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MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
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randall’s reaper, as used in 1833. 
A. Platform ■which receives the cut grain. 
Divider. T. Cutters. W. Reed. 
the rod and cutters. The platform for re¬ 
ceiving the grain was attached to the rear 
end of this frame and extended out one 
side a distance equal to the width of the 
swath to bo cut. The cutters which were 
similar to Bell’s wero attached to the front 
edge of the platform, which was just in rear 
of the wheels. The team traveled forward 
of the driving wheels. The grain was gath¬ 
ered up to the cutters, and when cut thrown 
back upon the platform by moans of a reel 
placed (the centre of it) a little in front of 
the cutters, and made adjustible to any 
height desired, which was put in motion by 
a belt connecting it with the axlo of the 
main driving wheel, in the same manner 
that the reels in all the various machines 
aro moved. For the purpose of separating 
the grain to bo cut from that to bo left 
standing, a point was made to project in 
front of the cutter, which projection was 
broad at tho cutters, leaning the grain in¬ 
wards and outwards. As at first construct¬ 
ed tho grain was raked from this machine 
by a man, who rode upon tho machine im¬ 
mediately in roar of tho driving wheels at 
the side of tho cutters, and nearly in range 
with them, with his back towards the team, 
and raked tho grain off at the side of tho 
platform. Mr. Randall afterwards made 
some experiments with a self-raker.” 
Hussey’s Machine was also patented in 
1833. It has since been improved and is 
one of tho most popular in this and other 
countries. Tho machine, as first patented 
is shown below. It is described as follows : 
Hussey first constructed his machine with 
a reel, but on trial, with his cutter, he thought 
it unnecessary, and therefore threw it aside. 
Tho main frame work containing the gear¬ 
ing was suspended on two wheels about three 
feet four inches in diameter. Tho platform 
B. Tongue to which the horses were attached. L 
was attached to the rear of this frame, and 
extended out one side of it, say six foot.— 
Tho team traveled at the side of tho stand¬ 
ing grain, as in Randall’s machine. The 
cutting apparatus was pretty much the same 
as now used in Hussey’s machine. The 
knife is constructed of steel plates, riveted 
to aflat bar of iron. Those plates are three 
inches broad at tho end where they aro riv¬ 
eted to the bar, and four and a half inches 
long, projecting in front, and tapering near¬ 
ly to a point, forming what is described as 
a saw with very coarse teeth, which are 
sharp on both edges. This cutter is sup¬ 
ported on what ho terms guards, which aro 
attached to the front edge of the platform 
or cutter bar (as termed by Hussey,) one 
every threo inches tho whole width of tho 
machine, projecting horizontally in front 
about six or eight inches. These guards 
have long slots through them horizontally 
through which tho cutter vibrates, and thus 
form a support for*tho grain whilst it is cut 
and protect the cutter from liability to in¬ 
jury from largo stones and other obstruc¬ 
tions. The cutter is attached by means of 
a pitman rod, to a crank which is put in mo¬ 
tion by gearing connecting with one or both 
of tho ground wheels as may bo desired, ac¬ 
cording to circumstances, which gives to tho 
cutter as the machine advances, a quick vi¬ 
brating motion; and each point of the cut¬ 
ter vibrates from the centre of one guard, 
through tho space between, to the centre of 
the next; thus cutting equally both ways. 
As the machine advances, tho grain is readily 
cut, and tho butts are carried along with tho 
machine which causes tho tops to fall back 
upon the platform without tho aid of tho 
reel. Ho used one large ground wheel, 
placed tho platform alongside tho frame, 
and his raker on a seat by tho sido of th ) 
largo ground wheel, facing the team, an 1 
raking tho grain off in roar of tho platform.” 
FORMIDABLE LOSSES. 
Hussey’s reaper, as patented in 1833. 
A. Platform which receives the grain. B. Tongue to which the horses are attached. 
BLUE GRASS FOR WOODS PASTURE. 
Many of our roaders have seen and ad- 
mired tho beautiful and luxuriant woods 
pastures of Kentucky, or have read much 
in praise thereof in tho agricultural papers, 
so that wo are often asked whether such pas¬ 
tures cannot be produced in other States, 
and if so, how it is to be done. 
Bluo Grass, ( Poa pratensis ) is tho mate¬ 
rial of which these pastures aro formed— 
hence, throughout the west it is called 
“ Kentucky bluo grass.” It is found grow¬ 
ing naturally on good lime-stone soils in 
most of the central and western States; and 
woods pasture similar to those in Kentucky 
may occasionally be seen in Southern Ohio, 
on tho rich sugar-tree lands and “ second 
bottoms,” where seed of this grass has been 
sown. But on the lighter class of soils, and 
our stiff white oak lands this grass does not 
succeed well. 
