VOLUME III. NO. 46. 
ROCHESTER, N. Y-THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1851 
WHOLE NO. 150. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: 
A WEEKLY HOME NEWSPAPER, ~ 
Designed for both Country and Town Residents. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
ASSISTED BY 
J. n. BIXBY, L. WETHERELL, AND H. C. WHITE, 
With a numerous corps of able Contributors and 
Correspondents. 
The Rural New-Yorker is designed to be unique and 
beautiful in appearance, and unsurpassed in Value, Purity 
and Variety of Contents. Its conductors earnestly labor 
to make it a Reliable Guide on the important Practical Sub¬ 
jects connected with the business of those whoso interests 
it advocates. It embraces more Agricultural, Horticul¬ 
tural, Scientific, Mechanical, Literary and News Matter — 
interspersed with many appropriate and handsome engrav¬ 
ings— than auy other paper published in this Country. 
Jpg?" For Terms, &c., see last. page. 
Igriniliural Dtpartorat 
PROGRESS AND INO»J£0VEfrlENT. 
CUTTING HAY FOR STOCK. 
The real merits of the question of cut- 
tion hay as food for stock, were never moro 
accurately tested than in some experiments 
called out last winter by the Worcester 
(Mass.) Agricultural Society, and published 
as a supplement to their annual Transac¬ 
tions. Wo have not seen the original Ro- 
port, but condenso our account from that 
given in the Now England Farmer and oth¬ 
er Agricultural papers. 
The President of the Society, Hon. J. W. 
Lincoln, (reeontly dccoased) with his accus¬ 
tomed liberality in the cause of agricultural 
improvement, offered a premium of $50 for 
the best experiments in determining the ad¬ 
vantages or disadvantages of cutting hay as 
food for stock. It was divided into two pre¬ 
miums, of $30, and $20, for the best and 
next best experiment made under certain 
regulations, in substanco as follows : 
Tho trial to be made with two animals, in 
condition as much aliko as practicable; time 
eight weeks, divided into periods of two 
weeks each. Ono to bo fed with cut when 
tho other is fed with uncut hay, and their 
food to bo changed each two weeks alter¬ 
nately. If roots, meal, &c., are given, tho 
same quantity to bo fed to each, that tho 
result may not be affected by other food.— 
Tho animals to bo kept in tho same stable, 
and at tho same temperature as near as may 
bo. If the trial be mado with cows, tho 
time of having last calf must bo given, and 
also tho weight of milk which each cow 
furnishes in tho time. Each animal to be 
weighed each two weeks and tho statement 
to give an account of their condition, age 
and ovory other circumstance that can influ¬ 
ence tho decision of tho question, and tho 
same kind of hay, (and what is usually call¬ 
ed English hay) to be used during the whole 
trial. Tho time of giving food and drink 
to bo regular, and also of the milking. Tho 
time of weighing in tho morning before the 
animal has been allowed to drink. The 
quantity of hay, whether wet or dry, and 
other food given to each animal and of each 
kind during each period of tho trial must 
be given in tho statement. 
There were four competitors for tho pre¬ 
miums, and tho following is tho substanco 
of their several statements : 
Mr. De.mond, of Grafton, with two dry 
cows : 
Cow No. 1,—7 years old, dried off about 10th 
December, calved 4th March, 1851, expected to 
come in about March 9, 1852. Trial commenced 
January 1, 1852—weight at commencement 870 
lbs., at close of trial 931 lbs., mean weignt 904}A 
lbs., gain iu 8 weeks 61 lbs., on cut hay 38 lbs., 
on uncut hay 23 Ihs.; eat in 8 weeks 1,174 lbs. hay 
—611 lbs cut hay and 563 lbs. uncut hay. 
Cow No. 2,—7 years old, dried off about 10th 
December, calved 28tli Feb’y, 1851, expected to 
come in about 9th March, 1852. Trial began Jan. 
1, 1852; weight at commencement 850 lbs., at end 
of trial 909 lbs., mean weight 879)A lbs.; gain iu 
8 weeks 59 lbs.; on cut hay 26 lbs., on uncut hay 
33 lbs.; eat in 8 weeks 1,146 lbs.—560 lbs. cut 
and 586 uncut hay. 
