RURAL LIF£ 
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^ CRICulTUBEiHH 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AS ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
SUSAll, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
cases it may contain small quantities of ammonia, 
but not enough to make it of any value on this ac¬ 
count, and the small quantity it contains will be 
dissipated in drj ing. Fresh gas lime is considered 
by those who have given the matter particular 
attention, to be injurious to vegetation on account 
of the alkaline sulphuret of which it is in part com¬ 
posed. By exposure to the air the sulphuret of 
calcium speedily absoibs oxygen and becomes a 
sulphate of lime, or gypsum, in which condition it 
is valuable for clover or grass, or for any crop that 
would be benefited by plaster. 
tiful supply. Some varieties of oats require less 
seed than others. 
Prince Edward Island Black Oats. — These 
oats are a large heavy variety, grown in Prince 
Edward’s Island, a small island in the British 
Province, situated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence; 
and they have proved a ve>y superior variety for 
winter and early spring sowing, withstanding the 
coldest weather we have iu this section ; and being 
from three weeks to one month earber,enables the 
planter to harvest his crop in season to plant the 
same land with other crops. They we'gh from 5 
to 7 lbs. more than the ordinary oat, and the large 
leaf-top makes it a superior variety for cutting in 
the milk state for forage. When properly cured, 
it is equal to the best fodder or bay, producing on 
our piney woods land from 2% to 4 tons per acre 
of this superior forage. In harvesting, there is al¬ 
ways seed enough falls to seed the ground again, 
and the same land can be planted with other crops, 
and the oats will come up in the full and furnish 
another crop. Thus, once sowing will bring you 
crop aftercrop, until run out. No crop pays a bet¬ 
ter profit for the same investment and trouble.— 
This excellent variety was first introduced into 
this section some ten years ago, and its cultivation 
is increasing. 
California Oats. — Last season these remark¬ 
ably heavy oats were introduced by us for the Grst 
time in this section. They far surpass any oat we 
have ever seen in size, weight, and jield. They 
are a white oat and will weigh from 40 to 50 lbs. 
per bushel, are thoro^Vy acclimated and have 
produced SO bushels~Tl^Ktfre. In California they 
have produced 125 per acre. Sow from 
the first/jf January a about two thirds usual 
quantity of seed. ThJ^.i Rowing is the history of 
the origin and introduction of them, which is fur¬ 
nished us by the party who introduced them.— 
When in Napa Valley, California, during the 
spring and summer of 1854, a gentleman having 
heard much about a newly discovered oat, the in¬ 
credulous tales about its enormous yield and 
height induced him, before starting home (in the 
spring of 1855,) to travel a considerable distance 
in search of the discoverer, who informed him that 
three years previously, in harvesting his wheat, 
the seed of which came from Chili, he found one 
bunch of oats the product of a single grain. Ob- 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors. 
Thb Rural New-Yorker 1b designed to be unsurpassed 
Id Value, Purity, Usefulness and Variety of Contents, and 
unique and beautiful In Appearance. Its Conductor de¬ 
votes bis personal attention to the supervision of its various 
departments, and earnestly labors to render the Rural an 
eminently Reliable Guide on all the. Important Practical, 
Scientific and other Subjects intimately connected with the 
business of those whose interests it zealously advocates. It 
embraces more Agricultural, Horticultural, Scientific, Edu¬ 
cational, Literary and News Matter, Interspersed with 
appropriate and beautiful Engravings, than any other jour¬ 
nal.—rendering it the most complete Agricultural, Lit- 
Iraki and Family Newspaper la America. 
Wash for Ou.t'b'u.ilclings. 
I want to know how to make a good, permanent 
whitewash for outside buildings and board fences.—A. 
Laing, Simcoe, C. IK, 1859. 
"Wishing to know how to make a whitewash that is 
both durable and good, I thought the inquiry would 
perhaps be answered by you or your numerous corres¬ 
pondents. I have a fence inclosing about an acre of 
ground, apoullry house,and a small barn to whitewash, 
and I would like to have them appear well, and also the 
whitewash to last some time.—D. Getuart, Williams¬ 
port, Pa., 1S59. 
Take a barrel and slake in it carefully, with 
boiling water, half a busbel of fresh lime. Then 
fill the barrel two-thirds full of water, and add 1 
busbel of hydraulic lime or water cement. Dis¬ 
solve in water and add 8 pounds of sulphate of 
zinc, (white vitriol,) stirring the whole to incorpor¬ 
ate it thoroughly. The wash should be of the con¬ 
sistency of thin paint, and may be laid on with 
a whitewash or other brush. The color is pale 
stone color — nearly white. If you wish it to be 
straw color add yellow ochre, 2 pounds iu powder; 
if drab, add 4 pounds raw umber. 
Another good wash i3 mi^de as follows: — SI ike 
lime with hot water, in a tub to keep in the steam. 