Tho method of procuring good woods 
pasture, is to clear the land of underbrush 
and rubbish of all kinds, (burning the leaves. 
&c.,) and thinning out tho timber, if to> 
thick; then, in the latter part of the wintei 
or very early in the spring, sow bluo gras 
seed at tho rate of ten pounds (one bushel 
of stripped seed, or seven pounds ot clean 
seed per acre. If the weather is open and 
tho ground dry, soon after the sowing a 
brush harrow may be drawn over the land 
with advantage. Some recommend turning 
in a flock of sheep to stir tho surface of the 
ground with their feet, and thus assist in 
covering the seed with earth.— Ohio Culti¬ 
vator. 
Guano. —Tho discovery of guano has in a 
providential manner, met the very want of 
the times, in reference to the re-invigoration 
of certain kinds of soil, since this manure 
furnishes tho elements most needed to sup¬ 
ply the waste arising from cultivation, and 
to develop vegetation ; but even in regard 
to this, a judicious discrimination must be 
used, and that quality selected which pre¬ 
sents tho most abundant supply of those es¬ 
sential ingredients, tho phosphates. 
Every farmer who understands common 
arithmetic, may amuse and instruct himself 
with great advantage by a few interesting 
calculations. Successful tillage, as every 
one knows, consists in three important par¬ 
ticulars—namely, a good soil; its fertility 
made accessible;—and tho entire monopo¬ 
ly of that feltility by tbe crop intended. A 
soil may consist of tho most valuable ingro- 
dients, but if theso are kept immersed in a 
subterranean basin of water, as in mauy un- 
drainod soils during every wet season, they 
are as inaccessible to the plant, as if encased 
in walls of masonry. A hard, uncrumblod 
soil, is little bettor. But the greatest ab¬ 
surdity in farming, is to expend five or ten 
thousand dollars in the purchase of land, 
some hundreds more in fitting it for prolific 
crops, and then permitting one-fourth, one- 
third, or even one-half of its costly value to 
be drawn out and destroyed by tho growth 
of useless weeds ! 
We have known men who wero exceed¬ 
ingly jealous of " their rights.” Rather than 
be defrauded of a half dollar, they would 
rush into a law suit costing twenty times 
that sum. Rather than lose 41 tho best end 
of a bargain,” they would resort to a very 
great many inconvenient and troublesome 
expedients. Rather than submit to furnish 
a neighbor’s lawless hog with a singlo meal 
of undug potatoes, they would incur per¬ 
petual resentment. But strange things 
have not yet come to an end, for these are 
tho very same men that submit with most 
admirable patience to tho invasions and 
waste of thousands of elder bushes and bur¬ 
docks, tens of thousands of mulleins and 
horse-thistles, and a hundred thousand Can¬ 
ada thistles, and a million red-root plants. 
Now, the calculations we are about to pro¬ 
pose, as above alluded to, are these :—Lot 
| every land owner, whose fences are lined 
i with a belt of elders, burdocks, and briars, 
! ascertain by weighing, the precise amount 
i of vegetable growth yielded by theso three 
; plants on a square yard of land;—multi¬ 
plying by 30 will give the weight on a square 
rod. Then let him make a fair estimate of 
j tho amount of land thus occupied along all 
i the miles of his fence, and ho may soon 
know how many tons of elder bushes, bri¬ 
ars, and burdocks his costly land grows in 
I a year. It would of course be quite as well 
I for him to have this growth in clover, timo- 
j thy, or Indian corn—but before throwing 
the calculation aside, let him ask himself, if 
he would not feel somewhat indignant should 
his neighbor’s cattle fall upon and devour 
an equal number of tons from his meadow 
or corn-field? Now, cannot he contrive to 
get up a like amount of indignation against 
, the weeds? The same kind of calculation 
' may bo applied on the same farm, to tho 
; Canada thistles, horse-thistles, Jolmswort, 
pig-weeds, mulleins, mustard, and fox-tail 
grass, which grow in various degrees of 
denseness broadcast over tho fields. YVe 
cannot but think that on some larms it would 
present rather startling results. 
It would bean interesting inquiry, to look 
into tho actual losses sustained through tho 
whole country by the growth of weeds. How 
many tons on an average are grown by each 
of the million farmers of tho United States? 
