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YOL, IX, NO. 20. 
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT. 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.,-SATUROAY, JULY 17, 1858. 
[SINGPE NO. FIVE GENTS. 
WHOLE NO. m. 
MOORE'S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Literary and Family Newspaper. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
WITH AH' ABLE CORPS OF ASSISTANT EDITORS. 
Tiie Rural New-Yorker is designed to be unsurpassed in 
Value, Purity, Usefulness and Variety of Contents, and uniqne and 
beautiful in Appearance. Its Conductor derotes bis 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 zealously 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 
t 5 '~All communications, and business letters, should be addressed 
to D. D. T. MOORE, Rochester, N. Y. 
For Terms and other particulars, see last page. 
TACTS ABOUT MANURES. 
On the subject of manures, the best means of 
preserving, Ac., we have several inquiries, some of 
which we give below, and we will endeavor, in a 
brief article, to throw as much light as possible on 
the question. Any of our readers who may be 
able to add more, or whose experience would lead 
them to teach differently, are invited to continue 
the discussion, as it is one of the greatest impor¬ 
tance, and is worthy the attention of every think¬ 
ing, practical farmer: 
1. I havo a quantity of wood ashes on hand, and wish 
to make a judicious application of the same to the soil 
and growing crops. 1 have, growing wheat, barley, oats, 
peas, corn and potatoes; also, pasture, new seeded and 
old; meadows, new and old, on dry land and moist. Now 
any information on the above subject, through the col¬ 
umns of your paper, would be thankfully received by—A 
Farmer of Tomi-kixs Co. 
2. Can you, or any subscriber, inform me through the 
Rcral, if leached or dry ashes, mixed with nnfermented 
manure, drives out the ammonia as lime, or do they re¬ 
tain the gases as plaster?— B. S., Kingston , Ulster Co., N. 
Y., 1858. 
3. Does throwing lime on straw to make it rot, remove 
any of the good qualities of the manure? Do you use 
slaked or unslaked lime? and in what quantities?—D. 
W. Abrams, Paw Paw, Mich., 1858. 
4. IIow can I prevent manure, made in the summer, 
from becoming “Jire-fanged,’’ and thus very much in¬ 
jured?—B. W., Genesee Co., N. Y., 1858. 
5. Ia what way can a young farmer best increase the 
size and value of his manure heap, when short of this 
valuable aid of the farmer, and it is much needed by his 
land?—A Young Farmer, Orleans Co., N. Y., 1858. 
To answer all these inquiries fully and say all 
that we might do, and perhaps profitably, would 
occupy more than one page of the Rural. We 
can, therefore, only touch very briefly on the seve¬ 
ral points. 
1. Wood Ashes is an excellent manure, as good 
as could be desired in particular cases. We have 
seen barren sand that would not grow a clover 
plant, made to produce fair crops of grass, roots 
and grain, by the use of ashes. This wa 3 done by 
first applying a heavy dressing of ashes, when clo¬ 
ver was sown, lightly dragged and rolled. The 
effect was a slender growth of clover, and this 
formed the foundation of farther improvements, 
until the once barren soil was rendered fertile, giv¬ 
ing good crops, and with a judicious rotation and 
the liberal use of ashes or plaster and clover its 
fertility has been maintained for many years_ 
From what we have witnessed and experienced, we 
believe ashes to he particularly valuable for light 
land, and they have a good mechanical effect on 
heavy clays, makiDg them more friable. In Eng¬ 
land they are used for peas, vetches and other 
leguminous plants. We have used ashes for pota¬ 
toes with very satisfactory and profitable results. 
As a top dressing for old meadows they are excel¬ 
lent, especially when used with about an equal 
quantity of well rotted stable manure, and well 
worked into the sod with a brush drag or light har¬ 
row. Their effect, however, depends more upon 
the condition and need of the soil than upon the 
crop to be grown. Ashes, it must be remembered, 
furnish inorganic elements needed by crops, and 
can never take the place of stable and other ma¬ 
nures that furnish the organic food of plants. The 
clover plant is invaluable for this purpose, as most 
farmers on light soils will readily admit. 
