i^Zrw.: 
/Sun*, 
m r\ r (•!>'< I'u-u'i m»/’w'> ,^ l .l l .i t ,< 0 'is\ i ,wi’\J\JW , \tHJUi , <ininiru'\.i'tntn.fiv’bW^'yj’\jww\J'v'u>^rurvnir\,n^'ki’ut\>i'u’\,f\>ru’\.n.nir\s\j\r\.i'.ru'\,i',r\r\,w>r\i'\." 
ed up, calves or small stock miglit get caught 
between the braces. This box is nine feet 
square, with posts of 3 by 4 inches scantling, 
five feet high ; the sides boarded, but without 
filled in and our nomadic population keep push¬ 
ing West till they again arrive at the old “dig- 
gins” that their forefathers prospected and dug 
over. Where they will go to then, is beyond our 
guess, unless, like the Scotch boy who was caught 
crawling through the hedge into an orchard, 
and when asked where he was going, replied 
“ bock agin, sir.” , 
STBAW CUTTERS, 
vent its “ heating,” as well as to take up the 
liquid portions of the same. Let no fertilizer 
go to waste which reasonable care can save. 
In-doors the cold prompts us to look to the 
supply of fuel—and there should never be less 
than six month’s stock on hand. Let sled and 
axe be ready, and lo not wait until heavy snows 
shut up the woods, or compel you to dig through 
huge drifts to make your way there. If the 
wood is desired to grow again, cut all clean at 
once—shut out a.l browsing animals—and the 
new crop will start with an even growth, and 
soon cover the laad with a thrifty young forest. 
Why not have a Farmer’s Club in every 
neighborhood ? Political matters have become 
dull, and it is sirely worth the farmer’s while 
to gather all the information he can upon his 
chosen vocatior. Learn from each other. As¬ 
sociate together for your mutual advancement. 
There is no ckss or profession which make less 
use of the priiciple of association than the far¬ 
mer, and none to which it can be of such prac- 
Individual 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER 
AN ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY JOURNAL, 
The inventive genius of the country is con¬ 
stantly bringing forth new and valuable imple¬ 
ments to assist in the varied operations of the 
farm. Almost every department of farm econ¬ 
omy has received a visit—machinery is fitted 
to perform whatever has, heretofore, required 
manual labor for its promotion and completion. 
To such extent are these hands of iron and 
nerves of steel used, that he who undertakes to 
perform the labors of a farm without their as¬ 
sistance, finds himself not only behind the age 
but, worse still, behind with his duties. It de¬ 
volves upon the agriculturist to adopt and bring 
into use all the helps that science and art will 
bring to his aid. 
Among the implements that have, probably, 
received the most attention, and of which there 
exists a great variety, are straw cutters. It is 
not our purpose to express an opinion as to the 
merits or demerits of any of these, but to urge 
upon farmers and those keeping stock the util¬ 
ity of the invention. We will say, howeve?-, 
", the poorest straw cutter ever “got up,” •.! 
far better than none. 
The advantages to bo derived from the use of 
cut fobd are numerous and palpable. It ena¬ 
bles the farmer to give a {Hiorer grado and qual¬ 
ity ; such as in its natural state would be re¬ 
jected, is eaten readily and with good effect 
thus prepared and mixed with a little meal and 
salted. Tho food by this process Is placed in 
such shape as will tend to assist the digestive 
functions and, just in proportion as nature is 
assisted, will be tho health and well-being of 
the animal/ Many animal^, on account of age, 
masticate badly, and to this class the advanta¬ 
ges of cut food cannot be over-estimated. Hay, 
when fed out whole, is much wasted by being 
trodden under foot—this can be totally avoid¬ 
ed where the cutter is vised. Horses troubled 
with the heaves, or those having a tendency to 
that disease, receive much benefit by having 
their mess prepared in this manner, moistened 
and mixed with meal. Last, but not least, the 
manure from the stable would be of double the 
value it now is—a more thorough decomposition 
could be readily be effected—and tho labor of 
covering it with the plow would be much les¬ 
sened. Beinj* fully impressed with the advan¬ 
tages accruing, both to the farmer and his stock, 
by the use of this implement, we would say to 
all not in possession, to get one immediately, and 
to those who arc so fortunate, to keep it moving. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
WITH AN ABLE CORPS OP ASSISTANT EDITORS. 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS: 
H. T. BROOKS, Feoe. C. DEWEY, 
T. C. PETERS, L. B LAN GW ORTH Y. 
HIRAM C. WHITE. 
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 laborto make it 
a Reliable Guide on the importantPractlcal Subjects connected 
with the business of those whose interests it advocates. It 
embraces more Agricultural, Horticultural, Scientific, Me¬ 
chanical, Literary and News Matter, interspersed with many 
appropriate and beautiful Engravings, than any other paper 
published in this Country,—rendering it a complete Agricul¬ 
tural, Literary and Family Newspaper. 