Three—five—or ten? If tho former only, 
tho aggregate crop would bo enough to load 
a continued train of farm wagons three 
thousand miles long—or twenty thousand 
canal boats—or, more than ten times all tho 
whale ships belonging to the country—with 
this useless herbage. A singlo weed—the 
Red Root—has been estimated to have oc¬ 
casioned greater loss in some‘counties than 
if every dwelling house had been consumed 
by fire. Is not this subject ono worthy of 
some attention? 
Now, there are two ways in which all this 
evil comes upon us. Tho first is by the in¬ 
crease of seeds—tho second, tho want ot 
prompt destruction when the ovil has onco 
commenced. The increase by seed, under 
favorablo circumstances, almost exceeds be¬ 
lief. We have counted tho grains on a sin¬ 
glo moderate sized plant of chess, and found 
over threo thousand. An equal increase 
tho sedbnd year would produce nine mil¬ 
lions ; the third year, twenty-seven thousand 
millions; tho fourth—but wo will let some 
of our young arithmetical readers carry 
out tho reckoning for ten years, and soo if 
there is not enough seed by that time to 
turn tho whole wheat crop of tho globe to 
chess. A full grown, adult pig-weed, will 
yield eight thousand seeds, which may in¬ 
crease in a few years to countless myriads, 
just because, as Prof. Lindley says, tho cul¬ 
tivator was unwilling to make “a singlo 
flexure of his vertebral column,” in extract¬ 
ing tho first young weed from tho soil.— 
There aro certain weeds, troublcsomo and 
costly in the highest degree in some regions 
of country, which aro entirely unknown in 
others—simply because no seed have ever 
been deposited there. Then again there 
are other localities which were onco plen¬ 
tifully infested, which have been completely 
eradicated, ami not a single representative 
left. Wo could name several farmers who 
have succeeded in driving from both soil 
and seed, the last vestige of that insiduous 
intruder, chess; and several others who by 
vigilance and industry had exceedingly les¬ 
sened tho annual weeding of red-root.— 
Such examples are worthy of imitation ; and 
at tho present season, when weeds are about 
preparing to form their millions of germs 
for increase, we hope tho subject may re¬ 
ceive the spocial attention of cultivators.— 
Albany Cultivator. 
I have cut oats when the straw was just 
turning from its green to its golden hue and 
have found the grain as plump and full, and 
far brighter in color, than that which had 
stood in tho fiold till ripe. Tho straw of 
oats, when harvested early, and properly 
cured, is nearly as valuable for feeding cat¬ 
tle as tho best clover hay. 
Study truth and cultivate virtue. 
“HASTE MAKES WASTE.” 
We always feel like preaching a sermon 
from this text—when we perambulate the 
market in search of butter. In ail the 
stalls devoted to the sale of this necessary 
of New England life it is very seldom that a 
a really good article can be found—but 
there is every variety of poor butter in 
abundance. Now and then a firkin may be 
found put up in ratber tolerable shapo 
such as would almost pass current with 
those who know what good butter is, but 
it is an exception to tho general rule. On 
the other hand, there are hundreds of 
tons of butter sold every year in our mar¬ 
ket at half the price it would bring were a 
little labor bestowed upon it by housewives 
in the country. In no article do our fann¬ 
ers so groatly mistake the r true, interests 
as in sending poor butter to market. 
We tasted a lot yesterday which was ottered 
at ten cents a pound because it was rancid 
—but which would have brought double 
that price readily had it been properly 
cared for when it was made. The process 
of making butter is simple and easy—and 
tho only difference between good and bad 
butter, in nino eases out of ten, is just the 
difference in the labor bestowed in working 
out the buttermilk. If the butter be thor¬ 
oughly worked in a cool place, it assumes 
something of the consistency of wax, and 
will keep for years without becoming ran¬ 
cid. Yet not one firkin in a hundred sent 
to market can bo cut without the butter¬ 
milk following the knife. 
The English dairy women understand 
these things better. They never throw 
away ono half tho rightful price of their 
dairy products in order to spare their el¬ 
bows. You seldom seo any poor butter in 
English market towns. Not only is all the 
buttermilk excluded—but tho butter re¬ 
ceives a very rich and mellow flavor by rea¬ 
son of slightly scalding the milk before it is 
set away in pans. This process costs very 
little labor—and, in the warm season partic¬ 
ularly, it greatly increases tho quantity as 
well as quality of the cream. We hope 
that at no distant period the English mode 
will bo universally adopted in this country. 