2. We would not advise the mixing of unleached 
ashes with unfermented stable manures iu the com¬ 
post heap, as the caustic alkali would, to some ex¬ 
tent, dispel the ammonia, the most valuable part of 
the manure. Leached ashes would not produce 
this result, and would be beneficial. Unleached 
ashes are excellent for composting with swamp 
muck, refuse weeds, &c. For covering manure 
heaps to retain the ammonia, we would recommend 
charcoal dust, swamp muck, or common earth. 
3. Every farmer should endeavor to rot his straw 
without resorting to this expedient Circum¬ 
stances, however, may render it necessary and 
proper in some cases. Lime may be used to ad¬ 
vantage in rotting peat sawdust, bark, weeds con¬ 
taining ripe seeds, and any other vegetable matters 
difficult to decompose. Lime hastens the decom¬ 
position by raising the temperature and destroying 
the vegetable fibre, and it should be distributed as 
evenly as possible through the whole mass in a 
caustic state, so that its operation may be equal.— 
The precise amount required depends upon cir¬ 
cumstances, concerning which we cannot now 
enter into detail, and it may be safely left with 
the operator. 
4. It is sometimes somewhat difficult to manage 
a compost in this climate in the summer. Our 
summers are so warm and dry that composts, if 
formed of materials that will decompose readily, 
become burnt, or “ fire fanged and their value al¬ 
most entirely destroyed. Using a large quantity of 
earth, sawdust, tanners’ bark or swamp muck, and 
salt, or some similar materials that will retard de¬ 
composition, and frequent turning and wetting, is 
the only way we know of to prevent this when ex¬ 
posed to the sun. This is laborious, and requires 
a large supply of water handy to the manure. 
Shading from the sun by a roof is some protection, 
but not sufficient to prevent the injury complained 
of. If any of our readers know of a better mode 
we hope they will hasten to communicate their 
knowledge. 
4. The Young Farmer need not be told the way 
to increase the quantity of manure is to increase 
the quantity of stock. Something, however, may 
be done by preserving and turning to account 
everything produced on the farm available for this 
purpose. As we once before said, by a proper sys¬ 
tem of composting, the farmer is enabled to save 
and turn to valuable account as manure, many 
substances which otherwise would be entirely 
wasted, such as decaying vegetables, turf, soap 
i suds and other slops from the house, pea?, muck, 
liquid manure, Ac. Those who live near cities or 
villages can often obtain at a cheap rate very valu¬ 
able materials for enriching the compost heap, 
such as bone and horn shavingp, woolen waste 
from the cloth-dressers, offal from slaughter houses, 
and many other things which we need not mention. 
These materials may be composted whenever they 
can be obtained, and the compost heap thus be¬ 
comes the store-house where everything valuable 
for manure is preserved until needed for the land. 
It would not be convenient or even practicable to 
apply such materials directly to the soil, and there¬ 
fore many of them would never be obtained, and 
others wasted. The farmer who has a compost 
heap, the value of which he is anxious to increase, 
is always on the look out for some valuable mate¬ 
rial with which to enrich it. A gentleman who 
first paid particular attention to this matter in 1856, 
informs us that he was surprised at the size and 
value of his manure heap, even after the accumu¬ 
lation of only a few monthp. It seemed to he always 
on his mind, and when he saw anything in the yard, 
the corners of the fences, the swamp, or on the 
sides of the road, that he thought would add to 
its value, if its removal was not then convenient, it 
was remembered until a leisure hour occurred, and 
was then carted to the compost heap. By pursuing 
this system, a Young Farmer will find that he has 
largely increased his manure, and with very little 
trouble or expense. 
STEEPING SEEDS, 
In an article entitled “Mangold Wurlzel for 
Stock,” published in the Rural of May 29th, while 
commenting upon the propriety of soakiDg the 
seed before sowing, we stated that “it is best to 
soak the seed in soft water for one or two days be¬ 
fore planting, as it requires a large share of mois¬ 
ture to produce germination. Just here many root 
growers in this country fail—dry soil and dry seed 
have injured the propagating qualities of the beet 
more than any other two causes. In England the 
seed is always thus moistened, and if necessary 
there — with the moist climate of the ‘mother 
country’—how much more needful with our hot 
dry winds? The difficulties that have so often 
attended the American farmer in the culture of 
this crop, and of roots generally, might all be 
avoided by the attainment of a right condition of 
both soil and germ, and all fears and doubts, as re¬ 
spects the general character of this seed for vitality 
been dispelled.” 
