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PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT.” 
[ SINGLE NO. FIVE CENTS. 
VOLUME YII. N0.45.f 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 0, 1856. 
WHOLE NO. 357. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER 
AN ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY AM) FAMILY JOURNAL, 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
WITH AN ABLE CORPS OP ASSISTANT EDITORS. 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS> 
H. T. BROOKS, Prof. C. DEWEY, 
T. C. PETERS, L. B. LANGWORTIIY. 
HIRAM C. WHITE. 
The Rural New Yorker is resigned to be unique end 
beautiful iu appearance, and unsurpaeied in Value, Purity and 
Variety of Ct iiteuts. Its conductors earnestly laborto make it 
a Reliable Guide on tbe imporiat t Practical Subjects connet ted 
with the business of ttose whose interests it advocates. It 
embraces more Agricultural, Horticultural, Scientific, Me- 
chnnica’, Literary and Nows Matter, interspersed with many 
appropriate and beautiful Enpratings, than any other paper 
publi bed in this Country,—ret dering it a complete Agricul¬ 
tural, Literary and Family Newspaper. 
tSs*’’' All communications, and business letters, should be 
addressed to D. D. T. MOORE, Rochester, N. Y 
For Terms, and other particulars, tee last page. 
ARB FARMERS IMPROVING? 
This query is pertinent at all times, and 
especially at the close of a season’s practical 
operations. It is an all-important question 
with many, and merits the careful considera¬ 
tion of every Ituralist. The pecuniary interest 
and general welfare of community depend 
upon, and are directly enhanced by the “pro¬ 
gress and improvement” of its individual mem¬ 
bers,—for in proportion to their ad vancement 
in modes of culture, the judicious management 
of their affairs, and in the attainment of Wis¬ 
dom and Wealth, will be the Happiness of the 
People and Prosperity of the Country. It is 
perhaps difficult to determine the relative pro¬ 
gress of improvement during the year now 
closing, or the past five or ten years, yet by 
discussing the question somewhat interroga¬ 
tively, we may aid individual readers in deci¬ 
ding whether material, substantial advance¬ 
ment has been made by themselves, and in 
their respective localities. 
Much that is so called is neither progress nor 
improvement. Appearances are not always 
reliable testimony. Good buildings, fences, 
<fec., though always creditable to the owner, and 
indicative of improvement, do not invariably 
accompany superior culture and husbandry. 
The production of an extraordinary crop on a 
limited space, or of a single animal of extra 
weight, or beauty, does not prove the owner a 
profitable cultivator, breeder or grazier—for the 
crop or animal may have cost far more than its 
market value. We admit that much depends 
upon the appearance of the farmer’s homestead 
and premises generally, aud have ever advoca¬ 
ted the importance of good buildings, fences, 
roads, and the various “improvements” and 
conveniences which tend to render his home 
pleasant and attractive alike to his family and 
in the eyes of strangers. Yet these items, and 
the addition of superior educational and reli¬ 
gious privileges — the conveniences of good 
schools,. churches, <fcc.,— though exceedingly 
commendable and important in and of them¬ 
selves, do not invariably demonstrate marked 
improvement in Agriculture. So of extra gar¬ 
den culture, ornamental surroundings, fine 
stock, aud other mattersall are pleasant to 
behold and creditable to the pioprieior, yet if 
he is not annually increasing, or at least main¬ 
taining, the richness of his soil, and augment¬ 
ing the value of his premises, he is not a pas¬ 
senger in the car of Improvement. 
The great question for every cultivator, and 
community of farmers, to decide, is, whether he 
and they are laboring advantageously and pro¬ 
fitably. Is the soil deteriorating or improving? 
Does the farm produce less or more than for¬ 
merly ? Is the income sufficient to leave a 
proper balance over and above the necessary 
expenses of cultivation, for the support and 
education of his family ? If farming does not 
P a V —why ? Is it lack of good culture, rota¬ 
tion, manuring, <fcc.,or in consequence of a per¬ 
sistence in endeavoring to produce what is nqt 
adapted to the soil and climate, or crops which 
are annually ravaged by insects ? Or, is the 
reason attributable to the want of a convenient 
and good market for the articles produced ? By 
the way, as much judgment and attention are 
requisite iu preparing for and marketing as in 
the production of many articles—matters too 
frequently overlooked, and which subject tbe 
producers to much loss. For instance, t he pack¬ 
ing, shipping and marketing of fruit, dairy pro¬ 
ducts, poultiy, <fcc., and proper information as 
to prices and the best markets, are often of 
as much importance as their production. These 
articles are frequently sold to speculators and 
“ middle men” at from one-fourth to a half leas 
than their actual market value—a sad com¬ 
mentary upon the intelligence and enterprise 
of producers. 
