MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER^ 
AN ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY JOURNAL, 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOOEE, 
WITH AN ABLE CORPS OP ASSISTANT EDITORS. 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS i 
H. T. BROOKS, 
T. C. PETERS, 
Prof. C. DEWEY, 
L. B. LANGWORTHY, 
H. C. WHITE. 
The Rural New-Yorker ia designed to bo unique and 
beautiful in appearance, and unsurpassed in Value, Pnritvand 
Variety of Contents. Its conductors earnestly labor to make it 
a Reliable Guide on the important Practical Subjects connected 
with the business of those whose interests it advocates. It 
embraces more Agricultural, Horticultural, Scientific, Mechan¬ 
ical, Literary and News Matter, interspersed with many appro¬ 
priate and beautiful Engravings, than any other paper published 
in this Country,—rendering it a complete Agricultural, Lit¬ 
erary and Family Newspaper. 
I'i'"' AH communications, and business letters, should be 
addressed to D. D. T. MOORE, Rochester, N. Y. 
For Terms, and other particulars, see last page. 
Ural lefa-lijt'ihr. 
OCTOBER PACTS AND FANCIES. 
The months of eighteen hundred fifty-six 
are fast being struck off by that ancient marker 
of the clays and the centuries—Father Time.— 
The index has received another jog torward—it 
points ten on the dial of the year. January 
garbed mother earth in spotless white—May 
clothed her with lively green and dazzling 
flowers—August gave to her a golden tinge— 
October tames the spirit and with drapery of rus¬ 
set gives sedateness. Beecher calls October the 
“painted month. Every thing green loves to die 
in bright colors. The vegetable cohorts march 
out of the year in glowing, flaming dresses, as 
if to leave the earth were a triumph, not a sad¬ 
ness. It is not nature that is ever sad ; but only 
we that dare not look back upon the past and 
that have not her prophecy of the future in our 
bosoms.” There is as much life in Autumn as 
as death, and as much creation and growth as 
“passing away.” Every flower has left its 
house full of seeds. No leaf has dropped until 
a bud has borne it. Already another year is 
hidden along the boughs, another summer is 
nestling amid the falling leaves and faded 
flowers. 
October has its practical point of view to 
those with whom we hold weekly converse.— 
“Nothing to do. or to be done” is not to be 
found in the vocabulary of the farmer. Each 
month and each day brings its specific duties 
and labors, and he who makes his daily mark 
on the work of the moment is the man not only 
for the present but for all time. 
“ Push along the column” of porkers. There 
is no time to lose in their management. Keep 
their wants supplied—give sufficiency of food 
when it is needed—give it to them in such 
shape as will best meet the ends sought—keep 
them warm and clean and we will guarantee 
valuable returns. 
Speaking of fattening pigs, ears of yellow 
corn start up before our vision—the mind re¬ 
verts to well-filled cribs, and the cribs tell of 
Huskings. There are bright memories of the 
Huskings of long ago,—alas! that nought should 
be left but what the brain has pictured. Husk- 
iDg has no longer the spirit of yore, it has be¬ 
come a portion of the drudgery of the farm.— 
No more do lithe, graceful forms surround the 
“ heap” and by winning smile cheer the work¬ 
ers on their task—no more does the coveted 
“red ear” give rise to the ecstasy of expectant 
sweets. We have become utilitarian and utility 
speaks not of- But we are off the track, 
what have roe to do with such scenes ? 
PThis month the potatoes will be dug and in 
their bins. See to your cellars and stop every 
place, that with a little coquetting, would be 
likely to admit Jack Frost. While examining 
the cellars, let your thoughts soar at least to the 
roof-tree, and see that every thing is comfort¬ 
able. The windows want your attention and 
lights of glass where there is a vacancy. Lid 
your doors and do the same to the calls of hu¬ 
manity— i. e., see that your stock have quar¬ 
ters such as the rigors of our northern climate 
demand. 
See to your wheat fields after a rain and if 
you find standing water adopt the readiest 
means for putting the same in circulation. This 
matter demands special attention. We would 
hear less of “winter killed grain” draining 
received a modicum of the notice it merits. 
Be neat. Much can be done during the pres¬ 
ent month to improve the appearauce of jour 
farm. Pick up and cast away loose stones— 
either tor some drain or stone wall you have 
laid away among the plans of the future—grub 
out roots and bushes—and level hillocks and 
fill up dead furrows—in fine give to your entire 
fields an air of order, system and neatness. 
PLAN FOR AN AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL. 
BY PROP. J. A. PORTER, OP YALE COLLEGE. 
