TWO DOLLAKS A YEAR.] 
“PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT.’ 
[SINGLE NO. FIVE CENTS. 
VOL. IX. NO. 3U 
ROCHESTER, N. Y. -SATURDAY, JULY 31, 1858 
WHOLE NO. U7. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AX ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Literary and Family Newspaper. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
WITH AH ABLE COUPS OP ASSISTANT EDITORS. 
Thb Rural New-Yorker Is designed to bo unsurpassed In 
Value, Purity, Usefulness and Variety of Contents, and unique and 
beautiful in Appearance. Its Conductor devotes 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 tho 
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 tho most complete Agricultu¬ 
ral, Literary and Family Journal in America. 
I All communications, and business letters, should be addressed 
to D. D. T. MOORE, Rochester, N. Y. 
For Terms and other particulars, see last page. 
BEST BREED FOR MILK, 
To many rules, which may be considered general, 
there are so frequent exceptions, as to very much 
lessen the value of the rule, and to cause many to 
doubt even its existence. This is particularly 
so with regard to the milking qualities of different 
breeds of cows. A gentleman of Maine, Cook Co., 
Ill., asks, “which breed of cows is preferable for 
dairying, the Devons or Durhams.” Were we 
keeping cows for dairy purposes, we do not think 
we would he confined to any one breed, but would 
strive to get the best milkers regardless of breed. 
We have ae <\n Durham cows that it would he hard 
to excel in this lespect, and, as our readers know, 
many of our natives and crosses are excellent 
milkers. In this respect there is a great difference 
in different animals both as to quantity and quality, 
—some cows giving double the quantity of others— 
while there is as much difference in the butter-mak¬ 
ing properties of the milk as there is in the quantity. 
First class cows of native breeds will sell as milkers 
for $50 or $00, while others would be dear at $20, 
and can he bought for less. There is the same dif¬ 
ference in this respect, in all breeds, we believe, 
and this should teach the dairyman to select the 
best individuals regardless of breeds. That some 
breeds are, as a general thing, better milkers than 
others, must be admitted, and we will endeavor to 
give, very briefly, the claims of each in this 
respect 
Short-horns, or Durhams.— The attention of 
breeders of this stock has been directed mainly to 
the making of beef— the production of an animal 
that will mature early and give the greatest amount 
of the most valuable beef and the least coarse meat 
and offal for the amount of food consumed. Too 
little attention has been given to the development 
of the milking qualities. On this point a writer in 
the (British) Cyclopedia of Agriculture, says:— 
“ It has, however, occasionally been urged that, in 
one particular, the Short-horn is deficient. By 
many the breed is yet considered to be but indiffer¬ 
ent milkers. Perhaps the best answer to this ob¬ 
jection would be a walk through the establishments 
of our London dairymen. Nearly every cow tied 
up here will be found of the Short-horn sort— 
Vv hen the aim is to have them good milkers, they 
can generally be insured; on the other hand, the 
exhibitor at a prize-show sacrifices one quality for 
the other. The selection has only to be carefully 
made in favor of milk or meat, and for the produc¬ 
tion of either will the Short-horn be found emi¬ 
nently qualified.” Were these animals bred more 
with reference to dairy purposes, judging from 
good specimens we have seen, we think they would 
make excellent stock for the butter and cheese- 
maker. 
Devons.— The milk of Devon cows is very rich, 
and while we have known fair milkers of this 
breed, as a general thing, the quantity given is too 
small to make them profitable for the dairy. On 
this question, however, we know there is a differ¬ 
ence of opinion, and it is said some good dairymen 
prefer them to most others. For working oxen no 
breed excels, if any equals them. 
Ayrshires.— This is an excellent breed for the 
dairy. Much pains have been taken to develop 
their milking power, and it is now of the highest 
order, and a recent English writer on dairy cows, 
says “ no other breed can equal them for the con¬ 
verting of the produce of poor, or medium soils 
into butter and cheese.” Youatt says: —“The 
quantity of milk yielded by the Ayrshire cow is, 
considering her size, very great Five gallons 
daily, for two or three months, and one gallon and 
a half during the succeeding four months. This 
would amount to more than 850 gallons; but allow¬ 
ing for some unproductive cows, GOO gallons per 
year may be the average quantity annually from 
each cow.” 
