of injured innocenoe. However, after getting 
a little ways, he turns round with “Isay, mis¬ 
ter, if ye ever uses that ere thing you will find 
it tu work like a stick in soap grease.” 
Editor —Did you ever use it ? 
John —Did I ever use it? What do you 
think ? 
Editor —Why, that a man who would go to 
hear the Professor would be pretty likely to 
use the “ patent anti-liog-rooter.” But did it 
ever get out, John ? 
John— Some how Smith got hold of it, for he 
used to ask me sometimes, in a sly way, how 
my hogs got along. I shut his gate, however, 
beautifully. 
Editor —How ? 
John —No time to tell now, as I must he off 
to the lecture. 
Editor —Write and let me know how you 
like it. 
John—l will. So, good night. 
SOW TIMOTHY SEED. 
The right time to sow Timothy seed has 
arrived. For several years I have sown my 
Timothy the fore part of September, always 
with good success. It may be sown with win¬ 
ter wheat or rye after the land is prepared, 
and immediately before drilling, if a drill is 
used, or before the last dragging if the seed is 
put in with a drag. 
Timothy seed is better for a slight cover¬ 
ing ; a light drag or a bush does well, or the 
movement of the earth by a drill is quite suf¬ 
ficient. With this, as with all other seeds, the 
main point is to have the land in a good state 
of cultivation. Plow deep, make the soil mel¬ 
low, and if wet, ditch it, and then if the land 
is not too poor it will give you a crop of 
Timothy most likely—provided always that 
you sow the seed. For hay or pasturage, we 
can scarcely do better than to raise Timothy. 
It stands the winter much better than clover. 
It is great folly to sow clover where there is 
a certainty that the roots will be found on 
top of the ground the following spring.— 
Leaves or straw would make a cheap r top¬ 
dressing. 
Put on the seed liberally ; six quarts or a 
peck is not too much. It is poor economy, 
for the want of three or four quarts of seed, to 
lose the use of one-fourth or one-half your land 
for two or three years, while you are waiting 
for the grass to spread and cover it. When 
the grass does cover it, it will probably be 
June grass, or blue grass, or some other 
hardy variety, which the Creator in His 
great mercy has sent for the especial benefit 
of shiftless men, who either don’t sow seed, or 
sow it in such questionable shapes that it 
won’t grow. 
Grass crops cost us so little that we do not 
sufficiently appreciate them. One of two 
things we must do—“ seed down,” or use a 
great amount of manure or other fertilizers.— 
When hay is from eight to twenty dollars a 
ton, we need not be averse to the former al¬ 
ternative. The fore part of September is 
safest, but Timothy will generally succeed any 
time in this month. n. t. b. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
Hjriraltuntl Utkclkin. 
CALF SUCKLEli. 
The above cut represents an implement for 
suckliDg calves, which was exhibited and at¬ 
tracted much attention at the Pennsylvania 
Btate Fair. It appears to be a “ good insti¬ 
tution,” well calculated to faciIrate the feed¬ 
ing of calves after taking them from the cow 
—generally a troublesome matter. The Farm 
Journal , from which we copy the cut, thus de¬ 
scribes the Suckler: 
“It is simply a tin vessel, holding a few 
quarts of milk, with a gutta percha teat se¬ 
cured over the rim of the tub beneath. This 
teat has in it a valve, through which the fluid 
within is drawn out by a slight pressure simi¬ 
lar to that of the calf’s jaws, or of the hand in 
milking. It also has a handle by which to 
suspend to a hook in the stable or yard, so 
that the calf may go to it at pleasure. It 
seems to us that this simple calf suckler may 
be found highly useful and convenient, and 
gave much of the time and the trouble requir¬ 
ed for feeding in the ordinary way. The 
slower process also of drawing out the milk in 
the natural way by suction, rather than to 
drink it by mouthfuls, mixes it better with the 
saliva, and produces more benefit.” 
Commmuratictts. 
THE ONE POTATO CROP. 