13^“ All communications, and business letters, should be 
addressed to D. D. T. MOORE, Rochester, N. Y 
For Terms, and other particulars, see last page. 
How that the season has arrived when stock 
demand shelter and attention in feeding—when 
the merciful and economical man will not only 
care for his animals, but avoid useless waste 
and profusion of forage — suggestions on the 
subject are in order, and may prove valuable to 
some of our readers. We therefore re-publish 
below figures and descriptions of a number of 
Foddering Racks and boxes for Cattle, and 
shall give several Sheep Racks hereafter. They 
will be new to many Ruralists, and refresh the 
memories of others. And if any of our friends 
can furnish plans and descriptions of better fix¬ 
tures for like purposes, we shall take pleasure 
in presenting them to our readers. 
After clearing the meadows with care, and 
sing every exertion to fill the barn with hay in 
he best order, it seems preposterous to see it 
flung out on the bare ground by the sides of the 
barn and fences—especially during wet and 
thawing weather—in the utter disdainment of 
all rules of propriety and economy. The mas¬ 
ter animals drive the underlings over and 
through the material fed out, with their ioul 
and muddy feet, to the ruin of one-half of the 
whole food ; and perhaps to add to this misera¬ 
ble operation, a dozen store hogs are allowed 
muss and drabble every forkfull thrown out. 
oper feeding racks under sheds is the very 
best preventive of this defect, but when there 
is not shed room for all the cattle, a feeding 
frame or box of some sort should be provided. 
We give several, that our readers may choose 
from among them,—it matters not so much 
which they take, as that they select some method 
of keeping their fodder from being trodden un¬ 
der foot, before it is half consumed. 
bottom, so as to be shifted easily when the re¬ 
fuse fodder fills it, or any other cause makes 
such a course desirable. The sides are only 
high enough to keep the cattle from getting into 
the box, and the corners so low that they may 
easily disengage themselves when hurriedly 
driven away. It should be strongly put to¬ 
gether, with wrought nails or rivets through the 
braces. 
tical benefit. Individual experience should 
become the general stock. 
Once more, and we have done. Let win! 
prompt us to kindly thoughts of the poor— 
charitable provision for their necessities. Lei 
us not centre our attentions upon self and its 
belongings, but take into a warm heart the 
brotherhool of suffering humanity. 
WINTER PROMPTINGS, 
What say the bleak wind and the fast falling 
snow-flakes to the farmers ? They bid him 
prepare for months of cold and storm—to make 
no delay in completing his preparations for the 
comfort and thrift of his stock, and the proper 
carrying on of all the farm work allowable in 
winter. Every season has its appropriate work 
—and this, though less stirring and important 
than seed-time or harvest, is one that calls for 
constant attention and labor. 
We have frequently declared that considera¬ 
tions of economy as well as humanity demand¬ 
ed the shelter of domestic animals in inclement 
weather. Less food is required to sustain in a 
thriving condition the sheltered animal. The 
vital beat must be kept up to a certain point— 
about 100°—and this is done by the food con¬ 
sumed, which serves as fuel to sustain that tem¬ 
perature. Shelter tends to keep up the animal 
heat, exposure decreases, or rather makes more 
food or fuel requisite to support it. An equable 
temperature is more healthy — the most hardy 
animal suffers if exposed to a winter storm — 
it loses in health and condition. The moisture 
may rapidly evaporate, but every drop of water 
thus passing off takes with it a portion of the 
vital heat of the animal. 
Those who have not ample shed and stable 
room for all their stock should lose no time pro¬ 
viding the same. Sheds may be built of boards, 
poles or rails, and straw; whicn will keep off 
many a shivering blast of sleet, and shelter 
sheep and cattle about as well as more costly 
structures—for the winter. When built of rails, 
make double walls and fill them with straw, 
which may also be used as a thatch, or evergreen 
boughs, when convenient, form an excellent 
substitute. 
Keep your stock in good heart, if you would 
winter them easily. If any pinching has got 
to be done, let it come as late in spring as pos¬ 
sible. If sheep and cattle get poor early in 
winter, it will be hard work to keep them alive 
until grass grows—and it will cost more to 
bring them through than it would to have kept 
them decently from the first. To make the 
most of the forage, a straw cutter should be 
provided. Straw, coarse hay, and corn stalks 
go much farther when cut, and even the best of 
hay is increased in value by this operation. If 
grain of any kind is fed, it should first be ground 
and mized with cut straw, aud the whole moist¬ 
ened with water. It will be better digested, 
and go farther to satisfy the appetite of the ani¬ 
mal than if fed alone. Apples, pumpkins, and 
the different root crops, should he provided as 
sauce for the dry fodder of winter. 
