VOLUME VI. NO. 22.! 
ROCHESTER, N. Y,-SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 1855. 
{WHOLE NO. 
HUtrn’s Dural fltto-gorkr: 
A QUARTO WEEKLY 
AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY, & -FAMILY JOURNAL. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE. 
ASSOCIATE EDITORS I 
J. H. BIX BY, T. C. PETERS, EDWARD WEBSTER. 
Special Contributors : 
T. B. Wxthork, H. C. White, H. T. Brooks, L. Wfthxrsm,. 
Ladies’ Port-Folio by Azins. 
Thr RtmAL New-Yorker is designed to be unique and 
beautiful in appearance, and unsurpassed in Value, Purity 
ami Variety of Contents. Its conduetors earnestly labor 
t* make it a Reliable Guide on the important Practical 
Subjects connected with the business of those whose 
interests it advocates. It embraces more Agricultural, 
Horticultural, Scientific, Mechanical, Literary and News 
Matter, intersjiersed with many appropriate and beautiful 
Engravings, than any other paper published in this 
Country, — rendering it a complete Agricultural, Literary 
and Family Newspaper. 
For Terms, and other particulars, see News puge. 
Jural Uefo-furkr. 
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT. 
SUGGESTIONS ABOUT STATE FAIRS. 
As the season is approaching when the 
various State Agricultural Societies are to 
hold their Annual Exhibitions, the attention 
of officers and members, and of the agricul¬ 
tural community generally, is very properly 
directed to the subject of the proposed or 
anticipated management and display on such 
occasions. The times and places of holding 
the principal Fairs having been designated 
and announced, those chiefly interested—the 
Farmers, Horticulturists and Mechanics who 
purpose attending, eiiher as exhibitors or 
spectators—naturally desire to ascertain as to 
the prominent features, and what new attrac¬ 
tions, if any, are to be introduced. Hence, 
not only the Premium Lists and Regulations 
will be examined carefully, but many will look 
confidently for novelties aDd improvements in 
the detailed programme of each exhibition,— 
and that Society which shall combine the de¬ 
sired items and elements in Ihe best manner, 
will, other ihirgs being auspicious, render its 
show the most attractive and successful. 
But, says the reader, novelties and attrac¬ 
tions are not indispensable; for people who 
desire to make money, secure premiums, or 
advertise or procure animals, machinery, Ac., 
need no such inducement. Aye, the class 
mentioned will be there,—but, unfortunately 
for the success of the Society, and the cause 
of improvement, it is limited in number, 
though quite influential. The great mass— 
the upper ten hundred thousand, if you please 
—are prompted to attend by other and very 
different motives. Many, perhaps the great 
majority, are induced to attend State Fairs 
from the promptings of fancy—a desire to see 
and hear new, strange and curious things— 
and hence the more attractive the programme, 
the greater the interest manifested in advance 
of the show, and the larger the attendance.— 
The apparent disposition of many to seek 
amusement, and make simply holiday affairs 
of our large shows, is not over commendable 
we are aware,—yet there seems to be a neces¬ 
sity for it in the tastes and inclinations of the 
American people. Not but what we are 
sufficiently practical and utilitarian, for the 
contrary is proved by our most prominent 
national characteristics. But there is at least 
one cogent reason why our State Exhibitions 
are, and will continue to be, resorted to by 
thousands for amusement and recreation. We 
have too few holidays. With the exception 
of Independence—theevcr-glorious Fourth— 
we, as a Nation, have scarcely a day which is 
universally celebrated as a holiday. True, 
Christmas and New Year are holidays in our 
almanacs, but they are not appropriately or 
generally celebrated by the great mass of 
community. 
