TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.] 
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT. 
[SINOLE NO. FIVE CENTS 
YOL IX. NO. 23. 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1858. 
\ WHOLE NO. m. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AX ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
Agricultural, [Literary and Family Newspaper. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
WITH AH ABLE COKP8 OB' ASSISTANT EDITOBS. 
Th» Rural Nbw-Torkee is designed to be nmmrpnssed In 
Valne, Purity, Usefulness and Variety of Contents, and unique and 
beautiful in Appearanoe. Its Conductor derotes his personal atten¬ 
tion to the supervision of its various departments, and earnestly labors 
to render the Rural an eminently Reliable Guide on the important 
Practical, Scientific and other Subjects intimately connected with the 
business of those whose interests it sealously advocates. It embraces 
more Agricultural, Horticultural, Scientific, Educational, Literary and 
News Matter, interspersed with appropriate and beautiful Engravings, 
than any other Journal,—rendering it the most complete Agricultu¬ 
ral Literary and Family Journal in America 
I xf~ All communications, and bnsiness letters, should be addressed 
to D. D. T. MOORE, Rochester, N. Y. 
For Terns and other particulars, see last page. 
AGRICULTURAL SALMAGUNDI. 
Always Propagate from the Best. 
This is the true policy. The best Seeds, Plants 
and Animals should always be sought for planting 
and breeding. Though the first cost maybe greater, 
it is far more profitable to cultivate the best vege¬ 
tables, grains, fruits, &c., than the ordinary kinds.— 
The marketable value of the product, if well culti¬ 
vated and preserved, is always more remunerative 
than “ poor trash,” badly grown by careless culti¬ 
vators. And the same is true in regard to Domes¬ 
tic Animals. The true course is to breed from the 
(text, whatever may be the expense in ike beginning: 
for it costs little more to raise to any given age a 
good animal than it does an inferior one—while the 
former may be ten times as profitable as the latter. 
The wide awake, experienced farmer knows that it 
is nearly as easy and cheap to produce an animal 
worth $100, as it is to raise one which will sell for 
only or less than half that amount,—and moreover 
that in so doing his dividends are not only hand¬ 
some, hut a laudable pride is gratified and his 
pleasure measurably enhanced. Indeed, the best 
breeds of animals, the best grains and seeds, the 
best plants and trees, the best and most productive 
varieties, the best implements and modes of cul¬ 
ture—all these are essential to successful, profitable 
Agriculture. Think of these oft-repeated truisms, 
reader, in making your selections of seeds, plants, 
fruits and stock animals, and consider, before de¬ 
ciding, whether it is not wise to always propagate 
front the best. 
Com on Sod Subsoil —Peep Plowing. 
An intelligent friend with whom we have 
just been conversing about the frequent failuro of 
seed corn of late years, made some suggestive re¬ 
marks on tt^e subject. He insists that the cause of 
the failure, in many instances at least, is attributa¬ 
ble to the quality of the soil in which the seed is 
deposited, rather than to lack of vitality in the 
grain itself. Ilis theory is that farmers who turn 
up a cold, damp, inert subsoil, and plant “ on the 
sod,” thereby check or cause a partial failure of 
the corn crop. There is reason in this logic, cer¬ 
tainly, but we suppose most farmers are aware that 
subsoil is not just the thing to cover seed and aid 
in its germination —and hence that few practice 
such a mode. Instead of bringing much subsoil to 
the surface by one deep plowing, or the nse of a 
jointer plow—in cases where the seed is to he 
planted on the sod —it is better, if the cultivable 
soil is to be deepened at all, to follow the first fur¬ 
row with a regular subsoil plow, which will tho¬ 
roughly pulverize the subsoil, but leave it unre¬ 
moved. Deep plowing is all right, but should be 
done at the proper time and with discrimination. 
We would not advise turning up over an inch of 
subsoil at a time, unless it is to be thoroughly mix¬ 
ed with the surface or previously cultivated soil by 
cross plowing and use of the harrow or cultivator. 
Make Home and Farming Attractive. 
That is the “platform” for farmers who desire 
their sons to become contented, successful agricul¬ 
turists, instead of leaving the farm for vexatious, 
hazardous and unhealthy avocations. The best 
legacy for your sons is a substantial education — 
moral, mental and physical — including a practical 
knowledge and love of farming. They should tho¬ 
roughly understand some occupation which is both 
useful and healthy, and therefore honorable and 
measurably reliable. This is of far greater conse¬ 
quence and value than a gift of much money or 
many acres. Make home and farming so pleasant 
and attractive that they will become so attached to 
Dural Life as to resist all temptations to enter into 
uncertain and speculative pursuits. The financial 
simoom which has swept over the land the past 
year — in numerous instances destroying the ac¬ 
cumulations and dissipating the hopes of individ¬ 
uals, families and communities engaged in com¬ 
mercial and speculative pursuits — teaches a lesson 
on this subject which should be heeded by all 
classes, and especially by the Ruralists of America. 
