390 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER; AN AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
supply human wants in some other directions. 
What our teams suffer from had roads ought to 
be mentioned. The generous instincts of an¬ 
imals prompt them to agonizing efforts to 
overcome the obstacles which our culpable 
negligence has left in their way—prematurely 
broken down in spirit, in limb and in wind, 
they rise up in judgment against us. 
Let public spirited citizens enlist in this 
thing. Commence at the worst places and 
make thorough work as you go. Enough has 
been expended on some roads in putting soft 
dirt into mud holes to Macadamize them the whole 
length. Where stones are plenty, put a layer of 
large ones at the' bottom, then smooth off 
with small ones—fill up the interstices with 
still smaller, that may be picked up or bro¬ 
ken. Cover the whole with good coarse 
gravel, (the only dirt that ever should be put 
on a road, even if it has to be imported from 
Europe and pay duty,) and you have a road 
which will never be very bad —(the hills being 
disposed of as above) provided it has seasona¬ 
ble attention. In roads, as in morals, the be¬ 
ginning of evil has to be guarded against—it 
is easier to fill a small hole than a large one. 
This will probably be disputed by our town 
authorities, but I am perfectly satisfied I could 
prove it if I had time—(I write in haste.)— 
All clay, mucky and marshy grounds require 
their roads to have a stone underpinning. 
In the dearth of employment that threat¬ 
ens us, the roads may properly be attended to 
—there is no limit to the labor that can 
profitably be employed in this department.— 
The poor of the cities may be set to work, 
and the granaries of the country are compe¬ 
tent to feed them. Humanity seconds the 
suggestions of pYofit and policy. h. t. b. 
THE POULTRY HOUSE. 
On the first page is given a perspective 
view of a poultry house, with the lawn adja¬ 
cent, taken from Allen’s Rural Architecture; 
and we give below the ground plan and a con¬ 
densed description. 
The hen-house should be located in a shel¬ 
tered and sunny place, with abundant grounds 
around it where they can graze and scratch at 
their pleasure. This design is of a rustic 
character, and may be built with more or less 
of ornament and expense as the owner desires. 
Its length, we will say, is 20 feet, its breadth 
16, and its height 10 feet. The posts are set 
into the ground—for we do not like floors and 
sills of wood, because rats are apt to burrow 
under them, and are the worst pests of the 
poultry house—and boarded up either inside 
or outside, but not double. Plates connect 
the posts firmly together, and support the 
rafters as usual. The chamber floor is nine 
feet above the ground, and may be used for 
nests or as a store room for their feed. The 
roof projects boldly as a shelter to the walks, 
and through the centre of the roof is an or¬ 
namented ventilator. The windows are rep 
resented with diamond panes; common sash 
would be more suitable,—the front windows 
are large to attract the warmth of the winter 
sun. A section of picket fence is shown, also 
trees in the rear—both of which are necessary 
to a complete establishment; the first to se¬ 
cure the poultry in the contiguous yards, and 
the trees to give them shade, and even roosting 
places in warm weather, for which we con¬ 
sider them eminently wholesome. 
The wooden floor is dispensed with—if the 
ground be gravelly or sandy, that will be suf¬ 
ficiently dry. If on a heavy or damp soil, it 
should be underdrained, which will effectually 
dry it, and be better for the fowls than a floor 
of wood, brick or stone. Doors for the en¬ 
trance of the poultry, can be placed near the 
ground, huDg on the upper side, to be closed 
when necessary. 
the floor, the highest 6 feet, that the fowls 
may fly easily from one to another. Slender 
poles from the woods, with the bark on, about 
two inches in diameter, may be used, and they 
should be secured through auger holes in 
board slats suspended from the floor joists 
over head. This room should be cleared out 
every two weeks, at least. 
The feeding troughs, any box which will 
hold their food and allow them easy access to 
it, is just as good as the complicated affairs 
sometimes employed. And for common feed¬ 
ing there is no better mode than to scatter 
abroad their corn on a clean surface, and let 
them pick it up at pleasure. Water should 
be kept constantly by them, and if a small 
running stream can pass through the yard all 
the better. 
