. .... 
... 
MOOBE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER! AN AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
It used to be said and sung, that such con¬ 
ditions were limited to the population of 
cities, and that the rural population were gen¬ 
erally exempt. At the present day there are 
not wanting those who believe that these are 
the delusions of a vain, poetic imagination, 
and that, in this respect, our people are very 
much of a muchness, only rather more so. I, 
who can look back to the times of other days 
.—to the times of mush and milk suppers and 
Indian dumpling dinuers—who, as witness 
this article, have attained to the mellow dig¬ 
nity and venerab ility of Rural Old Fogyism, 
can vividly remember when it was otherwise. 
I can see, too, that the men who thus acquired 
giant frames, with muscle and power that have 
carried him through six troubles, “ have for¬ 
gotten the rock from which they were hewn,” 
have transferred their devotion to superfine 
flour, and bilious paste therefrom, and that 
they and their children are perishing for lack 
of corn. 
The truth is, O reader ! and I beseech you 
to heed and ponder it before it is too late, our 
climate not oaly admits but requires the reg¬ 
ulated use of meat, especially in winter. Now 
corn and meat arc compatible, while wheat 
flour and meat are, on the long run, incom¬ 
patible. The gastric juice of the stomach 
permeates and dissolves the one, while it is 
resisted by the other. Brown bread palliates 
the evils of meat. Corn is a specific, and 
harmonizes with it. Try it, when you reject 
meat, when your system is bilious, your limbs 
weary your health failing. Try it seasonably 
and see what a few days and meals will effect. 
Eat moderate meals at first, but persevere and 
it will agree with you—you will like it better 
than all dainties, and will go on from strength 
to strength. 
Who are the best developed and healthiest 
men on this Continent, whether aborigines or 
whites ? Have they not ever been, and are 
they not still, those who have lived chiefly on 
corn ? 
But why canvass a question which has been 
-settled from the foundation of the world, by 
an authority from which, to the wise man, 
there is no appeal ? What has He who feeds 
all that live decreed? Ho who throughout 
every zono of the earth provides not only the 
food but tho raiment and medicine necessary 
and salutary to man. Cora is the indigenous, 
-universal, and was almost the only grain of 
the Continent. It grows in every soil and 
latitude, and as the population increases must 
also become tho principal bread of the Con¬ 
tinent. Wheat, on the contrary, is here an 
exotic of foreign growth and introduction, 
and the range of climate aud soils adapted to 
its cultivation is comparativ. ly very limited. 
For health and longevity man requires a 
certain amouut of coarse and simple food.— 
The iuteutions of the Creator towards us in 
this respect are exceedingly obvious. Every 
departure from the simplicity and adaptation 
of nature by excessive complications of cook¬ 
ery, is visited by punishment. “God made 
man upright, but ho ha3 sought out many 
inventions.” R. O. Foggie. 
Monroo Co., N. Y., I860. 
PREMIUMS ON SHEEP. 
Eds. Rural: —Tho dissatisfaction felt by 
some at certain awards at the National 
Streep Show at Bath, inclines me to consider 
the matter briefly in your columns, that, if 
possible, a plan of action may be adopted by 
the Western New York Wool Growers’ As¬ 
sociation for the future that will be just and 
fair to all parties. At all events, let the sub¬ 
ject be discussed, that if the writer aud those 
who think with him are wrong they may be 
set right. 
The simple question seems to be (I may not 
look at it in tho right light,,) whether award¬ 
ing committees in their verdicts shall assume 
to say which is tho best breed of sheep for 
farmers to raise, or whether they shall only 
indicate by their awards which sheep has at¬ 
tained the greatest perfection in iis class. To 
illustrate: At said Show the popular judg¬ 
ment set very strongly in favor of a certain 
sheep as being the be3t wooled on the ground, 
and was much taken aback at the first pre¬ 
mium being given to another. The explana¬ 
tion given (whether correct or not I cannot 
say,) was, that the majority of the committee 
wero partial to a particular breed, and the 
nearer resemblance of the first prize animal 
to that breed, brought it in ahead of the pop¬ 
ular favorite. At all events, we know that 
conceived partiality one way is apt to bias the 
minds of judges—they are very like to set one 
of their favorite sort ahead of another which 
is not, though the latter possesses equal and 
perhaps even superior jierfeetions ; aud hence 
it becomes a grave question with a man who 
proposes to incur the trouble and expense of 
g uog a long distance to compete, as to what 
toe prejudices of the awarding committee may 
happen to be. If they are decidedly for the 
Spanish, however perfect a French animal he 
has, he had better stay at home, and vice versa. 
