■i WHOLE NO. 133 
ROCHESTER, N. Y .-THURSDAY, JULY 15, 185g 
VOLUME III. NO. 29. }■ 
march, and to contem- 
MICHIGAN CORRESPONDENCE. 
^ymuuuuu -wjuuuihul 
Pit O Git ESS AND IMPROVEMENT. 
A VISIT TO VICTOR. 
On Tuesday, (duly G,) we visited our far¬ 
mer friend, Mr. Philo Parks, who resides 
in the town of Victor. In passing thither 
from Rochester with a few friends in our 
own hired conveyance, we had a fine op¬ 
portunity to observe the crops in thoir pres¬ 
ent progressive state. 
Wheat looks exceedingly well—though 
late. Some fields on warm land are begin¬ 
ning to put on the golden hue; but general¬ 
ly the color was a dark green, not looking 
much like harvest time. 
Corn on sandy soil looks promising— 
though rather later than usual. Potatoes 
also look well. Oats heading. Haying pro¬ 
gressing slowly. 
Wo were well pleased with what we saw 
of tho town of Victor. Tho surface is 
quite hilly—the soil rather sandy, warm, 
arable and productive. Farming must bo 
an exceedingly pleasant occupation in this 
town, and if wo were to engage in this em¬ 
ployment in Western New York,, we hardly 
know where wo could please ourselves bet¬ 
ter than here. 
Mr. Parks has a very pleasant home, 
where he is enjoying life with a help meet 
for him. Together they are apparently 
training up their children in tho way they 
should go. Tho first two volmnos of the 
Rural, bound, wore lying upon tho reading 
table—also other weekToy newspapers. 
Mr. P. has fitted up a very nice pond 
near his house, which he is replenishing 
with different species of tho fish family— 
tho excellency of which wo had tho oppor¬ 
tunity of testing at tho dinner-table. A 
little distance from this pond ho has a swale 
well covered with trees, shrubs, and her¬ 
baceous plants—a delightful retreat for a 
botanist. Wo wore delighted with Mr. P.’s 
tasto in thus preserving a spot so near his 
residence, exhibiting such a rich and varied 
variety of Nature’s indigenous productions. 
We should prize this spot more highly than 
any other reat equal on his farm. Nejirhis 
residence is a fine mineral spring, which will 
in some future day become famous. 
Mr. P. keeps bees—and why does not 
every farmer ? They cost but little atten¬ 
tion and labor, and are very profitable when 
taken good care of. 
Wo returned to tho city toward evening 
with tho full consciousness that we had pas¬ 
sed one of tho happiest days of our life— 
also fully convinced that the farmer may, if 
ho will, enjoy more of the good things of 
this world than usually fall to the lot of 
those employed in other kinds of business. 
He has cares, but less than other men—ho 
has somo anxieties and perplexities, but few 
compared with tho man engaged in com¬ 
mercial pursuits. No man can reasonably 
expect to find a vocation entirely free from 
cares and anxieties—but that which has the 
least and yields tho greatest amount of hap¬ 
piness, should bo most earnestly sought— 
that is to say, if it bo consistent with a life 
of holiness and purity.—w. 
TIGHT vs. OPEN BARNS,-AGAIN. 
Messrs. Editors :—I wish to say to the 
readers of tho Rural New Yorker, and 
all others concerned, that I think the idea 
of open barns, and open barn doors, for the 
benefit of newly harvested crops is errone¬ 
ous—contrary to tho principles of science 
and sound philosophy—and detrimental to 
tho interests of those who practice it. And 
yet tho practice of keeping barn doors open 
in haying timo, to let tho air circulate thro,’ 
is very prevalent all over the country. If 
wo toll tho adherents of this practico, that 
it is wrong, they will say, “ why is an open 
corn-crib better than a tight ono ?”—with¬ 
out reflecting that ears of corn are “ cured” 
by an entiroly different process from that 
employed in curing hay and straw in tho 
mow, or stack. The former, aro cured by 
cold evaporation —while tho latter aro cured 
by siveuting or perspiration. 
causes, in this case at least, while perspira¬ 
tion is effected by internal agencies. Tho 
sweating process would almost ruin corn, 
while in tho caso of hay-mows, &c., it should 
bo promoted, by making tho barn tight, and 
by keeping the doors shut. In a late No. 
of the Rural, “ T. E. W.,” in writing upon 
this subject, recommends a ventilator at tho 
top of the barn to let out tho vapor. So 
do I, ono or two large ones for the special 
benefit of the man that mows away in the 
loft. For it would bo a hot, suffocating 
placo, -under such circumstances. But I 
would have them kept shut tight, oxcept 
whilo “ mowing away,” becauso if the ven¬ 
tilators aro kept open, a largo quantity of 
heated air would pass out, and a corres¬ 
ponding quantity of cold air would rush in 
at tho bottom, which would have a tendency 
to chock tho perspiration from the hay-mows. 
