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VOLUME III. NO. 50. 
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. H. BIXBY, L. WETHEREfo, AND II. 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 whose interests 
it advocates. It embraces more Agricultural, Horticul¬ 
tural, Scientific, Mechanical, Literary and News Matter — 
interspersed with many appropriate and handsome engrav¬ 
ings— than any other paper published in this Country. 
For Terms, &c., see last page. 
Igrirulttiml Jtjiarfmrat 
PHLOftliESS AND IMPROVEIIENT. 
AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS. 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1852. 
WHOLE NO. 154. 
Schools of Agriculture — well ordorod 
and thorough in system and training—are 
among the wants of the country £nd the 
age. The day seems to have gone by for 
the education which imparts ideas of and 
by books alono, and men call for knowledge 
practical and immediate in its application. 
The learning which has to'do with words only 
has lost its former estimation, and that 
which will best aid works has taken its 
place. Tho public regard is given moro to 
useful than to scholastic attainments—the 
speculative and theoretical are valued only 
as they promote the wealth and comfort of 
community. This, at least, is becoming 
tho fact, and it will be fully true when Ag¬ 
riculture takes rank where it should; among 
tho pofessions or employments requiring 
the aid of learning and scientific knowledge 
in order to their full and proper application 
and development. Mechanics and manu¬ 
facturers, seeing tho force of this reasoning 
as applied to their callings, havo by scientif¬ 
ic research added largely to their power, in¬ 
fluence and usefulness. Tho marvels of 
the last thirty years, wrought by tho appli¬ 
cation of educated mind to practical sub¬ 
jects—by tho union of science with useful, 
every-day purposes—are evident in every 
department of human labor and knowledge. 
But how doos tho farmer look upon this 
subject ? IIow the great mass of them have 
regarded it, is very evident from tho state 
of opinion which still too generally prevails, j 
and also from tho fact that there is not a ! 
farm school now in oporation in tho coun¬ 
try. Yet there is need of them, and tho 
State has repeatedly been called upon for 
aid in their establishment. This has seem¬ 
ed tho most feasiblo plan to many intelli¬ 
gent farmers. Tho people have again and 
again petitioned for this—but have boon put 
otf from session to session — a committee 
usually bringing in a bill to die between the 
Assembly and tho Senate. Their claim for 
aid in establishing such an institution—for 
toaching Scientific Agriculture both theo¬ 
retically and practically—are generally ad¬ 
mitted. They have privately and by taxa- 
ation endowed colleges for tho instruction 
of those who would enter the so-called 
learned professions, and when thoy ask for 
aid in extending and increasing tho knowl¬ 
edge of Agriculture and kindred sciences 
among themselves, none should look upou 
the claim as unreasonable or unjust. 
The increase in the number and circula¬ 
tion of agricultural hooks and periodicals 
shows that a spirit of inquiry—a desire for 
information upon matters pertaining to their 
chosen avocation—is active among farmers 
generally. They look with favor upon all 
efforts for tho increase and diffusion of sci¬ 
entific education among their numbers._ 
ihoy learn from reading, or perhaps from 
tho example ot some thoroughly educated 
farmer,—that chemistry can show why a 
soil is fertile or what constituent it needs to 
make it so. That a knowledge of animal 
and vegetable physiology declares tho hid¬ 
den causes of many a result, which it is im¬ 
portant that the farmer should understand_ 
which he could then turn largely to his own I 
interest. That every operation of Nature 
has an adoquato cause, which generally may 
be searched out, and tho knowledge often 
applied to tho advancement of Agriculture. 
The prevalence of ideas like these have giv¬ 
en activity to the wish for further enlight¬ 
enment; hence the call for schools of Agri¬ 
culture to investigate these laws and pro¬ 
vide for teaching them to tho young, that, 
at least, the next generation of farmers may 
understand and apply the chemical, physi¬ 
ological and natural laws which govern the 
true system of culture and managemont, 
nor need to grope along unaided, whilo 
practical science may bo so efficiently in¬ 
voked. There are also many questions of 
great interest and importance, which exper¬ 
iment alone can decide, and tho ability to 
make these experiments but few private in¬ 
dividuals, who will do so, possess. A farm 
school, properly endowed and conducted, 
would carry on a continual and thorough 
system of experiments, in all that belongs 
to the different departments of Agricultu¬ 
ral production. 