When dissolved, and in a half fluid state, pass it 
through a fine seive. Take six quarts of this lime 
and one quart of clean rock salt for each gallon of 
water—the salt to be dissolved by boiling, and the 
impurities to be skimmed off. To five gallons of 
this mixture, (salt and lime,) add one pound of 
alum, half a pound of copperas, three-fourths of a 
pound of potash, (the last to be added gradually,) 
four quarts of fine sand, or hard wood ashes. Add 
coloring matter to suit the fancy. 
A correspondent of the Country Gentleman gives 
the following:—One bushel unslaked lime; half a 
gallon salt; three pounds alum, powdered; three 
pounds saleratus. llix and put in a tight barrel 
JSK* All communications, and business letters, should be 
addressed to D. 0. T. MOORE, Rochester, N. Y. 
For Terms and other particulars, see last pace. 
INQUIRIES AND NOTES, 
Hooks, or ITaw. 
Can you give me any information through the 
Rural about what is called Ilooks, or Haw, a disease 
of the eye of"cattle, not very common, I believe, but 
one with which I have already lost the benefit of one^ 
ox, and now have another affected in the someway? 
Some reliable remedy is very desirable.— T. B. II., 
Itoeendale, Wis., 1S59. 
Cattle have a contrivance for c'eaoslng the eye 
from annoying substances, termed the haw, aflat 
piece of cartilage, of a semi-circular form, situated 
within the corner of the e^e. This portion of the 
eye is disposed to disease. The little portion of 
fieshy substance towards the inner edge of the car¬ 
tilage, and the caruncle, or small fleshy body, 
placed at the corner of the eye to give a proper 
direction to the tears, take on inflammation from 
sympathy with the eye generally, or from injury, 
dust or gravel; they swell prodigiously, and the 
haw is protruded over the eye, and cannot return. 
Ulceration appears, and a fungus growth springs 
up. Every means should be adopted to save the 
haw, for tiie removal of it will torment the animal 
as long as he lives. 
If the disease is connected with inflammation of 
the eye generally, it will subside witli that inflam¬ 
mation, aud this may be hastened by the applica¬ 
tion of a Goulard wash, or diluted tincture of 
opium. If it is a disease of the part itself, zinc 
lotion must be used (two grains of white vitriol 
dissolved in an ounce of water, and the vitriol 
gradually increased to four grains ; the application 
of it confined as much as possible to the part, and 
the liquid not being suffered to get to the sound part 
ot the eye.) When it loses its power, a lotion of 
corrosive sublimate may be adopted, first of half a 
grain to an ounce of water, and gradually' increased 
to two grains. 
If it becomes necessary to extirpate the part, the 
beast must be cast, (but this should not be done 
until it is known to be absolutely necessary ;) keep 
open the eye with the fingers; a crooked needle 
armed with strong silk, must be passed through 
The above engraving represents Ketcitum’s One- 
FTorse Mower, as now m?.ru r aetured by Mnj It. L. 
(Toward, of Buffalo, N. Y., in connection with 
Ketchum’s Two-Horse Mower and Combined Ma¬ 
chine. KETcnini’s large Mower has long been a 
celebrated “institutution” among farmers, by 
whom its inventor is regarded as a great benefac¬ 
tor, and if, as is claimed, this single machine 
includes all the best features and late improve¬ 
ments of the double one, it must prove a most 
valuable acquisition. It is thus described by the 
Manufacturer, and commended by the Press: 
“ This machine weighs about 450 lbs , cuts 3 feet 
4 inches, is easily drawn by odo horse, and capable 
of cutting from six to eight acres of grass per day. 
It combines all of the features of the larger ma¬ 
chines, and has all of the lateimprovements. These 
valuable improvements consist of an improved 
guard-finger, lever and roller, by which the driver 
can raise the finger-bar at pleasure; a roller in the 
outer shoe, so that in reality the entire machine 
now runs on wheels, which wholly prevents any 
drag, and consequently much reduces the draft. 
The machine is warranted in every particular, or 
no sale. A Trial of this machine took place at 
Columbus a short time since, of which the Ohio 
State Journal remarks, as follows: 
“ ‘ There was a trial in Capital Square, yesterday after¬ 
noon, of a beautiful one-horse Mowing Machine, on the 
heavy clover which has already attained a height and 
thickness of growth unparalleled in this section of the 
State. It is well known that grass, before it ripens, or 
while in a green state, ents easier with a common 
scythe than when stiff and ripe. Not so when a ma¬ 
chine is used, for the knives, playing in the sheathes, 
are more liable to become clogged with the juicy, pli¬ 
able siaik of unripe grass than the upright, hardened 
growth of hay. Nevertheless, the little machine, with a 
light lively horse attached, swept over the ground, and 
cut the heavy growth of grass with the greatest ease.— 
The machine used is Ketehum’s patent, manufactured 
by R. L. Howard, at Buffalo, N. Y.,and is warrant¬ 
ed to cut from five to seven aeres of grass per day.— 
Mr. Howard also manufactures Ketchum’s Patent Grain 
and Grass Harvester—a large machine for both mow¬ 
ing and reaping, which will cut from ten to fifteen acres 
per day. A farmer who witnessed the machine operate 
in the State yard, was so well pleased that he im¬ 
mediately purchased one of Mr. Wm. Gill, the agent for 
their sale in this central portion of the State.’ 