Friend Moore I regret exceedingly that 
it did not occur to me to make the proposition 
to test the productiveness of the different va¬ 
rieties of potatoes at an earlier day, as very 
many who would have entered the list had al¬ 
ready planted; and in fact it was too late to 
give every sort a fair trial. But as it is, a 
goodly number have sent in their names, being 
particularly anxious to see embodied the ex¬ 
perience of potato growers all over our coun¬ 
try. Persons who have not entered the list 
as competitors, may give some useful hints, 
facts, and well-tested experiments which have 
come under their own knowledge and observa¬ 
tion, in relation to the different kinds of po¬ 
tatoes—the productiveness qualities for eatiDg 
or feeding ; Early, Medium and Late;—the 
best manner and time of planting, and after 
culture; soil best adapted ; proper time to 
dig ; causes and preventives of rot; anything 
and everything connected with this valuable 
and indispensable vegetable that is deemed in¬ 
teresting, and especially noticing any new va ■ 
rieties that promise to be acquisitions, as well 
as old sorts that have nearly been lost sight of. 
For instance, the Old Red Potato, known by 
some as the “ Nova Scotia Red,” the best po¬ 
tato of its day, (thirty years ago.) This po¬ 
tato may still be in existence; if so, thousands 
would be glad to be informed of the fact, and 
to have it passed around again. According 
to my recollection, this potato was large, very 
productive and hardy, flesh very white, skin 
scarlet, and for table use late in spring was 
decidedly the best variety known at that 
time. 
We also request our agricultural friends to 
give us notice of any articles that are new, or 
have been lately introduced from foreign 
countries—their qualities, adaptation to our 
soil, climate, &c. Also, experiments in the 
culture of vines, such as melons, cucumbers, 
squashes, &c., and which of the thousand and 
one remedies to prevent the depredations of 
bug3 and worms, have been found the best.— 
There are a great many things daily occuring 
to individuals through chance or search, and 
which are worthy to be made known for the 
benefit of others. The experience of many 
persons, on different subjects embodied in the 
proposed report, will put us in possession of 
knowledge that would take an individual half 
a century to acquire by other means hence we 
want reliable experiments. 
All who contribute to its compilation will 
receive a copy of the report by mail, and all 
experimenters and close observers of Nature 
in the vegetable department are invited to do 
so. It is desirable to have all contributions 
on these subjects forwarded as soon as first of 
November next. This report will be valua¬ 
ble and interesting in exact proportion to the 
number and character of the contributions and 
subjects treated. It is now designed that it 
shall not be confined to potatoes alone, but 
will embrace anything a contributor may fur¬ 
nish that shall seem to be of real va’ue to the 
public. 
And now, friends, let us hear from you, and 
let our motto be, “Teach one another.” Com¬ 
munications may be addressed, “ free,” to 
I. W. Briggs, Postmaster, 
West Macedon, Wayne Co., N. Y. 
THE HESSIAN FLY. 
An article in a late number of the Rural 
on this subject, says :—“ The Hessian Fly 
lays its eggs near the root of the wheat in the 
autumn, and the maggot, which soon is hatch¬ 
ed, takes its residence just above the lower 
joint of the stalk, causing it to enlarge and 
yield its nutritious juice to the animal. In 
due time the maggot becomes a chrysalis, like 
a flax-seed, and changes into a fly, whose body 
is about one tenth o! an inch long, and whose 
wings expand about a fourth of an inch.” 
Now, this language does not appear to me 
to be sufficiently plain to put farmers on the 
right track for the destruction of the little in¬ 
sects. They lay their eggs in the grooves, on 
the upper side of the blades of the young 
wheat, where they lie a few days, then hatch, 
become maggots, and crawl down between the 
blade and the stem, where they change their 
form, and lie until the first growing weather 
in Bpring, when they hatch and become an¬ 
other brood of parent flies. These lay their 
eggs in spring, and are the ones that are in 
the wheat at harvest There are consequently 
two brood 3 each year, the fall and winter one 
domg much the most damage. I have had 
one field entirely destroyed by them before I 
understood their ways. I have had one at¬ 
tacked since, and saved it by turning on sheep 
while the eggs were still on the blades. The 
flies may be seen at their work by examining 
a field of wheat on a sunny day in the month 
of September, for they only work in the sun. 