It proves that Agriculture, which feeds all and 
clothes all, though temporarily depressed, is the 
most sure and permanently reliable occupation for 
this life, as well as the best to fit man for that which 
is to come. Farmers, and Farmers’ Sons, read the 
lesson aright 1 
Manures and Fertilizers. 
In the vitally important matter of Manures and 
Fertilizers—their preparation for, aud adaptation 
and application to the soil he cultivates—every 
farmer should endeavor to he thoroughly informed. 
Reading on the subject will inform him to some 
extent, hut close observation and experiment are 
necessary to ascertain what is deficient in this or 
that field, and to supply the proper ingredients re¬ 
quired in the crops to he produced. His maxim 
Bhould be to so feed the soil that, notwithstanding 
the large crops grown thereon, its strength and fer¬ 
tility shall annually be augmented rather than dimin¬ 
ished. Farmers who grow good and profitable 
crops know that a judicious expenditure in the 
collection and preservation of manures is always 
a paying investment, and that there are many 
sources of fertility, now neglected by careless cul¬ 
tivators, which should he made available. How is 
it with you, reader? Unless yours is a rich, virgin 
soil, the compost heap should be formed before 
constructing a granary. 
A RAINY DAY IN THE LIBRARY. 
It commenced raining in the night, a cold east 
storm. Whenthe drops came pattering on the roof, 
iny first thought was about the lambs. It is the lamb¬ 
ing season just now in my flock. Many of my neigh 
boffk have theirs much earlier, hut the experleiu < 
of the Iasi few years has brought me to the prac¬ 
tice of not having,my ewes drop their lambs until 
near or past the middle of Maj^ They must be bet¬ 
ter fed at weaning, but after all I think they do 
better, unless the ewes are carefully housed and 
well fed upon green food. In that case it would be 
well to have them drop as early as the first of April, 
or, better still, the first of February. None hut a 
careful farmer should undertake that enterprise, — 
and he, only, when they can be kept in warm, dry 
stalls. 
Early this morning the ewes and lambs were 
brought into the sheep-house all alive and well, 
though some of the young, or lambs, began to slio\ 
signs of being chilled, and would not have held on 
much longer. My mind at rest about the lambs,- 
a farmer does feel comfortable after all, when b j 
knows his animals are kindly cared for, — I am at 
the table with pen, ink and paper, shaping a few 
ideas for the Rural to coin and put into circulation. 
Were it not of such daily and hourly occurrence, 
this coining of men’s thoughts, we should call it 
one of the wonders of the age. Here, in my quiet 
home, far off in the country, I trace upon paper my 
thoughts. The letter goes to the Col. He opens, 
and glances at the contents — and hands it to K, 
who takes it to the inner sanctum, where he and 
V., lighting their [imaginary] pipes and placing 
themselves in attitudes favorable to ease, hut not 
suggestive of gracefulness, commence operations. 
K. reads and puffs—not the writer. V. puffs—a 
word is knocked out here, one put in there, and 
“stops and marks ” put in as he reads along in a sort 
of half-drowsy tone. Gets stuck on some word, 
counsels V. Perhaps both can’t make it out. Give 
the writer an imaginary knock for his miserable 
penmanship,— who, poor fellow, has done his best 
with a new Medallion,—and calls in the Col., whose 
guess is generally right, and always conclusive.— 
We shall next find it in the hands of the Capt, who 
presides in the composing room. A great institu¬ 
tion is that same composing room, with its queer 
pictures — its busy inmates — and its monotonous 
click, click, as letters form words, and words grow 
into sentences, and sentences stretch out into a 
sea of latent intellectual power,— becoming active 
only when it shall have passed into that great ma¬ 
chine which is noisily thumping below. Dear 
reader, all the matter that you find printed in this, 
and every other Rural that has or will come into 
your hands, has to go through just this process.— 
You and I have become acquainted though hun¬ 
dreds, nay, thousands of miles apart You know 
what I thought when writing these very words, but 
I shall never know what you think when reading 
them. I sincerely hope your mind is filled with 
happiness. 
Months ago,—it was last March,—I received from 
our good friend, Col. Johnson, the “ Annual Trans¬ 
actions of the State Agricultural Society” for the 
year 1856, and intended then to make a note 
thereof. Why are the State Printers allowed to be 
so dilatory in the issue of these annual volumes? 
At this rate we shall have to look for future vol¬ 
umes many years after they are due. There is no 
excuse for the delay, and it would he well for the 
County Societies at their annual meetings to make 
themselves heard on the subject. 