But we are digressing, and return to the 
query—Are Farmers Improving? The great 
majority of our readers in this State, the West 
and Canada, are grain growers. Are they im¬ 
proving in culture and management ?—sustain¬ 
ing the fertility of their soil, iucreasiDg its pro¬ 
ductiveness, aud augmenting their profits ?— 
This is a vital question, hnd one which will 
come home to the minds and pockets of thou¬ 
sands herein addressed. Can you, reader, an¬ 
swer it satisfactorily ? Have you not “ missed 
it,” and failed of improvement, in some of your 
operations ? By persisting in depending main¬ 
ly upon one crop—wheat, for instance—have 
you not made much slower progress, and far 
less profit, than you would by adopiinga differ¬ 
ent system ? Would not more attention to 
other crops—a mixed husbandry, if you please 
—be altogether preferable, especially wherever 
the midge prevails? In fact, will not fruit 
growing, stock bi ceding, grazing, dair^ ing, <isc., 
to a greater or less extent, pay belter, even in 
your locality where wheat has been the staple 
crop from time whereof the memory of that 
venerable and astute personage, “ the oldest 
inhabitant,” runneth not to the contrary ? In 
these days of railroads, and easy and cheap ac¬ 
cessibility to market, farmers should take ad¬ 
vantage of their location and conveniences for 
disposing of products which are, under favora¬ 
ble circumstances, much more profitable than 
the ordinary staple crops of the country. This 
matter seems to be overlooked by many who 
reside in the immediate vicinity of village and 
city markets, and railroad stations. 
Connected with this matter of improvement 
are various important considerations, and we 
could easily offer many pertinent and sugges¬ 
tive queries on the subject. The items of farm 
enrichment, productiveness and profit., are, how¬ 
ever, the chief matters to which we proposed to 
direct attention — and these, whether attained 
by rotation, manuring, underdrawing and judi¬ 
cious management, or all combined, are the 
main-springs of agricultural success and pros- I 
perity. We propose recurriug to the suhject ere 
long, and may perhaps he enabled to offer rea¬ 
sons for the belief that, while many farmers 
have made little or no ad vancement, oi hers, and 
in some instances large communities, have made 
marked “progress and improvement” in cul¬ 
ture, management, and profitable production. 
---*-•-*>- 
SWAMP MUCK—ITS VALUE. 
It is an established fact that the source of 
agricultural prosperity and wealth is to be 
found in tbe manure Leap. To the accumula¬ 
tion of this material, each farmer should give 
his attention, and it he does so—if he husbands 
everything that is calculated to enrich and in¬ 
vigorate the soil, and makes such application as 
will guarantee the greatest return—there is but 
little doubt that success will crown his efforts. 
Here is the basis upon which his operations are 
to be effected, and, according to the judgment 
used, the efforts by him put forth for an increase 
of the capital, and the prudent management of 
the means in his possession, will the ratio of 
success be governed. 
The value of muck as a manure is now pret¬ 
ty generally understood, yet there are hundreds 
of those possessing this buried treasure whose 
farms are languishing, aud whose crops are, 
from year to year, growing “ small by degrees 
and beautifully less,” that have never taken the 
first cord of muck from its “bed of ages,” and 
prepared it for application to the soil. The 
time of year is now approaching when it can 
readily be obtained, and most speedily fitted 
as food for vegetable growth, and we purpose to 
present the methods which experience declares 
to be the best for the production of manure from 
this material,and tourge upon those havingthe 
opportunity to embrace it, and provide for their 
farms the elements which constaut cropping 
must necessarily take from the soil. 