The eggs, too, are easily seen in the shape of 
little yellow specks, by drawing a blade over 
the finger and looking closely. The insects 
may easily be hatched to a fly, and examined, 
by taking up a bunch of green wheat that has 
them in, (early in the spring,) and enclosing 
it in a glass. Wheat that has them in may 
easily be recognized by its dark green, un¬ 
healthy appearance. 
I sow my wheat between the fifteenth and 
t wentieth of September, in order to escape the 
fly as much as possible, and insure a healthy 
growth. In the spring, if the weather is clear, 
and the flies deposit great numbers of eggs 
upon the blades, I turn on my sheep while 
they are on the blades, for they canuot be 
reached after going down on to the stalk. 
C. W. Woolston. 
Perinton, N. Y., August, 1865. 
UNDERDHATNING —A QUERY. 
Allow me to propound the query — Is 
there not a tendency in some of our agricul¬ 
tural writers to urge the benefit to be derived 
from underdraiuing to an undue extent? I 
am aware I may lay myself open to the charge 
of “ fogyism,” or of being “ behind the times, ’ 
by starting a question of this nature,—but 
when we have writers who seem to carry the 
idea that it is beneficial on any soil, and to 
any extent, would it not be well for some of 
us farmers to bear in mind some of the by¬ 
gone speculations, such as “ Moris Multicau- 
lis,” “ Rohan Potato,” and other extravagant 
notions into which we have been duped. Or 
am I wrong ? Is this an exception, and 
is it indeed one of those features in cgricul 
ture which can be beneficially carried to al¬ 
most any extent ? Is it to be, as one of your 
contemporaries recently remarked “ one of 
the most powerful modern agents of renova¬ 
ting cur soil ?” I confess myself undecided 
about the matter, but perhaps a little inclined 
to be sceptical. 
There can of course be no question in re¬ 
gard to its practicability in soils decidedly 
wet. But where land is so only in a slight 
degree—where perhaps we have a soil the na¬ 
ture of which we should call a little heavy— 
could it not be improved as easily and as ef¬ 
fectually by manuring and complete pulveri¬ 
zation, and with far less expense? Let us go 
for improvement to its utmost extent in farm¬ 
ing, but let u3 do it judiciously, and not be 
led into a course which we may seriously re¬ 
pent of at some future day. 
Lakeville, Conn., Aug., 1855. Wm. J. Pjotek. 
DESTROY YOUR WEEDS. 
Never too Early—Never too Late. 
It is the first point of our text that we 
think the most of, but it is now out of date, 
and like the,??tora? law in military and politi¬ 
cal campaigns, it must lie over. 
My men are now engaged (it being a wet 
day—Aug. 23 ; ) in mowing, and collecting 
wads, thistles, &c., into heaps, where they 
may either be covered or taken up and car¬ 
ried into the barn-yard. Weeds that would 
mature their seeds if cut and left to dry on 
the surface of the ground, if collected in heaps 
and covered would fail to do so. If the seeds 
should sprout they would probably be killed 
by the winter and not damage the succeeding 
crop. Cut or pull all your weeds immediate¬ 
ly. Cover them with earth, and thus convert 
them into manure, and make them useful. 
n. t. b. 