In addition to the hay, each cow eat half peck 
turnips per day, being 7 bushels to each cow, which 
is equivalent to 58 lbs. hay in value, making cow 
No. 1 equal to 1,232 lbs., provided the turnips 
were the common flat turnips, aud cow No. 2, 
1,204 lbs., which would make their daily food, as, 
in hay, equal to 2 9-20 percent of their live weight' 
or an addition of 1 lb. in weight for every 20 J-10 
lbs. hay, or its equivalent eaten. 
Mr. Harvey Dodge, of Sutton, with two 
Steers : 
Near Steer, 3 years old this spring. Trial com¬ 
menced Jan. 3, 1852—weight at commencement 
1,075 lbs., at close of trial 1,125 lbs., mean weight 
1,100 lbs.; gain in 8 weeks 50 lbs., on uucut hay 
55 lbs-, loss on cut hay 5 lbs.; eat in 8 weeks 916 
lbs. hay—447 lbs. cut hay, and 469 lbs. uncut hay. 
Off Steer, of the same age; trial began at the 
same time, weight at commencement 1,080 lbs., at 
close of trial 1,160 lbs., mean weight 1,120 lbs.; 
gain in 8 weeks 80 lbs.—on cut hay 75 lbs., on 
uncut hay 5 lbs.; eat in 8 weeks 949 lbs. hay- 
469 lbs. cut and 480 lbs. uncut hay. 
During the 8 weeks each steer had 2 qts. meal 
per day, which is equivalent to 293 lbs. hay, ma¬ 
king for near steer equal to 1,209 lbs. hay, and for 
off steer equal to 1,242 lbs. hay—their daily con¬ 
sumption of food was in hay equal to 2 per cent 
of their live weight, or 1 lb. in addition of weight 
to every 18 85-100 lbs. of food equivalent to hay 
eaten. 
Mr. W. S. Lincoln, of Worcester, with two 
milch cows : 
Cow Beauty, 4 years old 13th May, 1852, calved 
14th June, 1851, in milk, expected to have anoth¬ 
er calf June 30, 1852. Trial commenced 9th Jan- 
1842 ; weight at commencement 905 lbs., at close 
of trial 1,030 lbs., mean weight 907% lbs.; gain 
in 8 weeks 125 lbs.—on cut hay 100 lbs., on un¬ 
cut hay 25 lbs.; eat in 8 week 1,354% lbs.—685% 
lbs. cut and 668% lbs. uncut hay. 
Cow Cherry, 4 years old this spring, calved on 
the 20th June, 1851, in milk, expected to have 
another calf 14th May, 1852 ; weight at com¬ 
mencement of trial Jan. 9, 1852, 815 lbs., at close 
of trial 850 lb.; mean weight 832% lbs.; eat in 8 
weeks 926% lbs.—464% lbs. cut hay and 462% 
lbs. uncut hay ; gain in 8 weeks 35 lbs.—30 lbs- 
on cut hay and 5 lbs. on uncut hay. 
In addition to the hay each cow eat 648 ll>s. car¬ 
rots, equal to 171 lbs. hay, which would make for 
Beauty equal to 1,525% lbs. hay ; for Cherry 
1,097% lbs. hay : in the meantime Beauty g ive 
413% lbs. milk—229 lbs. 4% ozs. on cut hay, and 
184 lbs. % oz. on uncut bay; Cherry gave 442 
lbs. 15 oz. milk—209 lbs. 13% ozs. on cut hay, 233 
lbs. 1 % ozs. on uncut hay ; the daily food of Beau¬ 
ty was equivalent to 2 8-10 per cent of her live 
weight; Cherry to 2 4-10 ; the gain of the two 
cows was 1 lb. of flesh for every 16 31-100 lbs. of 
food equivalent to hay eaten. 
Mr. A. II. Hawes, of Worcostor, with two 
working oxen : 
Near Ox, 6 yens old this spring, trial com¬ 
menced 15th Dec., 1851 ; weight at commence¬ 
ment of trial 1,520 lbs., at close of 8 weeks 1,646 
lbs., at close of 11 weeks 1,623 lbs.; mean weight 
for 8 weeks 1,583 lbs., 11 weeks 1,574 lbs.; gain 
in 8 weeks 126 lbs.—120 on cut and 6 lbs. on un¬ 
cut hay; gain in 11 weeks 108 lbs.—122 lbs. on 
cut hay, and loss on uncut hay 14 lbs.; having 
eaten iu 8 weeks 2,106 lbs. hay,—1,078 lbs. cut and 
1,028 lbs. uncut hay ; in 11 weeks 2,925 lbs. hay, 
—1,351 lbs. cut and 1,574 lbs. uncut hay. 