This vapor does not require much space 
for a passage out, and this it will easily find 
in tho crevices in tho roof and upper part 
of tho barn. If your barn is perfectly 
tight, a ventilator will bo necessary. 
Query.—How many pounds of ordinary 
new hay will it tako to mako a ton of dry 
liay, tho next winter ? Some will say twen¬ 
ty-five hundred—others rnoro—some will say 
less. Perhaps fivo hundred pounds is a fair 
allowance for shrinkage. This is so much 
water—62£ gallons, or about a hogshead ! 
This water cannot bo evaporated or expel¬ 
led from tho interior of a mow or stack, bv 
Contact with the air, as in the case of grass 
u*id,grain spread out in the field, and corn 
in an opon crib. But it is driven out by the 
warm, healthy, sweating, curing process—a 
sort of “insensiblo perspiration,” in tho 
form of an invisible vapor, which rises most¬ 
ly to the upper surface. I do not mean 
tho hot, fovory, fermenting, steaming, de¬ 
composing process, so often observed in 
open barns, stacks, loads, and cocks of hay 
exposed to tho cold, open ah'. 
In tight barns, partly filled, tho air is of¬ 
ten found to bo quite warm and suffocating 
—just the,right condition to absorb, sus¬ 
pend, and carry off tho vapor that rises 
from tho mows. Whereas, in open barns, 
(with all tho doors kept open,) and stacks, 
the cold night air comos in contact with 
said vapor, as it attempts to rise, and it is 
thereby instantly condensed, and falls back 
and trickles down into tho mass, in great 
quantities—perhaps two or throe barrels in 
ono night. This is the same in effect as 
throwing on so much water deliberately.— 
It is easy to foresee tho result. Ilenco, tho 
necessity of drying hay and grain till they 
are thereby much injured, before they are 
put into such miserable repositories. When 
your hay is dry enough to cock, according 
to tho common practice, you might as well 
put it directly into a tight barn, thereby 
save time, and risk of weather, and ensure 
a better quality of hay. 
“Mow-burning,” its cause and preven¬ 
tion, (a “ matter of opinion ” of course.)— 
Causo 1st. Hay or grain placed in tho mow 
a little wet with dovv or rain-water. A littlo 
of this foreign moisturo is as bad as a good 
deal of the natural juico. Prevention—this 
is self-evident. Cause 2d. Too much, or 
too deep a mass put in in one day. This 
would increaso tho amount of vapor as well 
as tho height to which a part of it would 
have to rise through the mass. This I think 
would have a tendency to saturate the up¬ 
per strata. Prevention—put less in a placo. 
Cause Ed. Putting ono batch on another, 
while tho first is in a high stage of perspi¬ 
ration. Prevention—lot each batch, (or fil¬ 
ling up,) sweat about forty hours before 
you put on another. Cause 4tli. Open 
barns. Prevention—tight barns. 
N. Carey. 
Westfield, N. Y., July 5th, 1852. 
Fences. —Personally examine tho whole 
lino of your fences, and havo all necessary 
ropairs made without dolay. As the grass 
of tho pastures become burned up, cattle 
are very apt to look out for weak places of 
tho enclosures of corn-fields in search of 
food. — So says- the American Farmer- 
The blessings of Rain—Prospects of the Grass, 
Corn and Wheat crops — The Wool crop, Mr. 
Gi/let’s Saxons, and Wool Buying — The Central 
Railroad, dec. 
Mr. Editor : —“ It rains, and tho day is 
dark,” but not “ dreary.” Nothing could be 
more acceptable at this time, than the pro¬ 
longed shower which is drenching tho fields. 