Raising Onions. —The onion crop is an 
expensive one, when time, seed and manure 
are included ; yet it affords a pretty fair profit 
where a good market is close at hand. The 
Wethersfield onion lands, near Hartford, 
Conn., have yielded remunerative crops for 
many years in succession ; and one reason is, 
perhaps, that a large share of the labor, after 
the grounds have been fitted, is performed by 
females. The system of cultivation there 
adopted is to spread thoroughly decomposed 
manure, the preceding Autumn, on a pulver¬ 
ized soil, and turn under comparatively shal¬ 
low. Between the first and middle of April 
the seed is sown, and as soon as the plants are 
above ground the weeding commences. In 
August the harvesting begins, and sometimes 
continues a month or more. The yield per 
acre is usually about five hundred bushels.— 
We will wager a small amount that a tear or 
two trickles.down some cheek before such an 
onion crop is harvested ! Where a small plat 
is reserved for an onion bed, the best manure 
is the contents of a chip-yard. Turned under, 
either spring or fall, it mixes readily with the 
soil, and seems peculiarly adapted to the 
growth of the plants.—W. E. C. K., Wilton, 
N. Y. 
Tiie Osage Orange.— Will you or some of 
your readers, state in the Rural to what ex¬ 
tent the Osage Orange needs protection from 
cattle and sheep ? How long must they grow 
before stock will cease to browse them?— 
(provided cattle eat the plants at all.) I 
have a field of fifty acres to sow in wheat this 
fall. Shall want to feed the stubble of course; 
would like, however, to plant a hedge on one 
side of it next spring. The next crop will be 
corn, and then wheat and clover directly after. 
The land is rich, and newly broke this year. 
My object is to grow as much of a hedge as 
possible with the three successive crops.—C. 
Hoyt, Emmett, Calhoun Co., Mich. 
Sprouted Wheat is Good for Seed.— The 
following testimony on this point—the result 
of an experiment by one of the best farmers 
in Western New York—i3 both timely and 
valuable : 
Friend Moork :—The excessive wet weather 
in harvest sprouted so much of the wheat in 
this section, that many of the farmers are 
very anxious to procure sound wheat for seed. 
I can assure them that they need not be so¬ 
licitous on that account, for wheat that has 
been sprouted will germinate as freely a sec¬ 
ond time as it did the first, and with equal 
vigor. To test the fact, on the 17th of this 
month I took some of the worst sprouted 
wheat that I had ; every kernel of it had 
grown, and it was so thoroughly dry that the 
sprouts all rubbed off. I put it into rich soil 
of suitable moisture. On the fifth day much 
of it made its appearance, and now, on the 
eighth day, many of the spears are three 
inches long, and as strong and as vigorous as 
I ever saw young shoots of wheat. Every 
kernel of it has grown. 
Yours, W. Garbutt. 
Wheatland, Aug. 25, 1S55. 
Prairie Farmer. —It is with unfeigned re¬ 
gret that we find, in its last number, an an¬ 
nouncement of the proposed retirement of 
J. A. Wight, E3q.,.from the editorial manage¬ 
ment of this excellent journal. Air. W. has 
long deservedly ranked among the very 
ablest, as he is one of the most independent 
and reliable, A-g ricultural editors in this coun¬ 
try. The press, and community, can ill afford 
to lose the services of a man who has rendered 
himself eminently useful in a position long 
occupied. The proprietor of the Farmer, Air. 
J. S. W right, proposes to change it to a weekly 
next year—a good idea for the cause and com¬ 
munity, but somewhat arduous and expensive 
in accomplishment, as we can attest from ex¬ 
perience. Dr. Kknnicott is to continue as 
Horticultural editor, for which position he i3 
eminently qualified. 
The Walworth Co. (Wis.) Ag. Society 
holds its next Fair at Flkhorn, on the 12th 
and 13th of this month. We learn from I’. 
S. Carver, Esq., one of its officers, that the 
Society has procured suitable grounds for the 
permanent location of its Fairs in E’khorn. 
The Society is in a very prosperous condition, 
as might be expected, for Walworth is one of 
the richest and best farmed Counties in the 
West. The fact that over one hundred copies 
of the Rural are taken in a single township 
indicates the improving and progressive char¬ 
acter of the people. It should be added, how¬ 
ever, that we are indebted to the enterprising 
and influential gentleman above named for in¬ 
troducing the paper to such general support 
in his locality. 
That Broom, or article on “ Broom Corn 
and Brooms,” in our last number, was not 
properly constructed, owing to a “ mistake of 
the printer.” For instance, in the fecond 
paragraph, instead of reading “ take the sieves 
and fan of an old fanning mill,” Sec., it should 
read “ take the sieves and fan out of an old 
fanning mill,” Ac. Again, in last paragraph, 
where it reads “wind your corn on and you are 
ready for labor,” &c., it should read, “ wind 
your cord (or twine) on,” Sec. 
