur, we 
shall be, more or less, troubled with the 
“ potato rot.” 
As with the potato plant, in regard to tho 
“rot,” so with the wheat plant in regard to 
“rust.” The increase of heat has, within 
tho last twenty-five or thirty years, fre¬ 
quency caused an ovei’growth of the stalks 
and leaves; and of course a superabundance 
of sap, distending tho sap vessels to thoir 
utmost capacity. Severe and long continu 
ed heat ruptures the distended sap vessels, 
by swelling the juices contained in them, in 
the same manner, and for the same reason, 
that the water in a full tea-kettle swells, 
lifts the lid, and runs over, when heat is ap¬ 
plied to make it boil. The sap runs out of 
tho ruptured vessels, and dries on the sur¬ 
face of tho straws and leaves; frequently 
assuming all varieties of shapes, liko the 
scoria, from a volcano. This is the secret, 
so frequently (and, I might almost say dili¬ 
gently,) overlooked by our “microscopic” 
philosophers, who, “ overstepping tho modes¬ 
ty of nature,” charge the evil upon the poor 
innocent family of the “ Fungi,” which never 
attempts to appropriate to itself the living 
matter of other plants, but patiently waits 
until they have cast it aside, as dead, and 
unfit for their further uso. Early winter 
varieties, and early sowing aro the best pre¬ 
ventives. If sown too early, however, the 
crop is liable to be destroyed by the “ Hes¬ 
sian fly,” by impregnation in the fall. If 
very lato sown, its growth is retarded, the 
straw obtains a superfluous quantity of sap, 
and it is very liable to bo rusted. Sowing 
plaster on wheat, generally has a bad ef¬ 
fect by causing the straw to grow too largo, 
and rank ; thereby rendering it peculiarly 
susceptiblo of injury by rust. 
Tho rye crop too has frequently failed 
for some years past; and it is believed to 
have beon in consequence of tho increase of 
heat. In some instances tho late sown rye 
has been “spurred” to tho amount of about 
half of tho crop. Probably tho excessive 
heat ruptured some of the sap vessels of tho 
head, from which the sap run out and tho 
“ ergot” was formed in tho same manner 
that smut on cornstalks is. Of tho latter, 
some very singular instances of the forma¬ 
tion of tho smut have como under my obser¬ 
vation. And a critical examination of them 
has proved conclusively,’ to my mind, that 
superabundant heat was tho cause. In one 
instaiice, in a patch some two rods wide 
(.N and S ) nearly all the stalks in the south¬ 
ern row were smutted, in one part or an¬ 
other; while on those in the northernmost 
row, the smut balls were “few and far be¬ 
tween.” From tho southern side of the 
patch, the smut was in diminished quantity 
towards tho northern row, in which very 
little was found. The effect appeared to 
have been produced by the greater degroe 
of heat, operating upon the more exposed 
southern side of tho patch; tho interior 
and northern rows being more shaded than 
those upon the south side. 
In conclusion, I would advise that every 
practical farmer should closely and critical¬ 
ly observe, and, if possible, learn the cause 
of every effect. Without positively knowing 
the cause, attempts at prevention must be 
mere “ guess ivork.” And although it is 
said that “ guess work is best when it hits 
right,”as it does not always “hit right” it 
is not advisable to try the experiment, when 
other, more certain means can be found, at 
tho expense of but littlo time and trouble. 
’Hiel. 
Seneca County, N. Y., June, 1853. 
ABOUT FALLOWING, MANURING, AND 
KILLING THISTLES. 
Eds. Rural : —I desire to bo permitted 
to say a few words to R. S., Baldwinsvillo, 
on the subject of fallowing, manuring, and 
particularly on killing thistles. R. S. will 
go on to summer fallow, to his satisfaction. 
I would not fallow at all, considering it 
much labor, injurious to the land, and no 
profit. I will simply state my own experi¬ 
ence for throe years past. 
I put all my manure in the spring on my 
corn ground, and try to get my corn where 
my thistles are, spreading it as I plow. 
Within a week after my corn is dressed for 
the last time, I take a spade, or as many 
spades as I have men to work them, and go 
at them, (am sure to be there myself.) Each 
takes a spado between tho rows, and passes 
to and frow through a patch, taking every 
thistle out, root and branch, that tho spade 
will fetch up. Shake off tho dirt, and throw 
them on the ground passed over; and let 
tho weather bo moist or dry, the first few 
hours sun will kill them dead. Whon this 
is once done, tho whole work is then at least 
half done. I then follow them up, at inter¬ 
vals of a weok or ten days, in the same way 
until the corn is off the ground, or until all 
the thistles in the field could be put into a 
snuff box. They must not be suffered to 
get far abovo ground,—must not bo neg¬ 
lected. This work may bo done by catch¬ 
ing half hours, or in wet weather, when 
plowing them would do little good. 
