MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
him. Canandaigua is the beau ideal of a ru¬ 
ral town; here are princely mansions set in the 
midst of trees and ornamented grounds, with 
beautiful gardens in the rear, as though taste 
and comfort found a refuge here, after being 
much buffeted by the obtruding brick and mor¬ 
tar of our great and growing cities. So per¬ 
fect is the Rhus in Urbe here that the most 
unpretending domicil can boast of its door- 
yard, shrubbery and shade trees; even the 
poor Irish look cleanly and quiet, as though 
civilized and blessed by the power of example. 
From Canandaigua to Rochester through Vic¬ 
tor, the country is sufficiently rolling, and inter¬ 
spersed with creeks, to give that natural drain¬ 
age to the land so necessary for cereal crops; 
the soil is the same rich loam before noticed, 
the farm buildings substantial, good rail fences 
and medium farming; but here, as elsewhere in 
the Empire State, tile draining and its benefits 
appear to be almost unknown. Before reach¬ 
ing Rochester the soil is a scrub oak on pine 
plain, a light warm soil, capable of producing 
well under judicious culture. 
Rochester is one of those large, busy towns, 
which DeWitt Clinton said possess in them¬ 
selves a self-augmenting power; here are broad, 
well paved streets, spacious, elegant shops and 
stores, fine houses, large modern hotels, and 
public buildings, work-shops without stint, 
and the best and largest flouring mills in the 
world. Like all those great cities which grow 
up more by the increase of their manufactur¬ 
ing industry, than by transient trade and com¬ 
merce, Rochester always exhibits the appear¬ 
ance of business and thrift, even in the dullest 
season of the year. 
The country west of Rochester to Batavia 
.is less undulating, but otherwise it presents 
much the same appearance as before. There 
ir the same absence of large boulders, or rock 
in situ, the same green fields, and plowed 
grounds, and Virginia fence, the same tall elms 
scattered over the rich pasture lands, the same ] 
large barns, apple orchards and small painted 
houses, with picketed door-yards not over-orna¬ 
mented with shrubs and flowers, the shade 
trees always few and far between, the tall dark 
brown woods in the distance denoting the orig¬ 
inal fertility of the soil. From the rail-road 
we have only a distant view of that fine, rich 
old village, Batavia. The next forty miles to 
Buffalo is over a flat champaign country need¬ 
ing much ditching and draining. At the man¬ 
ufacturing village of Lancaster, ten miles from 
Buffalo, we come to a dead level, composed of 
heavy clays, or wet, sandy loams, without bould¬ 
ers: thesylviaeis tall, soft deciduous trees inter¬ 
spersed with the evergreen hemlock, denoting 
a cold, wet soil, which draining alone can ame¬ 
liorate; now producing tolerable crops of hay, 
but only here and there a small patch of oats 
or corn. The suburbs of Buffalo carry the 
marks of a poor, but industrious German popu¬ 
lation; their little gardens are as well cultivated 
as they can be in so cold and wet a soil, under 
circumstances where manure is expensive and 
draining impossible. 
(To be concluded in another number.) 
NATIONAL POULTRY SHOW. 
Mr. Editor: —Allow me to offer a few 
thoughts, in relation to the suggestions made 
by the judges on Asiatic fowls at the late Na¬ 
tional Show, in regard to the names given to 
these fowls by those who have hitherto bred 
them. The Society in publishing their list of 
premiums, recognized the extended list of 
names by which the breeds of Oriental fowls 
are known in this country. Their object was 
correct and commendable ; although they, by 
no means, approved of th'e nomenclature.— 
Their design was, to induce the presentation'of 
every vaulabie variety. This object has been 
accomplished. Their advice now is, to reduce 
and simplify this momenclature, by expunging 
therefrom many rdiculous names, which have 
answered the purposes of breeders of a certain 
class, by enhancing prices; making a distincion 
where there is no difference. 
The Society have assumed, that Shanghais 
and Cochins are convertible terms. They pro¬ 
pose therefore, that all pure Asiatic fowls 
should be embraced under the general name of 
Shanghais; their varieties to be designated by 
their different colors. Now I cannot fully 
agree with them here. I dispute the fact of 
their being convertible terms. My authority 
is, the testimony of gentlemen now residing in 
China. These breeds are recognized in China 
as two distinct breeds or varieties. They are 
not designated as Cochins and Shanghais, but 
as feathered legged birds, and clean limbed 
birds. I prefer therefore, decidedly, the sug. 
