HI RURAL LIFf 
’aCBICUi TURFjp 
Wi/oS 
ROCHESTER, N. Y. 
FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1859, 
\ WHOLE NO. 481, 
son. Last year I raised from one barrel of seed, on 
ground where the water killed out a great many Of 
them, over one hundred bushels of Hie finest potatoes 
that it has ever been my pleasure to look upon, and all 
perfectly sound, while those of five other varieties, in 
the same field, rotted very badly. We find them a good 
potato either boiled or baked, and I am suro that they 
have every quality about them to make them one of the 
most valuable potatoes in market.— M. L. Parker, 
LyndonrAlle, Orleans Co., JY. Y., 1859. 
From the above it will be seen there is a great 
difference of opinion as to the Prince Albert. .Not 
having cultivated this sort, we cannot gfvean opin¬ 
ion, but we quote from the circular of Messrs. 
DiiEW & French, Commission Merchants of New 
York:—“The Prince Albert is an English Seed¬ 
ling, introduced into Massachusetts a few years 
ago. The seed has been eagerly sought for each 
season since its introduction at very high prices. 
It is oblong shaped, a little flattened, with thestem 
end often elongated, entirely white, with very few 
eyes, which lie upon the surface, scarcely indent- 
mg the thin smooth skin; being one of the most 
beautiful potatoes ever grown. 
It matures a little later than the Mercer, grows 
to a large size, yields largely, and has never rotted. 
When it grows to medium size, under favorable 
cii cumstances, it is a good table potato, and some¬ 
times has proved excellent, but as a general rule, 
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per copy To the clnh rates of the Rural. The lowest price 
•f cenies sent to Europe, lie., is $2.50— including postage. 
The Postage on the Rural is only cents per quarter 
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THE POTATO-EARLY VARIETIES. 
Above we present a sketch of the Dairy Farm of 
Hod. Zadock Puatt, situated on Schoharie Kill, 
(creek,) in the northwest portion of Greene Co., 
thirty-six miles west of the Hudson river. This 
farm contains 3Go acres; forty acres, lying on the 
creek, is ot line, alluvial soil; the remainder loam 
and gravel, upon the slope ot the mountains, 
(Catskill,) facing the east. Originally this land 
was mostly covered with hemlock, and is known 
throughout that region as “hemlock land.” 
time the June is culled “jit to dig which we know 
is a long time before it ripens. The quality of this 
potato is good ; it is dry and every way desirable, 
but the yield is small. It is an excellent sort for 
the market gardener, and will enable him to carry 
early potatoes to market while they will bring a 
high price —the quantity with him being not so 
much of an object, as earliness. They are also good 
for the amateur gardener and for the farmer, to 
grow for family use. Every one who lias a garden 
should aim in ordinary seasons to have green peas 
and ripe potatoes on the table by the 25th of June. 
In eight weeks after planting they will become 
fully ripe, so that the tops will die. Of its origin 
tve can learn nothing reliable. 
The Mountain Jane .—This potato we like for an 
early sort much better than the Early June. It 
does not mature as soon by two or three weeks, but 
R is of large sizi?, gives a better crop, is drier, and 
ol better quality every way. If planted the same 
day as that variety, it can be dug as soon, and 
though uot matured, will be found as good, and we 
think better, and the portion that remains to ripen 
will be found much superior, besides giving a much 
larger crop. This, we think, is one of the most 
valuable of the early sorts. 
As the time for planting is rapidly approaching, 
we hope those who are possessed of facts not gen¬ 
erally known, will communicate them at once. On 
this subject we are all in pursuit of knowledge. 
Spring Management of Cattle. 
In treating upon this topic, a correspondent 
of the Ohio Farmer writes:—“I have about 
come to the conclusion that it is unwise and un¬ 
profitable to permit cattle to escape the confinement 
of the cattle-yard until about the middle of April. 