INTERIOR ARRANGEMENT. 
The front door opens into the living room, 
around three sides of which are tiers of boxes, 
one foot wide, one and a half feet in length 
and height—the lowest tier elevated two feet 
above the ground,—and built one tier above 
the other and snugly partitioned between, 
with a hole at one corner of each, 10 by 8 
inches, for passing into them, and a shelf or 
passage board, nine inches wide in front of 
each tier for passing into the boxes. These 
are for nesting, and should be kept supplied 
with short, soft straw or hay, for that pur¬ 
pose. If turkeys are kept on the same 
grounds, a tier of larger boxes may be placed 
underneath. 
A door leads from the rear of this room 
into the roosting department, through which 
is a passage to the back side of the building, 
and a door opposite leading out into the yard. 
On each side of this passage are roosts rising 
each above, and behind the other 18 inches 
apart. The lowest roosts may be 3 feet above 
“ Still,” said he, “ I cannot doubt what my j too, those countries where the culture of the 
neighbors say — and I have looked at their soil is imperfectly understood — Portugal, 
cattle and hogs, fed on both raw and cooked Spain, Greece and Italy—are they not poor, 
apples, and cannot deny but they were doing an d weak, and despised ? Be alive, then, 
well. I must try it myself again, if I every farmers, to your true interests. Let every 
get time. Mr. F. would tell me, I suppose, succeeding year behold more thorough and 
there were apples enough now lying frost- scientific tillage, greater endeavors to master 
bitten in my orchard, to do my stock $100 
worth of good, the coming winter.” 
every branch of your occupation, and more 
abundant harvests, and all the advantages 
Resolved, That apples are worth ten cents that flow therefrom.will surely follow, 
a bushel simply for feeding cattle, swine, and Perinton, 1866. g. f. w. 
horses ; was voted upon and affirmed, ten to -- 
two-asm.ny more not voting. Aptultlintl 
“Wintering Milch Cows,” was made the ^ 
subject for the next meeting, two weeks later. 
Some further information was given on fall- Tiie Weatugr has been remarkably fair 
plowing, Mr. T. stating that two years since acd mild duriD S the P Mt tw0 weeks ’ con8ider " 
he plowed a stubble lot for oats, but it seemed 1D ^ the . seasoa ' The la8t da ? of November 
OUR FARMERS’ CLUB-APPLES FOR STOCK. 
It is Tuesday evening, the night for the 
second meeting of “ Our Farmers’ Ciub,” and 
there is a goodly gathering of the “ friends of 
the movement,” at the school-house. After 
some preliminary remarks, Mr. A. proposed 
the enrollment of the names of those who 
would “ stand by ” the Club, and furnish 
means to defray the necessary expenses. The 
“dimes” were promptly forthcoming, and 
then “Apples for Stock ” was taken up, ac¬ 
cording to previous notice. It would be easy 
to give an extended account, but your limits 
forbid, so I will put on “ the condenser.” 
“ This fall,” said Mr. B., “ our orchard, for 
two years in meadow, was capital Led, so I 
thought I would turn in the sheep, for their 
pasture was getting pretty short. There 
were a good many apples on the ground—the 
sheep did not touch them at first, but browsed 
the leaves off the apple trees as high as they 
could reach. Soon they commenced at the 
apples, and eat what they chose, but I observ¬ 
ed that they did not gain in flesh as I expected, 
and some of the flock rather lost it than other¬ 
wise. They were in the orchard some three 
weeks, and I came to the conclusion that it 
was poor policy to give an unlimited supply 
of apples to sheep, though they might answer 
well as an occasional sauce to their winter 
food.” 
“ Mr. B’s. trial,” remarked our teacher, 
“seems to show, 1st, that sheep will readily 
learn to eat apples, and soon become very 
fond of them, and 2d, that on apples alone 
they will not thrive. I passed through his 
orchard at the time, and noticed that the 
app’es seemed to have a very laxative effect, 
and I think their eating too many was the 
cause of the injury supposed to have been 
received. A more definite experiment would 
be a more decisive one.” 