And so among the mutton varieties ; if 
the committee are Cotawold, Leicester or any 
other sort, wo betide the breeder of a differ¬ 
ent variety —he will stand no chance. So to 
insure success it seems to invite to political 
play iu the way of packing committees alto¬ 
gether inconsistent with tho manner iu which 
such things sho’d be arranged. Without being 
specially incredulous of mortal integrity, yet 
knowing something of human nature, it seems 
to me there is danger of such results as long 
as committees assume by their awards to de¬ 
cide betweeu breeds. They may give an 
opinion in iavor of one breed over another as 
being the most profitable for farmers to raise, 
which will have the weight of a like opinion 
from three other gentlemen of equal compe¬ 
tence—no more ; but ought their bias to in¬ 
fluence their verdicts ? It seems to me not, 
but on the contrary, that they should find for 
the animal which comes nearest to perfection 
iu its class, aud leave growers to learn which 
is the mo3t profitable class, as learn they will. 
Thus will all breeds be represented at our 
Fairs, the owners thereof knowing that their 
success depends not upon the kind but upon 
the perfection of that kind, the public will 
have better means of judging cirrectly of 
breeds, and the interest in Fairs be extended 
and increased. 
But an objector still says, “ Your reasoning 
is not convincing ; the people must be told 
which is the best sheep, and judges are select¬ 
ed for their competence, and are proper in 
structors of the masses.” This might amount 
to something, ouly that judges are fallible men 
like the rest of us. Look at tho Shanghai 
now. For years the native fowl has been 
thrust back, judges assuming to say the 
Asiatic blood was best In vaia did the 
friends of the former insist they would pro¬ 
duce one egg each per day which was ai 1 a 
Shanghai would do with twice the feed ; the 
dictum of judges was decided and they were 
forced from the field of competition. A per¬ 
fect model native would not be set up against 
a stilt-legged, gutteral foreigner, or if set up, 
would invariably be beaten, when if the oppo¬ 
site practice had governed, the former might 
have held the place it is now regaining in 
popular esteem. 
I repeat, let committees instead of arbitra¬ 
rily deciding between the different breeds, con¬ 
fine themselves to an honest judgment as to 
where is shown the greatest perfection in any 
breed. Thus will improvement in what we 
have be encouraged instead of an eternal 
chase for something new, and we may come 
to that point where instead of boasting of our 
French, Spanish, Silesian, or what-not, wo 
shall have an American Merino superior to 
all. Of course, this wou'd not suit specula¬ 
tors who play upon the gullibility of the pub 
lie in puffing one breed up till they become 
common, and then writing them down, and 
puffing another ahead; but the substantial 
interests of the mass of sheep growers, and 
likewise harmony and good feeling at our 
Fairs, will assuredly be promoted by this 
course ; at least, such is the poor opinion of 
OXEN IN SUMMER, 
Eds. Rural: —Perhaps it may be interest¬ 
ing to some of your numerous subscribers to 
know how to manage with working oxen in 
hot weather. I will tell you my experience 
for the last four years. 
My oxen, to commence with, are in good 
condition. They are turned into a good clo¬ 
ver pasture. In the morning, about 4j<j 
o'clock, I have the boy that drives for me start 
them all up; they will go to feeding, aud by 
the time I get my chores done aud breakfast 
eaten, they will fill themselves and be ready 
for forenoon work. At noon I drive them off 
in the field, and do not allow them to drink 
until they have fed some, for the reason that 
if they arc allowed to drink directly after un¬ 
yoking, they will fill th mselves so full that 
they will not have an appetite for grass. I 
give them about two hours to feed in—then 
hitch on to the plow. 1 generally turn out 
about sundown, or a little before. I do not 
allow them to stop from the time of hitching 
on in the morniDg until the horn blows for 
dinner, and the same in the aftern oon. They 
have gained since I commenced breaking. It 
will take me about one week to finish. I 
jilow from an acre to acre and a half a day, 
about nine inches deep. I have one yoke the 
tongues of which I h ave never seen, and the 
others but once or twice. Mercury arose to 
96° Fahrenheit in the shade. 
