VOLUME VI. NO, 
ROCHESTER N. Y,-SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1855, 
{WHOLE NO, 289, 
$$orot’$ |utral Htfo-fodier. 
A QUARTO WEEKLY 
AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY, & FAMILY JOURNAL. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE. 
AS80CUTB KDJTOR8 • 
J. H. BIX BY, T. C. PETERS, EDWARD WEBSTER. 
Special Contributors : 
T. E. Wetmop.k, H. C. Whitk, H. T. Brooks, L. Wktherkix. 
Ladies’ Port-Folio by Anns. 
Thk Rural New-Yorker is designed to be unique and 
beautiful in appearance, and unsurpassed in Value, Purity 
and Variety of Contents. Its conductors earnestly labor 
to make it a Reliable Guide on the important Practical 
Subjects connected with the business of those whose 
interests it advocates. It ombraces more Agricultural, 
Horticultural, Scientific, Mechanical, Literary and News 
Matter, interspersed with many appropriate and beautiful 
Engravings, than any other paper published in this 
Country,—rendering it a complete Agricultural, Lite¬ 
rary and Family Newspaper. 
For Terms, and other particulars, see News page. 
Jto-§ 0 rker. 
FROORDSS AND IMPROVEMENT, 
FENCING THE FARM. 
A few considerations in the present paper 
will close our series on this subject. 
The character of a farm and its owu pecu¬ 
liar features will determine very much the 
economies of fencing. If too great a supply 
of forest exists upon the premises, rail fences, 
even of greater height than necessity demands, 
will not be useless labor. Some rails will de¬ 
cay earlier than others, and the remainder will 
still be sufficient to make a good fence. If 
fields are encumbered with stone they can 
either be worked into walls, or, if not Eeeded 
at present, piled up in some snug convenient 
place for use in after years. If the channel 
of a creek passes across the farm, as is not 
unfrequently the case, filled with the water 
worn fragments of rock, an eye should be 
kept upon these as a mine of future wealth. 
Much may be saved to the intelligent farm¬ 
er by studying the contour of his fields aud 
adapting his fences either to the natural or the 
artificial surroundings. Thus, the steep, pre¬ 
cipitous bank of a ravine, or a stream, may 
be turned to account in fencing; not unfre¬ 
quently, indeed, two or three rails will be as 
effective in such a locality as five or six, if a 
rigid adherence is kept to right lines of direc¬ 
tion. A parallel case will illustrate. In 
former years great tenacity was manifested in 
laying out roads to stick to right lines, no 
matter what obstacles loomed up across the 
track. A road went right 09 , up a hill on 
one side half way to the clouds, and down 
again on the other, when a deviation of half 
a dozen degrees to the right or left, and then 
a subsequent counter deviation in the opposite 
direction, would have flanked the hill with a 
level road and brought back the track on the 
other side precisely on the original line with¬ 
out the increase of a rod in length. The bail 
of a kettle is no longer when lying horizontal 
than when standing perpendicular. And so 
it is with a road or a fence—a little bending 
to the right or left, to take advantage of nat- 
ural aids, will often be a great saving of ma¬ 
terials. In line fences, however, and in the 
division of farms, too much care cannot be 
exercised in a rigid adherence to the true 
points of the compass ; for the costs of law¬ 
suits for correcting boundaries not unfre¬ 
quently absorb the value of both fence and 
field. 
Many farms require deep, open ditches in 
order to carry off the water and render their 
heavy wet soils fit for profitable cultivation. 
These ditches, if judiciously laid out, may be 
rendered available for fence. A little more 
scientific knowledge 13 required, however, 
than was exhibited by one of the American 
generals in the Mexican war, who, in fortify¬ 
ing Camargo, threw up the earthwork on the 
wrong side of the excavation. As in the 
case of precipitous natural banks, so in that 
of an artificial ditch and embankment, two or 
three 1 ails will often afford a sufficient Jearrier 
againBt all cattle. 
