ROCHESTER, N. Y.,— FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1859, 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AS ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
RURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER 
tors of America, and jet the ground has scarcely 
been broken in this important matter. The man 
who has done more than any other to inaugurate 
this vast improvement in our land — John John¬ 
ston— is worthy of all honor, and if not Knighted 
or Sainted, should be held in eternal remembrance 
by the Agriculturists of the Western Continent. 
How about Horticulture? What of the im¬ 
provements in the culture, propagation and 
introduction of Fruits, Flowers, etc., within the 
past twenty years? Look at the results of the 
brain and hand labors of the Downings, Barrys, 
Wilders, and scores of others, and the answer is 
found on every band, in almost every section of 
the country. For evidence of the progress of 
improvement in this department, see the nurse¬ 
ries, the orchards and the gardens throughout the 
land—not only in the suburbs and vicinities of 
cities and villages of the Eastern and Middle 
States, but in various parts of the West, North¬ 
west a.Dd Southwest, where all was waste and 
wilderness twenty years ago. 
And so of Rural Architecture, and many other 
branches which it is superfluous to mention in this 
connection. Look where you will and there is 
evidence of decided progress in Rural Improve¬ 
ment on every hand and in every department — 
though its advocates and promoters may be (in 
some localities) surrounded by slothful, non- 
progressives, who cling to the past, and scout at 
the improvements of the present, with a pertinac¬ 
ity and pugnacity characteristic of direct descend¬ 
ants of the veritable Rip^Van WiNKufof Sleepy- 
Hollow. Between these two classes an “irrepres¬ 
sible conflict” has long been waging, and annually 
has victory perched upon the banner of the Pro¬ 
gressives. Witness the augmenting influence and 
podiucu oi Lac Agricultural Fiesi- - , anu the increase ' 
in numbers, usefulness and beneficial results of - 
the various Societies designed to advance Rural 
Improvement. Let us rejoice in and for what has 
been accomplished in the past, and individually 
resolve to contribute our quota of effort that the 
future progress of our country may be worthy of 
its recent history in 
ed,” or pretty much so; is always handsome, and 
pays about 10 per cent per. aanum to look at. 
Per Contra. —A successful Livingston county 
farmer, largely in the wheat business, used to buy 
steers in “tax times,” (January and February,) 
winter them through on straw, put them in good 
pasture, and sell them in the following summer 
or fall at a good profit. This supposes that straw 
was plenty, and accounted nothing except for 
manure—the steers were lean and bought “very 
low for cash.” They would not fall away much 
with plenty o? good straw. Had he bought 
fleshy cattle and put them on straw, they would 
have fallen away and involved him in a loss, as 
they would have cost him more money and been 
very little better in the end. He lost the gain on 
his cattle in winter, but he fattened them on grass, 
the cheapest material by half where land is plen- 
tier than labor. The man got rich, but whether it 
was on account of his straw policy, or in spite 
of it, I cannot tell. If his system would do any¬ 
where at the present day, it would be at the West, 
where large quantities of wheat, bailey and oats 
are raised, making straw plenty, and where Uncle 
Samuel has plenty of pasture all “open to the 
common.” 
One of the profouadest ideas took thU shape, 
“ Circumstances alter cases.” Occasionally grain 
get3 very high, and cattle fed and fattened on it 
yield small profits, but I apprehend the general 
rule is that the stock which is fed best, pajs best. 
If Mr. Johnston’s plan of making all our stock 
gain through the winter shall be adopted gener¬ 
ally, it will occasion a • tv : arge consumption of 
grain, and would don :: : tss sensibly affect the 
departments of labor r: . commerce. 
I inquired of ... »st far me! s why he J 
did notjsell bis older sheep, and keen hi s iambs, 
which were a better quality. He said, “1 wish to 
sell my lambs, for if I am compelled to pinch my 
stock, the older sheep will stand it best. ’ Many 
of our stock growers feed grain liberally to that 
portion of their stock which they intend to mar¬ 
ket within the year. So, if we do scrimp some, 
it must not be the young, nor those that aie soon to 
go to market. Old animals whose teeth are poor 
alas! is there no dentistry for them ?—not only 
require choice fodder, roots or apples, but they 
require grain boiled, steamed, or ground. With 
proper attention, in this way they may be made 
fit for slaughter, whereas with ordinary fare they 
will decline and ultimately die. 
Some shrewd people never let their animals 
grow old—I do not refer to those whose horses 
PLAN OF A SUBURBAN VILLA, 
SOILING AND STEAMING. 
Messrs. Editors: —This sketch is the ground 
and chamber plan of a Cubical Suburban Villa and 
Wing of moderate pretensions, to cost—built of 
brick, in a plain, substantial manner—about $2,000. 