Up to this morning, scarcely l'ain enough 
has fallen in these parts, for throe or four 
weeks, to lay tho dust. Traveling by rail¬ 
road and stage had become almost insuffer¬ 
able, and tho oarth began to be fearfully 
parched up. Last night, when I retired to 
rest, the sky was clear, and no signs of 
showers immediately, wero perceptible.— 
Imagine, then, the agreeableness of my sur¬ 
prise, when I awoke early this morning, and, 
in tho stillness of the hour, heard tho mu¬ 
sic of gently falling rain. It came down 
faster and faster, and whilo I am writing, a 
stream is flowing down either sido of Main 
street, sufficiently deep for tho navigation 
of alowlves and shad. Do you wonder, then, 
that tho day is not dreary ? Why, the 
very blessing which has of late, been of r 
tenest prayed for, is descending; and it 
comes down like tho benediction of Heaven 
upon tho thirsty earth. How must tho hearts 
of tho farmers in this State rejoice this 
morning. Indeed, who is not cheered and 
rendered happy by tho encouraging pros¬ 
pect for a plentiful harvest ? That heart 
must bo hard, which this wide-spread%nd 
copious distillation from the clouds does not 
soften; that spirit must bo suffering from 
ixiortt.1 clroutli, wlaioli contle Hot OH lilgVx tho 
fragrance of gratitude and thanksgiving 
this day, for tho opening of the windows 
abovo. 
In consequenco of the scarcity of rain in 
this State during tho month of Juno, the 
hay crop is coming off exceedingly light.— 
A few other kinds of vegetation aro injured, 
but grass is tho great sufferer. Corn is a 
little backward, but July and August aro the 
months, I believo, which give character to 
its crop, and tho prospect is encouraging. 
Wheat looks well—looks well in tho parts 
of the State where I havo trayeled, and in 
other parts, from which I havo mot resi¬ 
dents. 
A very important item of tho products of 
this State, is the wool crop. Upwards of 
two.million pounds ai-o now raised annually, 
and tho quantity is on tho rapid increase. 
Wool growers aro taking great pains to im¬ 
prove tho breed of their sheep, and are study¬ 
ing to otherwise advance the interests of this 
branch of business. Tho best breed of 
bucks, I am told, command a high price and 
find ready sales. It is found that Saxon 
wool of the highest grade, can bo raised 
hero as well as elsewhere, and farmers are 
turning their attention to it. In the pub¬ 
lished transactions of tho State Agricultu¬ 
ral Society, I notico a report of the last 
year’s clip of Mr. D. 1). Gillett, of Sharon, 
Washtenaw county, and it appears three 
bales, sent to tho eastern market, graded 
thus : Super, super. 216 —super. 152 —extra 
53 —prime 25. This gentleman says that 
his Saxons aro hardy, and endure the rigors 
of a Michigan winter, with as littlo care and 
sholter “as any of tho ovine race.” He adds, 
that “ when tho relativo weight of tho Saxon 
to his only wool-producing rival, the Merino, 
(sixty-eight to eighty-eight pounds,) and the 
relativo difference of the value of the fleece 
per lb. are considered, tho conclusion seems 
unavoidable that tho former may be at least 
as profitable as any rival they have, so long as 
wool determines the matter of profit.” The 
sale of the clip from year to year, gives a 
felt briskness to money matters, which oth¬ 
erwise would be dull. Just at this time, 
eastern bills, brought in by wool buyers, 
havo the upper hand. Indeed, but little 
Michigan monoy, comparatively, is afloat.— 
According to tho appearance of things, I 
sco no reason for half tho complaint which 
is made about the scarcity of money; but 
then it is so easy to talk of hard times, that 
some peoplo can never rise abovo tho habit. 
Tlioy will die with a complaint on thoir lips. 
That portion of tho Central Railroad 
been rebuilt, and T rail now strotchog from 
Detroit to Chicago. The distance is about 
290 miles, and is made in thirteen hours.— 
The cars run with surprising regularity, and 
everything seems to be managed in a busi¬ 
ness-like and most satisfactory manner.— 
Tho passenger cars pass oach other at Bat¬ 
tle Creek, twenty-two miles east of here; 
and as one train comes up to the station, it 
is not unfrequont to hear the whistlo from 
tho other. Indeed, tho two whistles some¬ 
times blend their shrill strains, and the iron 
steeds come snorting up together. It is ac¬ 
tually sublime to seo them pass each other 
plato the distance they havo run in tho six 
or seven hours’ raco thoy havo had in'meet¬ 
ing. Three cheers for the age of steam ! 
I find my old friend, Mr. Israel Kellogg, 
still in tho Kalamazoo House. Ho is tho 
only landlord on tho Central Railroad route, 
between New Buffalo <jnd Detroit, who held 
that identical position six years ago, when I 
i first visited this State. In all other houses 
a change has been made, in somo cases for 
tho better, in others for tho worse. Mr. K. 
is an excellent inn-keeper, and consequent¬ 
ly, is Avell patronized. j. c. 
Kalamazoo, jUicli., July 1, 1852. 
BELL’S REAPING- MACHINE PUT IN OPERATION IN 1828. 
A. Apron ivLioK roooivoa the grain. R Tongue to which tho Horses were attached. 
W. Reel. T. Cutter. 
EARLY REAPING MACHINES. 