“ The Buffalo Courier quotes the remarks of the 
Journal, and adds:—‘Mr. Gill was a member of 
the Committee at the United Suites Trial at Syra¬ 
cuse in 1857, and, of course, witnessed the opera¬ 
tion of the different machines which were tested at 
the time. Being strictly a practical man, it reflects 
credit upon and gives character to the Ketchum 
Machine, that he should have selected it from the 
many on exhibition, to sell and recommend to the 
farmers of his own State.’ ” 
only part with a teacuplui, which was sown in 
drills in the State of Georgia, in the memorable 
dry spring of 1855. Although affected much by 
drouth, they yielded 2}J gallons. These were 
sown in 1856 (also a fatal year on oats, being very 
dry in the first part of the spring,) and eighteen 
bushels were gathered. In the spring of 1857, a 
portion of this eighteen bushels was sown on thin 
upland ; lost considerably by allowing them to get 
too ripe, and harvested 336 bushels by measure¬ 
ment, which, by weight, would have been over 400 
bushels, entirely free from smut and blasted heads. 
Their height., one to two feet higher than ordinary 
oats, and abundant yield. Their weight, and the 
superiority of their straw and fodder, and of their 
fertilizing qualities, will cause them to supersede 
all other varieties. 
Egyptian Oat.— This oat was imported into this 
country from Scotland. It sometimes weighs as 
high as 42 pounds to tlie bushel. It is a large 
BUTTER MAKING.-PRIZE ESSAY. 
the Short-horns, as a breed, are mainly adapted for 
beef, yet there are families and individuals of this 
breed, excellent for the dairy; and if a selection of 
such be carefully made they would give good satis¬ 
faction. It is said, that, in the London dairy es¬ 
tablishments, nearly every cow is a Short-horn.— 
If, in the mixed husbandry associated with the 
dairy, beef is an object, then, by all means, select 
from the Short-horns. 
The established character of the Devons is to 
yield milk in small quantity, but rich in quality; 
yet from this breed, as from the Durhams, indi¬ 
viduals may be seclected that are all the dairyman 
can expect, and some practical dairymen prefer 
them. 
Of our native cows, it is on record that E. K. 
Evans, of Marcy, Oneida Co., N. Y., with five cows, 
selected from his native herd, made 217 pounds of 
butter, in thirty successive days; while George 
Vail, of Troy, in the same time, in competition for 
the New York State Premium, with five Short-horn 
cows, made 202 pounds. It may be “ regarded as 
established,” that, from native cows and crosses, 
individuals may be selected, that for dairy pur¬ 
poses are as good as the best. 
The Ayrshires aud Alderneys have established a 
famous reputation for the dairy; yet iu Ohio they 
are not found abundant enough for the dairyman’s 
' selection. 
On the whole, it appears clear, that, in selecting 
cows for the dairy, we need not be confined to any 
one breed, but may search for the best milkers, re- % ^ 
gardless of breed, being aware, however, that the <i* 
quantity of milk does not always determine the ( K> 
quantity of butter. Of this, the churn or the y j) 
lactometer should be the test. JL > 
Influence oflfeed, Hxercise and. Slxelter. J/jsiS 
From whatever breed the selection is made, the 
dairyivoman, who is required to make ehoice but- 
ter, may insist that the cows be healthy; that they 
[The following able and practical Essay on Butter 
Making is from the pen of our valued correspondent, 
Peter Hathaway, of Milan, Ohio. It 19 worthy the 
attention and study of all Rural readers interested, as 
its teachings are adapted to a wide range of latitude. 
AVe copy from advance sheets of the Annual Report of 
the Ohio State Board of Agriculture.— Ed.] 
IPrefia.ee. 
Scattered over the State of Ohio, and forming 
an important division of the mixed husbandry 
which generally prevails in it, are very numer¬ 
ous small dairies, of from four to six, or ten 
cows each. From the surplus product of these 
small dairies, our market supply of butter is mainly 
derived. In the composition of this Essay, I shall 
write with special reference to these facts, aud shall 
aim at practical results, rather than attempt a 
treatise which an amateur might pronounce perfect. 
If correct and practical information, in the art 
of Butter Making, could be disseminated among all 
the managers of these small dairies, so as to at¬ 
tract and fix their attention, and bting their man¬ 
agement into conformity therewith, who can doubt 
that the comfort of their homes would be improved, 
their pecuniary interests advanced, and a special 
favor conferred on all who partake of the product 
of their skill. 
Having been, for the last thirty-three years, a 
practical farmer, and during that time connected 
with a Dairy, I have tested all that is contained in 
this Essay. 
Best Breed, of' Cattle. 
I think it may be “regarded as established,” 
that, iu selecting cows for a dairy, we may with 
THE OAT CROP. 
a difference of opinion prevails. Some think oats 
will tiller like wheat and rye; but the product of 
the side shoots is inferior, and it is better to sow 
sufficient seed to cover the ground — from three to 
five bushels are commonly sown, though some 