The AIonrok County Fair is to be held at 
Spencerport, on the 20th and 21st of Septem¬ 
ber, instant. Extensive preparations are 
being made, and one of the most creditable 
shows ever held in the County may, we think, 
be anticipated. We trust every farmer, hor¬ 
ticulturist, artisan, and house-wife interested 
will endeavor to enhance the interest and use¬ 
fulness of the exhibition. See card of the 
Committee of Arrangements, on news page. 
Fall Plowing. —Don’t forget to plow thi3 
fall, what ground you intend for spring crops 
next year. Even upon exhausted lands, a 
deep furrow in the fall, and the action of the 
frost during the winter, will insure a remune¬ 
rative crop; but the same ground turned over 
late in the spring will almost invariably result 
in a failure. 1 often think, when I see a man 
neg'ecting this most important part of a sea¬ 
son's labor, that there are many Rn* Van 
Winkle farmers— asleep. They have hung 
their guns, and their shot-pouches on the limb 
of a sapliug, and will wake up, after a twenty 
years nap, and find them dangling from the 
branches of a tree. Rouse up, then, and keep 
awake long enough to turn over a few acres 
for the next spring crops. It will pay a hand¬ 
some profit.—w. e. c. K. 
Wire Fencing. —Can you, or any of your 
readers, state -where wire-webbing for fences 
can be oWtained, and the price per yard, or 
rod ? I have heard that such an article is 
made in New England, and wish to learn par¬ 
ticulars. As there are probably many others 
interested, I hope some one posted will furnish 
the desired information through the Rural. 
Would prefer to hear from some one who has 
tried the article.— t. d. m. 
STATE FAIRS FOR 1855. 
New York, at F-lmira. 
.Oct. 2, 8, 4, 5 
Ohio, at Columbus. 
.Sept. 18, 19, 20, 21 
Pennsylvania, at llarrisburgh . 
.Sept. 25. 26, 27 
Michigan, at Detroit. 
Illinois, at Chicago. 
.Oct. 9. 10, 11, 12 
Iowa, at Fairfield... 
.Oct. 10 
Missouri, at Boonville,. 
.Oct. 2, 3, 4. 5 
Indiana, at Indianapolis. 
.Oct. 16, 17, 18, 19 
Vermont, at Rutland. 
.Sept. 11, 12, 13 
New Hampshire, at Manchester 
.Sept. 12, 13, 14 
Rhode Island, at Providence,.. 
.Sept. 11 to 15 
“ “ Horse and Cattle, do 
New Jersey, at Camden. 
.Sept. 19, 20, 21 
Connecticut, at Hartford. 
.Oct. 9, 10, 11, 12 
do (Western) at Wboeliug 
.Sept. 26, 27. 38 
Marvland. at Baltimore. 
Georgia, at Atalanta. 
.Sept. 10, 11, 12 
North Carolina, at Raleigh, .... 
.Oct. 16, 17, 18, 19 
Alabama, at Montgomery.. 
.Oct. 23, 24, 26, 26 
Tennessee, at Nashville. 
.Oct., first week 
do (East) at London.... 
.Oct. 23, 24, 25 
Canada F.ast, at Sherbrooke_ 
.Sept. 11, 12, 13, 14 
Canada West, at Cobourg. 
.Oct. 9,10, 11, 12 
N. Y. County Fairs.—AV e give below the 
times and places of holding County Ag. 
Fairs in this State the present fall, so far as 
yet ascertained : 
Albany, at Albany.September 25 to 27 
Cayuga, at Auburn. 12 to 13. 
Chautauque, at Westfield. “ 12,13. 
Cortland, at Homer,. “ 25 to 27. 
Clinton, at Plattsburgh,. << _ 
Delaware, at Hobart,. “ 19, 20. 
Dutchess, at Washington Hollow,. “ 25, 26. 
Erie, at East Hamburgh,. “ 11,12. 
Franklin, at Malone,. “ 19 to 21 
Fulton k Hamilton, at Fonda’s Bush.. “ 19. 
Genesee, at Batavia. . 
Herkimer, at Frankfort.September 27, 28. 
Jefferson, at Watertown. “ 19,20. 
Livingston, at Geneseo,. “ 27,28. 