Other things being equal, right angles and 
straight lines are always to he preferred; but 
a rigid adherence to them in all cases is cer¬ 
tainly impolitic. Farmers do not appreciate 
the unnecessary loss of fence involved in acute 
angles. Thus, a right angled triangular field, 
with forty rods each for the base and the per¬ 
pendicular, will require to enclose it one hun¬ 
dred and thirty-six and a fraction rods of 
fence ; while a square of forty rods to the 
side will contain twice the amount of land, 
and require but twenty-four rods more of 
fence. If one leg of the triangle be made 
longer than the other and then compared with 
a square, the contrast will be still more stri¬ 
king. 
Again, a square form of field is more eco¬ 
nomical than an oblong, as more land is en¬ 
closed in the former, with the same amount of 
boundary. Thus, a field forty rod 3 square 
contains ten acres and requires one hundred 
and sixty rods of fence; while one sixty rods 
loDg by twenty wide requires the same amount 
of fence and encloses but seven acres and a 
half. The further the field deviates from a 
square, the greater does the difference appear. 
This will be easily perceived, if we imagine 
the ends of the oblong to diminish gradually 
until they become zero, when even an infinite 
extension of the sides will enclose nothing.— 
Therefore to include in an oblong an amount 
equal to a given quantity contained in a 
square, the sides must be extended in a ratio 
vastly greater than the ends diminish, until, as 
the latter approach nothing, the former be¬ 
come two parallel lines of infinite extension. 
However great may be a farmer‘s passion for 
oblong fields, we venture to say, such a plat 
of ground, to wit, one of infinite length with¬ 
out breadth, would be quite beyond his ability 
to fence. The illustration is carried out to 
its extreme limit, but true logic sanctions the 
tracing out of an argument to its ultimate 
results. 
It is economy likewise, to enclose the farm 
in as large fields as can conveniently be man¬ 
aged ; for, in mathematical language, areas 
increase as the squares of homologous dimen¬ 
sions. Thus, any two fields of exactly the 
same shape, whether obloDg, square, or round, 
regular or irregular, (if their regularities or 
irregularities are similar,) will be to each oth¬ 
er as the squares of any line drawn in each in 
the same place. If the line in one is twice as 
long as in the other, it contains four times as 
much land ; if three times as long, nine times 
as much land ; if four times, sixteen times as 
much ; five times, twenty-five times as much, 
&e. Applying this principle to the square, 
one of twice the length of side contains four 
times the area : three times the length of side, 
nine times the area ; and so on to the end of 
the chapter—the area, as any one can see, in¬ 
creasing in rapid ratio upon the extension of 
the side. 
It follows from the above facts that econo¬ 
my in fencing, besides a proper selection of 
materials, requires an adaptation to the con¬ 
tour of the ground, a square form of field, aud 
large areas. All these points cannot be abso¬ 
lutely combined, but an approximation to 
them can be obtained in most cases ; and 
when it cannot, the farmer’s own good judg¬ 
ment must determine in each individual in¬ 
stance, which can most conveniently be sacri¬ 
ficed. Undeviating rules can never be laid 
down, but general principles can be evolved 
as guides and landmarks ; aud with these con¬ 
victions impressed upon the writer’s mind, 
the foregoing articles on fencing have been 
written. 
Timk of Cutting Wheat. — In publishing 
the articles of ’Hiel, we do not of course en¬ 
dorse the position of our correspondent. Our 
own views on the subject, and reasons there¬ 
for, are already known to the readers of the 
Rural, and it is but just that those who en¬ 
tertain a different opinion should be heard. 
It is very probable that some writers may 
have erred in advising too early cuttirg, but 
does not ’Hikl go to the opposite extreme ?— 
and also exaggerate the injury which may 
result from the consumption of flour made 
from wheat cut before fully ripe? Taking 
his premises and arguments as correct, reform 
is necessary in gathering sor e of our best 
fruits—the Pear, for example,— as well as 
in the matter of cutting grain. 
Nf^i 
■mmzm 
GROUP OF BRAHMA FOWLS. 