It may be said that Schools endowed and 
managed by the State would fail to be use¬ 
ful. This has not been tho case in other 
countries. Favorablo results have, as far as 
we can learn, generally attended them. — 
The average product of tho soil has been 
largely increased, and higher interest in ag- 
licultural improvement excitod, and increas¬ 
ed economy in the management of the farm 
and its products promoted. Those who un¬ 
derstand tho nature of crops and soils will 
adapt thorn to each other, nor give tho la¬ 
bor of stocking and cultivation to the pro¬ 
duction of meagre returns. Thorough farm¬ 
ing is the least expensive, as well as tho 
most productive, and what the agriculturist 
most desires, is to employ his labor and cap¬ 
ital, with reference to his soil and market 
facilities in tho most profitablo manner.— 
Hence ho hails all plans which seem likely 
to promote this great end, with favor, and 
every friend of progress and improvement 
will earnestly co-oporate in the work. 
We understand that a meeting of tho 
friends of a State Agricultural School is ap¬ 
pointed at Albany, some time in January. 
We hope it will bo fully attended, and that 
thoy may adopt wise and successful measures 
for tho speedy establishment of these much 
talked oi, and more needed Experimental 
Schools. 
MARYLAND.-EASTERN SHORE FARMING. 
1 he “ Eastern Shore ” of tho Stato of 
Maryland has long been colebrated for its 
fertility, though its character in this respect, 
lor a time, fell far bolow its early reputation. 
\\ ithin tho last ten years, attention to agri¬ 
cultural improvement has given a now im¬ 
pulse to tho cultivation of tho soil, and 
Eastern Shoro farming again takes rank 
with tho best and most profitable in the 
country. B. P. Johnson, Esq., in somo re¬ 
cent letters to the Albany Journal, speaks 
at some length of tho causes which operate 
to produce these results, and wo derive 
the substance of our account therefrom. 
The principal fertilizers in use are muck, 
marl, oyster shell lime, and guano ; all ex¬ 
cept the last, easily procured in tho imme¬ 
diate vicinity. “With regard to tho fertil¬ 
izers in reach of the farmer,” says Mr. J.. 
“I was struck with the remark of a gentle¬ 
man, in reply to a question as to the extent 
of tho marl desposits, who answered— 
‘ Wherever tho oyster bods are deficient in 
the waters along our shores, there marl de¬ 
posits are found in great abundance, but 
where there is a supply of oyster shells 
troin tho waters, there marl is not found in 
quantity. Providence thus distributes the 
supplies for our wants.’ ” Tho marls are 
found here in largo deposits, very rich in 
marine shells, and readily dug and distrib¬ 
uted. “ An application of 500 bushels por 
aero of tho marl is often made, as taken 
from tho pits. It is frequently mixed in 
compost in tho barn-yards, with tho barn¬ 
yard manuro, and with tho leaves and 
branches of pines from the forests; and tho 
rosult ot this application is surprisingly 
beneficial. Instances are mentioned to us 
e where from an application of marl alone. 
y on a portion of crop (corn I think,) in the 
i same field with barn yard tnanure—it show- 
'• an excess in favor of marl, of one-third 
- in the crop. 
The oyster shell lime, also, is used to a 
- very great extent,—tho oysters being dug 
- up and frequently burned without extract¬ 
's ing tho oyster, thus adding to its value as a 
: fertilizer. Tho abundance of oysters in the 
- bay, inlets, rivers and streams, is such as to 
> rendor them vory cheap, the best to be had 
, for 25 cents a bushel, as taken from tho 
) waters and delivered. This application is 
- also very generally, at this time, receiving 
f attention, and tho return in the crop such 
- as to render its application still more ex- 
> tonsively, vory desirable.” 
Very marked benefits rosult from the use 
i of guano on the lighty, sand soils of a portion 
, of this region—more remarkable, perhaps, 
i than any whore else. A young farmer is 
i mentioned, who entered upon an exhausted 
and worn out estate, commenced with the 
application of 75 lbs. of guano to his corn, 
por acre, applied in the^ hill before planting 
the corn, covered slightly, so that tho seed 
might not bo injured by the guano. Tho 
result of this application was a crop of 
twenty-six or thirty bushels per acre, instead 
of six or eight as previously. This crop 
followed with lime upon wheat and clover, 
and then guano again, when planted to corn, 
enabled him to restore his land, secure good 
crops, and acquire a very handsome estate 
from the culture of tho soil alono. 
While at tho Stato Fair at Baltimore, Mr. 
Johnson conversed with some of the leaders 
in tho work nf improvement, among mem, 
“a very intelligent practical farmer, son of 
one of the best formers, occupying a form 
which the old gentleman purchased some 
ten or twelve years since at $10 or $11 per 
acre; and the sale was considered a very 
good one for tho estate to which it belonged. 
Ho said the farm work was done by the old 
gentleman and his sons, with such help as 
they required. Their system was one of 
thorough cultivation in every respect. Ev¬ 
ery particle of manure that could be made on 
the form was secured. The cattle, horses, 
swine, sheep and poultry housed or yarded 
every night; and the refuse, litter, weeds, &c., 
were brought into tho yards, and there pre¬ 
pared by tho animals for use in the fields. 