I learned from an old New England farmer 
that salt was injurious to working oxen; ac¬ 
cordingly 1 do not allow mine to have any.— 
The reason that I would give is this, that if 
you give them salt they will go and drink 
very hearli'y, then directly go and lay down 
until the water passes out of the stomach, 
aud by that time you will be ready to go to 
work with them. Not only that, but by 
drinking so much water aud eating so little 
grass, it will have a tendency to give them 
the scours, wh'ch will most certainly weaken 
them. If farmers will adopt this mode in 
using oxen, I think they would work more than 
they do, as they are much cheaper than horses. 
Pavilion, N. Y. Famish M. 
Milk Clean—T he first drawn milk con¬ 
tains only 5, the second 8, and the faith 17 
per cent, of cream. 
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE. 
GUANO—DROUTH IN VIROINIA. 
Mr. Editor :—As there i3 likely to be some 
misapprehension in regard to the use, and the 
benefit to be derived from the application of 
guano, a few thoughts on the subject will not 
be inappropriate. Guano is undoubtedly a 
a powerful stimulant, but the question arises, 
what will be the result of repeated applica¬ 
tions ? The conviction to my mind is that 
the soil will continue to deteriorate unless 
there is an adequate return made to it to 
meet the demand produced by its application. 
I see in a late number of the Rural, an arti¬ 
cle copied from an exchange in which the wri¬ 
ter makes a comparison iu cost between the 
use of barn-yard manure and guauo on his 
garden, and finds the latter much the cheapest. 
Now let tho writer divide his garden and 
apply barn yard manure to one half, and guano 
to the remainder for five years in succession, 
and I think he will find the result to be, one 
half of his garden will be growing richer, and 
| the other half poorer. 
Guano is u=ed quite extensively in Eastern 
Virginia with generally remunerative results, 
but in order that its effects may be advan¬ 
tageous in the long run, I think it essential 
that the ground be seeded with each applica¬ 
tion. . 
It has been remarkably dry here for a year 
past, not having been a rain or storm of any 
| kind materially to affect the springs during 
that time, and it is remarked that swamps are 
now dry that were never known to be dry be¬ 
fore. Cornfields have to be re planted in con¬ 
sequence of the drouth. Wheat is heading 
out and should it receive moisture enough to 
mature, it is thought tho yield would be fair. 
The prospect is that fruit will be abundant, 
the peach trees especially being heavily load¬ 
ed. — W. Ansley, Fairfax, C. II., Va., May 
26,1855, 
THE DAISY, DRAINING, AO. 
Drain your land thoroughly and cultivate, 
and the daisy will disappear. Who ever saw 
them flourish in dry soil ? I have seen every 
damp spot in an old pasture or meadow yel¬ 
low with them, and the dry places entirely 
free. If you cannot, or will not drain your 
land, you will have to keep on feeding your 
stock with hay made unpalatable by the dry 
stalks and bitter leaves. 
Apropos to this, allow a constant reader to 
thank you for your last and all the articles 
you have published on the subject of draining, 
aud to express the hope that you will continue 
to give “ lino upon line” until our farming 
community are thoroughly awakened to i's 
importance. What numberless acres we see 
in traveling which yield little or no profit to 
the owners, which, if judiciously uuderdrained, 
would add from $50 to $100 each to a man’s 
bona fide capital, and yield a first crop suffi¬ 
cient to cover all expenses. If the money our 
farmers have invested iu railroad stocks at a 
ruinous sacrifice, or furnished to their sons or 
relations to dash in some speculative business, 
bad been buried thirty inches to three feet 
under ground in tho form of tile or stone 
drains, the fathers, aud in a majority of cases 
the sons too, would be immensely better off 
at this moment—W. B. P., Steuben Co., N. Y. 
June, 1855. 
SUBSTITUTES FOR HAY. 
Eds. Rural :—Your article in the last Ru¬ 
ral, headed “Substitutes for Hay,” I deem 
well worthy the attention of every tiller of 
the soil. For the last few years we have al¬ 
most invariably been visited in a greater or 
less degree, as most of us know by painful ex¬ 
perience, with a drouth, aud in no way in my 
opinion, can its evils be more easily ameliora¬ 
ted than by following the advice of your 
special contributor in the article referred to. 