Off Ox, of same age, and time of trial same; 
weight at commencement of trial 1,500 lbs., at the 
close of 8 weeks 1,604 lbs., at end of 11 weeks 
1,617 lbs.; mean weight forS weeks 1,552lbs., for 
11 weeks 1,558% lbs ; gaiu in 8 weeks 104 lbs.— 
on cut 17 lb?., on uncut hay 87 lbs.; gain in 11 
weeks 117 lbs.—on cut hay 32 lb-, on uncut hay 
85 lbs.; having eaten iu 8 weeks 2,106 lbs.—1,028 
lbs. cut and 1,078 lbs. uncut bay; in 11 weeks 
2,925 lbs.—1,574 lbs. cut and 1,351 lbs. uncut hay. 
The daily food of these cattle has been in hay 
about 2 4-10 per cent of their live weight, or 1 
lb. in addition of weight to every 18 26-100 lbs. 
of hiy eaten. 
Tho eight animals upon which tho tria 1 
was made, eat in eight weeks : 
5,343 lbs. cut bay, ) and gained in weight 401 
261 “ equivalent, libs., — or 13 97-100 lbs. 
-- i hay to 1 lb. in weight 
5,604 J gained. 
5,335%lbs uncut hay) and gained in weight 239 
261 “ equivalent, 1 lbs.—or 23 41-1U0 lbs. 
- i hay to 1 lb. in weight 
5,596% J gained. 
Showing a greater gain on cut than uncut 
hay of 68 por cent: and only 7g lbs, more 
cut hay consumod. 
Mr. Lincoln’s milch cows oat 
1,150 lbs. cut bay, and gave 439% lbs of milk. 
1,131% “ uncut “ 417% “ 
a greater yield of milk on cut than uncut 
hay of 22 lbs., or 5 9-20 per cent., and only 
18g lbs. cut hay in addition consumod. 
Thoso experiments go far to establish tho 
fact of tho advantage of cutting hay for 
stock. But in the case of ono of tho dry 
cows, and of ono of tho milch cows, tho un¬ 
cut hay gave tho greatest gain of flesh and 
yield of milk. Tho oxen also show a curi¬ 
ous result. In explanation of this, the com¬ 
mittee state that some of the cattle refused 
cut hay until compollod by hunger to eat it. 
It is said also that tho timo of each trial was 
too short, and would have proved a fairer 
test had it been divided into periods of four 
weeks. But none who carefully study these 
experiments will fail to arrive at tho conclu¬ 
sion that neat cattle thrive best on cut hay, 
ground or steamed grains, or food as nearly 
as possible masticated for them. But wo 
will not lengthen this article by further re¬ 
marks. 
HARVESTING AND KEEPING POTATOES 
This important crop, though rather im¬ 
perfect and diseased for a few years past, is 
this season of a much better quality, and a 
larger product than usual crowns tho labors 
of tho farmer, so far, with success. Yet, 
though the blight has failed to visit tho po¬ 
tato fields impartially and the crop in most 
instances has attained its growth uninjured 
from this cause, there is much uncertainty 
and doubt in regard to their pi’eservation 
through the winter, and until the maturity 
of another year’s planting. There have 
been several instances of the prevalence of 
the rot in this and neighboring counties, 
equaling in virulence any instance known of 
the ravages of that strange disease, that lias 
prevailed for a few past years in nearly 
every State in tho Union—in fact, in all 
parts of the world where tho potato is ex¬ 
tensively cultivated. 
In socuring tho potato for winter, the 
farmer will find it to his advantage practi¬ 
cally to observe tho following successive 
steps in their treatment: 
1st. In digging them, much care should 
bo taken not to bruise or cut them with the 
hoe or hook, or by handling them roughly 
in picking up or unloading, as experiment 
has proved this to bo a fruitful cause of 
their liability to rot. 