Alderneys.—I n appearance the Alderneys very 
closely resemble the Ayrshires. The chief differ¬ 
ence between them is that the forte of the latter 
lies in the abundance of their milk, while that of 
the former i3 in the richness of it 3 quality. So 
rich is the milk of the Alderneys, that it is said the 
admixture of a milking of one of these cows with 
that of a dozen of some other breed will sensibly 
improve the quality of the butter produced from 
the whole. The richness of the cream and butter 
produced from their milk makes them great favor¬ 
ites in the private dairies of the wealthy people of 
England where fine quality is the great object 
sought, regardless of cost. 
Some experiments having been conducted at the 
Earl of Chesterfield’s dairy, it was found that in the 
height of the season, the Alderney gave 4 gallons 
and 3 quarts per day; the Devon 4 gallons and 1 
pint; the Ayrshire 5 gallons; and when this was 
made into butter the result was, from the Alderney 
25 ounces, from the Devon 28 ounces, and from the 
Ayrshire 34 ounces. George Vail, of Troy, with 
five Short-horn cows selected from his herd, pro¬ 
duced in thirty successive days 202 pounds of but¬ 
ter. E. K. Evans, of Marcy, Oneida Co., made in 
the same time, and with the same number of 
cows, selected from his native herd, 217 pounds 
of butter. This trial was made in competition for 
the State Premium, and speaks well for our native 
cows. With care in breeding from our best 
native' milkers, we have no doubt a class of ani¬ 
mals may be raised up which would be unequaled 
for dairy purposes. In setting a value on a cow, 
too little attention is paid to the quality of the milk 
given, and we have no doubt a good cow has often 
been exchanged for one giving a greater quantity 
of milk, when for making butter, or even cheese, 
she may have been much better than the one who 
superseded her. Of course, if the milk is sold by 
the quart, the quality is not a matter of much con¬ 
sequence, for in that case milk is milk, if it is ever 
so poor; though we don’t know that it would be 
any less honest to water rich milk down to the 
necessary weakness, than to keep cows known to 
give a large quantity of the very poorest milk. 
On this whole subject there is much need of 
light, and farmers and dairymen might try a great 
many experiments without subjecting themselves 
to much trouble or cost, the result of which would 
be productive of great good to themselves and the 
producing interests generally. 
• MANURING GRASS LANDS. 
Several inquiries have been given in the Rural, 
from correspondents who desired to learn some¬ 
thing concerning the value of various manures for 
top-dressing purposes, and also the best period to 
make the application. These queries have called 
out but little discussion, and we now refer to the 
subject, not so much to detail our own experience* 
as to recount the experiments and success of 
others. This subject has always been one worthy 
of the scrutiny of the agriculturist, and now, when 
the midge threatens a “ change of programme” in 
the farming operations of a vast tract of our 
country, it assumes an importance it hitherto had 
not acquired. We hope our readers will not let 
the matter rest with the present article, but will 
give their experience, and thus aid in the promo¬ 
tion of the interests of their fellow-workmen. 
In volume VII. of the Rural, “An Old Farmer” 
gives his experience and mode of operation as 
follows:—“ In October, ’54 I hauled manure on an 
old meadow that had run out and had little on but 
June grass. Part of the manure was spread, and 
the balance left till the January thaw. Where the 
manure was spread in the fall, the grass sprang up 
and continued green till the snow fell In the 
spring there was a marked difference between that 
and the rest of the meadow; and when the grass 
was cut that part yielded double the amount of hay 
of any of the rest of the meadow, and in the fall 
it came up thick with clover, and yielded a good 
crop of seed. Where the manure was spread in 
the winter and spring, it produced very little bene¬ 
fit. Since that time we have manured grass lands 
in the fall, winter, and spring, and have uniformly 
found about the same result. Where manure is 
spread upon grass lands previous to the fall rains, 
the beneficial effect is soon visible, but after that 
I have never seen much advantage from top¬ 
dressing.” 
A farmer in Berkshire Co., Mass., top-dresses 
his mowing lands and thinks it very beneficial._ 
Where barn-yard manure i3 used alone he consid¬ 
ers it too expensive as much of its value is lost by 
evaporation. Composts one-half or two-thirds 
swamp muck or turf with one-third good manure, 
and finds quite as good if not better, and more en¬ 
during than all manure. Applies in the fall so that 
the frosts of winter may incorporate it with the soiL 
Another says:—“I top-dress late in the fall, 
hut should prefer spring could I cart on the fields 
without injury. My land is chiefly a cold, tena¬ 
cious soil, and a compost is made of one-fourth 
stable manure and three-fourths light loam. Twen¬ 
ty common ox-cart loads, from thirty-three to 
thirty-five bushels each, to the acre, is as small a 
The improvement of farm horses is a subject 
well worthy of attention. As we gradually im¬ 
prove in our system of farming—as land and 
produce become dearer, and we manure heavier, 
plow deeper, drain and strive for large crops, we 
feel the need of heavier horses than those common 
on our farms. Improved implements, too, greatly 
increases the amount of horse-labor on the farm. 
