VOLUME IV. NO. 38. !- 
MOORS’S RURAL NEW-YORKER : 
A QUARTO WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Uterary and Family Newspaper. 
CONDUCTED EY D. D. T. MOORE, 
WITH AN ABLE CORPS OK ASSISTANT EDITORS. 
The Rural Niav-Yorkkk 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 tiie 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. 
$~W° Por Terms, &c., see last page. ,JE% 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1853. 
f WHOLE NO. 194. 
Progress and Improvement, 
THE STATE FAIRS. 
Though wo consider Town and County- 
Agricultural Fairs more important and 
beneticial to practical cultivators, the an¬ 
nual exhibitions of our State Societies are 
the most prominent auxiliaries of improve¬ 
ment and should bo well sustained. The 
largo numbers and territory represented, 
and influence exorcised, render our State 
shows of vast importance and difficult man¬ 
agement. Unless the duties of executive 
ofiieers, judges, &c., are discharged properly 
—with prudence, sound judgment, zeal and 
impartiality — the result will frequently 
prove advorso to the producing interest, 
and most unsatisfactory to its representa¬ 
tives. In order to sustain our organizations, 
and onhance the interest and usefulness of 
their exhibitions, wiso and faithful officers, 
and zealous members, are indispensable: 
with such, any and every State Society will 
prove most efficient — a great stimulus and 
permanent benefit to all interested in its 
proceedings. 
But our present object is, or was in the 
outset, to call attention to the approaching 
Fairs, rather than criticize tho management 
on such occasions — to encourage rather 
than discourage attendance at tho approach¬ 
ing exhibitions.. Tho Fairs of New York 
and Ohio are to ho held next week — each 
commencing on tho 20th, and continuing 
four days. Tho shows of these Societies 
have hitherto been tho most extensive and 
attractive in the Union — and it behooves 
those interested to see that such promi¬ 
nence is this year maintained. So far as 
ascertained, tho arrangements for each are 
progressing finely, and it is presumed tho 
convenience of exhibitors, and accommoda¬ 
tion of the public, will receive duo atten¬ 
tion. Both organizations have reputations 
to maintain, and should aim to achiovo ad¬ 
ditional laurels. Guided by past expori- 
onco, each should exhibit evidence of im¬ 
provement in attention to details, and 
general management. Though we do not 
anticipate that oither of the shows will bo 
as largoly attended as have sorao of their 
predecessors, wo trust tho result will be 
eminently satisfactory to both contributors 
and spectators. 
Pennsylvania and Michigan hold their 
shows week after next—the former com¬ 
mencing on tho 27th, tho latter tho 28th, 
each continuing threo days. These Socie¬ 
ties are comparatively young, hut from the 
vigor and enterprise displayed in their man¬ 
agement are wielding a largo and salu¬ 
tary influence. From tho preparations 
making for their approaching shows, we 
think each will this year exceed any previ¬ 
ous olxbrt. Tho location of tho Penn. Fair 
—at Pittsburgh—will naturally securo a 
large attendance from the Western Coun¬ 
ties, and from what wo know of tho farmers 
of that section, we are confident they will bo 
well represented on the occasion. That 
Michigan will do her duty, making a crodi- 
tablo display, is taken for granted—for wo 
doubt whether any State Society in the 
Union has more efficient officers or zealous 
members. We anticipate favorable reports 
from both tho “ Keystone” and “ Peninsu¬ 
lar” exhibitions. 
Among tho Fairs to bo hold early in Oc¬ 
tober, those of Wisconsin, Illinois and Indi¬ 
ana, are the most prominent, and particular¬ 
ly interest many in our parish of readers. 
From the spirit manifested thus far we think 
those exhibitions will prove highly credita¬ 
ble—comparing favorably, if not indeod ex¬ 
ceeding, the displays of societies in much 
older States. New Hampshire and Canada 
West also exhibit early in October—the 
Fairs in each taking place on tho 5th, 6th, 
and 7th. Of the prospect in regard to these 
wo havo heard little, but presume tho shows 
will bo such as to fully maintain tho good 
reputation already acquired by tho Presi¬ 
dent’s fellow citizens and Her Majesty’s 
loyal subjects. 
Vermont and Rhode Island lead this year, 
holding their exhibitions tho present week. 
Of their prominent features wo hope to give 
some account in our next number. 
SECURING INMAN CORN. 
From tho unusual wet spring, much of 
this crop was late in tho planting, very little 
being got into the ground before the first of 
June — except on very dry soils — and on 
low and heavy lands, in many cases, not un¬ 
til tho 10th, and so on to tho 18th, which is 
now very promising, more so on account of 
the drouth than the earlier planted. 