Whenever it is, tho profits of our national 
industry will be greatly enehanced, and the 
hills and valleys of New England will bo 
converted into almost universal dairy farms. 
Few branches of industry aro more profita¬ 
ble than tho dairy, when it is rightly under¬ 
stood. 
Tho remark that applies to buttor, applies 
also to two thirds of tho cheese manufac¬ 
tured, and one half at least of the hams 
cured in this country. YVe have perambu¬ 
lated the whole market without being able 
to find a really good American cheese made 
in tho ordinary mode, and have been com¬ 
pelled to purchase a rather poor imitation 
of English cheese or pay a big price for a 
“ pine apple cheese,” made very much in 
tho shape of a wooden nutmeg. Nearly 
ail ttie good cheese made in this country 
now, is sent abroad, and tho poor remains at 
home, because foreigners know better than 
to purchase it. As to bacon, wo buy it as 
wo would a ticket in the lotery —about six 
fears to one hope. Most of the bacon is 
salted higher than ever Lot’s wife was, and 
a great deal of tho salt has “ lost its savor ” 
at that. Occasionally we get hold of a good 
leg of bacon properly cured, and we thank 
our lucky stars for it. It costs no more to 
cure it properly than improperly— why 
don’t you all do it?— Boston Mail. 
THE CAT LET OUT OF THE BAG. 
Mr. Editor :—During tho three years of 
which l have devoted a small portion to so¬ 
liciting subscriptions to agricultural papers, 
I have met many objections to taking such 
w'orks, even among farmers; and, not re¬ 
collecting to have seen them in print, and 
knowing that printing spoils things for a 
'certain cluss, 1 have thought that printing 
theso objections might in a measuro des¬ 
troy their validity , and prevent their uso 
hereafter. 
Many of these objections grow out of a 
kind of prejudice in many instances; and 
however slight tho cause, they deprive tho 
person entertaining them of much enjoy¬ 
ment and benefit both pecuniary and intel¬ 
lectual. One man owned a nice animal, 
which he felt suro would secure him the pre¬ 
mium offered on such stock, if he would only 
exhibit him. He therefore joined the Agri¬ 
cultural Society, and made all necessary ar¬ 
rangements ; but the prejnium, so much de¬ 
sired, was given to another. And, for this 
cause, he to this day doubts tho honesty of 
such societies, and of those who advocate 
them ! 
Another, having taken an agricujtural 
paper a year, and found nothing in it ex¬ 
actly adapted to his wants and means and 
manner of thinking, concludes that such 
papers aro edited by those who do not know 
any more, or perhaps not as much, as he 
does, and aro published merely to get mo¬ 
ney 1 
Another seems to think that every article 
should bo particularly applicable to bis cir¬ 
cumstances ; forgetting that thousands, be¬ 
sides himself, havo an equal claim and un¬ 
equal conditions in life and in location. 
Another read an article on raising lambs 
for tho meat market: and their weight and 
price so far cxccedod anything within tho 
scope of his experience or observation, that 
ho sot it down at onco to bo a lie. And yet 
I have seen this old man listen to bigger 
stories; and because they wero orally pre¬ 
sented, he gave them full credit, with intent 
to practice upon tho information so obtainod. 
Another, having been deceived in a now 
variety of fowls, found a few engravings of 
these Very fowls in his paper, and at onco 
lost his confidence in it, and ordered it to bo 
discontinued. Another, who subscribed for 
an agricultural paper particularly because 
there was a series of interesting articlos in 
course of publication, lost his interest in tho 
paper, when the editor dropt them to make 
room for something else ; and he dropt tho 
paper, and entertained doubts of the edi¬ 
tor’s honesty. 
A young man, satisfied that he does not 
know all that can be known of farming, 
spends much time in reading, and his neigh¬ 
bors are more than ever satisfied that a man 
cannot read and work too. But, as the 
work is absolutely indespensable to the on¬ 
going of the farm, reaiding is therefore vo¬ 
ted a disadvantage. An objection frequent¬ 
ly offered is, that papers are printed so far 
away, where soil and climate are so different 
from ours, that it is useless to follow their 
course of cultivation. Men who offer it 
need a little chemical instruction, but do not 
know it. 