The above mode is death on all thistles, 
and in my estimation not more than one- 
third tho expense of plowing them out, for 
that, to be efficient, must be done with men 
and team, in hot, dry weather, when every 
farmer has enough to do. After corn, put 
barley or oats, thon wheat and clover; plow 
but once for either. Manuring, as above, is 
less labor, and you get tho whole benefit of 
it. In its decomposition it is in and mixed 
with the soil, and its effects in a succession 
of crops, are more beneficial than in any 
other way. j. h. 
Henrietta, N. Y., June, 1853. 
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE. 
Wisconsin.—Its Soil, Timber, &c. 
Eds. Rural:— Columbia Co., Wis., lies 
about west of Rochester, N. Y., or a littlo 
north, perhaps, and a description of this 
county will give a fair idea of the whole 
State; except tho northern “ Pinery” and 
tho timbered portion in the east. Tho faco 
of tho country is rolling—the southern 
more level than the north-wostern, which is 
quito hilly. 
1 he prairies of this Stato, though not as 
largo, are more rolling than those of Illinois. 
If your readers wish to form a correct idea 
of a prairie, let them imagine how some of 
your towns would look if all the trees, all 
the houses, fences, roads, &c., were brushed 
away, at one sweep, and in their places 
should remain a beautiful grassy meadow, 
bespangled with innumerable flowers; and 
they will have an open, uncultivated prairie. 
Imagine your orchards replaced irregularly, 
and you have a prairie with groves—replace 
your other improvements, and you will have 
a cultivated prairie with small groves. The 
“ oak openings” resemble a scrubby, untrim¬ 
med orchard, the troos placed very irregu¬ 
larly. 
In this section wo have no heavy timber 
except along the streams, though there is 
generally enough for fencing and fuel. Tho 
kinds of timber, in the openings, are black, 
white, and burr oaks; in the groves, the 
several varieties of oak, with shag-bark 
walnut, aspen or poplar, and cherry. Along 
the streams, grow soft and hard maple, ash, 
elm, oak, &c. In the eastern and northern 
parts, pine, hemlock, beech, &c., are abund¬ 
ant. The marshes, unlike those of most 
other States, are formed by springs of pure 
cold water—the water gradually draining off 
into creeks, rendering them more healthy; 
and they are bountifully covered with wild 
grass, for the support of cattle during the 
winter. 
The soil of the pariries is a black, veget¬ 
able mould, intermixed more or less with 
sand, and producing most of tho cereals, 
roots, and English grapes, in great abund¬ 
ance. Winter wheat grows finely, but the 
bleak winds of winter blow the light soil 
from the roots, leaving them exposed to the 
weather, and the numerous freezings and 
thawings of winter and early spring, gene¬ 
rally make “a finish of it.” In protected 
situations it does well. The soil of the 
openings is of a more varied character.— 
The white oak soil is generally a sandy or 
clayey loam. Tho black and burr oak soil 
unites often the vegetable mould, loam, 
sand, clay and gravel. Tho openings are 
equal to the pariries for all kinds of grain, 
and much surer for winter wheat; the soil 
boing heavier and more protected. 
The soil and climate appear adapted to 
all kinds of fruit of a northern climate, ex¬ 
cept peaches. The peach tree grows finely, 
and occasionally bears, but the sudden and 
severe “cold snaps” of winter, kill them 
down, even aftor they attain to four or six 
inches in diameter.—F. G. R., Courtland, 
Columbia Co., Wis., June, 1853. 
“ The Old Oaken Bucket,” 
Except in the “ fond recollection” of the 
“ oldest inhabitant,” is now seldom found. 
The pump has taken its place; and who¬ 
ever would keep up with the improvements 
(!) in that article, must have a new one 
every year,—and in fact that is longer than 
many of them continue to work well. But 
if they do not pump tho water from the 
well, thoy are always sure to pump the 
money from the pocket; and whether a 
quantity of wood and metal lying in the 
well, injuriously affects the water, is of 
course a matter of taste. But to fill up and 
throw by a well of pure cold water, as has 
been often done, merely becacuse there is 
a spring that will run up to tho house, is too 
bad. It is not designed to speak against 
the improvements for convoying water thro’ 
pipes, for water thus conveyed is, for most 
uses, just as good. But for drinking , the 
next best thing to water taken from a good 
spring at the fountain, is that taken by a 