Now we may mistake the public inclination 
and sentiment, yet the experience of the past 
indicates the necessity of adding novelties and 
improvements, each jear, to the programme 
of our own State Society’s Exhibition. True 
we cannot make a holiday which shall be uni¬ 
versal throughout the State,—for only tens of 
thousands, inslead of hundreds of thousands 
will be participants. The County and Town 
Fairs will, however, afford the masses who 
cannot attend the State Show a convenient 
opportunity for useful and pleasurable re¬ 
creation. We are convinced that the more 
novelty and amusement can be united with 
the useful and instructive features of all our 
Fairs—State, County and Town—the greater 
will be their success, and the more universal 
the benefit and satisfaction to community.— 
Let us, therefore, have a holiday, or Rural 
Jubilee, on the occasion of every State Fair 
—appropriately celebrating and commemo¬ 
rating the bountiful harvests gathered, and 
rejoicing in the progress of Ruralists in 
wealth and intelligence — thus combining 
amusement and pleasure with the useful and 
instructive information derivable from the 
practical features of the exhibition. 
But, while we would favor the introduction 
of novel and attractive features, we should 
oppose any diminution in the useful and in¬ 
structive departments. On the contrary, we 
should urge increased attention and display in 
those branches of production and perform¬ 
ance which are most novel, stnking and in¬ 
structive. The more general operation and 
trial of recent inventions and improvements 
in the department of Agricultu al Machinery, 
&c., would, among other things, add materially 
to the interest of the occasion. And if arrange¬ 
ments could be made for discu sions on prac¬ 
tical subjects, during each evening of the 
Fair, the meetings would not. only prove at¬ 
tractive but eminently beneficial. Instead of 
having simply an address or spceeh from some 
eminent politician or statesman,—who would 
probably exalt every farmer in the land to the 
proud position of Cincinnati's or a Wash¬ 
ington, and talk profoundly of the duties of 
Congress towaid the Agricultural interest, 
yet rarely vote for its promotion,—let us have 
discussions, by practical and experienced men, 
on the leading branches and operations of 
Agriculture and Horticulture. Discussions 
on such subjects as the Improvement of Stock, 
Grain Growing, the Dairy, Uuderdraiuiug, 
Fruit Culture, &e., would, we are confident, 
prove both interesting and profitable to 
thousands who attend our State exhibitions. 
Let it only be understood that such topics are 
to be discussed—that able and practical meu 
are to preside and open the discussions—and 
there can be no doubt as to the result. We 
are aware that something has been attempted 
in this matter already, but not in a systematic 
manner. The discussions ought to be an¬ 
nounced in the Society’s programme, and the 
arrangements assigned to certain officers or a 
committee. 
— This whole subject is one of primary 
importance to the officers of our State Agri¬ 
cultural Societies and the friends of improve¬ 
ment generally, and if our crude suggestions 
are not exactly to the point, we trust they 
may induce those more experienced to give 
the matter consideration. 
CLEARING AND RECLAIMING MARSHES. 
The numerous swamps and marshes disfig¬ 
uring the face of the country and producing 
no return to the owners, offer a sufficient ex¬ 
cuse for frequent mention of the subject of 
their reclamation by clearing and draining. 
By this process something worthless becomes 
valuable, and an addition to the wealth of the 
State. When a forest is cleared there is only 
an exchange of one product for another, but 
when a bog is converted into tillable land a 
, ° 
nuisance is abated, and a new area for the 
growth of crops brought into productiveness. 
Mr. Pakk’s statement, in our last number, 
is a case in point, and we compile the follow¬ 
ing in addition from the Hampshire Co., 
(Mass.) Ag’l Transactions for 1853: 
Mr. Montauuk, of Sunderland presented 
3 acres of reclaimed land, and was awarded 
the first premium by the Committee having 
the matter in charge. It was part of a swamp 
of 10 acres, partly drained before, but too wet 
to produce any crop. After haying, the three 
acres were drained and bogged over evenly, 
so that it could lie plowed. It was then 
plowed about seven inches deep, taking pains 
to have it well turned and the furrows flat.— 
In this state it lay until the May following, 
w hen it was harrowed and fitted for cropping. 
The expense of draining, removing bogs, 
plowing, &c., was $15 per acre. The land 
was perfectly worthless before, as all the bog 
hay it produced would not more than pay the 
labor of getting it. 
A light coat of compost of equal parts of 
barn-yard manure and sard was given, and 
corn planted on the 22d of May. Ashes were 
applied to the hill, at the rate of 12 bushels 
to the acre. The corn was heed three times, 
and just before the last hceing, the ground v as 
seeded to grass, with a little turnip seed added. 