But a singular reason for not subscribing 
for a paper filled with agricultural informa¬ 
tion, was given by a man, who owns, and 
conducts with some success a large farm, as 
follow's :—“ I Icnoiv how, now, a great deal 
better than I can do.” I have thought of 
it frequently, but never could comprehend 
its weight. Many read agricultural papers 
in so careless a manner, that they receive 
no benefit from them. An old farmer, who 
took one of tho best of papers one year 
asked me a few years after, if I knew of 
any small mills for grinding corn by horse 
power. His neglected paper contained an 
engraving and advertisement of one 1 
It seems to mo the greatest obstaclo to 
tho use of agricultural books and papers, is 
the indifferent manner in which many read 
them; while a careful perusal of them, a 
treasuring in the memory of their most im¬ 
portant suggestions, and a readiness to ap¬ 
ply them whenever an opportunity presents 
itself, would enable every man to realize a 
benefit from reading and even studying 
such publications.— Cor. Jour. Agriculture. 
PROTECTION OF MANURE. 
There can be no doubt that the free and 
constant exposure of manure to the action 
of tho atmosphere, greatly deteriorates and 
lessens its value; and that providing a pro¬ 
tection for it while remaining in the yards, 
or before its removal to the land to which 
it is to be applied, we should save sufficient 
to remunerate us amply for the cost which 
a structure capable of fully subserving this 
important purposo, would necessarily in¬ 
volve. The proper location of sheds intend¬ 
ed for this use, is on the side of the barn, 
in tho vicinity of that portion used as a 
“ tie-up, ” in order that tho excrement of 
tho animals may be removed to it every 
morning, and without even a temporary ex¬ 
posure to the air. • 
Tho back or rear wall of the structure, 
should be so formed as to admit of its being 
opened to facilitate the removal of the con¬ 
tents, and to effect which with tho greatest 
convenience and dispatch, tho entire wall 
should be suspended on stout hinges, in 
such a way as to be swung up, and retained 
in that position till the work of removal is 
accomplished. 
A structure subserving this purposo, and 
which will last for several years, may be 
erected for a few dollars, doubtless — yet I 
would not advise any one to spend half or 
two-thirds tho amount requisite for the con¬ 
struction of a first rate permanent fabric, 
in putting up a cheap one which will but 
partially meet the necessities of the easo, 
and bo ready for repairs, or to tumble into 
ruins, almost as soon as it is up. It should 
over bo an object with the farmer to do 
well and thoroughly, whatever he attempts. 
Tho old adage—“YVork well done, is twice 
done,” conveys an important lesson, which 
it would be well for farmers to attend, and 
especially in providing thoso permanent 
fixtures and conveniences which necessarily 
involve the expenditure of time and cash. 
Tho economy of manure is beginning to bo 
contemplated as a subject of much practi¬ 
cal importance by the farming classes, gen¬ 
erally, and wo trust tho day is rapidly ad¬ 
vancing, and is even now by no means dis¬ 
tant, when judicious and efficient measures 
will be adopted universally lor the protection 
of that article upon tin; assistance of which, 
the farmer relies for tho profit of his soil 
and crops. , YVhen it is reflected that in tho 
present condition of our agriculture, little 
can be accomplished without manure, it will 
certainly bo thought a matter of no trivial 
or insignificant consequence so to manage 
and economize tho contents of the stercor- 
ary as to ensure the availability of all its 
wealth. YVith a sufficiency of manure, wo 
may laugh at tho sterility of nature; but 
without it we can virtually accomplish lit¬ 
tle or nothing. 
In tho manure shed the farmer has an as¬ 
sistant of the most valuable kind and which 
involves but comparitively slight exponse. 
— Me. Fanner ij* Artizan. 
NEW PROCESS OF MAKING BUTTER. 
Mr. James Stubbs, of Cuttyhunk Island, 
informs us of a new and simple process of 
making butter from the cream, which prom¬ 
ises to supersede the labor of the churn, at 
least during tho warm season. At his 
dairy recently, a quantity of cream which 
had obstinately refused to become butter 
under any reasonable or unreasonable 
amount of “agitation” in the usual inode, 
was at length emptied into a clean “ salt- 
big” of coarse linen and deposited in tho 
ground at a depth of about twelve inches 
below tho surface, to cool. On tho follow¬ 
ing morning it was found that the butter¬ 
milk had entirely separated and disap¬ 
peared, and that the butter remained in 
tho bag perfectly nice and sweet. He has 
since frequently manufactured butter by 
this method, with invariable success, in 
from six to twelve hours. As an effectual 
preventive of any earthy taste becoming 
imparted to tho butter, Mr. Stubbs suggests 
that the bag containing tho cream be placed 
in another bag or cloth, of the samo mate¬ 
rial. Tho value of the discovery may be 
easily tasted.— JYew Bedford Mercury. 