Muck, when first dug, is not in the sta’e to 
warrant the greatest benefits by immediate ap- I 
piicatiou. It requires either to be thrown in 
heaps for the purpose of« rainage or spread out 
that frosts may operate upon it, producing a 
light, porous, crumbling mass, which requires 
IMPORTED FRENCH MERINO BUCK AND EWES. 
Mr. J. R. Pag e was at the farm of the Illinois 
Breeding Association at Summit, Cook Co., iu 
May last, and took the above sketch of tbe im¬ 
ported F'rt-m h Merino ram '• Seventy-St.ven," and 
ewes Nos. 2 ad 5, selected from the celebrated 
fl ick of Monsieur Cugnot, of Seine and Oire in 
France, aud pm chased for the Association by 
admixture with stable manure, wood ashes, au- 
imal matter or lime. Fresh muck is possessed 
of an acidity which needs a corrective, and b) 
this agency the object is attainable. 
In the Report of the Massachusetts Stale 
Board of Agriculture for 1855, we find the 
statements of seveial who for years have been 
in the habit of forming a compost of this mate¬ 
rial, and condense the same for the benefit of 
Rural leaders : 
A Middlesex Co. farmer draws his muck in 
the fall, exposes it during the winter to the 
frost, mixes with it unleached ashe^ or slaked 
lime, and as soon as the barn-cellar and hog- 
styes are cleared of manure in the spring, carts 
the rnuck into them, using two loads of muck 
to one of manure. The wash, ley and soap suds 
from the house are saved from week to week 
and thrown upon the heap. With several head 
of cattle and horses, together with two or three 
pigs, he makes 250 loads, 40 cubic feet to the 
load, of valuable manure in one serson. A 
Hampshire Co. farmer thinks that the bed com¬ 
post is one made from the droppings of the 
barn-yard, hog-sty and swamp muck. In the 
spring or fall, after cleaning out the barn-yard, 
he covers the ground with muck, placing upon 
it a layer of manure and turns in the cal tie to 
work it over, as the work progresses making 
additions of each—in the proportion of one load 
of manure to three of muck—aud with the as¬ 
sistance of eleven head of cattle can manufac¬ 
ture during the year from 300 to 350 loads which, 
at, the lowest estimate, is worth one dollar per 
load, or two to three dollars a cord. For corn 
he prefers this compost to any animal or special 
manure. 
The testimony of all is equally in favor of 
composting muck with manures. Its powers of 
absorption are considerable, and this renders it 
an excellent substance with which to mix the 
liquid droppings that would otherwise be to¬ 
tally lost. Many persons cover the floors of 
their stables, cow-sheds, dec., with it in order 
to avoid waste, and the amount of benefit thus 
received can hardly be over-estimated. The 
value of urine for agricultural purposes ha« 
never been properly appreciated by American 
farmers. Carefully conducted experiments have 
conclusively shown that while a certain number 
of cattle would furnish material for six loads of 
solid manure, the urine voided by them would 
saturate seven loads ot loSm or muck, rendering 
the latter, load for load, fully as valuable as ti e 
former. In speaking of s vamp muck, a veteran 
in agriculture says :—“Such reservoirs of veg¬ 
etable nu'rition are mines of wealth to the 
farmer if judiciously applied ; nor can he justi¬ 
fy meagre returns from his fields while this 
remedy is within his reach." 
Hon. John Wentworth of Chicago, Ill. The 
animals portrayed are said to be superior speci- j 
meusof the breed, which,as mos , ’ofour readers 
are aware, originated from siock obtained in 
Spain and taken to Fiance in 1786. From the 
various importations which have been made 
within the past ten years, the French Merinos 
AN AVERAGE FARM. 
Good farms and poor larms have been noticed 
and described. Let us call the attention of our 
readers to one about an average— one of a class 
more frequently met with than any other. Iu 
so doing we may offer some suggestions worth 
heeding by the majority of our tanning friends 
—few of whom, we dare say, go below the av¬ 
erage in agricultural enterprise. 
It has a soil of varying fertility—varying 
with its original character and quality—having 
Qever, like the good farm, been so managed as 
to make its whole area productive. Something 
has been done for its improvement, but “ there 
remaiueth yet much land to possess”—fields to 
clear and drain, old meadows and pastures to 
break up aud re-seed, subsoiling and manuring, 
etc., needed to briDgout its full power of grow¬ 
ing food for man and beast. 