Once all the reaping and mowing was done by 
hand; now this work is performed on large farms 
by horse-power; the cultivator and shovel-plow, 
too, have almost superceded the hoe. Some years 
ago a farmer with a hundred acres of land, one- 
half or more under cultivation, could do his work, 
drive to market, &c., with a single light team. 
Now, the increased number of acres cultivated 
and the extra demand for team labor in other re¬ 
spects require more horses, or those capable of 
enduring more labor. 
We do not think it would be desirable to intro¬ 
duce the slow, heavy horses of Europe on our 
dressing as can be judiciously applied. Double 
this quantity would not be excessive.” 
An Essex Co. farmer considers Peruvian guano, 
mixed with loam, the best top-dressing that can 
be found. Thinks ashes good for lands that are apt 
to wash. Spring is the best time to apply; hut on 
soils liable to the difficulty mentioned would put 
it on in the fall, as the manure would become en¬ 
tirely mixed in around the roots of the grass, and 
all the strength would remain in the soil. 
One of the best practical agriculturists of Hamp¬ 
den Co., gives, in “Flint’s Grasses and Forage 
Plants,” his experience as follows:—“I top-dress 
all my mowing lands in the fall, cut two crops on 
all of them, and on some a third. * * * * I 
make a compost of earth and manure—two loads 
of earth to one of manure. One hundred loads ot 
good stable manure will make three hundred of 
the compost, and this will ipake as much grass as 
so many loads of stable manure. For grass, put 
ten cart loads, per acre. Spread in the fall, upon 
mowing—this compost makes more grass than 
green manure spread upon land in the spring.” 
Speaking upon this subject the author of the 
work mentioned above says:—“In a case which I 
have in mind, a very poor, worn-out grass lot was 
top-dressed with fourteen ordinary cart loads of 
stable manure to the acre. The quantity of grass 
was increased fourfold, Clover and Timothy came 
in as luxuriantly as on any new laid piece. The 
use of stable manure, however, should be confined 
mostly to mowing land. On closely fed pastures 
it would he injudicious, from its exposure to the 
sun. On these, ashes or plaster would be better.” 
Having thus given a short review of the experi¬ 
ments of several practical farmers, and the results 
attained, we purpose to briefly allude to several va¬ 
rieties of manure and the peculiar operation of 
each. 
Lime, npon a soil rich in vegetable and mineral 
matter, is oftentimes used with advantage as a top¬ 
dressing. Although it may not furnish any direct 
nutriment to the grass, it hastens the decomposi¬ 
tion of vegetable fibre. Heavy tenacious soils de¬ 
rive the greatest benefit from its application. 
Ashes, we can confidently recommend. In Flan¬ 
ders and Belgium, where the science of agriculture 
carried to great perfection, they are often trans¬ 
farm?, but we think more attention should be paid | 
to breeding strong horses for farm work. A divi-'' 
sion of labor works well in the factory and shops, 
and wjiy not on the farm? If the farmer is com¬ 
pelled to keep two teams, one might be light for 
the road and the lighter work, while the other, 
heavy and powerful, might be kept at work, plow¬ 
ing, hauling, &c. The great point, however, to be 
sought in breeding, is the union of the two ele¬ 
ments, celerity and strength, which can be com¬ 
bined to a certain degree. In this way a horse for 
all work can be produced, fast enough for all but 
“ Young America,” and strong enough to force the 
plow-share through the “stubborn glebe” to a 
respectable and paying depth. 
Above we present a good portrait of a fine rep¬ 
resentative of the Clydesdale breed of horses, so 
popular among our Canadian neighbors. Cham¬ 
pion is five years old—1G£ hands high—of a beau¬ 
tiful dapple grey, and weighs 1,G35 pounds. He 
was got by imported Clyde, (whose portrait and 
| pedigree were given in a former volume of the 
Rural,) out of Lady Dow, by imported Rainbow—- 
her dam a Clydesdale mare, imp* ' -* 1 
iStraciian, of Pickering, Canada West, ih 183C. 
Champion is now the property of Mr. Charles St 
Mack, of Lockport, Niagara county, N. Y. 
