TWO DOIjIjARS 
YOU. IX. Nn. 
YEAR.] 
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT.” 
KOCHESTER, N. Y.-SATURDAY, JANUARY 3(1, 1858, 
[SINGEE NO. FIVE CENTS. 
WHOLE NO. m, 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WEKKLY 
ARrlriiliiiriiI, Ltlernry ami Family Nownpaper* 
CONDUCTED DY D. D. T. MOORE, 
WITH AN ABLE CORPS OF ASSISTANT EDITORS. 
Tim Rural Nbw-Yorkkr 1a tkwteruxl to ho mifnirpaflflod n 
Valtio, Purity, U»ofaln<iiK ami Variety of Contents, and unlquo and 
beautiful In Appearance. It* Conductor devotea his personal atten¬ 
tion to tho «uper\1slon of Its various departments, and eans'Htly lulioni 
to render tiio Rural on eminently Reliable Guido on tho Important 
Practical, Scientific ami other Subjects Intimately connected with tho 
business of tlioso whose interests it zealously advoentea It cmbracoH 
more Agricultural, 1 lorticultund, Selentille, Educational, Literary and 
News Matter, Interspersed with appropriate and beautiful KiiRravliiKH, 
than any other Journal, - renderlnK It tlio most complete Aoiuoui.tu- 
rai, LtTEiunr anp Family Journal in America. 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS! 
Prof. C. DEWEY, I/r. M. F. MAURY, 
T. C. PETERS, II. T. BROOKS, 
T. R ARTHUR, Mrs. M. .1. HOLMES, 
Miss E. C. HUNTINGTON, Miss 0. A. HOWARD. 
JENNY MARSH PARKER. 
I*y All communications, and business letters, should bo addressed 
to D, I). T. MOORE, Itoclioster, N. Y. 
For Terms and other particulars, see last prro. 
■UTill 
THE SOIL. 
CLAY SOILS AND THEIR TREATMENT. 
In our last wo observed that a clay soil, when 
dry, would absorb more moisture front the atmos¬ 
phere, and hold more from rain, other things being 
equal than a sandy soil, and consequently, the in¬ 
ference could be fairly drawn that plants would not 
suffer in a soil of this nature by drouths as in those 
lighter. A sandy soil is composed of one-half sand, 
which, of course, holds no moisture, and yet plays 
an important part in keeping the ground open and 
friable, favorable to receiving bcnellt from the 
slightest showers. This inference drawn from the 
facts stated, seems to he contradicted by experience, 
as all will admit who have seen the parched, hard 
surface of clay soils during a dry time, abounding 
with seams and cracks, and the feeble plants strug¬ 
gling in vain to grow, their roots being firmly 
bound, as if with iron. This results from unfavor¬ 
able mechanical condition, and not from any 
chemical defect. When wet, clay soils are too ad¬ 
hesive, retain too much moisture, and take too long 
to dry. When dry, they become so hard and im¬ 
pervious that light showers seem to do hut little 
good. Their mechanical condition may be im¬ 
proved in several ways. Thorough drainage is the 
first and greatest improvement, and should he the 
foundation for all others. The ameliorating effects 
of drainage will not he believed by those who have 
not witnessed it for themselves. Coarse, bulky 
manures and lime are of great benefit lit England, 
the burning of the surface is often resorted to, and 
with very satisfactory results. The surface of the 
ground is pared, dried and collected in heaps, 
where it is fired until reduced to a charred heap, 
when it is again spread over tho surface and mixed 
with the soil. This is an expensive operation, and 
will not ho adopted here, except, perhaps, in 
special cases. 
Clay soil is greatly benefited by fall plowing, as 
the frosts of winter exert a very mellowing influ¬ 
ence; and is much injured by being plowed when 
too wet. It dries so slowly that the farmer often 
becomes impatient and plows too soon; and the 
consequence is, it is turned over in a pasty mass, 
which soon bakes as hard as any unburnt brick.— 
When too dry it is almost impossible to work it at 
all; so that discretion and judgment must be called 
into exercise in this matter. 
Clay soils are so rich and fertile when brought 
into a proper mechanical condition, that in Eng¬ 
land, where land and produce is high, great pains 
are taken to get it to that state. One of tho most 
effective implements ever invented to assist the 
farmer in ameliorating the stubborn soil, is Cuos- 
kill’s Roller or Clod Crusher, an engraving of 
which we give on this page. The roller is used 
after plowing, and when the ground is dr)', and 
crushes effectually the largest and hardest clods, on 
which the harrow would make no impression, re¬ 
ducing them to a fine mould, suitable for the recep¬ 
tion of seed. By the use of this implement fine 
crops are annually grown in England upon land, 
which, without it, could scarcely be cultivated. 