The cost of manure applied, was $10 per acre, 
and the whole expense, including drawing ma¬ 
nure, cultivation, seed, Ac., vas $43 per acre. 
The product was 18 bushels of corn, three 
tons of corn fodder, 125 bushels of turnips 
and 2 tons of hay, worth in ail, at a very low 
estimate, $113, and leaving a clean profit of 
$70 per acre. At present prices, the profit 
would have amounted to over $S0 per acre, 
and the land was made at. an expense of $15, 
worth at least $100 fi r future farming 
purposes. 
Another farmer by an expense of $16,67, 
converted land worth $5 per acre, into land 
worth $50, and paying t 1 c interest annually, 
on double that sum. The experience of far¬ 
mers is uniformly in favor of draining land— 
all who have tried it thoroughly unite in de¬ 
claring it a paying investment. Farmers 
having marshes which con be drained, had far 
better do this, than to invest their money in 
more land or iu any outside specu'ation. We 
hope yet to see the low lands of Western New 
York esteemed of as high value as any other, 
and its deposi: s of muck drawn upon for restor¬ 
ing and increasing the fertility oft) e long crop¬ 
ped and partially exhausted upland. 
^ diiimmutuattcns. 
SOIL AND CLIMATE FOR WINTER WHEAT. 
How large an extent of country in the 
Northern States is capable of growing winter 
wheat ? This is an interesting question to the 
farmers of Western New York, and in fact to 
all farmers who depend for their income, more 
or less, on wheat growing. It may not bean 
uninteresting question to consumers of “ Fan¬ 
cy Brands.” 
That the wheat bearing region of onr coun¬ 
try has heretofore been considered more than 
equal to all demands which could be made up¬ 
on it, at least by our own population, we 
know has been the generally received opinion. 
The last year or two, however, has rather 
shaken this belief. So far as that may have 
arisen from drouth or weevil, or the improved 
science and implements of the age, we do not 
purpose to inquire ; but whether the amount 
of land capable of producing winter wh.at 
does not remain stationary, and in fact de¬ 
crease, whilst the demand is largely increasing 
from our own rapidly accumulating popula¬ 
tion, to say nothing of the immense foreign 
demand which must ever continue. 
New England, the most of New Jersey, 
Northern and Eastern New York, may be 
withdrawn from this inquiry in a body, as in¬ 
capable of growing winter wheat, for reasons 
known to all. There is some wheat (and 
when we use the word wheat we mean winter 
wheat,) raised in this district, but the amount 
is small, and can never be increased. The soil, 
in many cases, is too cold and barren—the 
spring too cold and backward ever to admit 
of raising wheat. We have left, then, of the 
Northern States, Pennsylvania and a part of 
New York. Central aud Western New York 
is conceded to be a wheat growing country— 
owing, as we suppose, to the following reason, 
“ that a lime rock underlies, or is to some ex¬ 
tent an ingredient in the soil.” Applying 
this test to the ease in hand, we must exclude 
the Southern and Southwestern tier of coun¬ 
ties in this State—they have not the lime, 
consequently not the gypsum —consequently 
not the wheat. We must also deduct the 
wood laud, the swamps, the lakes, Ac., which 
make up a considerable part of this particu¬ 
lar region. 
New York, in 1850, raised thirteen aud a 
half million bushels of wheat. Assuming this 
to be winter wheat, we have, at twenty bush- 
LINWOOD COTTAGE. 
The above cottage, the residence of James j 
Emery, of Bueksport, Me., was des : gncd for a ’ 
particular locality, an eminence commanding 
a fine view of the Penobscot river. It is a 
combination of the Italian and Gothic styles, 
the snowy climate rendering steep roofs ap¬ 
propriate, while the summer scenery called for 
the campanile and piazzas. 