Lewis, at Turin,. “ 26, 27. 
Monroe, at Spencorport. “ 20, 21. 
Niagara, at Lockport.October 19, 20. 
Onondaga, at Syracuse.September 19 to 21 
Ontario, at Canandaigua. “ 25, 26. 
Oneida, at Rome,. “ 25 to 27 
Oswego, at Mexico,. “ 26, 27. 
Otsego, at Cooperstown,.October 10, 11. 
Putnam, at Carmel,.September 18, 19. 
Queens, at Flushiug,. “ 20. 
Rensselaer, at Lansingburgh. “ 18 to 20. 
St. Lawrence, at Canton . “ 26 to 28. 
Saratoga, at.. “ 11 to 13. 
Steuben, at Bath. “ 26 to 28. 
Seneca, at Farmersville,.October 10 to 12. 
Tompkins, at Ithaca.September 27, 28. 
Washing!**, at Cambridge,.. “ 5,6. 
Wyoming, at-,. “ 26, 27. 
Wayne, at Lyons.October 9 to 11. 
The North-Western Fruit Growers’As¬ 
sociation holds its next Annual Meeting at 
Burlington, Iowa, on the 25th of September, 
instant. It will continue in session four days. 
The object of the Association is to promote 
the growth of fruit trees and fruit in the 
North-AVestern States of the Union. It is 
composed of nurserymen and fruit-gro were in 
those States, who invite the co-operation and 
attendance of all who approve of this object. 
The Committee of Arrangements solicit 
contributions of specimens of such fruits as 
are indigeneous to or are cultivated in the re¬ 
spective localities of contributors in all parts 
of the Union. Also papers giving experience 
as to the diseases of fruits ; the insects which 
infest them, &c., so as to increase the amount 
of information collected on these subjects. 
P. Barry, Esq., of this city, late Editor of 
the Horticulturist, is to address the Associa¬ 
tion. He will exhibit specimens of the fruits 
of AA r estern New York. Mr. E. E. Gay, of 
Burlington, Iowa, takes charge of all speci¬ 
mens and communications. 
Fall Turnips. —This is an important crop, 
and it should not be overlooked by farmers.— 
A sufficient quantity of fall turnips can gen¬ 
erally be obtained from head lands, moist 
places in corn fields, when the crop of corn is 
thin ; and genera’ ly among corn when its 
growth is not too large and the corn is 
not planted too closely. From the 20th 
of July to the 15th of August -is the best 
time to sow. If the land is plowed ten days 
before sowing, the better, as the turnip fly is 
by that means de3troyed. The ground should 
be well prepared, and manured with guano 
or superphosphate of lime. The purple top 
turnip is in our judgment decidedly the best, 
and if the seed be drilled in rows thirty inches 
apart, and the plants thinned out to six inches 
apart, an abundant crop of fine large turnips 
may be calculated on —Germantown Tel. 
Sheep. —Poor fences will teach ewes and 
wethers to jump, as well as rams, and for a 
jumping/oc/: there is no remedy but immode¬ 
rately high lences, or extirpation. One 
jumper will soon teach the trick to a whole 
flock, and if one by chance is brought in, it 
should be immediately hoppled or killed. The 
last is by far the surest and safest remedy.— 
So says Randall. 
Good Soils.— A soil should not be too 
loose, or it will leach ; nor too tenacious, or 
the roots of plants cannot penetrate it, and 
spread; if too tenacious, it prevents oxygen 
from enterirg it, which is necessary to form 
carbonic acid, by uniting with the carbon, or 
vegetable matter in the soil, and to oxydizs 
the metals in the earth. 
Twitch Grass for Hats. —This grass, 
which is beginning to be cultivated in some 
parts of this country, is highly commended 
for braiding. AVhile it is in blossom, cut off 
the upper joint, and proceed with it in the 
same manner as with rye or other kinds of 
straw. It bleaches white, and will be found 
tougher than the straw of either wheat or oats. 
The Agricultural and Mechanical Associa¬ 
tion of Bristol, Ontario Co., will hold its 
next Fair and Cattle Show at “ Muttouville,” 
on the 18th of September 