Mr. B. said, “I have put a few wagon 
loads of apples into my barn-cellar, for tne 
use of my stock this winter, aod shall be bet¬ 
ter qualified to speak of them by and by.” 
“ I am only a boy, I know,” said George 
A., “but since I first read newspapers I have 
read those of an agricultural character with 
great interest. And six years ago this sub 
ject was mentioned in the Albany Cultivator , 
then edited by Mr. Howard, who remarked : 
‘ A peck of apples per day, fed to a cow, has 
been found to add more than a quart to the 
daily quantity of milk, besides greatly increas¬ 
ing its richness, as well as improving the 
condition of the cow. The effect of apples is 
equally favorable to other stock. Horses 
fatten on them, and their coats assume the 
brilliancy which hardly any other food will 
give them. For all stock they answer the 
same purpose as vegetables, in preventing 
costiveness, which is likely to ensue from the 
exclusive use of dry food, and in this way, 
and by the nourishment they contain, they 
contribute much to the animal’s thrift.’— 
There is also an account of an experiment for 
ascertaining their value as compared with 
potatoes, which proved them fully equal, when 
cooked and prepared in the same manner, for 
fattening swine.” 
“ I have made considerable use of apples in 
feeding and fattening stock,” said Mr. F. 
“ and am well satisfied of their value. When 
cooked and mixed with bran or meal (I use 
bran alone this year) they are equal to pota 
toes treated in the same way, for fattening 
swine. And the fattest beef I ever saw, was 
a heifer, fed one bushel of apples per day from 
August last until within a few weeks of 
slaughtering, when she had corn in the et r. I 
bought a quarter of her beef, and am satisfied 
that good fat beef can be made from apples 
One of my neighbors feeds his horse on apples 
and hay, and it is in excellent condition, fat 
and sleek—his coat very smooth and fine. In 
regard to Mr. B's. sheep, I think they eat 
sour apples, which made their teeth sore, so 
they would not eat grass as well, and apples 
alone are not a perfect diet for any animal.” 
Mr. H. remarked that he had long been of 
the opinion that apples were of very little 
value for feeding stock ; that he did not know 
how they might go cooked, but raw he had 
tried them to some extent, and concluded 
them not worth the trouble of feeding out. I 
so hard in the spring that he commenced to re¬ 
plow. A heavy rain came on before it was 
finished, so that he sowed part without plow- 
was bright and balmy, and Winter opened 
smilingly — the sky and atmosphere being 
more characteristic of May than December. 
ing again, and that part produced far the These warffl and P leasant da ? 8 P roved of 
best crop. r n b g reat *° farmers whose fall work had 
Niagara Co., n. y. been unusually delayed by unpropitious 
--weather,—and of course all wise husbandmen 
THE WILD MEXICAN POTATO, &C. bave improved every moment to the best ad- 
- vantage. Pleasant this, compared with the 
Eds. Rural :—I will now give you an ac- first week of December, last year—for then 
count of my experience with the “ Wild the Icy King had taken full possession, the 
Mexican Potato ” seed and tubers, which you snow being some four feet deep, and the rail- 
sent me last spring. I divided the tubers roads nearly blockaded for days in succession! 
with a friend, and let him have all the seed. -— ♦♦ _ 
My tubers were planted in my garden , not Agricultural Journals. —Changes have 
early, nor very late five came up. The tops recently been made in the proprietorship and 
died nearly as soon as other potatoes, about management of several Agricultural journals, 
the first of September. I dug them the last w hiie others have been discontinued for want 
ofthatmoiffh. I found a few diseased ; some 0 f support. Though writing from memory, 
all soft. Those nearest the top of the ground an( j hastily, we will endeavor to briefly chron- 
were most diseased ; which I thin c is gener- j c [ e the mutations of our contemporaries : 
ally the case with all potatoes. The ground mi mi v . . , 
.I />i, , -A. .i , , 6 The Valley farmer is to enter upon its next 
was literally filled with them, but they were , A ., , , , n 
, ,, „ J volume under the proprietorship of N. J. Col- 
nearly all as small as those I planted. Not MAN _ with whom will be associated, in con- 
a half dozen were larger than some iu the seed, ducting it, E. Abbott, Esq., former editor, 
I saved about a pint of them. I wish to and II. P. Byram, Esq., well and favorably 
plant a few of the largest of them next year; known as the Agricultural editor of the Lou- 
the rest I do not care about, if anyone would isville Journal. It is to be issued simultane- 
THE WILD MEXICAN POTATO, &c. 