In bulk, the volume is an improvement upon 
many of its predecessors, while in contents it is one 
of the most valuable of any of the series. Some of 
its papers, for the important practical facts disclos¬ 
ed, exceed anything yet published. The article on 
“Dairy Management,”from the Royal Agricultural 
Society’s Journal, by Mr. TnoMAS Horsfall, is of 
itself worth more to the farmers of this State than 
the cost of the entire work. The facts there dis¬ 
closed are of the highest importance, not only to 
dairymen, hut to all farmers engaged in feeding 
animals. To this important paper I shall again 
refer. In the same category is the “Essay on the 
Physical Properties of Soils as Affecting Fertility,” 
by S. W. Johnson, of Yale College—and the third 
report of Dr. Fitch, on the “Noxious and other 
Insects of the State.” This report is, if possible, 
even more interesting and valuable than either of 
the preceding. It embraces over 180 pages, and 
has many well executed cuts of the insects de¬ 
scribed, which is highly important for the general 
reader. The labors of the Dr. in behalf of our 
State Society have already attracted the attention 
of some of the most important European Societies, 
and have led to the interchange of specimens 
highly advantageous. The Reports of Dr. Fitch 
ought to be awarded as a premium by every Society, 
so that they may have an extensive circulation 
among the farmers of the State. There are some 
papers that might have been abridged, especially 
those treating upon subjects which have no interest 
ictieally to our farmers, and the whole of Prof, 
sh’s article might have been dispensed with 
far as anything new is disclosed. 
The indexing of the preceding volumes is well, 
but it ought to have been more thorough, and it is 
to be regretted that the Secretary was unable, from 
sickness, to give it a more finished revisal. Still 
it is very useful as it is. In looking it over one 
cannot but he struck with the vast amount of use 
FlO. 3, showing the appearance of a well-grown plant in the spring of the third year ; and the line d is 
the place for the cut to be made in the spring trimming. 
occurrence; on the contrary, the more condemna- 
ble is it, because this very error is so disastrous in 
its consequences as to have deterred many persons 
from hedging, when they beheld a high wall of 
bushes, surrounding and shading a field, with a 
perfect thicket of branches and thorns, from four 
to -ix feet above the ground, hut beneath this, the 
naked and meagre steins, that appeared thin and 
ghostly; these, are scarcely hidden in midsummer 
by the scanty foliage upon the starving tw 
ful and practical know!r<ig which is contained in ! w *'‘°k were fast dying out, and leaving open gaps, 
the sixteen volumes now published. Those who 
have not been accustomed to arrange matter for 
publication cannot comprehend the labor of the 
to be filled with obtrusive and unaightly dead 
Stakes, which the unwise hedger had been obliged 
to thrust in, to prevent the intrusion of the swine 
Secretary in preparing these volumes. It is pwiDg an< * other invaders. Such a result is, I am sorry to 
to his j udgment and industry that they are so val- j confess, by far too common with many of the 
uahle. Their great worth, however, will ever he in hedges that may he seen all over the country, and 
the facts which are annually.brought to light bear- M|u 'h a result is inevitable, where the simple axiom 
ing upon agriculture and its kindred branches. r have repeated has not been the guiding principle 
In this volume will also be found the account of j of the hedger, even where the plants have been 
the dedication of the Agricultural Rooms, a most lavishly crowded at the planting, 
interesting ceremony. Lest it should he consider- j During the third summer then, the clipping must 
ed too long a spinner, I shall close for the pres- be continued, with as much severity as heretofore, 
(iit.—r. the requisite number of shootshaving been 
previously secured from below, the consecutive 
cuts do not require to he so close together — six 
inches will do wery well—and thus, after the June 
clipping, we shall have a double slope, or extended 
pyramidal hedge, with a base of three or four feet, 
and a height of about one foot, the two sides meet¬ 
ing at the apex, immediately over the line of the 
original row of plants. In a couple of weeks, 
when .the new growth has again started, you will 
be delighted with the result; the effect will he 
heightened by the strong central shoots, and the 
brilliant foliage cannot fail to produce a delightful 
impression. By the middle of August, or perhaps 
earlier, the cutting must be again repeate'd, with 
another rise of six.inches; sometimes three clip¬ 
pings .may he practiced with advantage, in the 
third summer. Great care must be bestowed upon 
the slopfe of the sides, which will gradually become 
HEDGES FOR FARM FENCING. 
THIRD YEAR. 
In our last we gave directions, for growing the 
plants, and the treatment of the hedge to the close 
of the second year after planting. If these have 
been followed the hedge will appear, in the spring 
of the third year, like the engraving, figure 3. The 
first thing to be done is to cut down at the line d. 
