T^OWH- 
TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.] 
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT. 
[SINGLE NO. FIVE CENTS. 
my men to work with, the best seeds to propagate 
from, put in my crops in the best order and in good 
season, and find I have no reason to complain of a 
liberal expenditure on my farm in labor, manure, 
Ac., as it pays back a good interest. * * * * 
I am confident my farm has more than doubled its 
products within the last three or four years, from 
what it produced before I bought it.” Here we 
have "the whole matter in a nutshell”—those who 
desire to cultivate lands worthy of the “highest 
premium,” and at the same time, be well rewarded 
for their toil, have only to "do likewise.” There 
are no windfalls in tilling the soil, but there is, for 
every one who will work to win, a fortune, and ac¬ 
companying it, a blessing. 
form, color, Ac., affect the price obtained for them. 
We are very much disposed to try a few experi¬ 
ments in potato growing this summer, and would 
like to have some of our readers do the same, so 
that in the multitude of trials the truth may be 
fully demonstrated, and no one be tempted to jump 
at conclusions from apparent results, which more 
thorough trials would overthrow. To make these 
trials as uniform and successful as possible, we give 
a few suggestions for the guidance of those who 
may undertake them. 1. The difference in the crop, 
j under similar treatment, between planting small, 
medium size, and large potatoes; also, between cut 
and uncut 2. The advantage of hills over drills; 
and between hilling in the ordinary way and more 
level culture. 3. Productiveness of different varie¬ 
ties treated precisely al ke. 4. The liability of dif¬ 
ferent sorts to be affected by the rot 5. The effects 
of different manures, such as plaster, guano, super¬ 
phosphate, barn-yard, Ac. G. The superiority of 
any new seedling, in quality, productiveness, Ae., 
as tested with one or more of the best old sorts' 
and treated exactly alike. All of these, or any one 
of them would furnish a very interesting experi¬ 
ment, if tried carefully and thoroughly, but to be 
satisfactory everything should be weighed or 
measured, and nothing guessed at. 
A GOOD POTATO. 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS i 
PBOT. C. DEWEY. Lt. M. P. M 
T. C. PETERS, H. T. BROOf 
T. 8. ARTHUR, Mrs. M. J. H 
K. C. HUNTINGTON, Miss C. A H 
JENNY MARSH PARKER 
Perhaps a greater number of new varieties of 
potatoes have been produced during the past ten 
years, than for a century previous. The desire 
to produce sorts that would not be affected by the 
rot has been the moving cause, and the energy dis¬ 
played speaks well for the enterprise of our farm¬ 
ers, who were not willing to succumb without a 
struggle, to this terrible scourge, the potato rot.— 
W'e have given some attention to the growth of 
varieties from seed, and though we have raised 
nothing which we at present deem worthy of spe¬ 
cial notice, or general introduction, our labors 
have not been in vain, as we have gained knowledge 
which we may at some time communicate to our 
readers. The rule adopted in regard to fruit, that 
no new variety should be introduced unless superior 
in some respects to old sorts, should be applied to 
the potato, as there can be no object in simply in- 
13*-AH communications, and business letters, should be i 
to D, D. T. MOORE, Rochester, N. Y. 
For Terms and other particulars, see last page. 
COMPOSTED MUCK AND ASHES. 
AsnES are well known to be a valuable fertilizer 
for all dry soils; and muck is generally found bene¬ 
ficial to soils deficient in vegetable matter. The 
latter is always so, unless imperfectly decomposed, 
or saturated with acids unfavorable to vegetation. 
Both articles are cheap and easily obtained—ashes 
being worth in Western New York about 10 cents 
per bushel; while muck can be had on most farms 
for the mere trouble of <1, gging. The two com¬ 
bined, form a fertilizer of high value, as we shall 
proceed to show. 
One of the best practical writers on this subject, 
says:—“Next to a compost of muck and barn ma¬ 
nures, a mixture of muck and ashes is the most com¬ 
mon, and by experienced persons is considered the 
most profitable. It is certainly one of the most 
DO YOUR WORK WELL. 