South-Down Sheep for the West.— 
There passed along in the Western Express of 
last week six splendid South-Down Ewes, di¬ 
rected to Hon. John Wentworth, Chicago, 
for the farm of the Illinois Breeding Associa¬ 
tion at the Summit, Cook Co., Ill. Three of 
them were imported direct from the herd of 
Jonas Webb, in England, and three were 
raised from the stock of Col. Lewis G. Morris, 
also imported from the stock of Mr. Webb.— 
The ewes were all in lamb by the celebrated 
ram “Young York,” which took the prize at 
the Royal Agricultural Show in England, at 
the New York State Fair, and also at the late 
National Fair held at Boston. He is now 
the property of Col. Morris. 
Good Stock for Orleans Co. —Mr. H. 
Bowen, Jr., has recently removed from Sen- 
nett, Cayuga, to Medina, Orleans Co., with 
his fine herd of Hereford cattle and several 
superior Cotswold sheep. He proposes to 
give his principal attention to stock breeding, 
&c. Mr. B.’s reputation as a progressive 
farmer, aud breeder of good stock, renders 
him a valuable accession to the friends of 
improvement in Orleans, and we think it more 
than probable he will convince many farmers 
in the vicinity of his new location, that it is 
more profitable to grow less wheat, and give 
greater attention to breeding, grazing, &c. 
like them. 
My friend planted his in ground that had 
ously at St. Louis and Louisville—our friend 
Byram attending to its interests in the last 
not been plowed in some time, and rather named locality. A good arrangement. 
rich—an old sheep pasture. Those from the The-Wisconsin Farmer, formerly published 
seed were of about the same size as those from by Hark Miller, has been purchased by D. 
tubers, which were about like mine — they P° WERS and E - ML Skinner, by whom it is 
were also diseased about the same. On the to be conducted in future. We believe these 
whole, we do not think their prospect is very »"> “ th “ bellows," 
Untterirg, bnt shall try them another year.- “ d fear * her ba ™ ° sad ‘“T «^eam from 
„ ° , .: , „ / the most expensive of all teachers—Expe- 
Oar crop was not quite so bulky, at least, as - . 
the one a man in this town raised, and exhib¬ 
it e most expensive of all teachers—Expe¬ 
rience. They promise improvements, and we 
presume the Farmer will merit, what we sin- 
ited at our Town Fair (Lebanon.) He cerely wish it, much greater success than it 
planted five potatoes, one eye in each hill, has hitherto achieved. 
which produced 12% bushels of large, nice The Ohio Cultivator, as noticed last week, 
potatoes. He called them “ the Wood’s va- has passed into the hands of Col. S. D. Harris. 
riety.” The Pennsylvanian Farm Journal has been 
A squash was exhibited there also, which purchased by Samuel Emlen & Co. J. L. Dar 
measured six feet and eight inches in circum- llngton is succeeded in its editorial manage 
ference, and weighed one hundred and seventy- ment by David A. Wells, A. M., with A. M. 
three pounds. Spangler as associate. Mr. Wells has already 
I wish to protest against the practice of made his mark in the annals of science - and 
ving Ladies’ Riding Matches at our Agri- we welcome him ^ k^rahle but too of- 
,, , T-, . . , . , ten ill-recompensed profession he has chosen. 