Early frosts will materially affect tho crop 
in all tho Northern and Western States; 
therefore great caro should bo usod in se¬ 
curing it. It is well settled that cutting at 
the root and shocking up, produces more, 
and a hotter article than any other method. 
It may safely bo done always, as soon as the 
kernels are fairly glazed, however green the 
stalks may ho, taking caro not to make the 
stook too large. 
If frost has touched tho corn, cut it up 
at tho root immodiatoly, and set up in mod¬ 
erate sized shocks, according to its ripeness, 
and it will come out bright and well filled, 
and is a far preferable process to topping 
—especially after being frosted, as tho effect 
is tho simple drying, and no assimulation of 
the sap, to fill and perfect the kernel, hav¬ 
ing lost all the green leaves that carry on 
tho circulation, and eliminate tho juices of 
nutrition. 
It is a very mistaken notion that, to save 
late corn, it must he topped; for when it is 
sate to top it, it is safe to cut up and shock. 
1 hero is a loss of from 3 to 12 per cent, in 
the weight at all times between topping and 
cutting up, except when dead ripe in the 
hill. The experiment has been so thor¬ 
oughly tried, that there is no mistake rela¬ 
tive to tho two processes. 
There is s good deal of science in making 
up shocks properly; especially if not fully 
ripe, they must not bo too largo, nor to close 
at tho bottom, nor yet so loose as to allow 
them to lop in and disturb tho uprightness 
of the shock. In commencing, sot up a 
good sized bundlo and bind it firmly, strad¬ 
dle out tho bottom till it stands firm and 
upright, then build around on all sides 
equally, bind in tho tassels and another good 
and securo band two-thirds of the distance 
from tho bottom, and they will not blow 
ovor or lop down. 
Tho best bands are hop vinos when to be 
had, or rye or oat straw—as stalks, when 
vory groen, aro tender and not to be de¬ 
pended upon. Many farmers hind them 
into bundles as they are cut up and thon 
shock them, which is a vory good and secure 
procoss, convenient for loading if taken un¬ 
der cover to husk, which may be done 
without unbinding — though generally not 
as thorough a method for husking clean. . 
Nitrate of Soda as a Manure. —Mr. 
Pusey in a recont No. of the Journal of 
tho Royal Ag. Society, givos an account of 
tho application, to an aero of early-sown 
barley, injured by late frosts, of 42 lbs. of 
Nitrato of Soda, together with double the 
quantity of common salt. It restored tho 
color of the crop, and caused it to grow 
half a foot higher than that to which it was 
not appliod, increasing also tho product 
from 40 to 47 bushels. Tho gain was 300 
por cent, on tho cost of tho application.— 
This is a remarkable result from so trifling 
THE CHICKEN FEVER. 
Mr. Moore I am not a vory old man, 
nor yet a very young one; still I have lived 
to seo a great many explosions beside steam 
boilers and saltpetre, and a great many 
Tom-fooleries and humbugs “ come like 
shadows, so depart”— Cow Cabbage, Tree 
Corn, Morus multicaulis, Rohan Potatoes, 
et id omne germs; together with fruits, flow¬ 
ers, grasses and grains—“ peas, beans and 
barley corns” without number. 
This everlasting great American Nation, 
as Sam Slick says, like always to be in a 
stew about something. They are like a bai'- 
rel of new cider; they can’t remain quiet, 
but are bent upon and require excitement 
—fermentation—something to stir up their 
ideas and raise the steam, to go on a bust of 
speculation. It is not exactly gullibility, it 
is self-moving,.loco-motive genius—the roll¬ 
ing of tho “almighty dollar,” and tho race 
after tho chances of destiny to make it with¬ 
out work, that induces every man, woman 
and child to bite at the hook that is baited 
with any thing and every thing new, from 
Monnonisin to Spiritual Rappings, and the 
most absurd manias become the most epi¬ 
demical. The fever that now prevails from 
Eastport to Corpus Christi—the chicken 
fever — is only exceeded in intesity by the 
terrible infliction prevailing in the South. 
What must bo the inevitable result of this 
mania ? Ono half of the population have run 
mad, to become chicken and hen nurses, and 
to pamper and bring up a race of gigantic, 
long-legged, big-boned, naked-breeched bar¬ 
barians, without a single valuable qualifica¬ 
tion that I can see, except size, which in fact 
constitutes no value — unless a pound of 
their fat and muscle is made with less food, 
than the same weight of the common vari¬ 
eties, which is not claimed to bo the ease. 