They commenced drawing out their manure 
in February, and continued doing so. spread¬ 
ing it upon tho fields, until tho corn was 
large enough to hoe. Guano, lime, &c., 
were also resorted to if a deficiency existed 
with tho other manure, or a special neces¬ 
sity existed for 'a more immediate action 
upon a particular crop by the use of guano. 
The farm would now readily bring at public 
sale from $50 to $G0 per acre, and is held 
at much more at private bargain.” 
Their corn crop is of superior quality, 
and often reaches 100 bushels per acre.— 
Tho gentleman above referred to informed 
Mr. J. that ho was in tho practice of culti¬ 
vating lucerne, which yielded him seven 
crops in tho season — cutting each timo 
when the crop was about eighteen inches 
high—thus affording him a very great abun¬ 
dance of food for his stock, when housed and 
yarded at night. This experiment shows how 
well this plant is adapted to the climate. 
The main course of cropping is corn and 
wheat, and tho soil varies from a light sand 
to a stiff clay, well adapted to all kinds of 
grains and grasses. The labor is mostly 
performed by slaves, who are generally 
hired from their owners at from $(50 to $75 
per year, with various privileges allowed to 
the former, as inducements to good conduct. 
Free labor is in great demand, and wages 
are high; and a determination seoms ex¬ 
hibited to givo increased attention to Agri¬ 
culture, and tho thorough improvement of 
of the advantages thoy possess, which must 
result in largely increasing the productive¬ 
ness of Eastern Shore farming. 
The value of ammonia to growing plants 
arises from the fact that it is composed of 
the same materials that plants require, viz., 
hydrogen and nitrogen. 
SHEEP RACK AND FEEDING-TROUGH. 
Tiie following rack has been used and is 
highly approved by Hon. George Geddes, 
of Fairmont, N. Y., who furnislied tho draw¬ 
ing and description of it to the author of 
Sheep Husbandry. It serves both for a rack 
and feeding trough, and will no doubt meet 
tho wants of many of our readers : 
THE HOPPER-RACK. 
“ The above is iutended to represent a section of 
what I think the best sheep-rack I have seen. A 
piece of durable wood about 4J J feet long, 6 or 8 
inches deep, and 4 inches thick, has two notches, 
a, ct, cut into it, and two troughs, made of inch 
boards, b, b, b, b, placed in these notches, and nail¬ 
ed fast, constitutes the foundation. If the rack is 
to be 14 feet long, three sills will be required. The 
ends of the rack are made by nailing against the 
side of the sill-boards that reach up as high as it 
is desired to have the rack, and nails driven thro’ 
these end-boards into the ends of the side boards 
f f secure them. The sides may be further 
Strengthened by pieces of board on the outside of 
them, and fitted into the trough. A roof may be 
put over all if desired. With a roof, the fodder is 
kept entirely from the weather, and no seeds or 
olitiii otm infrv +T>f» wool. 55 
RICE CORN, “POP CORN,” &c. 
Doubtless there are many readers of tho 
Rural, especially among the juveniles, who j 
are lovers of “ pop corn.” Varieties differ 
very much in their qualities for parching.— 
But there is no other sort known to the ; 
writer that will compare to that called Rice j 
corn. When, where, or by what accident it 
originated, I do not know. It is rather ro¬ 
bust in its appearance, midrib and sheaths 
of tho leaves quite hairy, ears many husked, 
rather short, many rowed; cob small, ker¬ 
nels small, nearly round, long and some¬ 
what pointed,—resembling in some degree, 
not only in shape but in color, kernels of 
rice, from which circumstance probably 
comes its name. 
Although it is small in the kernel, yet 
when well dried and put in tho pan for 
parching, it “ pops” to perfection, and will 
turn itself out in such beautiful propor- 
tious of snowy whiteness, that tho mouth of 
I any lover of “ Pop corn ” will water right 
earnestly. 
By accident I had nearly lost the seed.— 
Having a few grains left, I raised several 
very good hills of it this soason—have pro. 
bably a quart of it : and now Messrs. Edi¬ 
tors 1 will propose to such of your juvenile 
readers as desire a sample for planting, to 
send on their post-paid requests, and for i 
their benefit I will cheerfully forego the 
pleasure of “popping” it myself. 
T. E. Wetmore. 
Laphamville, Kent Co., Michigan. 