ltural Fairs, as uot only incompatible with 
• , • , A ,. w, • Li v The Country Gentleman, and The Cultivator, will 
e primary object o a Fan-, but a, exreed- ^ bllshe i „ LoTHtK lccK ’ lR & 
gly dangerous. A lady was throw, from So „ The jun|oI partneri Mr L „ InM n 
r horse m this (Madison) County, but did Pucker, is a young gentleman of enterprise 
having Ladies’ Riding Matches at our Agri¬ 
cultural Fairs, as not only incompatible with 
the primary object of a Fair, but a3 exceed¬ 
ingly dangerous. A lady was thrown from 
her horse in this (Madison) County, but did 
not happen to get hurt seriously. Another and ability, and has, we believe, been hereto- 
fell in Chenango Co., and was badly stunned, fore associated in the management of the 
and was thought for some time to have been business in which he now assumes a proprie- 
seriously hurt. I have talked with several in tary interest. We cordially extend the right 
rrgard to this practice, and have heard no one hand of fellowship to the new firm—wishing 
approve, but all expressed decided disappro- R a loD g career of prosperity and usefulness. 
bation. 
Earlville. N, Y., Nov., 18B5. 
P. C. Buel. 
BOOK FARMING. 
It is gratifying to perceive at the present 
day, that the old prejudices against books on 
Both journals will, we doubt not, merit large 
and wide circulation—and, under the control 
of the gentlemen named, with J. J. Thomas 
as associate editor, their subscription lists 
ought to be doubled within the year ensuing. 
The Genesee Farmer has passed into the 
hands of Jas. Vick, Jr., Dr. Lee retiring,to a 
farming and agricultural journals are fast Professorship in Georgia. From our former 
giving way, and more just and enlightened connection with this pioneer journal—aDd 
sentiments takiDg hold of the minds of the the fact that it has, as often claimed by its 
American people. The country has no high- late proprietor, graduated many of the most 
er interests than those of the farmer. What¬ 
ever is written or spoken that tends to in¬ 
crease his knowledge of the various branches 
of his occupation, strengthens his judgment; 
and to diminish the most serious obstacles 
against which he has to contend, is a benefit 
successful agricultural editors in the country 
—we feel no little interest in its prosperity. 
We trust Mr. Vick will be able to resuscitate 
its former vitality and circulation, thus ren¬ 
dering it both useful and profitable. 
agiinLt Whickhe has tocontends UbTe'S _ The h former,J ' 
„ , , Brown & Crosby, has been purchased by Mr. 
not only to him, but to the whole country, 0kosbY( who propose8 to change it from a 
and in a measure, to the civilized world. And f 0 ii 0 to a quarto, and issue it hereafter under 
for him to reject valuable information, the the title of Green Mountain Farmer. The 
result of long study and experience, because farmers of the “ Green Mountain State” 
it comes in the form of a book, or in the col- should see that it is well sustained, 
limns of a newspaper, is as foolish as it would The American Agriculturist, weekly, was dis- 
be to c^st aside a modern plow because it has continued some time since. It is now issued 
more polish than those which his father used mOQ thly- R- L. Allen, Publisher, and O. B. 
before him. Judd, Conductor, as heretofore. 
The welfare ol a country depends almost ^ ^ ie Termer, conducted and published by 
wholly upon its farmers. If they are indus- Prof ' N . A8U ’ at Amherst, Mass., announces its 
, discontinuance with the December number, 
trious and intelligent, the nation will be pow- Ti , ... ,. , . _ 
, j T -i. j. .I . • Its subscription list is to be merged in that of 
ertu land prosperous. Is it not the superior the New E lmd F t0 Prof N 
skill in agriculture aud manufactures which will lecome a cont ,ibutor. 
has exalted England to her present power _ ,. , . _ 
and grandeur, supplying her with money to Wintering Colts.-Inquiry.-I would like 
carry on long and expensive wars, whereby to inquire of you or some of your subscribers, 
vast territories were acquired, and dangerous as to the fall and winter management of 
rivals checked in their career of advance- spring colts. From what kind of rack or 
ment—building her invincible navy which manger should they eat? Should they be 
time and again has protected her against dis- stabled all, or how much of the time, and 
astrous invasions, and sending forth upon the does it injure them to stand on a bare floor ? 
ocean her ships, which, encircling the globe, How much grain, and of what kind, should 
bring the wealth of every clime into the they be fed ?— Youthful Reader, Galway, 
hands of her merchant princes? Witness, N. Y., Nov., 1855. 
SUBSOIL PLOWING. 