The interior arrangement is thought to be in good 
proportion, economical and convenient; in fact, is 
an attempt at something like a guide for a numer¬ 
ous class of persons that are erecting houses par¬ 
taking much of its character, in every village. 
The plan is adapted to any building material used 
in this country, and needs but little explanation. 
The main building, which is SO feet square, should 
be two full stories in height, the first 12, the 
second 11 feet; lighted with large double windows 
throughout. One of these may be changed to a 
bay-window, S feet wide, with square openings, 
and placed opposite the drawing-room mantle- 
piece, if preferred—thus adding very prettily to 
the variety and size of that apartment. The 
cornice and veranda may be finished to suit the 
taste of the occupant, provided they are made bold 
in outline, and (especially in elevated sites,) of a 
character that gives agreeable outside effect at a 
distant view. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
"With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors, 
not the paper before me. Now, as the subject of 
soiling is one of recent discussion, and an impor¬ 
tant one to the farmer, I do not wish to be the 
means of disseminating loose data. Those who 
were present at that discussion, will remember 
that the question was put to Mr. Quinct, “How 
many cows can one man take care of ?” To 
which Mr. Quincy replied, “That is like asking 
‘ how big is a piece of chalk;’ That will depend 
entirely upon circumstances.” 
In reference to this question I said that, like 
Mr. Q., I had not kept that number of animals, 
but from my experience in keeping a less number, 
I had no doubt that a competent man, with proper 
conveniences, could easily take care of fifty cows, 
and milk a small number morning and evening. 
Some of my neighbors have been curious to know 
where I kept those fifty cows! This will explain 
the phenomenon of their invisibility. 
I regai d the subject of soiling, on farms clear 
of stumps, or even in condition to be mown, of 
the very highest importance. If he deserved well 
of his countiy “who made two blades of grass to 
grow where one grew before,” will he not be 
equally deserving who shall demonstrate, practi¬ 
cally, that two animals can be kept where one 
was.kept before? I came to the country in search 
of pure air and health. Turning my attention to 
Agriculture, much of it appealed to me an unex¬ 
plored region—exact knowledge in it very circum¬ 
scribed. That this ancient and most useful occu¬ 
pation .o niiLNjnd admit.co of luriher progress, 
appeared quite evident. And among sundry forays 
The Rural New-Yorker Is designed to be unsurpassed 
in Value, Purity, Usefulness and Variety of Contents, and 
unique and beautiful in Appearance. Its Conductor devotes 
his personal attention to the supervision of its various de¬ 
partments, and earnestly labors ta 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, 
Educational, Literary and News Matter, interspersed with 
appropriate and beautiful Engravings, than any other jour¬ 
nal,—rendering it the most complete Agricultural, Lit¬ 
erary and Family Newspaper in America. 
VE~ All communications, and business letters, should be 
addressed to D. D. T. MOORE, Rochester, N. Y. 
You Terms and other particulars, see last page. 
THE PROGRESS OF RURAL IMPROVEMENT. 
The world moves — Agriculturally, Mechanically, 
Scientifically. Every department of Art, Science 
and Production is stamped with progress, and 
improvement is the watchword and endeavor of 
the great mentality and physicality (so to speak) 
of the age. Many things may be overdone, but 
every honest, well-directed effort toward improve¬ 
ment has its effect, and eventual reward. Mind 
and matter are the great instruments—genius the 
awakening, propelling power —and, though fail¬ 
ures may occur on the start, a new idea in Agri¬ 
culture or Mechanics is sure to lead to successful 
Years ago Steam Navigation was the 
scouted aud derided at first, but 
Then, the Magnetic Tele- 
this important department. 
JOHN JOHNSTON ON WINTERING SHEEP. 
iage, anu it Denooves an small farmers to make 
their grass land go as far as possible.” But on a 
large scale he ! pronounces it “impracticable.” 
The philosophy of this appeared to me out of 
joint.f Whatever is profitable on a small scale, is 
certainly more profitable on a large scale. This 
rule may be said to be almost universal. Thus I 
drew a very different conclusion from his facts. 
I; commenced by keeping my woik horses in the 
stable through the summer, as in winter. This 
was profitable.K: Then the next season I fed my 
cows as well as horses. This was quite as profit- 
able.g The cows were in better condition, gave 
more milk, and the expense of keeping, as near 
as I could estimate it, not more than one-fourth 
of pasturing. For the last three years I have 
soiled all my animals, numbering, generally, nine 
horses, old and young, and six cows and heifers. 
results, 
idea — i 
success and blessing! 
graph—first ridiculed, now triumphant. And so 
we might enumerate scores of inventions and 
improvements, inaugurated with difficulty, which 
are now indispensable in the prosecution of vari¬ 
ous arts and occupations. 