Water as well as food is a necessity. This 
should be brought into the yard, if it may be, 
so that every animal may have just all he wants 
without extra labor. It is an excellent plan to 
have cisterns to receive the water from the barn- 
roof—and when springs are not available, a 
supply of the best water may thus be secured. 
A word on manures, and then we will come 
out of the barn-yard, though it is the place 
most frequented by the good farmers in winter. 
Even at this season much can be done toward 
increasing the quality and quantity of the ma¬ 
nure heap. The stables should be kept well 
littered, and the pig pen supplied with the raw 
material for the young porkers to work up at 
their leisure. Muck, coarse grass and straw, 
leaves from the woods, sod from the fence cor¬ 
ners, and such absorbent materials, will add 
much to the stock of manure. Enough of these 
should be mixed with the stable dung to pre¬ 
IIISTINCT OF ANIMALS. 
Speaking of instinct, reminds me of some 
remarkaole instances of its exhibition in the 
horse. There is no doubt in my mind that 
animals can and do reason—that they notice 
facts, aad draw therefrom certain conclusions, 
with as much accuracy as man. I am quite 
certr.it that their reasoning faculties are cap ;.- j 
ble of a high state of cultivation, and if more 
pains were taken to develop their mental pow¬ 
ers we should see still more astonishing exhibi¬ 
tions of their capacity. 
I net my friend Col. B., of Corning, who is a 
great lover of good horses, and usually keeps 
tbe lest, having now probably some of the fast¬ 
est in the country. He has been a close ob¬ 
server of them, and studied their habits thov- i 
oughly. He told me a great many anecdotes, 
some of which happening under his own obser- j 
vatioa, 1 think worthy preservation. 
The Col. had a favorite horse which he h 
owned for several years, and one spring turned 
him out to pasture for a while. He was very 
much astonished one morning, by the black¬ 
smith telling him that the old horse was in the 
shop without halter or bridle, and that one of 
his fore shoes was off. He told the smith to sot 
the shoe and say nothing to him, but let him 
take his course. Calling his man, and satisfy¬ 
ing himself that no one had taken the horse to 
the shop, he stationed himself at a point where 
he could, unobserved, notiee the horse. The 
smith set the shoe and then went about other 
business. The horse finding he did not come 
near him any more, examined his foot, felt of it 
with his upper lip,—which is to the horse in a 
small way what the trunk is to the elephant— 
then very deliberately left the hitching ring, 
walked out into the road, looked about for a 
moment, kicked up his heels, started off on a 
run for his pasture, and jumped into the lot.— 
The horse had been shod at that shop for along 
time, and always when his shoes were off was 
taken to that particular place in the shop. Was 
it instinct or reason that prompted him to go 
from the field to the shop ? If instinct, what is 
reason ? 
The same horse had taken a great dislike to 
an old woman who lived opposite the village 
pump at which he was watered. This dislike 
was shared by the people as well as the horse. 
When permitted to go to tho water alone, after 
drinking he would turn t ail to the house 
kick up his heels and indulge in other demon¬ 
strations of his dislike, so marked that upon 
complaint of the old lady of his repeated in¬ 
sults, the Col. was compelled to send a man 
with him to ensure his good behavior. No one 
had ever learned the horse any of these tricks, 
but the whole was the result of His own mind, 
if mind he had. We had a hoise once that 
would untie his own and his mate’s halters, if 
hitched, and come home with the wagon in 
perfect safety. If turned into the yard alone 
he would unfasten the clasp and open his sta¬ 
ble door, and go to his stall. 
We mention these few instances, hoping that 
others will tell us their experience, as there are 
many such examples of the reasoning faculties 
of the horse, and other animals.—p. 
We give the accompanying end view of a rack 
and box combined, of a rustic character. It is thus 
described :—“I make (first) a crib of long, heavy 
poles, say from six to eight inches through, five 
feet wide and two and a half feet high. For 10 
or 12 head of cattle it should be about 30 feet long. 
Then, through the middle, length-wise, on the 
top of the last cross-pieces lay a good, stiff, 
straight pole, a, with a cross-piece under it in 
the middle. This done, take common fence 
stakes, or small poles, b, b, 7 feet long, and cross 
them on the middle pole, a, on each side alter¬ 
nately, until the whole crib is filled, then lay 
another pole, c, c, on each side of the crib well 
notched into the cross-pieces, d, d, to prevent 
their being pushed out of place ; and the rack 
is completed. The space, a, between the rack 
and the sides of the crib forms a manger into 
which all the scattering fodder falls, so that 
there is no possibility of the cattle treading on 
any.” 