They are no better layers, nor produce 
larger eggs, nor indeed near as largo as tho 
Dorkings, Malays and their crosses; their 
flesh is coarse and lacks flavor, and in my 
opinion, have no valuable quality except 
their music—that is exquisite —compound¬ 
ed of the creaking of the dry axle and the 
filing of a mill saw. Yet not long since, in 
your city, a pair of those fowls sold for a 
hundred and fifty dollars, and at various 
other places at enormous prices. 
To koep up tho excitement, Hen Conven¬ 
tions are as formally called, and as numer¬ 
ously attended, as tho more important con¬ 
ventions of Hard and Soft-shollod politi¬ 
cians— the press is subsidised—editors 
themselves are idolizing at the shrines of 
Chittagong and Bramha Pootra, and pros¬ 
tituting their papers to keep up the steam; 
in fact there is hardly a print in the Union, 
but what has from ono to a dozen puffing 
advertisements. Fortunes are mado, and 
will be lost, in this i-age after the marvelous 
humbug. It is estimated, that at least 200,- 
000 chickens are now in tho process of rear¬ 
ing in this county alone, from the pure 
critter to all imaginable crosses. 
Is it not a pertinent question to ask what 
will be tho result, even other than in a pe¬ 
cuniary point of view—in the improvement 
of our domestic poultry ? The inroduction 
of various broed of cattle, horses and swine, 
has very palpably improved the stock of 
tho country—though few of the costly ori¬ 
ginals are admired or adopted generally, in 
their primitive varieties. None of the 
breeders of those exotic fowls talk of adopt¬ 
ing these nondescripts for domestic use.— 
Thoy are like Pindar’s Razors, made to sell 
—to make money, while high-tido lasts— 
and if any one can afford, and chooses to 
fool away ten or one hundred dollars, per¬ 
haps it is as legitimate an operation as send¬ 
ing curling tongs to Guinea, or warming 
pans to tho West Indies. Whose business 
is it ?—their heirs and not mine ; but I can¬ 
not holp asking cui bono ? L. Manly. 
Chestnut Ridge, September, 1853. 
Remarks.—T hough our correspondent tells con¬ 
siderable truth, in a forcible and pleasant manner, 
we cannot fully endorse his sweeping denuncia¬ 
tion of the so-called improved varieties of fowls 
Strong as it is, however, his article is to the point, 
and perhaps needed to check the fever which is 
so prevalent.—E ds. 
U/J 
ATKINS’ AUTOMATON SELF-RAKING READER. 
Atkins’ Self-Raking Reaper is one of the 
most ingenious contrivances of this inven¬ 
tive age. The above engraving probably 
gives as good a representation of it as can 
well be made upon paper, yet convoys only 
a partial idea of its construction or manner 
of operation. We saw it in operation at 
the N. Y. Stato Ag. Society’s Trial of Im¬ 
plements, at Geneva, last year, and were 
much interested in its novelty and prospec¬ 
tive value. Soon after the trial wo stated, 
in this paper, that tho machine “attracted 
more attention, from its novelty, than any 
other on the ground. It is the invention 
of Mr. Jearum Atkins, of Illinois, and was 
exhibited by J. S. Wright, Esq., of the 
Prairie Farmer. It is certainly a most 
curious piece of mechanism, and though 
simple in operation, must be seen to be un¬ 
derstood. The reaper cuts in the same 
manner as others, with the Hussey knife, 
and the rake draws the grain across tho 
platform, and holds it against a sheet iron 
palm, which turns with the rake a quarter 
round, whon the rake opons and the grain 
BREEDING.-REPLY TO FARMER D. 
Without desiring to enter into a controversy 
of any sort, it will perhaps be not only allowable, 
but for the benefit of your readers to notice some 
points in the article of “Farmer D.” upon the 
subject of In-and-in Breeding. The ruinous ef¬ 
fect of such intercourse in the human family is 
readily admitted, while your correspondent denies 
the production of the effect from the same cause 
in the intercourse of the brute creation. The 
effect in the human family is the reproduction of 
the bad points, defects and diseases to which both 
parties are subject, and the deterioration, and sub¬ 
sequent destruction of the race. Are there any 
facts in animal physiology which point to an ex¬ 
emption from the stem mandates of this law 
when applied to brutes ? Have they not blood, 
bone and muscle ? Are they not improved by 
careful breeding, and does not the experience of 
every herdsman and breeder, your correspondent 
included,'bear testimony to the necessity of se¬ 
lecting the most perfect males, and pairing them 
with care and skill in order to improve the breed ? 