We are very much inclined to think that could 
we drop in upon you, Rural reader, just as you 
have conned the heading of this brief pen-graph, 
and could divine what is passing within your mind, 
your reflections would assume shape and substance 
like unto the following:—“A nice thing to talk 
about, but had we Mr. Rural at the tail of the plow, 
or following after the harrow, or, with hoe in hand, 
planting corn and potatoes, we might be favored 
with a slight variation of the music, especially if 
the thermometer .could be induced honestly to 
mark off the nineties.” True, possiblv. — at all 
MARINI 
The Aquarium furnishes the most innocent and 
instructive amusement, and has come into general 
favor in Europe. In this country it is also receiv¬ 
ing marked attention. It gives us an opportunity 
to study the habits of the curious residents of our 
rivers and ponds, as well as of the briny ocean. 
As we have before given engravings of plants and 
animals, as seen growing and sporting in the fresh 
water tank, we now present a view of a salt water 
or marine aquarium, with its natural denizens. In 
the New American Enclycopedia, just published by 
the Appletons, we find a good article on the sub¬ 
ject, which we transfer, in part, to our columns: 
“Aquarium, or Aquavivarium, a term applied 
to certain artificial arrangements for the exhibi¬ 
tion of living animals and plants inhabiting either 
fresh or salt water. It has long been known that 
animals living in water may be kept in transparent 
glass vessels for exhibition, giving them fresh sup¬ 
plies of water daily; but the discoveries of modern 
chemistry and physiology have pointed out the 
means of imitating nature so closely in the ar¬ 
rangements necessary for preserving the life of 
aquatic animals in artificial tanks with transparent 
walls of glass, that it is now no longer necessary 
not decompose, yet an excess of animals over 
plants, in a given space, will disturb the balance, 
and lead to the destruction of life. Valisneria 
spiralis, various species of chare, an char is alsinas- 
tn/m, straliotes aloides, ca/litriche aulumnalis, or 
nalis, ranunculus aquatilis, and myriophyllum spica- 
tum, are among the fresh-water plants adapted to 
this purpose. 
" Marine plants purify sea water, as fresh water 
plants purify fresh water. The difficulties of main¬ 
taining the balance are, however, greater in sea 
water artificial tanks, than in fresh water but bv 
t Vl -nient ior cooking, and boil unevenly. A regular 
j 8ha l )e > free fr( >m deep eyes, and warts or projec- 
, tl0ns > is very desirable, as these defects cause a 
1 waste in Peeling. Roughness of skin is a very 
good though not infallible sign of a dry potato._ 
■ The potato, when well boiled, should be firm and 
* dl 7> not Bursting open when half cooked, as this 
not only causes loss but injures the quality. Good 
flavor is indispensable. Early ripening is a very de- 
siiable quality, as late sorts do not mature in unfa¬ 
vorable seasons, anil cannot, therefore, be relied 
on. Some kinds cultivated never ripen here, the 
haulms being always killed by the first frost ’ To 
unite the other good qualities with productiveness 
is the great desideratum, which the grower of new 
kinds should ever keep in view; for most of our best 
varieties now are shy bearers. There is some ad¬ 
vantage in cultivating varieties with short haulms, 
as they can be planted closer together than long- 
haulmed sorts. This is considered quite an im¬ 
portant point in Europe, where potatoes are gene¬ 
rally planted in rows, and the rows as close together 
as the tops will admit of. Freedom from disease 
and good keeping qualities are important conside¬ 
rations that should never be lost sight of. 
Some particular varieties, colors, Ac., are best 
adapted to particular markets, not from any real 
| superiority, but on account of the fancy or preju¬ 
dices of the purchasers; and though this is a 
matter of far less general importance than the con¬ 
siderations we have presented, it is well worthy the 
attention of growers. A potato with white flesh, 
from its better appearance when served on the 
table, will sell for much more in New York city than 
a far better kind with dark colored flesh. The Purple j 
Mercer, we observe, is now selling there for $1 so 
per barrel, while the White Mercers, an inferior 
potato, bring $2 75, nearly double. Were we buy¬ 
ing, we should certainly prefer the Purple sort at 
the same price. We cultivated the White Mem 
as well as others,”—in the agricultural line, of 
course. Be our failings what they may, the injunc¬ 
tion contained in the text is still binding, its force 
can not be depreciated, and, as living evidences to 
the value of its teachings, look around you upon 
every man who has made advancement in the scale 
of being —upon every work that has benefited 
mankind—and see if the thoughts were not deeply 
drawn, carefully weighed and judiciously applied 
that impelled the one, and that the means and ends 
winch gave birth and completion to the other were 
not skillfully used and constantly kept in operation. 