[Now that the New York State Agricultural College has 
“ a local habitation and a name,” its organization, and the 
plan or system upon which it shall be conducted, are mat¬ 
ters of vital importance. The following “Plan for an 
Agricultural School,” originated by Prof. Portir aLd al¬ 
ready published in several journals, will be read with 
interest by the friends of Agricultural Education at the 
present juncture, and may lead to a profitable discussion 
of the subject.— Eds.J 
An Agricultural School worthy of the name 
is one of the most evident and pressing needs 
of the country. We are to a great extent a na¬ 
tion of agriculturists, yet without an institution 
in the whole length and breadth of the land, 
which furnishes the proper instruction to the 
agricultural community. 
The wants of the country in this respect are 
obvious. First, a well stocked and well fur¬ 
nished farm, fully up to the standard of the best 
agriculture in the world, to show what the best 
existing practice is. Secondly, an experimental 
farm, to improve on the best practice, and ad¬ 
vance the cause of agriculture. Thirdly, the 
means of instruction in all the sciences con¬ 
nected with the culture of the soil. 
The farm should comprise in its buildings 
and yards all of the improved arrangements for 
the feeding and wintering of stock—all of the 
manure-saving and manure-making, and labor- 
saving contrivances—all of the improved ma¬ 
chinery and implements which have been sub¬ 
mitted to the test of experience and proved to 
be of economical value. Everything should be 
planned and constructed from the outset with a 
sole view to economy and profit; and in the 
subsequent history of the farm it should be re¬ 
garded as successful just in proportion to its 
pecuniary returns. The farm should be stocked 
with cattle and horses, and all other domestic 
animals of different breeds, including as great 
a variety as possible, in order to show the 
characteristics of the different races and give to 
pupils the opportunity of studying their pecul¬ 
iarities. It should be under the superinten¬ 
dence of a thoroughly practical business man, 
and be conducted at his own risk and for his 
own profit. Model farming, in any practical 
and economical sense of the term, is not 
likely to be realized on any other plan. It is 
by no means so important, that the farm should 
be the best farm in the country, as that it should 
be the best managed farm. If it should furnish 
obstacles to be overcome in the character of its 
soil, necessity of draining, soil mixing, or other 
improvements, so much the better, rather than 
the worse. The farming of a rich virgin soil 
calls for no aid of science, and demands no skill. 
The obstacles are just what are wanted to illus¬ 
trate what skillful, scientific farming is, where 
the farmer, as well as nature, has something 
to do. 
The second great want of the country, in an 
agricultural point of view, is an experimental 
farm connected with the practical farm as above 
described, and devoted to experiments in Scien¬ 
tific Agriculture. The subjects for experiment 
of practical importance to every farmer, are in¬ 
numerable. Rotations of crops, admixture of 
soils, the preparation and use of manures, the 
diseases of plants, the introduction of new 
plants, are a few among the number. The ex¬ 
perimental farm should be under the control of 
chemical and other Professors, for experiments 
in their seveial departments; and be regard¬ 
ed as purely experimental ground,— where 
the idea of immediate profit should not inter¬ 
fere in the least degree with perfect freedom of 
investigation. The other or main farm being 
conducted with a view to profit alone, the ac¬ 
counts of the two should be kept entirely dis¬ 
tinct, and all material passing from one to the 
other should be paid for with a fair equivalent. 
The directors of the experimental farm would 
have occasion to superintend experiments in 
feeding and in the dairy, which would be best 
made on the associated practical farm, and 
would increase to some extent the labor there 
required, but this also should be paid for, and 
the character of the latter as a solely practical 
farm be in all respects maintained. 
The experimental farm would not probably 
be remunerative in a pecuniary sense, but it 
would be the means of testing for the associated 
farm and the country the value of suggested 
improvements, of teaching the science of exper¬ 
iment to the pupils of the institution, and from 
time to time of bringing to light new and im¬ 
portant truths in Scientific Agriculture. 
A Museum of Agricultural Products is another 
essential feature of an Agricultural Institution 
such as the country needs. It should exhibit 
grains, roots, fruits, woods in all their variety. 
Its collections would serve for the purpose of 
illustration in Lectures on Agricultural Botany 
and Physiology. A botanical garden connect¬ 
ed with it would add greatly to its value. 
A Collection of Agricultural Implements should 
also form a part of its means of instruction. 
These would serve as illustrations of lectures 
on the mechanics, in which these operations 
would be explained, and their comparative 
merits considered. 
A Veterinary Hospital, for the treat ment of 
diseased animals in the vicinity of the farm, 
would also be an essential feature of the plan. 