The Rural World moves as well a 3 the Mechan¬ 
ical and Scientific. Witness the improved imple¬ 
ments and labor-saving machinery invented and 
adopted within the past twenty years, to say 
nothing of the improvements in Culture, Hus¬ 
bandry, Rural Architecture, &c. Look at the 
Progress of Improvement in every department 
of Rural Affairs! We need not particularize or 
enter into details. Every intelligent reader who 
has lived forty years, and has been a casual 
observer for the past twenty, has witnessed 
enough to satisfy him that this is a progressive 
age, without asking for the item3 in any depart¬ 
ment. Within the latter period the sickle and 
the flail have become classical in many sections 
of Rural America—for they are now only emblems, 
albeit emblematic of a species of muscular effort 
and back-ache almost unknown to modern agri¬ 
culturists. 
The Steam Press is the forerunner of the Steam 
Plow. The former has long been a successful- 
aye, nn indispensable —institution, and the latter 
is as sure to follosv as is the sun to shine in the 
heavens. The fiat has gone forth, and the result 
will be “Eureka!” — although many still doubt 
and disbelieve. And with Steam Cultivation, as 
with Steam Navigation, will come vast facilities 
and economies to the people and a large, extent 
of our country. Who can tell the advantages 
and benefits that are to accrue from this improve¬ 
ment, and those which will follow as necessary 
accompaniments. What followed the invention 
of Fulton ? What will be the result of the success 
of Fawkes’ and his coadjutors? Human ken may 
not foresee, but time will determine. 
And what of the progress of improvement in 
crop culture and soil enrichment. Look at the 
single item of underdraining — a thing almost 
unheard of when we commenced our career as au 
agricultural journalist, some fifteen years ago. 
It is safe to say that this one item in farm im¬ 
provement and enrichment has already been worth 
millions of dollars to the landholders and cultiva- I 
now a 
FIRST FLOOR. 
IT. Hall. E. Drawing-Room. L. Living-Room. I). 
Dining-Room. K. Kitchen. P. Psotrv. i>. Sink. 
A. Collar Stairs. C. C. Colsets. W. Wood-House. 
V Veranda. 
If more rooms are wanted, the wood-room can 
be easily converted into a kitchen and bed-room, 
adding a lean-to in the rear for wood, as shown by 
the dotted lines. The present dining-room could 
then be occupied as bed-room or library. This 
latter arrangement will comprise six good sleep¬ 
ing rooms, a large number of commodious apart¬ 
ments for miscellaneous uses, a cellar 24 by 24 
feet under the wing, and a liberal supply oi 
closets; a most indispensable item in household 
economy. 
ance than the one started by Mr. Johnston, in 
the above quotation:— Shall we “keep our stock 
improving in winter as well as summer?” I am 
glad that a gentleman of Mr. Johnston’s judgment 
and experience ha.s given his views upon it. High 
keeping in the winter may be recommended, 
Firs;!—Because the animal so kept constantly 
grows aud improves till it arrives at maturity, 
attaining a much greater size and a better quality 
than if it is starved and stunted by short keepiD" 
half the year. 
Second— Animals in good condition will gener¬ 
ally command a fair price and a ready sale, whereas 
frames are only in occasional request,at low prices. 
Third—Yi hile an animal is falling away it makes 
no return for the food it receives. 
Fourth— Mr . Johnston, to shosv “there is a 
profit every way in high feeding,” says, “ if a lot 
of Merino wethers averaging 88 or 90 lbs., live 
weight, in the fall, is worth 3 cents per lb., a lot 
weighing 120 lbs. average is better worth 4 cts., 
and those weighing 130 lbs. 4)^ cts.—for the 
reason that the offal of the 90 lb. sheep is only a 
trifle less than the one weighing 120 lbs. 
Fifth — Mr. Johnston says very truly, “the 
higher you feed, the higher you manure, the 
manure being so much richer.” 
Sixth —Disease and death make great ravages 
among poor animals, particularly sheep. 
Seventh A fat animal is generally “ full-blood- 
JZXJ.l 
SECOND FLOOR. 
S. Bed-Rooms. C. Closets. 
It perhaps may be proper to add, that in such a 
■tructure will be found quite the usual amount of 
ivailable social accommodation, as much as con- 
•istent,— without sacrificing something of its 
very-day utility, or home character. l. w. l. 
Grand Rapids, Mich., 1S59. 
now Corn Shrinks. —Perhaps our readers may be 
etter able to judge of the profit of marketing corn in 
ne ear now, or of holding it until spring, after reading 
oe following from the Prairie Farmer “ Mr. Walk- 
b, Champaign county, told us he weighed out seventy - 
’ Ye pounds of corn in the ear; dried it thoroughly; 
uelled it, and weighed the corn and cobs. The corn 
veighed fifty-one pounds, the cobs nine pounds—total, 
■xty pounds, having lost fifteen pounds ! He thinks 
t did not shrink more than most of the corn will that 
is wintered over.” 