The culture given the different crops on an 
average farm is of medium character. Some 
crops are sown on well prepared ground, others 
are hurried over and neglected, for, on an ave¬ 
rage, farmers undertake more than they can fully 
attend to. Hence we find imperfect and shallow 
plowing, insufficient or no manure, careless 
seeding and neglected hoeing and cultivation. 
There are weeds in some crops, others suffer 
from late seeding, others are hurriedly aud 
wastingly harvested. The great distinction 
between a good and an average farm, lies not so 
much in the soil as in the cultivation and man¬ 
agement of the same. 
The fences are but just up to the necessities 
of an average farm, while a good one is divided 
into suitable and convenient lots by substantial 
enclosures, either stone, rail, or board fences, or 
hedges, conformable to its size, value, and sit¬ 
uation. 
Fair buildings —farmers are apt to consider 
appearances, here—are generally found on an 
average farm. But they are too often incon¬ 
veniently arranged and situated, and in out¬ 
buildings insufficient to meet the wants of the 
stock, implements, and fodder for shelter. The 
working horses are stabled, but cows and sheep 
often spend the winter out of doors, or with 
only the protection of open sheds. The com¬ 
fort and convenience of the housewife do not 
receive sufficient attention, in the preparation 
of cistern, wood and dairy rooms, etc., while a 
farm work-shop and tool-house are often unpro¬ 
vided. 
The garden for fruit and vegetables is seldom 
what it should be on an average farm. Lark of 
attention here deprives the farmer and his fam¬ 
ily of many a cheap luxury, and subjects him 
to inconveuiences and expenses which might 
well be avoided. Good garden fruits and veg- 
are very generally known in this country.— 
Though usually of greater size than other Me¬ 
rinos, “ they present considerable variation, 
both in shape and quality of wool.” Now that 
the speculation in this breed has subsided, we 
trust their comparative value will be carefully 
tested and demonstrated. 
etables promote health as well as satisfy the 
appetiie. Though they may not seem to pay 
as well as field crops, they really return a 
larger profit. 
An average orchard has received the attention 
of grafting, but too frequently the trees are 
poorly cared for. The farmer forgets or refuses 
to believe that judicious cultivation and manur¬ 
ing are as necessary to abundant crops of fruit 
as to those of wheat and corn. It has been 
demonstrated again and again that Fruit Cul¬ 
ture pays—still our orchards are inferior in 
character and value to what they might easily 
be made by the selection of better varieties and 
j proper attention to their culture and marketing. 
To conclude—the crops on an average farm, 
in a season like the past, for instance, are often 
inferior and discouraging. Provision was not 
made for unfavorable weather, as it might have 
been to a considerable extent. A deep, rich, 
aud well-tilled soil is the best security against 
! ihe effects of drouth. There is not sufficient 
attention given to the saving and application of 
manure—and without manure we seldom have 
good crops. 
Let us try, then, to elevate the average —to 
bring every farm as near as may be to the best. 
This all can work at—we by collecting and 
diffusing information on the best methods of 
cultivating the soil and farm management gen¬ 
erally—the farmer by a thoughtful, practical 
application of the best light he can get—of all 
the means and appliances within his reach for 
the improvement ot his land. 
FAMINE. 
With what terror this little word falls on the 
ear. Upon its utterance, what scenes of suffer¬ 
ing, desolation and want, pass in hurried review 
before tbe mind. Each one would gladly raise 
the curtain of the future and see what is to be 
the amount of privation he must undergo. Yet, 
Rural reader, start not, there is a famine in the 
land! To be sure, there is enough for the 
bodily wants of man and beast, none will die 
of starvation, but do not the attempts, made up¬ 
on thousands of acres, to grow a respectable 
crop exhibit plainly a famine in the soil ?— 
Those stunted, straggling rows of corn, that 
field of wheat—it would be more agreeable and 
profitable to thresh the owner than it—that 
apology for a crop of barley, the miserable 
sickly growth exhibited by that potato patch, 
each and all proclaim a famine—a famine of la¬ 
bor and manure. There is something besides 
poetry in that line of the bard, “A little farm 
well tilled,"—there is a great truth embodied 
in it and it behooves every cultivator to take 
the matter home and heed its teachings. 
..........HA,,.. 