Water for Sheep in Winter. —Sheep as 
well as all other domestic animals should 
be regularly suppliod with water. When 
ted on dry food alone, it is indispensably j 
necessary to their health, and in some ex- j 
periments mentioned in the Genesee Far- I 
mcr, tho South Downs, a large breed of 
sheep were found to eat about three pounds 
of clover hay per day, drinking in the same 
timo six pounds of water. When confined 
on a less quantity they eat less hay, and 
lost in flesh during the week of tho trial. 
Equivalent Values of Food for Stock. 
—From experiment and chemical analysis, 
Boussingault constructed a tablo of the 
equivalent values of different articles of food 
for stock, from which it appears that 100 lbs. 
of hay is equal to 426 lbs. of wheat straw, 
280 lbs. of potatoes, 382 lbs. of carrots, 85 
lbs. of wheat bran, 59 lbs. of corn, 65 lbs. 
of barley, 6S lbs. of oats or 22 lbs. of oil cake. 
VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY.-AGAIN- 
\ egetable growth and tho circulation of 
sap may be rudely described as follows :— 
Tho spongioles distil from the earth tho 
aqueous sap which readily unites with tho 
concrete, which expands by dissolving, and 
forces itself up, as water expands and will 
force itself up by being converted into steam. 
By dissolving the concreto in the last year’s 
growth of both wood and bark, the bark is 
loosened from tho wood and put in a favor¬ 
able condition for the reception of a new 
grain. This sap then enters tho loaf, where 
it is changed by the influence of light, heat, 
and darkness, by taking from the air a quan¬ 
tity of carbon and returning a quantity of 
oxygen in its stead. It is then dispersed to 
the whole surface of the tree, and by a sort 
of concretion or hardening process, is con¬ 
verted into woody fibre, either in the coty¬ 
ledons of tho seed, or in the cellular tissue 
of the alburnum or sap wood. The cellu¬ 
lar tissue, therefore, of the alburnum is to 
tho tree, what tho cotyledons are to tho 
young plant. Either of which is a store¬ 
house filled with a secretion, that is as 
necessary in bringing out and maturing tho 
leaves and radicles, as are those organs in 
carrying on their vital functions during the 
growing season. During the long months 
of dreary winter, tho freezing and thawing 
| of tho concrete, prepares it for dissolving 
in spring when the temperature shall have 
j raised sufficiently to admit of vegetable 
growth. 
\\ hen the full time and heat arrives, a 
dissolution takes place, and in dissolving it 
becomes much expanded, so that tho pres¬ 
sure is felt, not only throughout the trunk 
or stem, but to the farthest bud, and tho 
most remote wooded fibre of tho root._ 
Tho buds swell, tho leaves come forth and 
I expand, tho radicles have not forgotten or 
disobeyed the call to duty, and aro not be- 
' hind the loaves; both are now ready to com¬ 
mence their summer’s work. Liko the two 
poles ot a battery, they commence and car¬ 
ry on their work together. Tho radicles 
draw or distil from tho soil the aqueous sap, 
which unites with tho concrete; it then en¬ 
ters the leaf, where it is again elaborated, it 
is now known as ths real sap or cambium — 
and is thence distributed over tho whole 
surface of the tree, between tho bark and 
wood, which havo been separated by the 
dissolving and expansion of tho concrete, 
which distribution forms a new coat, or 
grain of both bark and wood, each laden 
with concrete for future use. 
Neither is chemical action carried on 
alone in ; ho leaves and spongioles. There 
is throughout tho alburnum and also the 
liber or inner bark during the entire grow¬ 
ing season, constant chemical changes in 
dissolving the concrete, and also between 
tho bark and wood in foi-ming new layors 
or grains. By examining a tree of uniform 
growth, it will be seen that the grains con¬ 
taining the most concreto, or the last formed, 
are thickest, and there is a gradual decrease 
from year to year, throughout tho albur¬ 
num from tho bark to the duranum or 
heart wood. Tho same contraction of the 
grain by tho abstracting of concreto is illus¬ 
trated in tho elder, the pith of which is half 
an inch or moro in diameter the first year, 
contracts in five or six years to a quarter or 
eighth. 
Tho concroto differs widely in different 
herbs and trees. In somo it is nutritious, 
in others medicinal, somo are poisonous, 
and others are used as the base of dyes or 
colors. The amount of concreto deposit, 
and consequently much of tho vigor and 
vital strength of trees doponds on a number 
of circumstances. A good friable soil, with 
a sufficient amount of moisture for the root, 
and a good supply of large, thick, well de¬ 
veloped and healthy leaves, with a warm 
atmosphere for the stem and branches, are 
tho principal requisites. In the production 
of now wood and leaves, considerable drafts 
are made on the concrete deposits ; conse¬ 
quently new wood as well as that from which 
a portion of concrete has beon withdrawn 
to make up tho growth of new leaves and 