Upon this point the Working Farmer —after pub¬ 
lishing our article—remarks as follows:—“The 
writer of the above refers to moistening the seed as 
practiced by English growers, and says:—‘If neces¬ 
sary there—with the moist climate of the mother 
country— how much more needful with our hot, 
dry winds?’ Hot weather and dry winds constitute 
a reason why the greatest care should be used not 
to force the seed to quick germination and hasty 
growth, as extreme heat, parching winds and drouth, 
are often so severe on young plants as to destroy 
many of them, and thus cause very serious misses 
in the growing crop. There is, however, not the 
slightest doubt of the propriety of moistening the 
[ 
seed, but do not let the plants become too 
much sprouted. With this exception our 
views entirely coincide with those expressed . _ _ 
by the writer of the above. Mangold Wmt- ' ’• 
zel for stock-feeding purposes will doubtless MS '>/ , , ’ - V: 
rapidly gain favor in this country, as it has jfj U '' tfAvL* 'Mm 
been doing in England since the partial failure ^ 
taken by Mr. I.owk is of any force, as he has /. h ^ 
himself ruled it out, and in again referring to y 
fling the merits of the theories held' either by 
the Farmer or the Rural on this subject, but . , 
to recooot t^e progress have thua far made 
for soaking beet seed in boiling water, hi i • ^:jNj , y 
an error iu taking the package we dropped ' W Ia - ' [7 
therein about a tablespoonful of carrot seed . ; !\ m It , / /. 
been twenty-four hours in the water—a por- r 
tion was planted; the remainder were given 
to the earth on the Monday following — three SHORT-HORN COW “CHATELAINE.” 
days from the date of immersion. At the same _ 
time we planted a row without submitting to ^ . 
the soaking process. The result was, the longest “Chatelaine” is the property of James 0. Sheldon. Iler pedigree is as follows:Roan, 
soaked, although tiro days later in planting, was up SlIELD0N ’ R «b, of Geneva > ~ a gentleman who has calved Jan. 1, 1855-bred by the late N. J. Becak, 
one day the first At the present time we can dis- recently aided the improvement of stock in Western of Smithtown -owned by J. 0. Sheldon, White 
cover no particular difference between these two N f” Y °J k u by lntro f“ c !“ g or est f lisbing »ne herds Spring Farm, Geneva, Out Co., N. Y. Got by Balco 
lots— they arc vigorous, healthy and growing of Short-horns and Alderneys (or Jerseys) on his (0918)_damLady Booth by Chilton (10054)-g. dam 
rapidly. The row planted dry did not make its tarm * was awarded the second pnzo in her Rosalba by Buckingham (3230)-*. g. dam Rosa- 
appearance until the 20th of the month- 13 days clas3 at , the last \ CW ^, 0rk Fair ’“ tbe bella by Hi « hfl * er ( 2122 )“^- * ^el by 
from the time of planting-and we do not think a £*> h(!,R * g™ to Grace,”alao owned by Kr. rederick (l«(;o)-g. g. g. g. dam by Flaw (502 ” 
plant three inches in height can be found in the —-- - - » — - --—— wt— 
whole lot The few carry I. seeds that were soaked A HINT OR TWO ABOUT HOMES. ’-ion of people selecting the site of a dwelling yean 
• , it 
J? 
SHORT-HORN COW “CHATELAINE.’ 
whole lot Tlio few carroi seeds that were soaked 
at the same time with the beets, came up readily, 
while the remainder of the package—planted dry— 
not a single seed bud has given notice of its where- 
If one could be certain of a long life, it would 
be easy to choose between the temptaticn to por¬ 
tion of people selecting the site of a dwelling years 
j before they are- prepared to build, yet doing noth- 
! ing to improve the grounds, not even planting a 
tree to shade the house when it shall be finished. 
