sHi 
VOLUME III. NO. 42 . 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: 
A WEBKLY HOME NEWSPAPER, 
Designed for both Country and Town Residents. 
CONDUCTED 15 Y D. D. T. MOORE, 
ASSISTED BY 
J. II. BIKCY, L. WETHERELL, AND II. C. WHITE, 
With a numerous corps of able Contributors and 
Correspondents. 
UW For Terms, &c., see last page. 
Jlgrimltural Ibjjartntetrf. 
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT. 
RURAL LIFE PREFERABLE. 
Blessed are all ruralists !—who live and 
labor in the God-made country, and are 
content 1 They possess all the necessary 
concomitants to secure health, wealth and 
happiness—and can, if they will, partake of 
the real enjoyments of life at all seasons.— 
Generally holding tho fee-simple of a por¬ 
tion of mother earth, each man is his own 
master, and (unless possessed of an o’er- 
weening desire to own all the land that joins 
him,) may superintend his premises and 
“ torra-culturo ” what and as he pleases.— 
Surrounded by growing investments—crops, 
stock, etc.—which will generally produce 
dividends in proportion to tho attention, 
skill and labor bestowed, his days are. or 
may be, passed in cheerful, healthful in¬ 
dustry—not in close counting-room or office, 
breathing a pestiferous atmosphere — and 
ho can sleep peacefully and sweetly, while 
his stocks are rising, with littlo or no fear 
of loss or depreciation from any source. 
Such thoughts are uppermost in mind,— 
suggested, aye, and appreciated, from recent 
experience in city and observation in coun¬ 
try. Indeed, to one bred in tho country, 
and afterwards subjected for years to the 
unnatural and toilsome labors of a calling 
whose duties require unremitting attention, 
rural life is most inviting, and its scenes and 
pursuits peculiarly attractive. This boing 
our position, we can appreciate the advan¬ 
tages and manifold blessings of those whose 
fortuno it is to cultivate the earth—who 
produce an abundance of the necossaries of 
life, insomuch that they not only “faro 
sumptuously,” but add to tho stock which 
feeds “all tho world and tho rest of man¬ 
kind "—and yet have more leisure for study, 
recreation and sociality than any othor in¬ 
dustrial class. All useful labor is honora¬ 
ble,—but we hold that Agriculture is tho 
most Healthy and Honorable, as it is the 
most Natural and Useful pursuit of Man. 
\oung men in tho country, and especially 
thoso who understand farming, and have, or ' 
can obtain the means to secure a rural 1 
homo, miss a figure when they entor tho < 
mercantile or learned professions. Truly, < 
“ they know not what they do.” They ex- < 
chango a reasonable certainty of a good ' 
living and ultimato competency—a useful s 
and peaceful life of comparative ease—for a 1 
most uncertain and hazardous struggle after 1 
what but very few now attain, and retain, in I 
professional and commercial pursuits, viz., i 
distinction and wealth. No young man, at I 
this day, can reasonably expect success in I 
a profession, at least, unless ho possesses su- ' 
perior talents, good education, and abun- ' 
dant tact and energy of character—or an v 
advantage of position, or influential friends, e 
not often vouchsafed to young and inexpo- v 
riencod aspirants. Men of genius are rare, g 
even in our very clever Yankee nation,— t 
and thousands who have deserted farms R 
and work-shops in the hope of living with- f 
out labor, or to acquire distinction, (“ the c 
bubble, reputation,”) or amass wealth, are * 
now lamenting their folly in poverty and n 
idleness—while others, little better off, are w 
struggling to maintain thomsolves and their t] 
families, by laboring for poor pay, in sub- e 
ordinate positions. a 
— Farmers, —Young Men in tho Coun- d 
try, — yo ur “lines have fallen in pleasant d 
places.” Your vocation is second to none li 
under heaven for usefulness, real independ¬ 
ence and respectability. Do not dishonor o: 
it and yourselves, by repining or socking a a 
change. In such a position it is wiso to oi 
“ a ct well your part,” and bo contont. tl 
ROCHESTER, N. Y -THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1852. 
•j WHOLE NO. 146. 