gestion and practice of Mr. Burnham, of Bos¬ 
ton, who applies the general name of Shang¬ 
hais to Asiatic birds with feathered limbs; 
and Cochins to birds with clean limbs. This 
will divide them into two classes. The sub-va¬ 
rieties can then be easily and correctly designa¬ 
ted by their color. Thus, the black, white, 
buff, fawn, and grey Shanghais, will be instant¬ 
ly recognized by their descriptions, as feather¬ 
ed legged Asiatic birds of these respective col¬ 
ors. So of the Cochins;—buff, white, black 
Cochins will be known to designate Chinese 
birds of these colors, having clean limbs. —■ 
This will dispel the humbuggery of ridiculous 
names, as Hong Kong, Hoang Ho, Canton, 
Ning Po, and the like. If the grey Shanghai 
is the real Brahma, that happens to have a 
larger share of black interspersed over the 
body, than the white Brahma, let it be under¬ 
stood that they are identical. 
The Society recommend to call the Brah¬ 
mas known as the largest kind of Asiatic 
fowls having white bodies and black tails, 
Brahma Shanghais. Now it is universally 
known what is meant by Brahmas; of course I 
see no benefit in altering this simple designa¬ 
tion. The Society make no mention of the 
white Chittagong. Whether they considered 
them as merged in the Brahmas, or have ignor¬ 
ed the variety altogether, I know not. They 
are of the largest breed of Asiatic birds;— 
white bodies, with black tails and clouded 
neck feathers;—(as correct and precise a de¬ 
scription of the Brahmas as can be given,)— 
were imported about five years since, doubtless 
in the ship in which the unknown sailor 
brought his single pair, (if such ever was a 
fact,) and from them, great numbers have been 
bred and scattered in all directions, within the 
past four years. To pretend therefore, that 
there was never but one pair of large Asiatic 
birds imported with white bodies, black tails, 
and clouded neck feathers, and this pair by an un¬ 
known sailor in an unknown ship, is an assump¬ 
tion too ridiculous for sensible men to make.— 
Tt will answer for a short time to enable a few 
breeders to humbug extra prices out of the 
community. But it must soon run its course. 
Shanghais, Cochins and Brahmas, designa¬ 
ting their varieties by their colors, will be as 
concise, as comprehensive and intelligible a de¬ 
scription of Oriental fowls, as cAn be made.— 
And it is urgently recommended to honorable 
breeders to conform to this classification. 
Since we are on the subject of uniformity 
and correctness in the description of fowls, I 
beg to suggest a word in relation to the spell¬ 
ing and pronouncing the name of Shanghai.— 
A dogmatical man, who may have written, or 
rather compiled, his book, or an ignorant, care¬ 
less, heedless man, may spell and pronounce it 
incorrectly. But intelligent and educated men, 
both in China and in Europe, spell and pro¬ 
nounce it “ Shanghai,” and decide this to be 
the correct mode. Hong Kong. 
SAWDUST AS A MANURE. 
The value of sawdust as a manure, when 
rightly applied, is not generally understood.— 
Applied alone, in an undecomposed state, it 
may not be beneficial; but mixed with other 
manures, it io undoubtedly of great value. It 
possesses the power of absorbing the gases 
and vapors, given off - by manure during the 
process of fermentation. It is superior to al¬ 
most any thing else, to place in horse stables; 
as it absorbs the ammonia which is given off 
very abundantly and which is one of the most 
powerful fertilizers known. Why, then, should 
agriculturists be ignorant of the fact, that they 
can make a substitute for guano, with com¬ 
paratively trifling cost? 
But this is not all. Sawdust is very valua¬ 
ble as a means of saving the liquid manure 
which, without some precaution, is lost. By 
placing it in stables, the liquid, and most valua¬ 
ble part of the manure is taken up by it, and 
thus saved. m. t. 
Polaud, N. Y., Feb. 10th, 1SS4. 
White Mexican and Black Scotch Pota¬ 
toes. —I have been for several years endeavor¬ 
ing to find out what was the best potatoes for 
me to raise, and have tried a variety of kinds. 
I have given the preference thus far to the 
White Mexican, which 1 have raised for the 
past two years. They are good to yield, and 
mealy, with a fine flavor. If any one has a 
kind that they can recommend, as superior to 
them, and will communicate the same through 
the Rural, I shall feel obliged to him. 1 am 
told however, by a Scotchman who lived with 
me, that they have a kind in Scotland with 
black skins, and white inside, which he con¬ 
siders superior in all respects to any he has 
ever seen here. ] f any of your readers have any 
of this kind, please let us hear from them and 
oblige those concerned.— W. IIodgks, Bright¬ 
on, Feb. 10 th, 1854. 