No soils are as tenacious of manures as the clay. 
Very little is wasted by washing or leaching, and 
they possess the power of extracting nutriment of 
plants from the air to a very great degree. Wo 
have grown a fair crop of vegetables upon a clay 
thrown out, in digging a well, twelve feet below the 
surlace, and apparently destitute of organic mat¬ 
ter, after exposure to the atmosphere for a few 
months. This is a singular matter, and well deserves 
the attention of observing and thinking farmers. 
CALCAREOUS SOILS. 
Calcareous soils are those which have a large 
supply of lime. They are sometimes clayey, and 
sometimes loamy or sandy, and are called calcare¬ 
ous clays, calcareous loams, Ac., according to the 
proportions of the clay, sand, Ac., which enter into 
their composition. Lands in limestone districts 
are of this character. All vegetable and animal 
manures increase their fertility, and for durability 
they cannot he exceeded—they are not easily ex¬ 
hausted, and are easily kept in a fertile condition 
with proper care and decent treatment. 
VEGETABLE MOULDS. 
All soils are called vegetable moulds that con¬ 
tain more than six per cent, of organic matter, re¬ 
gardless of its other constituents. Soils, therefore, 
of a very opposite character are thus grouped to¬ 
gether, as in some clay abounds, and in others, sand. 
Many of these are very fertile, while others, and 
those containing tho greatest amount of vegetable 
matter are unproductive. In this class, of course, 
is included the Peaty soils, and some of those con¬ 
tain as much as ninety per cent, of vegetable mat¬ 
ter. These peaty soils are formed by the growth and 
partial decay of water plants. In some cases these 
decayed vegetables or peat is found to a depth of 
thirty or forty feet. In its natural state it is unfit 
for vegetation, as it is antiseptic in its nature, most 
effectually resisting putrefaction. After being 
dried it is used in many countries for fuel, and in this 
condition, makes a valuable addition to the ma¬ 
nure heap, and is an excellent absorbent of liquid 
manure. Some persons use it in stables as a bed¬ 
ding for cattle, and as a saver of manure, nothing 
could be better. 
In improving a peaty soil for cultivation, the 
most thorough drainage is necessary, as tho very 
first stop, for in no other way can its character be 
changed. Lime ashes, snnd and manure make ex¬ 
cellent dressings for a peaty soil after being 
drained. 
LOAMY SOILS. 
A loamy soil is the perfection of soils. It is 
supposed to contain the most desirable admixture 
of sand, clay, lime and vegetable mould that can 
be made, and consequently contains the good of 
all, and tho bad of none. It has the fertility of the 
clay without its stubbornness, enough sand to give 
life and tone to the other materials, without its 
poverty. And yet, in loams clay and sand are 
found in different proportions, and they arc desig¬ 
nated according to tlicir constituents as clay loams 
or sandy loams. No soil, however, is called a 
loam if the lime exceeds 5 per cent or the clay 
50 per cent. 
We have now concluded our very brief sketches 
of the soil, its characteristics and classification, 
and if what we have said shall induce our readers 
to turn their thoughts seriously to a subject so full 
of interest, and experiment for themselves, we 
shall feel that we have not written in vain. We 
may present other interesting facts at another time. 
COMPARATIVE ANATOMY. THE HEAD. 
The first great object in tint formation of the head 
is a covering for the brain which will he, iu all re¬ 
spects, a protection. What perfect mechanism is 
exhibited in the construction of the skull! It is 
composed of two plates or tables— tho external 
thick and tough, the internal thin, hard and brittle 
— the outer of these, by yielding somewhat to re¬ 
sistance, diminishes the force of a blow or concus¬ 
sion, the inner, by presenting a hard surface, pre¬ 
vents pointed substances from entering. These 
two surfaces are to he found in all the domesticated 
animals—in the horse they lie very close together, 
in oxen, and in all animals having horns there is 
considerable space between thorn. 