MARL AND ITS USE AS MANURE *i , T . , . 
_____ • littod thereby. Limo being more readily 
In many parts of this State tho attention Sfdub * e can bo appliod without this care, 
of farmers has recently been called to marl though the effect of either is not soon lost 
as a manure. Deposits of marl have boon on an y sod - Atmospheric influences, heat % 
discovered in many now localities, of which and c °ld, moisturo and dryness, are all more 
those interested are desirous of knowing or ^ oss P ow orful agents in reducing marl to 
tho good qualities. Inquiries have boon a stab3 favorable to assist in the growth of 
made of us, and also of our readers and cr0 P s ’ an d farmers can make tho applica- 
correspodents, through tho columns of tho tb)n ' n sucb mar >ner as circumstances will ri jUI 
Rural. Upon this subject wo have no prac- best permit, conforming as nearly as possi- 
tical experience, but rely upon the recorded b ^° to tbo most approved practice on this IpSIl 
experience and opinions of others whoso re- P°' nt - 
search and experiments entitlo their state- * TUS * ; our readers in Wayne county % ' 
ments to credit. w iH make use of the marl in their localities HP 
Marl is a soft earth or clay which con- and rep0rt to us tho result of the?r ex P eri ' 
tains more or less carbonate of lime and ! monts - An enterprising practical farmer ' 
not unfrequently magnesia; also in some I WhcatIand has mado a mosfc satisfactory ___ 
samples lime is present as a sulphate. Up- | a PP ll( ; atl0n of muck and marl to his land |g|gg 
lertios its vilun Xor ra * s ' n » wheat, and we hope to bo favored 
on the presence of these properties its value 
mainly depends. Marls differ very much in with , a ful1 account of his practice and its 
fliffnrnnf _ II*:__ a • TCSUlt. 
different localities, not only in appearance 
butin quality. It not unfrequently has the I , lhc appl,cat,on of fertilizers to the soil, 
appearance of a mass of shells when first ! 0t 10r than the manure from tho barn yard, 
excavated, which soon crumbles into now- ! 18 be S mn,n g to attract the attention of far- 
a ** 8 
excavated, which soon crumbles into pow- 
MR. CAMPBELL’S SILESIAN MERINO EWES. 
der; while in other places it is found to be m ° rS ’ W ° h0p0 W,th tho m0St beneficiaI 
so hard as to need tho peck-axe to dig it re , ; . f ° r 18 questionably true that 
coming out in large lumps, which gradually 80r ” etbm g < moro than farm yard manure 
slacken and crumble to pieces. In their . cloverin£ ? can bo brought into requisi- 
value for agricultural purposes, they vary tl0n to enable farmers in this State to more 
as much as they do in appearance: and no J UC ° et f mpcto with the chca P rich 
true indication of their value is to be found lands of the beautiful western country.— 
in their appearance merely, but in tho car- , 18 necessit y for more light upon this 
bonateand phosphate which they may con- sub j cct ’ andof a more systematic applica- 
tain. In some places they have been found tl0n of fertilizers to the land. As well 
containing not more than ten per cent of mig . tbe lawyer or the divine expect suc- 
cuiuaimng not more than ten per cent of " — Bi¬ 
carbonate of limo, with scarcely a trace of CGSR in th ° ir P rofossions without previous 
magnesia or the phosphates, while in others 8tudy &nd roquisite knowIed ge, M can far- 
thov contain so.vmiiv.fivn mors ex P ect 8Uccess 111 cultivation, without 
they contain seventy-five per cent of the ['T* Tf' 6 T? 88 in cultivation, without 
carbonate and a small per cent of the phos- H kn ™ led gf ot tho constituent elements of 
phates. a £ 00( ^ S01 * anc ^ °f tho various manures 
vf,..i • Lj, , • * . . , which may bo profitably employed to keep 
Mail imbedded in clav contains a larger f-hnir Linde J 1 
. . . .... ", . tneir lands tiom deterioration, 
admixture ot lune than when imbedded in _ _ 
sand, as water easily percolates through j WHEAT FOR SEE! 