Have not breeders for years been careful to min¬ 
gle and cross different strains of blood in order to 
avoid the bad, and secure the good in both fami¬ 
lies. Was not the reason assigned for transferring 
Halton, one of the most perfect of his race, from 
Canada to Madison Co. in this State, the fact that 
Mr. Fergusson could not longer breed from him 
without incurring the penalty of in-and-in breed¬ 
ing ? Are not many of the sales and transfers of 
blooded animals made each year for the same 
reason ? 
Farmer D. reasons that if it had been necessary 
to restrict the intercourse of animals, some pro¬ 
vision would have been made to effect that object, 
and as such provision has not been made, it wiU 
be an impeachment of the -wisdom and inteUi- 
gence of the Creator to assume the necessity of 
such restriction. The history of creation informs 
us that to man was assigned dominion over the 
beasts of the field. Is it an impeachment of the 
wisdom of the Creator to assume that with the 
conferring of dominion, was also conferred the 
power and propriety of restricting intercourse, 
that the race might be improved and perfected 
for man’s use ? Your correspondent assumes far¬ 
ther, that there are now upon the earth precisely 
the same kinds of animals and reptiles that 
were originally named by our first parent, 
Adam. Others have not so read the history 
of ages. The geologist assigns different eras 
and ages to creation, whose history is distinctly 
written upon the enduring rocks by the hand of 
| drops in the rear and out of tho way of the 
| team, when it again comes round. On the 
j first trial, an accident prevented itssuccess- 
\ ful operation, hut on being repaired it 
: worked admirably ”—proving decidedly the 
: most perfect self-reaper exhibited, 
j Since the Geneva trial tho machine has, 
i we believe, been farther perfected, and 
| brought to general notice both in this 
! country and England. It was exhibited in 
| England last winter, and very naturally at- 
! tractod attention as a superior invention — 
j something ahead of ordinary “ Yankee no¬ 
tions,” clever as such usually appear. In 
speaking of it the London Times says :— 
‘‘ Some of our most eminent agriculturists 
regard it with great interest, and appear to 
entertain very favorable expectations of its 
performance. Tho mechanical arrange¬ 
ments by which the automaton power is se¬ 
cured are remarkable, both for thoir novelty 
and simplicity.” 
Those ot readers interested, or wishing 
further information, are referred to the ad- 
I vertisement of Mr. Wright, in this paper. 
| God, and from whose unerring pages may be traced 
records of animals and reptiles unknown except 
from information thus obtained. 
In support of the position which was assumed 
in the article upon native cattle, a position never 
before to our knowledge seriously questioned, it 
may be proper to introduce some well known and 
reputable witnesses. First we shall summon 
Youatt, who holds language as follows :—“ The 
breeding from close affinities—the breeding in- 
and-in —has many advantages, to a certain extent. 
It may be pursued until the excellent form and 
quality of the breed Ls developed and established. 
It was the source whence sprung the cattle and 
the sheep of Bakewell, aud the superior cattle of 
Colling; and to it must also be traced the speedy 
degeneracy—the absolute disappearance of the 
new Leicester cattle, and, in the hands of many 
an agriculturist, the impairment of constitution, 
and decreased value of the new Leicester sheep 
and the short-horned beasts.” 
Blacklock speaks of the practice of breeding 
in-and-in, as “ destructive to flocks, as are mar¬ 
riages of near relations to the human family.” 
Mr. Dickinson characterizes it as a practice that 
produces tenderness of constitution, affects the 
form, renders the bones small and weak, makes 
the skin thin and weak, produces thin, short hair 
and engenders disease which not only deteriorates, 
but ultimately destroys the family. Others might 
be quoted, all to the same purpose, and those who 
[ favor the theory of Farmer D. concede that breed¬ 
ing in-and-in is a very nice matter, which can be 
trusted to few hands without producing unprofit¬ 
able results. 
Morrell, in his excellent work on sheep, savs 
to this vile system may be traced “ so many 
worthless specimens of sheep, both in form and 
fleece, throughout the leugth and breadth of the 
land.” It was a knowledge of t)ie ruinous effects 
of such a practice, that gave rise to what is known 
as a system of crossing, from which has originated 
some of the best breeds of cattle, sheep, and 
horses known among breeders. 
More, very much more of the same tenor might 
be added, but for fear the discussion may crowd 
out something .more profitable, nothing further 
need be said at the present time. h. c. w. 
Dropsy rx Sheep is induced by long exposure to 
cold aud wet weather. Tapping is unsafe, unless 
performed by a skillful veterinary. The best plan 
is to bleed freely, and give two or three doses of 
Epsom salts. It is better, however, in general, to 
kill the sheep at once, as rarely a permanent cure 
can be effected.- Morrell. 