- V 
V c 
two in number, comprise the upper and central 
parts of the cranium and cover the centre lobes of 
tho cerebrum. The occipital hone, <4 in at the 
hack and base of the head, and is a single hone of 
great solidity and strength. A little lower and 
hack of the occipital hone, marked e, e, is to be 
found the occipital hole, through which the spinal 
cord, together with some nerves and an artery, 
make their exit from the brain. Here,—and mark¬ 
ed by same letters, c, c,—the bono is smooth and 
rounded for the purpose of jointing with the atlas, 
the first hone of the neck. The temporal bones, 
forming tho sides of the cranium are composed of 
two parts, the squamous — (covered with scales)— 
and the petrous (like stone, hard.) In our engrav¬ 
ing in the Rural of the 10th inst., these hones are 
designated 10,11, /., to which the reader will please 
refer. 
The petrous portion of the temporal hone con¬ 
tains tho organ of hearing, and has upon its inside 
surface the openings for the passage of the auditory 
nerve, and upon the outside largo passages for the 
conveyance of sound. “ The internal structure of 
this hone,” says the Cyclopedia of Agriculture, “ is as 
beautiful as it is curious; possessing vestibules and 
canals for the ramification of the nerve, and a singu¬ 
lar cavity having communication with the mouth, in 
which we discover four diminutive hones with 
tlicir corresponding muscles, which serve the pur¬ 
pose of propagating and modifying the sound.” 
The sphenoid (resembling a wedge) hone, g, 
forms the inferior and central parts of the cranium. 
The ethnoid (like a seive) hone, f, through which 
tho olfactory nerve passes, together with the sphe¬ 
noid, assists in upholding the base of the brain.— 
Tho bones of the cranium compose the greater 
part of the skull in man, hut in most animals, and 
particularly the horse. <v!ie facial hones are the 
most considerable. These latter are generally hol¬ 
low, and are composed of tho nasal, 4 z, the supe¬ 
rior maxillary, 2 z, the malar, 5 z, the lachrymal, 
!) z, and tho palate hones. Hoc skeleton of the horse 
for reference, No. 3. 
In proximity to these facial bones will he found 
the sinuses (cavities) thus formed, and bearing ap- 
pelatives governed by their nearness to particular 
hones. These sinuses are much larger in the liorso 
than in tho ox, as are also the nasal passages. A 
large and rapid supply of atmospheric air is need¬ 
ed by tho horse on account of his more agile move¬ 
ment and consequent greater exertions—this is 
an absolute necessity of his being, and therefore 
the chambers of the nostrils are much more capa¬ 
cious. In the sinuses is the scat of tho disease 
known as glanders. 
HEAD OF TIIE HORSE — VERTICAL SECTION. 
a. The frontal bone, whowinjf the frontal sinus beneath. 
I). The parietal hone covering tho brain, c. The nasal 
bone. d. Tho occipital bono. « e. Tho atlas or first bono 
of tho neck, showing tho spinal marrow in its centre.— 
/. Tho ethmoid bone, through which tho olfactory nervo 
passes, g. The sphenoid bono, which, with tho former 
bono, supports tho huso of tho bruin, h. Part of the 
lower maxillary or jaw bones, with tho lower incisor toeth. 
1. The cerebrum or large brain. 2. Tho cerebellum or 
little brain. 3. Tho medulla oblongata. 4. Tho spinal 
inarrow. A. The turbinated bones. II. The septum nasi, 
which divides the nostrils. C C. The lips. I). The 
tongue. IC. The epiglottis or valvo of the larynx. F. 
Tho trachea or windpipo. G. Tho esophagus or gullet. 
In the formation of the cranium nine bones are 
employed. Two frontal hones, a, make up the ante¬ 
rior part of the forehead. The parietal hones, b, 
' Xtyj ' * 
1 L A 
OROSKirX’S CIiOI) CRUSHER. 
As we are now giving some facts about the dif¬ 
ferent varieties of soil, and their cultivation and 
improvement, we introduce one of the most effect¬ 
ive implements yet invented for pulverizing clay 
land. It is, emphatically, a clodcruslur. When B. 