Much has been said and written during 
the past year, relative to tho comparative 
merits of the various Reaping Machines 
now before the public,—and in somo cases 
tho rights of inventors havo been submitted 
to legal tribunals for adjudication. As the 
subject is in order, just now,—this being tho 
season for purchasing and using harvesting 
machinery,—a glance at early Reapers, and 
recent improvements, will prove interesting 
to many readers. There aro doubtless sev¬ 
eral good reapers among the many patented 
and in use,—and three of tho host with 
with which wo aro acquainted, arc manufac¬ 
tured in Western New York, viz., Burrall’s 
Hussey’s and the JYew York Reaper. 
We find in a “ Remonstrance” addressed 
to Congress, “ against tho renewal of Letters 
Patent granted to Cyrus II. McCormick, in 
1834, for improvements in tho Reaping Ma- 
cliine,” somo curious items in regard to tho 
early history of this groat labor-saving in¬ 
vention. The Remonstrance is got up in | 
pamphlet form, and enters somewhat fully 
into particulars. Speaking of early inven¬ 
tions for this purpose, it remarks: 
“The idea of cutting grain by machinery 
propelled by animal power, is of quite an¬ 
cient origin. Machines for this pufposo aro 
said to have been known to the Romans. 
Both Pliny and Palladius mention such a 
machine used in the plains of Gaul, with 
which, tho latter says, they could with one 
ox, cut largo fields of grain in a day. 
Tho machine as described, was vory sim¬ 
ple in its construction. It consisted of a 
box placed upon two small wheels liko a 
cart, with the cutters fastened in the front 
end. Tho cutters are imperfectly described. 
It was designed only to tako tho heads of 
grain, and was raised and lowered to suit 
tho height of tho grain. Two short shafts 
were attached to tho back end of the 
machine, to which an ox was attached with 
his head towards tho machino, and pushed 
it in front of him. As the machino was 
pushed through the grain, tho heads wero 
cut off and fell into the the box until it was 
filled, then it was emptied, and the process 
repeated. 
Tho first attempts at reaping machines in 
modern times, so far as we have boon ena¬ 
bled to learn, wero made early in tho pres¬ 
ent century, chiefly in Scotland. In Lou¬ 
don’s Encyclopedia of Agriculture, wo havo 
individuals who gave their attention to this 
department of invention.” 
Tho last of these, invented by Rev. Pat¬ 
rick Bell, of Scotland, is figured abovo.— 
Tho “ Remonstrance ” says : 
an account of the doings of six different 
“ Tho Reaping machines in use at tho 
present day bear considerable resemblanco 
to this machine. Tho frame work is sus¬ 
pended on two wheels, of three and a half 
feet in diameter, tho axle of which revolves 
with tho wheels. The front end of tho ma¬ 
chino rests upon two small wheels, placed 
one on each sido, near the cutters. It is 
provided with two other small wheels undor 
the front part of tho machine, on a short 
axlo, which is attached to tho machino at 
its centro, midway between the wheels, by 
means of a bolt on which it turns, that it 
may be shifted angling either way to tho 
machine, by a lover controlled by tho ope¬ 
rator for tho purpose of guiding and turn¬ 
ing the machine. When tho machine is to 
be turned around, the front cud is raised 
and rests upon these wheels. Tho team is 
attached to tho rear part of the machino, 
with their heads towards it. The grain is 
gathered up to the cutters by means of a 
roel, made adjustable back and forth, or 
raised and lowered, to suit tho height of tho 
grain. The cutters aro shears, the under 
blades of which aro bolted fast to an iron, 
bar that extends across the front end of tho 
machino. The upper blades vibrate over 
them, turning on tho bolts that bolt thorn to 
tho iron bar. Those upper blades extend 
back from tho bolts, or fulcrums, and are 
connected by a vibrating bar which is at¬ 
tached to a crank put in motion by gearing 
connected with large driving wheels. The 
grain, when cut, was thrown back by the 
roel upon a revolving apron, by which it 
was carried and dropped off at the sido of 
the machino in a continuous swath.” 
This machino was recived with much fa¬ 
vor in Scotland, and worked well in many 
public trials. 
Of American Reapers, Burrall’s, Sciine- 
bly’s and Randall’s, wero brought out as 
early as 1833. Wo give a figuro of the lat¬ 
ter on next page. It is thus described: 
“ This machino exhibited great ingonuity 
and judgment in its construction. Tho 
frame that contained tho gearing was sus¬ 
pended between two wheels of two and a 
half feet diameter, whose axlo revolvod and 
from which motion was communicated to 