The Clydesdale horses, as our readers are aware, 
are large, heavy and substantially made, possessing 
great strength and muscular power, which renders 
them so celebrated in Scotland and Canada as 
draft horses. Several stallions of this breed have 
been purchased and brought into this and adjoin¬ 
ing States, so that the stock is being disseminated 
in various sections of the Union. It is believed 
that a cross with the Clydesdale will increase the 
size and strength of our ordinary horses, and pro¬ 
duce a better race for heavy work on the farm— 
such as breaking up, deep plowing, &c.—and hence 
the more general use of draft stallions for breeding 
purposes of late years, and their evidently increas¬ 
ing popularity. 
ported twenty miles to be used for top-dressing 
purposes. Lieing says that one hundred and ten 
pounds of leached ashes of the beech tree, spread 
upon the soil, will furnish as much phosphate as 
five hundred and seven pounds of the richest ma¬ 
nure. Long Island farmers take ashes from Wayne 
Co., N. Y., and carry them four hundred miles, to 
enrich their light lands, making free use of them 
upon corn and clover. 
Plaster, though not a manure, in the entire sense 
of that word, proves of great benefit to grass lands. 
It feeds the plants with sulphuric acid and lime, 
the ingredients of clover and corn, and it also 
hastens, by the lime it contains, the decomposition 
of vegetable matter. On dry lands, it performs 
another office, that of an absorbent attracting mois¬ 
ture. This is an important feature on such soils. 
To these manures must he added those of a veg¬ 
etable character, such as every farmer’s barn yard 
contains. These may be applied in bulk, in the 
form of a compost or as a liquid. We witnessed 
an experiment two years since, made upon a piece 
of pasture land that was deemed worn-out, and 
which it had been decided to break up. A hogs¬ 
head was elevated up on a wagon, pipe attached 
for a sprinkler, the casks filled with the diluted 
wash of the stable, and the soil given two good 
wettings just previous to a rain. The effect was 
almost instantaneous—a rank growth of grass suc¬ 
ceed the almost barren appearance, and at the 
present time this pasture is accounted one of the 
best upon the farm. 
SHEEP : 
CHARACTERISTICS OF BREEDS.--NO. II. 
It was stated in the preceding number, that 
notwithstanding the great diversity presented by 
the different races of Sheep, they are, by the pres¬ 
ent scientific ariangement, included in one spe¬ 
cies — Ovisaries. Whatever objections may be 
brought against this, no better classification has 
yet been suggested. And in this connection it may 
be well to glace at an attempt which has been made 
to divide the domestic sheep into two species—“ a 
hairy species and a woolly species.” The inquiry 
naturally arises, What are the grounds for this 
novel division? It is well known that every indi¬ 
vidual sheep always produces both hair and wooL 
It is true that in some the former is confined to 
comparatively small portions of the body, as the 
face and legs, but the growth of hair and wool, 
more or less, on the skin of the same animal, is nev¬ 
ertheless certain. And even in those varieties of 
sheep which now produce the finest and most per¬ 
fect wool, a mixture of hair in the fleece was com¬ 
mon at no remote period of time. Art has changed 
the habit of the animal, but has this change made’ 
it of a different species? 
Again, Bheep differ in other points as much or 
more than they do in the fleece. Some races, so 
far as known, have always been destitute of horns; 
others have from time immemorial been horned, 
some races having two, and others four or more 
horns. The form and direction of the horn varies, 
also, in different races, and considerable variation 
is noticeable in the shape of the head, and in the 
position and size of the ears. There are other dif¬ 
ferences which still more affect the outward char¬ 
acteristics of the animals. In some races the fat, 
instead of being distributed over the carcass, is 
accumulated chiefly on the tail, or about the rump, 
giving au enormous size and prominence to those 
parts. 
These remarks are sufficient to show the absur¬ 
dity of the attempted specific distinction, as based 
on wool and hair. Let us now proceed to a con¬ 
sideration of the most prominent and well-defined 
breeds of sheep. 
The Merino. — This is doubtless one of the 
oldest and most distinct breeds in existence. It 
was located in Spain when our first direct knowl¬ 
edge in regard to it was obtained, though it is ques¬ 
tionable whether that country is to be regarded as 
its native habitat. It may have been brought from 
Italy while Spain was a Roman province, or intro¬ 
duced at a later period by the Moors from Africa.— 
According to Hon. Wm. Jarvis, who resided some 
time in Spain, and to whom we are indebted for some 
the earliest importations of the breed into the 
United States, the very name Marino, signifies from 
over the sea. From the earliest times the Merino 
has been esteemed for the fineness of its wool, ex¬ 
celling in this respect every other race. It was 
for centuries confined ^exclusively to the Spanish 
dominions, and heldiChiefly by thatGovernment, to 
whom it was-the'source of a riels revenue, and ex. 