-- 
What some Farmers Want. —The farmers 
in the towns of Le Roy, Caledonia, Wheatland, 
Riga, and most of the neighboring towns, want 
several hundred able bodied men (women too) 
from Scotland, who are practical fanners, good 
plowmen, who know how to manage, and take 
care of horses — in short, acquainted with all 
kinds of farm work in a wheat growing region, 
where they will find many of their own country¬ 
men, well organized society, good wages, good 
fare and prompt pay. Or, young men from 
the Eastern States, could find employment as 
above, by applying to the principal farmers in 
the above towus. 
The above is designed in particular for the 
counties of Lanark, Lowdon, Renfrew, Ayr, 
<fec., &c., in Scotland—and all New England 
Yankees who love work, good fare, good 
wages and pi ompt pay. Legion. 
Old Colony Sweet Corn. —I tried the “Old 
Colony sweet corn ” last summer, and think it 
is superior to the common sweet corn, except 
in one respect ; and that is, it is two varieties 
impregnated with each other—and is therefore 
liable to degenerate. If it can be kept pure, 1 
think it will prove an excellent variety. It is 
richer and sweeter than any other kind of corn 
I have yet tried. It also remains in a fit state 
for table use an unusual length of time. The 
kernels are. very long, cob small in proportion 
to the size of the ear, which often contains 18 
and 20 rows. I saved a small quantity .of 
seed, and w ill forward 25 kernels to any of the 
readers of the Rural, who are desirous of test¬ 
ing its merits, and will enclose a stamp (as 
compensation for the trouble) to W. 11. Skid¬ 
more, Hawleyville, Fairfield Co., Conn. 
Ifow to Salt Stock in winter. —Every far¬ 
mer is aware that it is necessary to exercise 
care in giving their stock salt in winter. I 
have had a short experience, and have hit upon 
a plan which I think is a good one. As soon as 
it is cold enough to freeze in the fall, have a 
trough, one or more for each yard; make them 
from 4 to 6 feet long, and set them upon short 
legs. Collect all the refuse brine and dirty 
salt of the cellar and kitchen, dissolve it, and 
turn it into your troughs and let it freeze solid- 
Then place it in the yard for consumption.— 
Try it.—A Farmer, Le Roy, Feb., 1854. 
Wire Worms. —Three years ago, having a 
field of wheat and corn entirely destroyed by 
wire worms, I sowed it two years in succes¬ 
sion with buck-wheat, plowing as early in the 
spring as possible and again at the time of 
seeding. Last season I planted part to corn 
and sowed the remainder with wheat, and both 
crops ivere uninjured. Whether the voracious 
gents, becoming disgusted with buck-wheat 
diet, left for richer diggings, or whether they 
were killed, I cannot say. But the land is free 
now. a. b. 
DAY vs. GOLD. 
It has ever been our opinion that the. ulti¬ 
mate prosperity of California, or any other 
State, must be influenced more by its adaptation 
to agricultural pursuits, than by any or all the 
gold mines that have been, or may be found 
therein. There can be no sort of doubt but 
that the greatest source of wealth which Cali¬ 
fornia possesses, is found in the rich valleys, 
table lands, and mountain slopes so graphically 
described by Fremont, and now so ably noticed 
by Mr. Kelly. When these resources are de¬ 
veloped, as they will be very soon, the gold 
diggings and quartz rock will sink into com¬ 
parative insignificance. Look at it. It is said 
that the .yield of gold from the California 
mines for the current year will reach the enor¬ 
mous sum of fifty-five or sixty millions of dol¬ 
lars! an enormous sum, truly; and yet we ven¬ 
ture to say that the value of the hay crop 
alone, of New York, willfully equal it. Six 
comities of that State produced, in 1850, 800- 
000 tons of hay, which at §7 per ton, is $5,- 
600,000. This they do year after year, with a 
gradual increase, and yet how few are seen 
rushing to the meadows of Oneida, Jefferson. 
Chenango, Delaware, Chautauque, or St Law¬ 
rence. 
The wheat and corn fields of Ohio produce 
annually, more gold than the mines of Califor¬ 
nia. Yet there is no noise made about it; and, 
instead of thousands rushing to them, in the 
hope of growing suddenly rich, thousands have 
been fleeing from them, in search of gold— 
gold—gold. 
We hazard nothing in saying, that had the 
emigrants to California, since the discovery of 
gold there, gone instead to the rich lands of 
our Western States, they could have produced 
double the amount of all the gold dug from 
the mines of that El Dorado. The capital ne¬ 
cessary to place a man in working condition in 
the California mines would have settled him 
comfortably on an eighty acre lot in Iowa, in 
a good cabin, with a team, farming utensils, 
provirions, &c., and insured him, instead of a 
chance for a little gold, the certainty of an in¬ 
dependent position for life, without the sacri¬ 
fice of home, friends, health, morals, and in¬ 
deed all that men should esteem valuable in 
life. 