Mr. G. W. Coffin of Dutchess Co., N. Y., 
gives some account of subsoil plowing on his 
farm, in the Transactions of the New York 
State Agricultural Society for 1854. In the 
extract which we give below, it will be seen 
that the results were various on different soils. 
It is to be regretted that Mr. C. had not 
shown us a comparison in the latter case to 
which he refers, based on the scale and half- 
bushel : 
“ I have used the subsoil plow on a portion 
of several lots of different soils, and for differ¬ 
ent kinds of grain; subsoiled one land of 
about sixty feet in width, green sward, slaty 
on one end, and limestone soil on the other ; 
left lands on each side without subsoilirg, 
planted to corn ; all treated alike otherwise, 
and no perceptible difference in the yield or 
growth at any time ; next year followed with 
oats ; no perceptible difference in this crop.— 
In another field, soil, limestone, loam and clay ; 
subsoil of an adhesive character ; land in corn 
the year before ; subsoiled one land, working 
to the depth of eighteen inches, and sowed to 
oats the whole field ; stuck stakes aud visited 
the ground often, but could never see a shade 
of difference in the color of the growing grain, 
nor in the quantity produced ; the stakes were 
all that marked the boundaries; same field 
sowed to wheat in the following fall, all plow¬ 
ed alike, showed no evidence of different treat¬ 
ment. 
“ In a field on another part of the farm, less 
loam and more clay in the soil; used the sub¬ 
soil plow to about the same depth on ODe 
land only; sowed the whole lot to oats, and 
could see soon after they came up, that on the 
land subsoiled they looked yellow and sickly 
for the first two weeks, but then began to im¬ 
prove, keeping on until they presented the 
same appearance as the rest of the lot; no one 
beiDg able to perceive any difference up to, 
the time of harvesting. On gatherirg, the 
difference was so apparent that one could have 
almost told with his eyes shut as soon as he 
came to this land. Although there was about 
the same growth of straw as on other portions, 
yet the bundles were much heavier and heads 
better filled. The amount produced by sub- 
soiling must have been as much as eight bush¬ 
els to the acre piore than where the common 
plow was used only. No perceptible differ¬ 
ence in the grass this last summer.” 
Sale of Texan Cattle. —We noticed the 
arrival some three weeks sines, of a large 
drove of cattle from the Guadaloupe bottom, 
Texas, which had been driven to this vincin- 
ity, for sale. The entire drove, consisting of 
about 1,200 head, have been sold, we under¬ 
stand, to Messrs. Nichols & Funk, extensive 
dealers of the neighboring country of Mo- 
Lean, for a little over $27,000. About 100 
of the Mexican ponies, with their colts, be¬ 
longing to the persons in charge of the cattle, 
have likewise been sold at prices ranging 
from $12 for the colts up to $60 for the best 
ponies. Our city offers the best market in 
the State for drovers having cattle to sell.— 
Springfield, III., Jour. 
Great Yield of Potatoes. — There were 
raised on a farm belonging to Philo Sanford, 
Esq , of this city, the past season, over sixty- 
five bushels of very superior potatoes from 
one barrel of seed. Another variety called 
the “ Lincoln Seedling,” produced at the rate 
of twelve hills to the bushel, from which fifty 
bushels might be selected, each potato weigh¬ 
ing upwards of a pound. Twenty-five were 
selected which weighed fifty-six and a quarter 
pounds .—Boston Journal. 
A New Wheat. —A clergyman of Hills¬ 
boro’, Oregon Territory, writing to the Com¬ 
missioner of Patents, states that he has dis¬ 
covered a new kind of grain, resembling 
wheat, which, if it will not make bread, will 
make excellent food for cattle. The grain is 
said to be very heavy—the heads yielding a 
hurdred fold each. Samples of this grain 
were received with a letter in Washington. 
Keep the .cattle from gras3 lands. Mead¬ 
ows are often left bare in cold weather, and if 
the gra°s is cropped close, the roots winter- 
kill. If grass is left on the ground, it fills 
with snow and protects the land, and it comes 
out much better in the spring. 
— ^ m - 
On light soils, crops may be greatly in¬ 
creased by rolling the land. 