It ishecoming, among thinking and provident 
men, an agitating question, what the next gen¬ 
eration are to do for fencing materials, particu¬ 
larly in those regions where stone is not to be 
obtained in sufficient quantities for that pur¬ 
pose ? 
From our improvidence in saving forest land, 
and the immense consumption of wood for do¬ 
mestic use, the various local steam works and 
the all-engulphing maw of the “Iron Horse," 
our forests are disappearing like mist before the 
sun. At the rate at which they are now being 
swept from the soil, in less than one hundred 
years the whole farming community in this and 
other populous Slates, will have to resort to 
mineral coal for fuel, and far-off regions for 
their fencing ; or commence soon to plant tim¬ 
ber nurseries, as is now being done in the Old 
World. 
One of the great causes of the recklessness of 
the owners of the soil on this subject is the un¬ 
settled, unstable and loco-motive nature of tbe 
“universal Yankee nation.” Hardly a farmer 
in the country, but what, any minute, is ready 
to sell and move to some El Dorado to “better 
himself,” as the phrase goes. One-half the en¬ 
tire population have got a shingle on their gate 
posts, or in their hearts, labeled “ This Farm 
for Sale ”—or stand, with shouldered axe and 
faces set for the “ far West.” 
A man now thinks not of his farm as a sacred 
home for himself aud his descendants; as an 
heir-loom, the consecrated ground where his 
youth was spent, where his children were horn, 
and hallowed by tbe life and death of perhaps 
his most cherished hopes. He cares net for 
what comes after him. Property cannot de¬ 
scend to the oldest son ; but at the death of the 
parent, each of the heirs want their share — it 
must he sold—and therefore what cares the 
owner for the stranger that comes after him, his 
comforts, or his fencing materials ? 
“ De’il take the hindmost,” is the order of the 
day, and so it will be till the Pacific ocean is 
CHOICE OF OCCUPATION. 
Could some intelligence, gifted with superior 
insight into the aptitudes of mortals, communi¬ 
cate to each inhabitant of this sphere who has 
not already made choice of a vocation, what 
calling he is peculiarly fitted for, and carry 
sufficient authority to make his decisions re¬ 
spected and acted on, what immense misappli¬ 
cation of time and energies might be avoided ! 
The anxious self-examinations, too, with which 
in early life thousands afflict themselves to try 
and ascertain how their talents may be turned 
o tbe best account, either for themselves or for 
society, would by such an arrangement become 
useless, and each person might devote himself 
at once to preparations for his appointed place 
without any harrassing doubts, that, perhaps, 
he had not recognized his true mission. But it 
is man’s destiny to learn by blundering, and to 
win success through failure ; never to reach per¬ 
fection at a hound, nor mount by swift continu¬ 
ous flight from the conception to the realization 
of his aims. 
It were a curious inquiry what considerations 
determined the choice of different individuals 
as to the vocations they should follow. Doubt¬ 
less the great majority adopt such as are nearest 
and readiest at hand without any particular 
thought as to adaptation ; but among thinking 
men—men who always mean to have a good 
reason for whatever they do—who are not gov- 
erened wholly by selfish or ambitious motives 
—a knowledge of the causes that impelled 
them to enter on and pursue those particular 
callings would be highly interesting. Especi¬ 
ally in the case of such as have become illus¬ 
trious in their several professions would it be 
worth knowing how they discovered their spe¬ 
cial fitness for the parts they have chosen. The 
motive of ambition—the desire to shine in the 
world—to win the applause of the multitude, is 
The frame above is constructed as follows:— 
Posts 3 by 4 inch scantling, 6 feet long, side 
boards one foot wide and 6 feet long, cross 
pieces and top board 6 inches wide—about 125 
feet of lumber in the whole. Use ten-penny 
nails, with good wrought nail or bolt where the 
braces cross each other. Such a frame will last 
many years if well made, and save many times 
its cost in fodder. One is needed for every 
four head of stock kept in the yards, and they 
should be set about 15 feet apart in a dry place. 
Another box of the same size, but of rather 
different and stronger construction, is represent¬ 
ed above. The four sides, like that of the above 
and the one which follows, are alike. The origi¬ 
nator says :—“ Four cattle can eat out of the 
box, one on each side, and as their heads come 
in competition, it makes them more greedy.— 
By this means they work up considerable 
coarse fodder during the day.” 
A correspondent who saw the above thought 
he could improve upon it, and sent us the fol¬ 
lowing : 
In the box, hut six feet square, the master cat¬ 
tle would frighten the timid across the box, their 
heads being so near together; and, unless board- 
TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.] 
“PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT” 
[ SINGLE NO. FIYE CENTS. 
VOLUME VII. NO. 48.1 
ROCHESTER, N. Y. -SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1858. 
{WHOLE NO. 380. 