Considering the amount of labor, there is 
no crop more worthy of notice for this use 
than “ corn fodder,”—my own course lias been 
to sow in drills 3 feet apart, from 10t.h of 
June to 1st of July two bushels to the acre of 
seed that grows large stalks—the laud should 
be highly manured aud soil well pulverized.— 
There has been with me some difficulty in dry¬ 
ing it sufficiently to store for winter use—but 
no doubt it may be dono by being allowed to 
wilt somewhat before binding and then put¬ 
ting in small stacks in the field to dry.—W m. 
J. Pettee, Lakeville, Conn., June 1C, 18o5. 
THE AMERICAN YELLOW BIRD. 
This species of bird is not generally fully 
understood umoDg us. They are a small bird, 
about the size of the Canary. The male is 
yellow with the exception of the back of the 
wings and the tail ; the female is more gray. 
They are beautiful singers in their native state, 
but when kept in the same room with the Ca¬ 
nary, they will in a short time sing exactly 
the same notes, especially when taken young. 
They very much resemble the Canary in 
their habits,—will live upon the same food, 
and in fact, may be considered a species of Ca¬ 
nary. They generally build their nests iu 
orchards and the like places, but rarely or nev¬ 
er upon low shrubs or bushes.—B., Wilson, 
N. Y., 1855. 
Agricultural ^tisrcllimjr. 
The Weather, Crops, &c., are topics of 
absorbing interest to all classes, and as the 
season advances toward harvest, increased 
anxiety is manifested by both producers and 
consumers. The high prices of nearly all ar¬ 
ticles of food, aud the rumors of a failure of 
t-he wheat crop here and there, cause much 
solicitude in regard to the weather and ene¬ 
mies to vegetation. Our report, however, 
must be similar to that of last week. The 
weather continues cool, remarkably so for this 
period of the year. White frost was noticed 
hereabouts on Monday morning, aud while we 
write (Tuesday P. M.) a heavy rain is falling, 
and the air is chilly. Of course the Iudian 
corn crop is among the things hoped for, yet 
scarcely seen above ground in this locality.— 
Other spring crops, however, are more prom- 
ising-, — grass and grain especially. The 
wheat crop is, we fear, more extensively in¬ 
jured by the insect (Hessian fly) in many lo¬ 
calities of Western New York, than we an¬ 
ticipated last week. Since then we have 
heard sad accounts of its ravages in some of 
the best wheat growirg districts—especially 
in localities where light, sandy soils prevail. 
As before mentioned, the crop in Michigan is 
greatly injured, and in soma sections nearly or 
quite destroyed by the same insect. The frost 
has materially injured the crop in Indiana, 
and a partial failure is reported in Maryland. 
With the exceptions named the reports are 
very favorable in regard to the wheat and 
other crops throughout the country ; and, on 
tho whole, an abundant production may be 
anticipated. 
Trial of Mowing Machines. —As hereto¬ 
fore announced, the Monroe Co. Ag. Society’s 
Trial of Mowing Machines, and Mowing 
Match with Scythes, (there being premiums, 
judges, &c , for both machine and hand mow¬ 
ing,) will take place on Wednesday next, June 
27th, on the farm of Judge Buel, about one 
mile west of Rochester. Considerable inter¬ 
est is manifested in the double Trial and 
Match, and a large attendance, os well as 
beneficial results, may be anticipated. It is 
aiready ascertained that several inventors and 
manufacturers will be present with their ma¬ 
chines, and we presume there will bo no lack 
of competition. The hour named for the trial 
to commence is 2 o’clock. 
— An interesting trial of Mowing Machines 
took place at Bedford, on the 15th inst., un¬ 
der the auspices of tho Westchester Co. Ag. 
Society. Ten different machines were tried, 
there was a large number of farmers present, 
aud altogether the occasion appears to have 
been pleasant and the result satisfactory. In 
closing its report of the trial, the Tribune very 
justly remarks :—“ The Committe will proba¬ 
bly publish their report on Monday. But 
what consequence is that? Every farmer 
present will give his own report, and make up 
his own judgment upon what he bos seen 
with his own eye. The trial is of fur more 
importance to them, than to those who manu¬ 
facture and sell the machines.” 