Others, who mean to repair their houses, apparent¬ 
ly thinking that anything is good enoagh for 
them while they live in the old shell, with strange 
abonts up to the present time—the hot sun and dry cbase a ll0me alvea(ly provided, with weJl-gi-otfn Others, who mean to repair their houses, apparent- 
winds of the past four weeks have entirely pre- trees an< ^ shiubbery, and the wish to create one ly thinking that anything is good enoagh for 
vented germination. Had the weather been moist that Bboald represent ttie taste and industry of the them while they live in the old shell, with strange 
we doubt not that all would have sprouted and 0Wfler ’ the satislaction of seeing things grow into economy, neglect the cultivation of line fruit and 
grown, but where we have, almost every season, our possession day by day, and the interest, far be- ornamental trees, vines, shrubs and flowers, till the 
drouths for greater or less periods of time, the ne- 7 on( t that ot rneie legal pioprietorship, we feel house that they think is worthy to be surrounded 
cessity of thus getting the germs in the best pos- j n what our^ own, or our ancestors’ care and labor by these things, stands ready to bo decorated. This 
sible condition for meeting the requirements of Lave brought to yield us comfort and enjoyment— is subjecting oneself to unwise and unnecessary 
natural law is fully demonstrated. * n Gie bou . se that first spread its roof to shelter ns privation of what can be enjoyed as well in humble 
We will now turn to the series of experiments aad oar kindred, in tk e roses that have bloomed as in more prosperous conditions of living; and, 
before mentioned, premising that the soil was a ^ rco other eyes than ours, and the trees thathave since the time needed to bring trees, vines, &c., to 
sandy loam, well pulverized — no animal manure r iP ena d tht-ii fiuits for us alone these and other their perfection of shade, flower and fruit, is their 
their perfection of shade, flower and fruit, is their 
used, the only stimulant being unleached wood Hke considerations, which we can easily call up by principal cost to the cultivator, he pays an extrav- 
ashes, twenty five bushels to the acre. Seed pre- aid of imagination, if experience does not sug- agant price who postpones, year after year, the 
vious year’s growth. S eHt tbem > n m st always enter largely into a canvass planting of them. The true policy is to begin at 
The first variety of seed was the “White Altring- the question whether it is more desirable to buy once such improvements as require years before 
ham Carrot.” The experimenter sajs:—“I took a home or to make one. But, since life is so un- they can yield use and enjoyment. When the con- 
half an ounce, and immersed it in a solution of certa i D i an( L best, so short, it is no wonder that, templated new house is built, the owner may enter 
sulphuric acid in water, one part of acid to one practicable, many toiego the pleasure of upon the occupancy of it without delay, and it at 
thousand parts of water, and allowed it to remain f a!i hioning their own houses, and embellishing once becomesjo him all, in a physical sense, that it 
twelve hours. It was then sowed in drills, and them with the»i favorite flowers and loliage, adopt- ever can. Not so with the garden and orchard, 
covered, the surface being subsequently well rolled, in g. instead, houses that have been built, and trees After trees are planted, much time must elapse 
The plants made their appearance in five days, and au d vines that ha\ebeen planted and tended by before they fulfill their promise of fruit and Bhade, 
were remarkably vigorous. Another half an ounce other hands. Howe,er well-filled a jaid or garden to compensate the toil of the planter; a tree can- 
was steeped in a solution twenty-four hours, the ma y Le, one can always find, or make room for his no t become full-grown in a single season, as a 
plants from the same developing in four dayp. A s P ecia ^ P 6 * 3 ! aa( l U8e daily association with fiouso usually does, and adding to the period that 
portion of the same seed was steeped in chamber f ertain surroundings, soon create a home-feeling mu8 (; elapse between planting and fruiting, an in¬ 
lye for twelve hours; it came up in seven days. A any P lace * definite prefatory season of meaning to set out 
steep made of cow manure macerated in water, makiDg up a dwelling place, persons of the trees when everything else is done, involves a kind 
with a small quantify of ammonia—say two grains best judgment are liable to commit errors which of double waiting; the latter and necessary term 
to two and a half quarts of water—vegetated in they do not detect till they come to inhabit it, and of whieh can be passed in comparative content- 