The main entrance is at N in the ground 
plan, B is the piazza, L and M hall, A living 
and library room. C D parlor, J K dining¬ 
room, E kitchen, G store room, H bath, J 
back entrance, B W bay window, and another 
opens from the parlor. The hall is lighted 
by a round window of stained glass, and from 
the cupola. The campanile, or tower, is the 
grand featuie of the building, but. one which 
cannot be described by the pen. The stairs 
leading to the cupola are partly circular and 
partly straight, supported by massive brack¬ 
ets, with appropriate ornamental work on the 
stairs, aud statuary on the walls. The interior 
of the campanile has a beautiful appearance. 
els per acre, which is a low estimate, six 
hundred and seventy-five thousand acres of 
land on which it grew. Doubling this, we 
have somewhere near the whole amount of 
land in this State on which wheat is raised.— 
It will be seen that the space is narrowed 
down to a comparatively small extent.— 
YV hilst we thus speak in absolute terms of the 
parts of New York which are now wheat 
growing, we know that there are isolated sec¬ 
tions which raise wheat, but they are not ex¬ 
tended, and grow wheat perhaps from the fact 
that the land is newly cleared, or they come 
within the above applied test. 
Our population in 1850 was three millions, 
which would give us a little over four bushels 
of wheat per capita. 
YVe come next to Pennsylvania, which is 
traversed by extended raDges of mountain, 
which must withdraw a large amount of land 
from all cultivation, and therefore compel her 
farmers to use what might be natural wheat 
laud for the other purposes of farming. Penn¬ 
sylvania. in 1850, raised fifteen million bushels 
of wheat, which, at the same amount per acre, 
as in the case of New York, would give 150,- 
000 acres of land on which it grew. The 
population of Pennsylvania in 1850 was two 
and a quarter millions, giving about six bush¬ 
els of wheat per capita. We do not be¬ 
lieve that the next census will show as much 
wheat raised in the above States as in 1850. 
If it should be said that double the number ol 
acres on which wheat was raised in 1850 is not 
a fair estimate of the extent of land in New 
York and Pennsylvania which is capable of 
raising wheat, we will treble it, when we shall 
have a trifle over four millions of acres as the 
utmost extent on which wheat will grow. 
YY r e next come to Ohio and Michigan, which 
together raised in 1850 a little over eighteen 
million bushels of wheat, (one 14, the other 
4.) which, according to the calculation made 
above, will give us less than three million acres 
of wheat land, or about equal in extent to 
Connecticut. And we are inclined to believe 
Above the second floor the hall is the size 
o the tower. There are four chambers all 
GROUND PLAN. 
opening out of the upper hall, a'so a bathing 
room. Ihe window over the piazza projects 
more than is shown in the cut. The engrav¬ 
ings were made for the Rural Intelligencer. 
that the above is a maximum yield for these 
States. All the Northern part of Michigan 
is a dense forest, and so will remain for many 
years—at least so far as wheat growing is 
concerned. Ohio is a large State, and is un¬ 
doubtedly capable of producing a very large 
amount of wheat, though she almost totally 
failed the past year. It is to be hoped that 
it will prove an exception rather than a pre¬ 
cedent. Still we believe that there is a con¬ 
siderable part of Ohio that is not a natural 
wheat soil, and no other need be counted upon 
in the long ran. 
YY e have now passed over, with the excep¬ 
tion of a sma’l part of YY^consin and Indi¬ 
ana, all the wheat bearing region of the Nor¬ 
thern and YVestern States. 
The great States of Illinois, Iowa, the most 
of YY isconsin, and Indiana are incapable of 
growing winter wheat, for the following rea¬ 
sons, if there were no other,—They have no 
snow to cover the ground through the winter 
and shield it from the winds which prevail 
duriBg that season. In fact, we believe it may 
be stated as an axiom, that “ no country can 
raise winter wheat unless covered with snow, 
more or less of the time, during the Winter,” 
where the ‘-ground is frozen any considerable 
part of the time.” The last mentioned States 
come within this rule, and must during all 
time. 
Taking the above statements for facts, (if 
they are not, we are open to conviction.) we 
ask, is the wheat bearing region capable of 
enlargement ? If not, from whence shall we 
derive a supply for our growing population ? 
I think the answer to this question must be, 
“ in those regions of country lying to the 
North of the present line of settlement,” ia 
Northern YVisconsin and Michigan, in Min¬ 
nesota, YVashington and Oregon' Territories, 
and in Canada. 
The West, as it is now known and bounded, 
can never produce sufficient winter wheat to 
supply the demand. A. E. Harmon. 
Wheatland, Monroe Co., N. Y., 1555. 