Detestable Vandalism. — It is related 
that, a few nights ago. ten fiue Durham cattle, 
belonging to Col. L. C. Morris, of Morris- 
auia, near New York city, were abstracted 
from his premises and driven away. “Some clue 
was obtained, which lod to the discovery of the 
carcasses of the cattle, dressed and exposed 
for sale in one of the New York markets.— 
The hides were found in Newark, New Jer¬ 
sey, whither the rogues had taken the precau¬ 
tion to send them. Six of a gang, of which it 
was ascertained there were ten iu all, were 
arrestad, and the Colonel has them now safely 
lodged in jail iu Westchester county, as he 
dared not trust to New York city justice, for 
their safe keeping aud trial ” 
— What renders this act inexpressibly de¬ 
testable is the fact that the auimals stolen 
were part of Col. Morris’s imported stock for 
breeding purposes. Any ordinary punish¬ 
ment would be too lenient for wretches who 
could be guilty of such unapproachable 
meanness. 
Salk op Short-Horns in England. — 
Messrs. Morris & Beoar were the principal 
Americ 0 n purchasers, at the groat sa'e of tho 
herd of J. S. Tanqueray, on the 24th of 
April. They bought eight cows, one—Oxford 
lGth—the second best of the one hundred sold , 
cost 480 guineas. The others cost from 180 
to 34 guineas, averaging 107 guineas each.— 
L. Si’Encer, of Westchester Co., bought two 
cows, one at 200, the other at 140 guineas.— 
Tie Livingston Co. Stock Importing Co.,! 
purchased a yearling bull at 60 guineas, and 
two heifers at 45 and 52 guineas each. The 
purchases comprise some of the finest speci¬ 
mens of the Bares stock in England, and 
America now has as good Short Horns as the 
world can produce. 
Wool Grower and Stock Register. —The 
attention of our readers, and especially of ull 
interested iu any branch of Wool and Stock 
Husbandry, is directed to the Prospectus of 
the Eighth Volume of this valuable monthly. 
State Fairs, 1855.—The following table 
gives the time and place of the several State 
Fairs of the present year, as far as yet decided 
upon. Others will be added, and the blanks 
filled, when the proper information is secured : 
Connecticut, at Ilartforil .... .Oct. 9, 10, II, 12 
Georgia, at Atilanta.Sept. 10, 11, 12 
Illinois, at Chicago.Oct., second week 
Indiana, at Indianapolis.Oct. 16, 17, 18,19 
Kontucky, at Faris.Sept. 25, 20, 27, 28 
Maine, at..Sept- 
Maryland, at Baltimore.Oct., last week 
Michigan, at Detroit.. ..Oct. 2, 3, 4, 5 
New York, at Elmira.Oct. 2, 3, 4, 5 
New Jersey, at Camden.. 
Now Hampshire, at..Sept. 12, 13, 14 
North Carolina, at..Oct. 16, 17, 18, 19 
Ohio, at Columbus.Sept. 18, 19, 20, 21 
Pennsylvania, at Harrlsburgh.Sept. 25, 26, 27 
Vermont, at Rutland.Sept. 11, 12,13 
do (East) at London.Oct. 23, 24, 26 
Tennessee, at. Nashville.Oct., first week 
Virginia, at Richmond.. 
do (Western) at Wheoling.Sept. 26, 27, 38 
Canada East, at Sherbrooke.Sept. 11, 12, 13,14 
Canada West, at Cobourg.Oct. 9,10, 11, 12 
N. Y. County and Town Fairs, 1855.— 
We continue our record of the time and place 
of the different County and Town Fairs of 
the State, which, as it is a matter to bo kept 
“ before the people,” we shall reviso and re¬ 
publish from time to time : 
COUNTY FAIRS. 
Albany, at Albany.Sept. 26, 26, 27 
Cayuga, ut Auburn.Sept. 26, 26, 27 
Ciiaut tuque, at Wcstileld.Sept. 12, 13 
Genesoe, at Batavia.. 