I’. Johnson, Esq., was in England lie had many op¬ 
portunities of witnessing its workings and says 
lie became fully satisfied of its utility, and that its 
introduction to this country would prove of im¬ 
mense advantage. An extensive manufacturer of 
implements, informed us, a year or two since, that lie 
intended to commence their manufacture, but we 
do not remember to have seen any evidence that, 
they are yet accessible to American farmers. A 
practical Scotch farmer thus speaks of its opera¬ 
tions:—“The deep indented points of this ponder¬ 
ous machine penetrate and crush tho hardest clods; 
reduce big masses of clay baked soil into a fine 
mould, and rapidly converts many acres of land 
into the finest condition for tho reception of grain 
or the smallest seeds. It is not only valuable as a 
pulverizer, but is unequalod as a compressing roller 
for rolling young grain crops when the plant is 
from three to eight inches out of tho ground. The 
practice of driving sheep over tho fields to give 
solidity to tho soil, is entirely obviated by the use 
of the machine, as it is more equal, effective and 
rapid in its operations, like the action of a gar¬ 
dener who presses the soil with his fingers around 
as hornless or polled, tho same formation is obser¬ 
vable. The room from eye to eye is occupied by 
the frontal bones (5, 5, of polled sheep) reaching as 
far below the organ of vision *— 7Ay 
as above it, and very mated. '‘ /A ^ /Anv^ 
ally shortening tho nasal J | " \\ 
hones (lo, lo.) These reach r .5 ! 5 
upward to the parietal bones, 0 j C‘ A 
(2) which latter constitute ari j ^ r 
HEAD OF THE SHEEP—VERTICAL SECTION. 
1. Tho nasal bono. 2. Tho upper jaw bono. 3. Tho 
intermaxillary bono, which supports tho pad which sup¬ 
plies tho place of upper front tooth. 4. 4. Tho frontal 
sinus. 5. Cavity or sinus of tho horn, communicating 
with the frontal sinus. It is here shown by tho removal 
of a section of tho huso of tho horn. fl. Tho parietal 
bone. 7. Tho frontal bone. 8. Vortical section of tho 
brain. 9. Vortical section of tho ccrobellum. a. Tho 
cineritiouH portion of tho brain, b. The medullary por¬ 
tion. 10. The ethmoid bono. II. The cribriform or 
perforated plato of tho ethmoid bone. “It separates 
tho nasal cavity from tho brain; it is thin almost as a wa¬ 
fer, and pierced by numerous holes, through which tho 
olfactory nervo penetrates, in order to spread itself over 
the Inner part of tho nose. 12. Tho lower coll of tho 
ethmoid bono. 13. Tho superior turbinated bone. 14. 
The inferior turbinated bono. 17. The sphenoid bono. 
The Head of the Sheep in one of the important 
pointH by which to estimate the quality and profita¬ 
bleness of the animal. When taken in connection 
with the body and viewed therewith, it should he 
small, rather narrow between the eyes—what is 
termed thin—and short. Youatt cautions partic¬ 
ularly against breadth of forehead, and states that 
such conformation invariably marks a sheep hard 
to fatten, at least externally. At the same time, lie 
says that such a sheep will he a favorite of the 
butcher, because in proportion to the slow external 
accumulation of fat will he the internal condition— 
the production of tallow—the butcher will realize 
what the grazier, breeder and consumer loses. We 
may he permitted to add, in this connection, that 
in choice of a ram, breeders should exercise with 
great discretion as to any fullness or overgrowth of 
this part of the system, else there will be consider¬ 
able danger in lambing, as the lamb generally pos¬ 
sesses the characteristics of the sire. 
The frontal bone (fig. 1) projects both forward 
and laterally, and gives to the sheep a peculiar ap¬ 
pearance as regards breadth of forehead and prom¬ 
inence of the eye. This design of nature is intended 
for the base of the horns, though in breeds known 
l ij Ml W I I 
u 
POLLED SHEET. 
important portion of the pos- (/ \:\ \ ,Y f ^7f0 
terior, slanting portion of tho m’’/] / f c 
skull. Just below the junction \|J 1,1,0 j j 
of the frontal and parietal V 'll IfJ 
hones the head falls off in full- \i \ J Jr 
ness—a backward sloping, so J^\ j j 
to speak—and the part of the | // 
frontal bono, most important 
because covering the brain, is tolled sheet. 
removed from the danger resulting from concus¬ 
sion of tho head in fighting. The parietal hones at 
an early period of the life of the sheep are formed, 
as in the horse or cattle, of two distinct bones, hut 
the division soon closes, the suture disappears, and 
one continuous long arch, dense and firm, is sprung 
above the greater portion of the brain. 
SKULL OF A TOLLED SHEET—DKSCItlTTIVE TERMS. 
1. The occipital hone, depressed out of tho reach of 
danger. 2. Tho parietal hones, tho suture having disap¬ 
peared, and also out of danger. 3. Tho squamous por¬ 
tions of tho temporal bono—tho buttress of tho arch of 
tho skull. 4. Tho meatus auditorius, or bony opening 
into the ear. 5. The frontal bones. 0. Tho openings 
through which blood-vessels pass to supply tho forhead. 