In short, just ascertain if “ do your work well,” is 
not another mode of spelling success. 
Manure well If you would have a good return 
from a small quantity of land you must feed it— 
■The same laws that govern the animal world will 
be found to operate favorably upon the soil. Well- 
kept horses or oxen are able to perform the labor 
required, while those that have been left to “take 
care of themselves” will inevitably "give out” the 
moment the nose of the plow enters the furrow._ 
Don t deal out the pabulum by spoonfuls, but be just 
and generous. Far better for you if half the ground 
be fertilized than though the whole received 
homoeopathic doses. 
Pfou, deep and you will plow icelL Many a farmer 
has forsaken the old homestead, has given up the 
" worn out” lands and sought a fresh tarrying-place 
in the West, who could have made a new and profita¬ 
ble farm by the proper application of the means in 
his possession. Go down and see what the centu¬ 
ries have been accumulating to reward the labors 
of the ardent seeker. “ Dig deep to find the gold” 
reads the old motto, and we are not aware of any 
principle more worthy of forming the first section 
of the Farmer’s Creed. 
After plowing, see that all the other neees- i 
sary prepration of the soil be well performed. A f 
good start is everything, provided always, that ad- s 
vantages secured are maintained and the work 1 
as a manure. 
“A SUBSTITUTE FOR WHEAT.” 
Ens. Rural:— In your issue of the Cth ult, is an 
article entitled “A Substitute for Wheat,” in which 
you broached several very important inquiries, viz., 
Is wheat the most advantageous and profitable crop 
when it is not disturbed by the wheat midge, that 
the farmers of Western New York can raise? Is 
I there no course of farming, no rotation of crops 
which, leaving wheat out of the question, will pay 
as well as the old practice of depending mostly if 
not wholly on wheat? Is farming henceforth des¬ 
tined to be less profitable in our hitherto favored 
section? These are questions well worthy of seri¬ 
ous consideration, and what makes them more per¬ 
tinent at this time is the fact that a large majority 
of farmers seem to be groping in the dark, hardly 
knowing what course to pursue, now that their 
main dependence, the wheat crop, has failed. 
Now I feel inclined to take the negative of the 
first and last questions, having for some time 
been satisfied by my own experience, and by ob¬ 
serving the practice of other farmers, that the 
course of farming which makes the wheat crop the 
mam dependence was not, all thimrs considered 
We cultivated the White Mercers 
until we became tired of them, and gave them up 
as unfit for our table. When in New York, last 
spring, we ascertained that even the form was con¬ 
sidered a matter of some importance, and that the 
long kinds were preferred over the round, and 
brought a higher price, other things being equal, 
ihe color of the skin is not considered so material 
as that of the flesh, though a white skin is prefer¬ 
red, and no dark fleshed potato, no matter what 
may be its quality, will sell at a maximum price 
The purchasers for the New York market, who 
make their appearance in Western New York every 
spring, and generally in the fall, understand this, 
and govern themselves accordingly, and thus we 
aie as much affected by the tastes and fancies of the 
great city, as though we were within sight of its 
spires. For other markets, and particularly for 
Canada and the West, purchasers select varieties 
that will not bring the highest prices in the New 
York market, as they can be bought here at lower 
rates, and where sold no such distinctions as to 
the most profitable. I do not undertake the dis¬ 
cussion, however, without much diffidence in my 
ability to do the subject justice, and at the same 
time J wish to pay due deference to the opinions 
of others. 
In discussing these questions I wish, in the first 
place, to say a few words in relation to raising 
wheat I believe it will be admitted by all that 
wheat was getting to be a very uncertain crop, as 
a general thing —that a large proportion of the 
farmers who made wheat their main dependence 
I ™ 7 mg fln ^ thin g—and that those who 
had adopted a rotation of crops, in which wheat 
was but one of several cultivated, whereby m»re 
stock was kept and more manure made and applied, 
were doing much the best. It is also w* under¬ 
stood that where wheat was the main c-op the land 
was getting badly run, and that the opacity of the 
soil for producing paying crops growing less 
and less, year after year. It v also believed that 
the system of naked summ“ fallows, which allow¬ 
ed the sun and winds *■> dry up and evaporate 