Herkimer, at Frankfort.Sept. 27, 28 
Jeifer.-on, at Watertown.Sept. 19, 20 
Monroe, at Speacerport.Sept. 20, 21 
Niagara, at Lockport.Oct. 19, 20 
Onondaga, at Syracuse.Sept. 19, 20, 21 
Ontario, at Canandaigua.Sept. 26, 27 
Putnam, at Carmel,.Sept. 18,19 
Rensselaer, at Lanslngburgh.Sept. 18, 19, 20 
St. Lawrence, at Canton .Sept. 26, 27, 28 
Saratoga, at..Sept. 11, 12, 13 
Steuben, at Bath.Sept. 26, 27, 23 
Tompkin.!, at Ithaca.Sept. 27, 28 
town fairs. 
Henrietta, at East Henrietta.Sept. 27 
Richmond, at Honeoye.Oct. 4, 6 
Great Prizes for Mowing Machines.— 
The trustees of the Mass. Ag’l Society, de¬ 
sirous of bringing to the attention of farmers 
generally this important labor-saving imple¬ 
ment, and also of testing the different ma¬ 
chines in U3e, offer a premium of six hundred 
dollars “ to the possessor of the mowing ma¬ 
chine which shall cut during the present sea¬ 
son, with the greatest eeonomy aud to the 
best advantage, not less than fifty acres of 
grass within the State, the machine to be 
worked by horse or ox-power.” The condi¬ 
tions of the premium are such as will make 
it a pretty thorough test. A premium of 
$1,000 is offered for 1856. The full particu¬ 
lars of the two premiums can be obtained by 
addressing R. S. Fay, Esq., Boston. 
TnK Plowing Match of the Henrietta Ag. 
Society, on the 9th inst., was a very spirited 
affair. Three of the premiums were awarded 
to persons using the Livingston Co., Plow ; 
one to holder of Wiiliams’ Patent; and one 
(1st premium in 2d class,) to holder of Hal- 
lock’s Trojan Plow. 
NEW SEEDLING POTATO. 
Of the valuable kinds of potatoes which 
have lately been produced, we may inentiou 
Davis's Seedling, originated by Marlin Davis, 
of Slerlirg, Mass. Its appearance indicates 
that it was from seed of what is known in va¬ 
rious sections as the Peach Blow, Sand I-ake, 
Western Red, Kentucky Red—an old vaiiety 
extensively cultivated, and remarkable every¬ 
where for its hardiness and general exemption 
from the rot. We are informed that seven 
years ago, Mr. Davis planted seeds of pota¬ 
toes from which he obtained several varieties, 
all of which, except the one above mentioned, 
were given up, after trial, on account of their 
tendency to rot The variety to which his 
name has been given, was brought before the 
Massachusetts Horticultural Society for ex¬ 
amination several years, aud last autumu the 
Society’s sixty dollar gold medal wasawaided 
for it. It is a large, fair potato, llattish round, 
iu shape, the skin of a somewhat deeper ted 
iu color than the Peach Blow, or Western 
Red. It is very white iuside, farinaceous, of 
excellent flavor, and keeps its quality late iu 
spring. It is of medium earlints j , hardy (we 
canuot 'earn that it has ever been known to 
rot,) and is equal in productiveness to any va¬ 
iiety known in this section.— Boston Cult. 
A Thriving Farm. — A gentleman connect¬ 
ed with the Delevau House, has a farm on the 
Sand Hills of Albany, on which, last year, he 
raised potatoes, corn and cabbages enough io 
supply the tables of his establishment, and had 
this spring 1,200 bushels of potatoes lor sale. 
This seasou he has one hundred acres under 
cultivation, lie has plauted one thousand 
bushels of potatoes, which, with an oidinary 
season, must produce ten thousand bushels at 
leust. Of corn, beans, peas, turnips, cabbages, 
squashes, See., he exacts to raise more than 
double the quantity of last )ear. 
Six Weeks’ Corn. —There have been re¬ 
ceived at the Patent Offi « several bushels of 
forty days’ maize, or iudian corn, from the 
South of Spain, reported to ripen six weeks 
after plauting. It is designed to be distribu¬ 
ted for experiment in the higher latitudes of 
the United Sta'es, as well us on the olevatrd 
districts of tho Alleghany and Rocky Moun¬ 
tains. From its analogy to some of our own 
varieties of corn there is no probability of its 
succeeding iu any of the warmer parts of the 
couulry. 