sand, carrying away tho limo. Water charo-- 
, . . .... o i Hpcuno 
WHEAT FOR SEED. 
ed with carbonic acid, as rain water general- Messrs> Editors 1 noticed an article in 
ly is, readily dissolves lime in the form * be Rural of Sept. 16th, from S. S. L., giv- 
found in marl, which thus passes off, leav- j ng tho r . esuIfc of an experiment to show that 
ing tho bod of very little valuo. It will bo ' t ' v ’ asaSl 'mp ortanfcto cut wheat early for seed 
perceived that tho chief valuo of murl con- a ? waSfor bread -. Wba * thc fi nal result of 
sists in tho per cent of limo which it con- IuS 0X P emn ents will be, it ho should on- 
tains, which limo is as good pound for pound tinue thcn1 ’ timo alone must determine.— 
as that furnished in any other form, with But be p auso unri P e se e<l will vegetato and 
this advantage: in marl tho limo is mixed grow vl 'g° r °usly, it docs not render it eer- 
with clay and sand, and is thus in a condi- ta ‘ n to , m "' min d that tho final result will be 
tion to bo moro easily dissolved, and taken favorabl °- Xt w °uld be for better, judging 
up by tho roots and fibres of plants as their fl ’° m my own experience, to conduct a series 
food. of experiments on a small scalo, than it 
Tho application of marl as a manure W ° Uld b ° t0 S0 ' v a whole ficld at once > if tb e 
would then ho snhieet tn th« results should bo the samo in all cases. 
grow vigorously, it docs not render it cer¬ 
tain to my mind that tho final result will he 
would then bo subject to tho same or simi- _ . 
lar conditions to tho uso of lime. It will Huring my experience as a wheat grower 
be beneficial in more than one respect, and 1 have tvv0 seasons us ed wheat for seed that 
on different soils. When lands fail to’pro- WSS Cut before ifc was ri P e ’ and the resub 
duco well from a deficiency of limo the use WaS tbufc both cro P s had a sprinkling of 
of marl cannot bo too highly recommended. Smut beads throughout the entiro fields; 
This may bo the case whore lime-stone is and> aS k bave not bad an y sm ut except 
scarce, from which cause but littlo can bn dn- tboso two seasons, 1 have been led to believe 
scarce, from which cause but littlo can be de- 110S0 tvv0 soas ons, 1 have been led to believe 
posited,—also whore, by continued cropping ! that unri P° seod whoat would produce smut. 
thn limn nvin-in-.lUr i _u . . . & ! troy, Mich., Oct., 1852. Linus Cone. 
the lime originally in the soil has been ex- j r ’’ ’ 1 < __ I,1NU S CoNK ‘ 
hausted. To dotermino these points with; PLOWS—AN EXPLANATION, 
much accuracy an analysis of tho soil would 
be almost a mattor of necessity. The ap- ^ Xr> ^ XooiiE : — In looking over tho pre- 
plication of marl may be mado in different m * um list ol the N. Y. Stale Agricultural 
ways, but that most feasible,—the one from Soc " iet y> as published in the last Rural, I 
which quickest returns could be had,_ see in that part of it which gives an account 
would be to plow tho land, leaving it un- °* Xbo Plowing Match, tho names of the 
oven, apply tho marl, and then go over it plowmen, and also of tho manufacturers of 
with a heavy harrow, mixing tho whole to- tbo pl° ws used > aro given. In the state- 
getlier as much as possible; after which cul- ment “Peter Auld’s Plow” is represented 
tivato it in somo crop that requires hoeing, as be i n g used by thoso who took first and 
as corn, beans, potatoes, &c., which may be secon( l premiums, and the third premium 
followed by a crop of wheat, with which a8 ! akon with the “ JYe Plus Ultra Plow.” 