The line c shows where the catting was made in 
June of the seco'nd year. The labor of cultivation 
this season will he much less than the two previous 
years, as the hedge will have become so thick as to 
smother all other vegetation within range of its 
branches. An occasional use of the plow or culti¬ 
vator for a few feet each side, will he necessary to 
keep down weeds and encourage the growth of the 
plants. In the latter part of June, the 
hedge, if it makes a good, healthy 
growth, will appear as shown in figure 
4. The letters c and d show the last 
two cuttings, and now it should he 
made to conform somewhat to the py¬ 
ramidal shape it is finally to assume, 
by pruning, as shown in the lines 
from e to /and from e to g. 
This introduces the question of the 
best form for the hedge. Where hedges 
are made in gardens merely for orna¬ 
ment, taste alone may he consulted, hut 
farm hedges are made for use, for pro- 
tection, and the form should be adopted 
that will best secure this object. Al- • 
most all experienced hedge-growers 
recommend the pyramidal form, and 
as the reasons therefor are given plain¬ 
ly in Dr. Warder’s book, we quote 
them, with other remarks on the treat¬ 
ment for this year. “ A hedge should 
be so trimmed that every leaf and every 
twig should have the benefit of all the 
sunshine, air and rain, or dew, that is 
possible for it to receive; this result is 
easily obtained by directing the eut, at this, and all 
subsequent prunings in such a manner as to leave 
a sloping wall on each side of the hedge-row, so 
that an end view shall present the appearance of a 
broad, low pyramid; never allow the sides to he 
vertical or perpendicular, much less, flaring out¬ 
wardly as they ascend, and with a broad, flat sur¬ 
face on the top—which is the inevitable result of 
perpendicular hedge-walla This is a very common 
form for a hedge, I admit; hut, nevertheless, a very 
unsuitable one, and not justified by its frequent 
forming a desperate leap; in pressing forward for 
this information, they become too intimately ac¬ 
quainted with the thorns of the Maclura, and will 
almost invariably withdraw in disgust from the 
threatened intrusion upon the inclosure.” 
t6e fourth year. • 
On the rich soils of the West, the hedge, if treated 
as recommended, will this year form a pretty good 
barrier, though it is not best to rely upon it until 
the end of the fourth year. This season, if the soil. 
is good, cultivation will not be necessary. As soon 
as the ground is dry enough, turn three good fur¬ 
rows towards the liedge«on each side, and dress it 
off nicely with the harrow or rake. Then seed 
with white clover aud red top, or Kentucky blue- 
grass, which will soon form a nice green sward, 
prevent washing, check the growth of the plants 
in the hedge, and give a beautiful lawn-like ap¬ 
pearance. It may seem strange that we should 
recommend a course to retard growth, after pre¬ 
viously urging good cultivation to increase it— 
The Osage Orange is a tree naturally, hut by being 
grown thickly in a hedge and subjected to severe 
pruning, it becomes dwarfed. Good culture is at 
first necessary to form an even hedge, as by this 
the weak planft are urged forward, while the strong 
ones are checked by pruning. As a general rule, 
after the third summer, the plants will not mako.a 
very vigorons growth, and therefore the wprk of 
pruning is not laborious, and in fact becomes less 
so every succeeding year. Overman Bays that 
after the hedge has become sufficiently strong, the 
exuberant growth may he checked safely by run¬ 
ning a sharp cutter or coulter a foot on each side, 
as close as a horse can walk. By thus pruning the* 
side roots, the hedge* may be dwarfed without 
injury, and the task of shearing much lightened. 
This A ay he done in August, and only once in 
three or four years. 
The fourth summer, straggling shoots at the 
base, and perhaps most of the longest shoots may 
Fig. 4, showing the pyramidal cutting tha; is to he made in June of the third year, as indicated by the lines e, f, and «, 
more precipitous, but which must never be allowed 
to assume the perpendicular form. 
If the soil has been good, and properly prepared, 
and the hedge kept under the proposed regimen, at 
the end of the third summer it will have become 
a fence against all but the most unruly animals, 
whether they he rabbits, hoys or bullocks; for, al¬ 
though either of the latter classes of marauders can 
look over so low an obstacle; a sort of natural in¬ 
stinct induces the desire, before undertaking such 
a feat, to see where they are to land, after per¬ 
be shortened a little. The pyramidal form must he 
preserved, and all vigorons shoots that seem to he 
getting the start of their neighbors must be cut 
hack, or they will do mischief Pruning in the 
spring and latter part of June will be necessary as 
a general thing, this year, hut after this an annual 
pruning will answer. Where the hedge grows very 
vigorously with strong shoots at the top, another 
pruning in August may become necessary. The 
top must not he allowed to out-grow and over¬ 
shadow the base. 