2d. They should bo very dry beforo they 
are put into holes or trenches, that the rains 
and dampness may not affect them. They 
should not be buried in too largo masses— 
long trenches are to bo preferred to round 
holes. These should run north and south 
in direction, that the sun may act equally on 
both sides of the mound, and largo enough 
to contain from' thirty to fifty bushels. 
3d. As regards their coveriif£; this should 
consist of a thick coating of dry straw, 
(bright and free from decay or mould) and 
a slight covering of earth, leaving an open¬ 
ing at each end of the trench, to allow a 
free circulation of tho air and the emission 
of any gases that may riso from them.— 
Keep them in this state till cold weather 
demands a deeper covering, then apply an¬ 
other coating of straw, with earth or coarse 
stable manure. 
Though the abovo method of treatment 
will not warrant their safety it in all cases, 
it has proved successful with tho writer, 
while others have totally failed.— h. 
• Sheltering Manure. — Stable manure 
kopt under sholtor, and properly mixod 
with absorbing substances, muck loaves, 
strawy litter, &c., is of much greater value 
than when exposed in the open yard. An 
analysis made at the English Agricultural 
College, shows that it contains inoro than 
doublo tho quantity of nitrogenized matter, 
and tho same of salts containing organic 
and inorganic matter, soluble in water; 
while of potash and soda, tho unsheltered 
manure retains only .08 per cont, and tlio 
sheltered two por cont. 
Dry, clean walks from tho house to the 
street, tho barn and other out-buildings, arc 
not only very convenient, but in excellent 
keoping with a neat dwolling, fence and 
yards. The host house with mud all around 
it in rainy weathor, not only looks bad, but 
is very unpleasant and the source of much 
discomfort. 1 
-- 
BUR RID GF. CL EV.' £ J 
MANNY’S ADJUSTABLE REAPER AND MOWER. 
We give above an engraving of Manny’s 
Reaper and Mower, a recent patent in this 
valuable class of machines. It has been 
received with much favor by the public, and 
was awarded tho first prizo as a Mower, and 
the second as a Reaper, at tho State Soci¬ 
ety’s Trial of Implements at Geneva. 
It will cut all kinds of grain and grass as 
well as it can be done with a cradle or 
scythe, and will also gathor clover, timothy 
and flax seed. Tho grass is left somowhat 
in waves from the action of tho reel; tho 
grain is placed at one side in gavels ready 
for binding. It will cut from ten to fifteen 
acres per day, requiring one person to tend 
SHANGHAI vs. SHANGHAE. 
Mr. Editor : —As I havo occasion now 
and then to allude to Chineso fowls, and it 
is desirable to designate them correctly 
when writing or speaking of them, I take 
the liberty to ask you, (since Editors are 
expected to know everything,) which is tho 
proper mode of spelling and pronouncing 
the name of ono variety,—Shanghai, or 
Shanghae ? I find tho name of ono of the 
free cities in China, to which foreigners havo 
access, is “ Shanghai.” I have examined a 
detailed account of this city—of the cli- j 
mate, amount of population, character of 
the people, &c., &c., from tho pen of an 
educated, intelligent Englishman—a gentle¬ 
man who visited the city on an important 
mission, and find the name uniformly spelt 
Shanghai.” The fowls brought from this 
region of country, take their name from 
this place, from whence they are exported. 
Is it proper, therefore, to call them Shang- 
haes, or Shanghais ? 
Dr. Bennet in his poultry book, I per¬ 
ceive, calls them Shanghaes. I consider 
him good authority on most points in rela¬ 
tion to poultry, but think ho may err hero; 
as also in regard to ono feature of the fowls 
of this section, that is, their uniformly hav¬ 
ing feathered legs. In this country they 
differ greatly in this particular. They are 
said to be brought fifteen hundred miles to 
the sea coast, from tho interior, cold, north¬ 
ern country. Hence the inference is favor¬ 
ed, that the feathered covering to tho limbs 
may have been given them for protection 
and warmth. 