The accompanying portraits are said to be j 
very accurate likenesses of the Brahma fowls 1 
that won the first prize at the X. Y. State I 
Poultry Show, held at Utica last fall. They : 
are the property of S. P. Chapman, Esq , of, 
Mt. Pleasant Farm, Clockville, Madison Co. 
N. Y.,—better known a 3 an importer and 
Conuiuuuntimts. 
CUTTING WHEAT BEFORE IT IS RIPE. 
IN THREE NUMBERS-NO. I. 
Of all the erroneous practices into which 
our inexperienced farmers have been led by the 
visionary speculations of modem Agricultural 
theorists, there is, in my opinion, none more 
injurious to the public health, (and I believe I 
might very properly say morals ,) than that 
which teaches them to cut their wheat before it 
is ripe —because, as they allege, “ it makes bet¬ 
ter flour, and more of it.” Is it possible that 
the advocates of this theory really believe that 
wheat forms an exception to the rule, that ripe 
fruit, or vegetable matter, is more wholesome 
than that which is unripe ? That, in its un¬ 
ripe state, it makes better flour than when 
ripened and matured according to the laws of 
nature ? If such is the fact, why was it made 
to become ripe at all ? Why not have had its 
growth naturally stopped at the proper time 
to make “ the most and best flour,” (and, of 
course, the most and best food,) instead of hav¬ 
ing its growth continued beyond the time when 
it became less in quantity, and not so good in 
quality ? 
To my mind this theory involves an absurd¬ 
ity. Aud besides that, I think it involves a 
want of moral principle, as I will hereinafter 
endeavor to show. I hold it to be a funda¬ 
mental truth, which cannot be disproved, that 
unripe fruit or grain is not as Vrholesorco 
food, for man or beast, as that which is ripe. 
And I am satisfied that our Creator intended 
we should, (as a general rule,) use them in I 
their naturally matured and ripened state. If j 
it were not so, they would, undoubtedly, have ' 
been created so as to be as capable of preser -1 
vation in the unripe state, as they now are 
when fully ripened and matured. It was wise¬ 
ly ordered, too, that they should be most pal¬ 
atable to us when ripe, instead of beiDg so un¬ 
ripe ; because, when used green or unripe, 
sooner or later, it is well known, that a diseas¬ 
ed state of the system is sure to ensue. And 
in all cases in which we depart, for any con¬ 
siderable length of time, from that safe and 
proper course pointed out to us by that Om¬ 
niscient Providence, who has given us mate¬ 
rials from which to form wholesome and nu¬ 
tritious food, if we will not follow the course 
which He has indicated, we are sure to suffer 
severely for our folly. I say “ the cour-e | 
which He has indicated,” because, A bringing j 
breeder of superior Short-horns than as a 
fowl fancier. It appears, however, that he 
has the feathered fever,—and, certainly, if the 
excellent artists who delineated and engraved 
these specimens have not exaggerated their 
points and beauties, his admiration is legiti¬ 
mate. Indeed, we suspect a sight of the origi¬ 
those vegetable substances meet for man’s sub¬ 
sistence to a mature and ripe state, he has j 
caused them to be fitted for preservation, in 
store for our use at times when they could not 
be produced in consequence of drouth, or oth- j 
er natural cause. 
It may be months, nay, years, before the 
virus of unripe fruits or grains may exhibit del¬ 
eterious effects,—as in the case of a too free 
use of intoxicating liquors. In that case, slow 
as the poison is, it generally makes sure work 
of it at last, and the victim of the vicious and 
wicked habit dies, “ as a fool dieth.” It is, I 
presume, generally known that, in cases of hy¬ 
drophobia, the virus frequently lies dormant 
in the body of an infected person, or animal, 
for years, and then suddenly starts into violent 
action, producing the most terrible and fatal 
consequences. And so in many other cases— 
the poison is slow; it may be very slow, but 
not the less certain and fatal at last. And is 
it not so in the case of those who use the un¬ 
wholesome bread made of unripe wheat ? In 
some stage or other of its progress from unripe 
grain to unwholesome bread, either while in 
store, before beiDg manufactured, or after the 
flour is packed in the barrel, a partial fermen¬ 
tation undoubtedly takes place. If then used 
as food it frequently produces fermentation in 
the stomach. Acidity, more or less, ensues. 