six days, and made an excellent crop—the roots then, so far as the construction of the house is ment and satisfaction, because spent in substantial 
being remarkably well developed, smooth, and of concerned, these faults are often such as cannot and constantly increasing expectation, while the 
large size. The same seed, planted on the same be remedied without a total alteration of the plan, former, so far as the realization of fruit is con- 
day, in the same soil, without any steeping or pre- But the great modern vice of house building, cerned, is mere idle, useless, spiritless delay, 
vious preparation, was not developed’till the tenth especially in the country, is that people put up There is a very general lack of knowledge among 
day after committing it to the soil. The subse- houses which, on coming to occupy, they think are farmers concenriug the nicer parts of gardening, 
quent growth was also mnch less vigorous, and the too good for them to live in. Examples of this and, besides, the press of farm-work is so great in 
yield less, in the ratio of one to three. A few folly are to be found in every neighborhood. The spring and summer, that the garden usually re¬ 
acorns which had been gathered as they fell from traveler will observe, as he passes through the ceives very little attention. These facts suggest 
the trees the previous autumn and preserved care- country, large, handsome edifices, evidently built the propriety of establishing among us schools of 
fully in moss, were steeped in sulphuric acid and a t considerable expense, and seemingly designed horticulture, the pupils to be taught practically 
water—two parts of the former to one thousand f° r elegant and commodious residences, but if he all branches of common and ornamental garden- 
parts of the latter—and planted on the 16th of May, inquires for the inmates, he too often finds them ing, with the object to qualify them to earn a live- 
the soil carefully prepared for their reception, be- living in exile in the cook-room and wood-house, lihood by their skill, and to disseminate among the 
ing warm and moist at the time, and came in six Our house building needs thorough reformation, rural population generally, such instruction con- 
days, while fruit from the same tree, gathered on It should be an especial study to make that portion cerning their art, as cannot easily be gained by 
the same day as the former, and carefully preserved of the house intended for every day use, pleasant mere theoretical teaching. The country might 
in moss, but without steeping, and planted at the au( i convenient. If there must be a small, ill- afford abundant encouragement to as many ac- 
same time, did not break ground’till the tenth day. ventilated room, let it be devoted to occasional complished gardeners, as several such schools 
Several varieties of cress, steeped in the weaker use, and let the large, airy apartments be the com- could turn out. Indeed, a skillful gardener would, 
solution for ten hours, came in two days; unpre- mon living and sleeping rooms of the tamily. If doubtless, find pretty constant employment in 
pared seed of the same kinds, germinating, when there are to he two stair-cases, one broad and nearly every thickly settled neighborhood, to the 
planted at the same time, and under precisely sim- straight, the other narrow and winding, let them advantage of himself and tho community. The 
ilar contingencies, in three days. I have ascer- be in their comparative amounts of travel, like the impulse which the influence of such a class would 
tained that most seeds may be forwarded in their two roads spoken ot in the lines usually sung to naturally give to amateur gardening, besides cnlti- 
development from two to four or six day 3 by im- the tune of Windham; though difierent as to their vating the taste of tho people, would do much to- 
mersion in a steep. The practice of immersing respective terminations, if, indeed, both do not ward increasing the attachment of the young to 
seeds in weak urine, or a steep made of cow dung l ea( l 1° pleasant quarters; and it the occasional their homes. If farmers who wish to keep their 
and water, is a good one, and should be much more traveler of the difficult ascent, find a disagreeable, sons with them, would encourage them to plant 
generally adopted.” 
On light soils crops may be greatly increased by his house, 
rolling the land. Instanc 
traveler ot tne anucult ascent, find a disagreeable, sons with them, would encourage them to plant 
unwholesome region at the top, let him determine trees and make other improvements about the 
to avoid a similar place when he comes to build homestead, instead of, in effect, teaching them to 
his house. regard it as of use only to make money out of, 
Instances sometimes come under our ohserya- they would less often be left alone in old age. If 