Now I think there has been somewhat of 
a draft upon tho imagination, as the basis of 
these suggestions. There havo been but 
few fowls brought from China. They have 
never been an article of commerce, and of 
export. It would be a marvolous thing if a 
pair of fowls should be brought fifteen hun¬ 
dred miles in-that country, from tho cold 
mountains of tho north, in order to bo sent 
ten thousand miles to another country.— 
There is no reason to suppose that fowls 
fifteen hundred miles from Shanghai are 
any hotter than thoso within fifteen miles 
of the city; or that they are, or ever have 
been, brought from any such distance.— 
Shanghai is in latitude 31° north; within 
the tropic—a warm climate. The ther¬ 
mometer ranges from 70 to 100 degrees 
from May to October inclusive—averaging 
o\^or S8 dogrees for tho wholo six months. 
Tho warmth of the climate, therefore, fur¬ 
nishes a natural cause or reason to tho 
young fowl, for its slow' and tardy fledging; 
and suggosts no necessity for a covering, to 
protect his limbs from tho cold. Every 
circumstance of his slow progress during 
the two or three first months of his exist- 
it when mowing, and two when reaping. A 
peculiarity in its construction gives it a fa¬ 
cility of raising or depressing tho cutting 
apparatus while in motion, at tho pleasure 
of tho driver, giving it tho capability of 
cutting tho heads of grasses for seed, and 
afterwards tho straw or stems and leaves for 
fodder. It runs on wheels; is easily moved 
from place to place; is strongly braced, and 
when not in use, by an ingenious arrange¬ 
ment can be contracted into a small com¬ 
pass for housing. 
For cost and other particulars, those in¬ 
terested are referred to tho advertisement 
of Gen. Harmon, on another page. 
ence indicates that he is the native of a 
warm climate, and not of the cold moun¬ 
tains of the north. 
Tho Cochin Chinas aro from a warmer 
climate still. That country lies between 
ten and twenty degrees of north latitude. 
They are said, as a general fact to bo moro 
clean limbed than the Shanghais, still they 
are not unfrequently heavily feathered on 
the legs. Now tho unquestionable fact is, 
that Chinese fowls from Shanghai, and from 
Cochin China, which is from six to ten hun¬ 
dred miles farther south, are both clean 
limbed and feathered in their native coun¬ 
try; and that this circumstance does not 
affect the name, the value, or tho purity of 
tho blood of either variety. It results, 
therefore, that each and oither variety may 
be cultivated with equal advantage;—and 
that either variety may bo preferred, as the 
tasto and fancy of the purchaser may in¬ 
cline. Vindex. 
REVIEW CF THE WOOL MARKET FOR OCT* 
The market for all kinds of woolen fabric has 
been unusually brisk daring this and the past 
month. The mills are bare of stock, and though 
manufacturers have not generally advanced prices, 
yet so great is the demand that a good advance 
would have been well sustained. The foreign 
markets are in such a condition that an advance 
can be maintained, and must be submitted to by 
dealers and consumers; and an advance is neces¬ 
sary under the present and prospective high price 
of wool. 
The mixing of cotton with wool, in the raw 
state, to a greater or less extent, has enabled man¬ 
ufacturers to make a profit, when otherwise a loss 
must have been inevitable. Few, but those in the 
secret, are aware to what an extent cotton is mixed 
with wool. Indeed there is but a smaU amount, 
comparatively, of pure woolen cloth. Many a 
man who thinks he is wearing a fine Saxony 
cloth coat, would be astonished to know that per¬ 
haps a quarter or third is cotton. The simplest 
way of detecting the cotton, is to scrape off some 
of the lint, and set it on fire; the cotton will flash 
up at once. 
The wool market has remained firm, without 
any material advance from the prices List quoted. 
The stock is very light, and will fall far short of 
the wants of the manufacturers,—but prices can¬ 
not well advance. The demand in England, for 
foreign, is very active and prices remain firm ; but, 
with the exception of German superfine wools, 
prices rale higher here than in any other country. 
Some German wools have been imported into this 
country, this year, at a cost of $1,60 per pound. 
The high price of pelts and tallow will have a 
tendency to stimulate the slaughtering of a large 
number of sheep this autumn, which is much to 
be regretted, for we have no sheep to spare, p. 
— Wool Grower and Stock Register. 
Tiif. better animals are fed, and the more 
comfortable they can bo kept, the more 
profitable they aro, and all farmers work for 
profit. 