It should be under the charge of a competent 
veterinary surgeon, who would give instruction 
in the nature and cure of the various diseases 
to which animals are subject. 
The principal branches of Science, which 
should be taught in an Agricultural School, are 
Chemistry, Meteorology, Mineralogy, Zoology, 
Animal and Vegetable Physiology, Veterinary 
Medicine and Surgery. To these may be add¬ 
ed surveying—a knowledge of which is of the 
utmost convenience to the farmer, and should 
form a part of a liberal agricultural education. 
Chemistry stands prominent in the list, in 
view of its superior and acknowledged import¬ 
ance. Agriculture aims at the transformation 
of earth and air into grain, and wood, and fruit. 
The process is, in a great part, chemical. Ev¬ 
ery dung-hill and compost-heap, and square 
foot of soil, is a laboratory. Every farmer, 
whether he would be or uo, is a chemist from 
the very nature of his profession. But it is in 
his choice to be an ignorant one, or to possess 
himself of the knowledge of the properties and 
mutual relations of the materials with which he 
deals. This knowledge he needs, and must 
obtain from the scientific chemist. It is none 
the less necessary, if he never makes an analy¬ 
sis. It makes him a rational and economical 
experimenter, and thus puts him on the road to 
advance in his profession. 
The importance of Mineralogy and Geology, 
which treat of the materials out of which soils 
are formed, and from which they derive their 
character, whose principles guide the Agricul¬ 
turist in his search for fertilizing materials, and 
frequently furnish him with the most valuable 
hints in locating and improving his lands, is 
equally obvious. 
The importance of Meteorology, or the knowl¬ 
edge of the relations of heat and moisture to 
the atmosphere and the soil and the plant, and 
the laws on which change of weather depends, 
is no less apparent. 
Although not necessary of every day appli¬ 
cation, all these branches form, properly, part 
of a liberal agricultural education. And so of 
all the other sciences which have ever been 
mentioned. The enterprising man, possessing 
such knowledge, will find abundant occasion 
for its application and abundant suggestions in 
its possession. 
On the value of a knowledge of the princi¬ 
ples involved in the breeding of stock, and the 
laws on which its improvement depends—of 
the diseases of plants and animals, and of in¬ 
sects injurious to vegetation and the means to 
be employed against them, it is needless to 
dwell. Instruction in all these branches should 
obviouslv form Dart of an agricultural course.fi 
What a center of light would such a school, 
as is here described, be to the whole agricultu¬ 
ral community ! All purported discoveries in 
Agriculture would come to it to be tested, and 
important truths developed by experiment 
would go forth from it to the world. Through 
its public museums, its well arranged building, 
its variety of stock, and latest improvements in 
every department, open to the public, it would 
become the direct instructor of the whole farm¬ 
ing community. Through its pupils it would 
disseminate the varied practical information 
which its course would furnish. And, beyond 
all this, it might be made the means of elicit¬ 
ing the experimental labor of hundreds of in¬ 
telligent farmers throughout tht country, for the 
decision of the important agricultural questions 
I which are as yet still unsettled. 
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DESIGN FOR A FARM COTTAGE. 
We here present a farm house of the simplest 
kind, suitable for a farm of twenty, fifty, or an 
hundred acres. This house may be built either 
of stone, brick, or wood. The style is rather 
rustic than otherwise, and intended to be alto¬ 
gether plain, yet agreeable in outward appear¬ 
ance, and of quite convenient arrangement.— 
The body of this house is 40 by 30 feet on the 
ground, and 12 feet high, to the plates for the 
roof; the lower rooms nine feet high ; the roof 
intended for a pitch of 35°—tnus affording very 
tolerable chamber room in the roof story. The 
L, or rear projection, containing the wash room 
and wood house, juts out two feet from the side 
of the house to which it is attached, with posts 
Communications. 
A COUNTRY HOME. 
There is a promise of genuine comfort and en¬ 
joyment in the look of old houses,—not, perhaps, 
so old as to be rotten, but fairly ripe and mel¬ 
low,—that new habitations, however elegant in 
themselves and in their appointments, always 
fail to offer. Whatever else in a house attracts, 
very newness always repels in a degree. A 
certain air of unapproachableness, a lack of 
familiarity, make themselves felt even to the 
traveler along the road. For so long as the 
original outside remains, it is impossible, even 
for a stranger, to mistake an old house for a 
new one. No matter how lately brushed—the 
paint may have been put on yesterday—age will 
shine thro’ it, tempering the glare of the white, 
the freshness of the green on the blinds, and 
the brightness of the red on the chimneys. A 
new house, too, has its reputation to make. Its 
character is that of a parvenu. It needs age 
and use to give it respectability. There may 
be centuries of safe shelter in its roof and 
warmth at its hearth; but, as yet, they exist 
only in promise, and we know, alas, how often 
that exceeds fulfillment. A new house, like a 
new friend, must win its way gradually. Re¬ 
served natures cannot give it their full confi¬ 
dence at once. Reasonably or not, youth or 
newness is often urged as a disqualification for 
high trust; the not over-modest claim it fre¬ 
quently sets up creates prejudice against it, for 
pretension is vulgar everywhere and warns us 
to beware of expecting too much. Contrasts, 
too, between the new and the old are far from 
favorable to the unproved ; for what we have 
already enjoyed is ours, what we anticipate is 
but too apt to escape us. Pardon, ye dwellers 
in new houses,—I live in an old and, even to 
my partial eyes, a very ugly looking one. 