If grass comes forward unusually early, they may 
be turned into pasture at an earlier date. I do not 
claim that those who have large herds of cattle, 
and extensive grazing lands well established in 
grass, will always find it the most convenient, and 
the most economic course. Those, however, who 
follow a mixed system of husbandry, raising horses, 
cattle and hogs, and who cultivate most of the 
grams and grasses, will find the following advan¬ 
tages from the mode of springing which I suggest: 
“ 1- The early grass will become better establish¬ 
ed, and it will therefore yield more abundantly, 
and belter sustain tne stock during the grazing 
season. 2. The fields and pasture lands will not 
be injured in productiveness, and in facility of 
cultivation, by being compactly trampled in the 
wet weather of early spring. 3. Cattle retained on 
their regular dry food, in the cattle stables and in 
the yaid, will do quite as well as those permitted 
to i oam over the farm, and to obtain an occasional 
and meagre bite of immature grass. They acquire 
a disrelish of dry forage, while they cauuot obtain 
a sufficient amount of green. 4. Let this mode 
of spring management of stock be adopted, and 
fanners will more carefully husband their straw, 
and other rough food. Wide-spreading straw 
piles, which now disfigure fields, and which en¬ 
cumber aud frequently interfere with the cultiva¬ 
tion of much good laud, will no longer be found 
upon the premises of the prudent, economical and 
pains-taking farmer. 0. The last, and most impor¬ 
tant advantage, resulting from this mode oi man¬ 
aging cattle is this: the manure made and preserved 
will be increased four-fold." 
r io I m-C 
^W^pff’latiPloio and <- 
Hi 
VILLAGE OF PRATTSVILIE 
PLAN OP BUILDINGS. 
References. — A A, Barn Yard. 1 1, Sheds and Tig Pens, 
incut. 4, Door \ ard. 5, Wash and Wood House. 6, 
Water Arrangement. 9, Granary. 10, Corn House. 1 
No. of Lots.—Contents.— 1, 11 acres; 2, 16; 3, 17: 
The main business of the farm is the manufac¬ 
ture ot butter. To a proper understanding of the 
mode of operation, the amount of labor performed, 
and of business transacted, we copy Mr. Pratt’s 
report, for 1857, to the N. Y. State Ag. Society-, as 
follows: 
SYNOPSIS OF FARM ACCOUNT. Cl\ 
By G.500 lbs. of butter, sold at 23 to 27 cents .. .$1,547 6-1 
By 4,G27 lbs. of pork, sold at 6,VT to 8 cents. 82S 16 
DIAGRAM OF ABOVE FARM. SCALE, FOUR INCHES TO THE mJlE. 
Corse and Wagon House. 3, Barn 30x40, with elevated Entrance in loft, and stabling in 
with cement bottom. 7, Dwelling Farm House, convenient, commodious, and well arrant 
I ard and Pens. 12, Buttermilk to Pig Pens. Four and one-half miles stone wall. ‘ 
4 »36!4; 5, 14; 6 and 7, 45; 8, 79, 6; 10, 11 ; 11 , 203. 
The butter was churned in ordinary barrel-dash 
churns, by water-power—the cream alone being 
churned, which we think better than churning the 
milk and cream together. After churning, the 
Now, as to my hogs, I will observe, -they are a 
mixed native white breed, contented when full; 
when fat and clean, very handsome. Success b<5re, 
as in all other branches of business, results from 
attending to this one motto, ‘ Mind your own busi¬ 
ness.’ ” 
Many readers of the Rural (who are differently 
situated,) may view the foregoing schedule of the 
business of Mr. Pratt’s farm with the feeling that 
the “day of small things” still remains to be num¬ 
bered amoug terrestrial objects. Such, however, 
should remember that the great bulk of the land 
comprising this estate is composed of a mountain 
range, and that a considerable part of the surface 
cannot be cultivated. Tito Viewing Committee of 
the State Ag. Society report “a portion of the 
upland on which brush had started up, was burned 
over and sown with maple, beech, and locust seed, 
hickory and black walnut, planted, and all are now 
growing finely.' Shade aud forest trees are thus 
To paid for labor (consisting of the farmer and 
bis wife, and the most of the time two girls, 
one man, and a boy,) and other incidental 
expenses.$715 50 
To interest on capital invested, (the farm 
and stock being estimated at $10,- 
000). 700 00 
Net income. $160 30 
The whole number pounds of milk from April 
1st to Dec. 1st, eight months, was 254,736, or at 8 
pounds per gallon, will be 31,842 gallons. For 
each cow 5,094 12 25 lbs., or 636 81-100 gallons.— 
Average quantity per day 1,044 lbs., or 130>£ gal¬ 
lons ; average quantity per day for each cow 20 44- 
50 lbs., or 2 60-100 gallons. Greatest quantity per 
day for each cow 26 9-50 lbs., or about 31/ gallons. 