clover should be sown. This will enable bXovv tbo g rea<; majority of your readers, I 
tho farmor to reap tho benefit of the ma- bave 110 <loubt, would infer from this that 
nure at once. Another method, and ono I ^ bo ' Plus Ultra,’ and “ Peter Aulds” 
which should be practiced more, is to mix j are different patterns, when in fact they are 
the marl with swamp muck or othor light j botb P ETER Auld’s pattern and the same 
earth and vegetable matter in tho form of kind too ‘ Some of his plows had “Jlulds 
a compost heap, — to be applied as a top *A*e plus Ultra” painted on the beam, which 
dressing to wheat or meadow lands which ma y be tbo caiI so of this apparent mistake 
do not produce woll from a deficiency of ‘ n &' lvdn g a different namo to the same kind 
lime in the soil. oX plow, viz., “AuIdtsjVe Plus Ultra, for 
In applying marl to supply tho deficiency « r stubbl % WiU ^ ou please cori ’ ect 
of limo in tho soil, it should ho dnno lnno- m tho “ Rural : r * A -> Ju - 
limo in the soil. oX plow, viz., u Auld’s J\'e Plus Ultra, for 
In applying marl to supply tho deficiency ^ * r * tubbl % WiU y0U please correct 
of limo in tho soil, it should bo done as long m tho “ Rural r p - A -> J R - 
a tune betoro cultivation as practicable, to __ _ _ 
enablo it to slack and mix with tho earth, What ought to bo done to-day, do it, for 
that tho growing crop may bo moro bono- to-morrow it may rain. 
The accompanying engraving represents a group 
of Silesian Merino Ewes, owned by Mr. George 
J Campbell, of West Westminster, Yt. He pur- 
- chased them in Prussian Silesia, in the spring of 
) 1851. The October number of The Wool Grower 
i and Stock Register contains an article relative to 
these sheep, written by Mr. C., from which we ex- 
, tract the following statement: 
“ These sheep are descendants from the far-famed 
Infantardo’s flock, so much admired in Spain, 
some fifty years ago, and as far as my knowledge 
extends, they are now the only Hock of this vari- 
’ ety that have been preserved in their pure state, to 
• the present time. 
The proprietor of this flock, imported the orig- 
’ inal stock from Spain, in 1811, and since that 
time, has given his own personal attention to his 
sheep, and by this means has been .able to still 
further improve them, especially as regards the 
quality of wool, which has been increased in flne- 
ucss, without diminishing the weight of fleece.— 
POULTRY. 
THE ENGLISH DORKING, COCHIN CHINA AND SHANGHAI. 
While most otiier interests involved in the circle 
of domestic economy, have, for a few years past, 
been consulted and improved, the subject of poul¬ 
try has, until lately, been wholly neglected. The j 
thought that fowls of larger size, finer forms, more 
beautiful plumage, and of better habits and char¬ 
acter could be cultivated, seems not to have 
entered the mind of the farmer. The familiarity 
of this interest, together with its universality, has 
wholly clouded the idea of its importance. Every 
poor man, able to hire a room sufficient to shelter 
himself, his wife and his stove, has kept his half j 
dozen fowls. And the able farmer with his five 
scores, bins hardly once thought of the beauty and 
utility of uniform color, larger size, and better 
character. 
As in every enterprise, the “Yankees,” (as I 
Americans are termed,) are charged with going to 
extremes, so the improvement in this interest, since 
it has now commenced, can hardly be expected to 
be an exception to tills general rule. But it is, by 
no means, a matter of humbug, as apprehended 
or imagined by many. Frauds may possibly 
have been sometimes practiced by speculators; 
and disappointments on the part of purchasers, 
may have been realized. Still charity will sug¬ 
gest the plea, that every disappointment, might 
not be the result of intentional, dishonest purpose. 
It is still a mooted point, to what length, of time, 
the effect of prior associations of the hen, mav 
extend. Facts seem to indicate, that the results ! 
of such association may exhibit themselves, for j 
altogether a longer period than lias been generally 
supposed; and may often account for anomalies 
and disappointments in the character of her 
products. 
That there has been room for great improvement 
in the native fowls of this country, and that the 
introduction of foreign breeds has already accom¬ 
plished much improvement, is not to be disputed. 