7. Tho bony orbits of tho eye. 8. Tho zygomatic or 
molar bonos. 9. Tho lachrymal bones, very much devel¬ 
oped. 10. Tho hones of tho nose. 11. The upper jaw¬ 
bone. 12. Tho foramen, through which the nerves and 
blood-vessels proceed to supply tho lower part of the face. 
13. The nasal processes of tho intermaxillary bones. 14. 
The polutino processes. 15. Tho intermaxillary bone, 
supporting tho cartilaginous pad, instead of containing 
teeth. 
The form of tho brain in the sheep iH similar to 
that of the horse and ox, but is longer in proportion 
to size, and broader in tho back than in front.— 
‘This organ,” says Youatt, “ is, in tho sheep, as in 
the horse and some other animals, composed of two 
substances, very different in appearance and struc¬ 
ture—the one, from its situation on the outside of 
the brain, termed the cortical, or, from its reddish 
ashen color, the cineritious substance; and the other, 
found more deeply within the brain, and termed, 
from its pulpy nature, (lie medullary substance. — 
the roots of the plant—while the action of smooth 
rollers is like placing the foot only upon the plant. 
It might lie supposed that this implement is limit¬ 
ed in its use only to stiff soils. This, however, is 
not the case, for, on light lands, where, from want 
of clay and finely divided matter to give body and 
firmness, the soil is too loose to carry wheat, and on 
soils too puffy to carry clover, the Clod Crusher 
used as a compressing roller, lias produced the 
most valuable results, giving firmness and tenacity 
to the soil, aiding the plant to strike its roots firm¬ 
ly, and to prodmee a firmer, stronger and more 
healthy and fruitful plant.” 
Tho machine consists of somo twenty cast-iron 
discs or wheels, about four inches thick and thirty 
inches in diameter, placed loosely on an iron axle, 
so as to revolve independently of each other. Tho 
outer edge of each disc is serrated or toothed like 
a saw. Each alternate disc is made larger in the 
eye, so that in revolving, an up and down motion 
is allowed which prevents clogging, while it in¬ 
creases the crushing or grinding power of the im¬ 
plement. There are two kinds, one with wheels 
attached which are lowered when the roller has to 
ho taken along a hard road, or in moving it from 
place to place. In the one represented by our en¬ 
graving, wheels are put on tho projecting axles 
when required, and taken off when at work, which 
is very easily done. 
These two substances, according to tho opinion of 
the best physiologists, discharge two distinct func¬ 
tions; tho cineritious is connected with the mind; 
it possesses the faculty of receiving impressions 
from surrounding objects, and of generating or 
producing power; the medullary substance con¬ 
veys the external impression and the mandates of 
the will; the one connected with intelligence and 
power, tin! other being little more than a conductor. 
The proportion of the two substances appears to lie 
nearly the same in the sheep as in the ox, or, if 
there is any difference, the projections are bolder, 
and the layer of cineritious substance is propor¬ 
tionally deeper in the sheep than in the ox.” 
The brain of the sheep so closely resembles in its 
conformation and structure that of man, though 
smaller in proportion, that it furnishes the medical 
student with a good substitute for the brain of the 
human subject The membrane covering the brain 
is technically called the pia mater. The dura mater 
lines the skull, and between the latter and former 
is a delicate membrane called tunica arackmldes .— 
The nerves, of which ten pair are connected with 
the brain, and thirty with the spinal cord, supply 
the sense of feeling, seeing, hearing, tasting, smel¬ 
ling, Ac., and a portion, conveying the volition of 
tin; brain to all parts of tho body, are termed nerves 
of motion. 
WINTERING STOCK ON A PREMIUM FARM. 
Although we have passed more than half the 
months allotted to winter, we have only fairly com¬ 
menced on tho foddering season, and it may not 
be amiss to give continued “ reminders” on tho 
subject. An account of the system of manage¬ 
ment practiced by Messrs. Lyon A Sumner, of 
Woodstock, Ct, will not he without interest to your 
readers. We condense from the Conn. State 
Transactions: 
We aim, they say, to promote the comfort of our 
animals in every respect, by regularity and suffi¬ 
ciency of food, cleanliness and gentleness. A fod¬ 
dering of hay is given at six in the morning, after¬ 
ward, an allowance of roots—varying with the 
stock on hand and the condition of the animal— 
from four quarts to half a bushel each. At nine 
the cattle arc carded and turned out to water, and 
theiretails littered and mangers cleaned, after which 
they receive the remainder of tlicir breakfast. At 
noon they have a slight foddering of coarse hay, 
and at four o’clock are again turned out, the stables 