Premising, then, that a house needs years 
and a certain term of occupancy to render it an 
object of strong affection, let us think what 
j other qualifications add interest and attraction 
to it as a home. And first, as regards archi¬ 
tectural effect, it is the writer’s opinion that a 
cottage is the only house for the country. In 
town, where space is a consideration, and where 
the farthest possible remove from the disgust¬ 
ing sights, sounds and smells of a city is wel¬ 
come, a choice of evils reconciles us to walls of 
imposing height; but in the country, where 
everything ambitious of growth has plenty of 
room to expand iD, it is better to nestle as close 
to mouuer earth as possible. It gives the ad¬ 
vantage of greater coolness in summer and 
7t<2 feet high above the floor of the main house ; 
the pitch of the roof being the the same. Be¬ 
yond this is a building 32 by 24 feet, with 10 
feet posts, partitioned off into a swill room, 
piggery, workshop and wagon house, and alike 
roof with the others. A light, rustic porch 12 
by 8 feet, with lattice work, is placed on the 
front of the house, and another at the side door. 
The chimney is carried out in three separate 
flues, sufficiently marked by the partitions 
above the roof. The windows are hooded or 
sheltered, to protect them from the weather, and 
fitted with simple sliding sashes with 7 by 9 or 
8 by 10 glass. Outer blinds, if thought neces¬ 
sary to give an external finish, can be added. 
greater warmth in winter, beside being more 
satisfactory in an {esthetic point of view. For 
Art is ridiculous unless it follows Nature ; and, 
as in a forest of houses as well as in a forest of 
trees, each individual stretches upward in 
search of air and sunshine, so a real country 
house, like a country tree, having space to ex¬ 
pand in a lateral direction, rounds out into 
greater fulness and sends its branches out nearer 
the root. A high house in the country is so out 
of harmony with the spirit of its surroundings 
that it gives you an idea it must have been 
trimmed to make it grow tall. You think the 
person who brought it up kept repeating to him- 
selfj “ Spare the pruning-knife and spoil the 
house.” It paius you, too, to see vines trying 
to run over such a house. By coaxing and 
forcing they may be made to reach the second 
story windows ; but they look tired and out of 
heart, and as if they would be glad to stretch 
their slender arms over the roof of some modest 
little cottage, and rest from the constant effort 
of holding on. 
Books within, and trees, flowers and shrubs 
without, are ornament enough for any house.— 
Merely to look at, without ever opening them, 
books are a comfort and a pleasure to the eye— 
though, doubtless, the satisfaction of seeing 
them is greatest in persons who are fond of 
reading them. Works of art, especially paint¬ 
ings of country scenes, are healthful allevia¬ 
tions to pent-up city people ; partial, and very 
partial, compensation for actual sight of the 
things represented. To dwellers in the coun¬ 
try they are comparatively valueless; for of 
what use to expend much means and labor in 
adorning the walls with landscapes when, for 
nothing, we can enjoy a scene compared with 
which all the varnish of art looks poor and 
contemptible ? Town houses need decoration, 
for there being little without to attract, the eye 
naturally looks within for entertainment; but 
who ever saw a country house so handsomely 
furnished or so unpleasantly situated that he 
would not rather look without than within it ? 
Is not the place by the window the favorite 
seat,whether traveling or sitting at home?— 
Curiously enough, by the help of a bit of glass, 
or by the mere absence of all obstruction, the 
eye, the most royal member of the body, intro¬ 
duces into a room a picture a thousand times 
larger than the room itself; for, if Philosophy 
says truly, we see what is in our eye ; or, if you 
choose so to fancy, it transports the individual 
beyond the limits of his apartment, giving him 
the advantage of in-door and out-door life at 
the same moment,—for so long as we can see out 
we, in a certain sense, are out. 
As to trees, it would be the writer’s taste to 
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