A derangement of the digestive organs is the 
consequence. Indigestion, dyspepsia, diar¬ 
rhoea, cholera morbus, and even malignant 
cholera may be, and no doubt is. oftentimes 
the result. And thousands, vox,millions, may 
have those evils and fatal consequences brought 
upon them, without their even suspecting the 
true cause. Even animals are affected in this 
manner. Every experienced farmer knows 
that green corn fed to a horse for a very few 
days, will injure his health, if not endanger 
his life. Now, if even the stomach of a horse 
cannot bear unripe grain for a few days only, 
what sensible person can expect that of the hu¬ 
man race to do it ? And yet we are taught to 
cut our wheat, (of which we make our “ daily 
bread,”) a week, ten days, and, by some wise¬ 
acres, even “ two weeks before it is ripe!” 
’ Hiel. 
Grain Drills.— We are desired to state 
which Grain Drill is. best, and where obtaina¬ 
ble. P. Seymour, East Bloomfield, furnishes 
a good drill, of his own patent and make,— 
Bickford & Huffman, Macedon, another,— 
aad Hudnutt & Co., Geneseo, still another. 
Which is the best is not so easily answered. 1 
nals of such portraits would be very likely to 
win favor with these who are decidedly averse 
to “ fowl transactions.” And we know a per¬ 
son of that ilk who proposes to try the exper¬ 
iment, when convenient. Mr. C, will there¬ 
fore please prepare for the conversion, “ at 
. sight/’ of one of the incorrigibles! 
RURAL REMINISCENCES. 
COMMENCEMENT OF FARMIMG BY a NEW-YORKER. 
In December, 1816,1 left my native home in 
the city of New York with the view of pur¬ 
chasing a farm somewhere in Central New 
York. I took the stage from New York to 
Albany, fare $14 ; from thence to Utica, fare 
$8,50. Having read Spafford’s Gazeteer of 
New York, I laid my course for Onondaga 
county. After looking around considerable, 
I located on the south shore of the Oneida 
Lake, on a farm with a little improvement on 
it, and in the spring following I moved with 
my somewhat numerous and increasing family 
on to the premises. We were ten days on the 
r oad, which would now require ten hours 
only. When within three miles of cur place 
of destination night overtook us in the wilder¬ 
ness, and it was very dark ; the road was ex¬ 
tremely bad, and the wagon in which were the 
family and some goods, was overset in a deep 
mud hole. We soon succeeded in extricating 
ourselves from the goods and mud—went a 
short distance to dry land—struck fire with 
an old-fashioned tinder box and steel—picked 
up some old stuff with which we kept a fire 
during the night, without meat or drink for 
ourselves or teams, listening to the bowlings of 
the wolves,— though such music was not very 
pleasant. 
In ihe morning we started on and arrived 
at our new home in due time. Here we met 
with a little more difficulty. The person of 
whom I bought had moved from the premises 
a week before we arrived, and some hogs had 
taken possession of the house—(a leg cabin 
in which we could lie in bed and count the 
stars of heaven.) They had rooted up the 
floor and heaped the earth up two feet high ; 
but we were so much muddier than the pigs, 
that they were frightened—they squealed and 
run, and we took peaceable possession of our 
new home, very pleasantly situated on the 
banks of the Oneida Lake. But there was 
quite a contrast between our city residence 
and the one to which we had moved ; ihe lat¬ 
ter was not quite suitable for our city car¬ 
pets and furniture. 
The next question was 1 How are we to 
live the first year.” Not very short of money, 
to be sure; but no fly market to go to, no 
stores much short of twenty miles, and scarce¬ 
ly any provisions in the country that could be 
had for love cr money—it being the year after 
the cold season of 1816. We had to “ scratch 
1 gravel ” that season, for certain. But we 