But it cannot be conceded that every thing that • 
is foreign, is from that cause alone, superior and , 
excellent I see not why a breed of fowls, as ' 
large as a turkey, should be less expensive to keep f 
than the turkey, or should be more profitable, or j 
in any respect preferable to the turkey. Why , 
then should breeds of enormous size be sought , 
after ? r 
The English Dorking, either white, or rich buff , 
or fawn color, well shaped, hardy, domestic, and } 
weighing, at twelve months old, four to six pounds , 
dressed, is a desirable fowl. But in some respects ^ 
the Chinese varieties are an improvement upon this g 
breed. The Shanghai and Cochin China, which 
are the best of these varieties, are generally rather 
larger than the Dorking, and more plump and t 
| It is believed that very few, if any, sheep in the 
country at the present day, will produce more 
pounds of wool, according to cost of keeping, than 
the Silesian Merino. For the shape of the sheep, 
I wiU refer you to the engraving, as it Ls a faithful 
copy of a daguerreotype; and to convince you of 
their hardiness and strong constitution, I need 
oidy to refer you to tho circumstance, that one ewe 
of this flock Hved to be 21 years old. The skin of 
this sheep was carefully stuffed and placed in the 
sheep-fold, where it now stands with quite a fife¬ 
like appearance. I mention this fact merely to 
show that the gentleman takes an interest in his 
flock. 
My Silesian ewes suckled lambs during the 
winter, which every one knows will lessen the 
fleece at least one pound per head. They were 
thoroughly washed and sheared as soon ;is proper¬ 
ly dry, shearing an average of 4 lbs. 5j-o oz. per 
head. Bucks of this variety, when fully grown, 
will shear from 6 to 10 lbs. of well washed wool.” 
beautiful in form. If not more costly to keep, 
and equally hardy and prolific, they would be the 
preferable fowl. So tar as my experience extends, 
(and I have kept both kinds during summer and 
j winter,) I have imagined no difference in thepro- 
| ductiveness of either, or in the expense of sus¬ 
taining them. Although I would not relinquish 
the culture of the Dorking, still I esteem the 
Chinese bird, all things considered, the “ ne plus 
ultra” of domestic fowls. 
A cross of the select Dorking hen, with the 
Shanghai or Cochin China cock, produces a most 
, excellent fowl. The China, being a tropical bird, 
I does not fledge as speedily, nor reach maturity as 
soon as the Dorkiug, which is a native of a higher 
latitude. This cross therefore, while it somewhat 
increases the size of the Dorking, and improves its 
j form, expedites also the maturity ot the Shanghai. 
i A bird of this cross will be full fledged in about 
half the time of a full blood China. But the pure 
China is still the more beautiful bird. 
There is altogether an erroneous impression ex¬ 
tensively entertained, in regard to the necessitvof 
feathered legs, to the purity of the blood of the 
Chinese fowl. The fact of feathered legs, in the 
varieties of both Cochin China and Shanghai, has 
nothing to do with tho purity of the blood of 
either. In their native country, they are both 
clean limbed and feathered, and bear the same 
name, as 1 am assured by a gentleman who has 
cultivated both, and imported the m, for his own 
private use and gratification. Feathered limbs, as 
a curious and singular feature of the bird, may 
perhaps please for a short time. And to the man 
of fancy, whose “henery” is swept and garnished, 
may do well enough. But to the every day man, 
whose fowls have access to the barn yard, the cow' 
peu, and the floor of the porkers, these feathered 
appendages must be any thing else than desirable, 
in muddy, wet and freezing weather. Like the 
honey bee, their legs would soon be heavily loaded, 
but with a freight of quite a different character. 
The freer from feathers on the legs therefore, the 
more desirable would they he for the farmers use. 
The leading shades of color of the Cochin China, 
seem to he, buff, orange or yellow. Of the Shang¬ 
hais, the same, and also a browish vellow, fringed j 
with black, often very beautiful—while the cocks 
of both varieties carry extremely rich, high colors. 
The Dorking, the Cochin China and the Shanghai, 
notwithstanding the ridicule to which the latter 
have been, at times subjected, are probably as 
near the standard of excellence, for all the pur¬ 
poses for which they are designed, as we can rea¬ 
sonably expect or desire. E, D. 
In Westphalia, where the finest hams are made, 
the hogs are never killed under three years old. 