Thank heaven, the “gold mania” is in its 
decadence, -and the time is near when it will be 
seen and known that every ounce of gold dust, 
dug from the California mines costs twice its 
value.— Ohio Farmer. 
Agricultural UtisttUanji. Inquiries anh AMum. 
Effect of Deep Plowing. —A correspond¬ 
ent of the .Yew England Farmer says ,:—“A 
striking instance of the benefits resulting from 
continued deep plowing, was brought to our 
notice on viewing the cultivated ground of A. 
M. Whipple, Esq., on the banks of the Con¬ 
necticut river, near Lowell. This was natural¬ 
ly a light and sandy soil. His men were en¬ 
gaged in gathering in the crop of hay from an 
extensive field, which yielded more than two 
tons to the acre. The inquiry arose, by what 
means was the crop made so abundant, on land 
so shallow? His answer was, deep plowing 
mainly. That for eight or ten years pasl, he 
usually plowed twelve inches deep. That he 
put on his grounds but a light dressing of sta¬ 
ble manure—made no compost whatever— 
but relied almost entirely on the improvement 
of the soil, by turning the furrows deep. His 
crops were quite equal to those we have been 
accustomed to see on strong land, highly ma¬ 
nured.” * * “ Similar benefits were appa¬ 
rent in the growing crops of corn and oats, in 
the adjoining lots” 
Poland has prohibited the exportation of 
rye, barley, oats, tlour, grits and potatoes, from 
the first of J anuary to the thirteenth of Aug. 
1854 
ANALYSIS OF INDIAN CORN. 
The JYew England Farmer in an elabor¬ 
ate and flattering notice of the Transactions of 
the New York State Agricultural Society says: 
But that which most strongly arrested 
our attention, is the analysis, by Dr. J. H. 
Salisbury, of several common vegetables, as the 
beet, carrot, melon, &c. We trust the Dr. will 
continue the good work which he has com¬ 
menced, and give us analyses not only of the 
various roots, but of the grains, and especially 
of that most important of all plants in Amer¬ 
ican husbandry, the Indian corn, not only of 
the grain, but of the whole plant. We have 
never seen a satisfactory analysis of this plant, 
made upon our own soil. 
If the Farmer will turn to the Transactions 
of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society, for 
1848, he will find a highly interesting and valua¬ 
ble paper on Indian corn, containing a great 
number of analyses of the grain, stalks, cobs, 
&c., “ made upon our own soil” by Dr. J. II. 
Salisbury, the very gentleman the Farmer 
trusts will make a satisfactory analysis of this 
plant. 
The Book of Nature. —An elementary in¬ 
troduction to the sciences of Physics, Astrono¬ 
my, Chemistry, Mineralogy, Geology', Zoology, 
Botany, and Physiology by Fredkich Scho- 
edler,.Ph. D. Printed and illustrated with 
nearly TOO engravings. From the number of 
the sciences discussed, the work cannot be very 
profound and elaborate, yet from a pretty care¬ 
ful perusal, we think it will be found the most 
correct and interesting treatise on the the va¬ 
rious scieuces we yet possess. It is a work for 
the general student, and well calculated to cre¬ 
ate a love for science, which will lead to the 
study of larger and more definite treatises. It 
is written in a popular style and clothes scien¬ 
tific truths in poetical language, rendering it 
the most interesting Scientific work we have 
ever read. We commend it to the attention of 
all who wish to be better acquainted with the 
wonderful wisdom unfolded to our examina¬ 
tion in the great book of Nature. It is pub- 
ished by Blanchard & Lea, Philadelphia. 
United States Ag. Society. —At the An¬ 
nual Meeting of the United States Agricultural 
Society, held at Washington on the 22ud to 
24th inst, the following officers were elected 
for the ensuing year: 
President—M. P. Wilder, Boston. 
Cor. and Rec. Sec’y—W. S. King, Boston, 
Treasurcr—Wil 1 iam Sh eld on. 
Executive Committee— G. B. Calvert, I. A. 
King, J. I). Weston, A. L Eliria, A. Watts, 
B. P. Boore, and John Jones. Thirty-two 
Vice Presidents were also elected. 
We will give a report of the proceedings 
next week. 
The Virginia State Agricultural Society 
offer premiums for agricultural experiments to 
the amount of Si,925, and for essays or other 
written communications of useful agricultural 
information, the sum of $1,790. This is a no¬ 
ble example, worthy of the “Uld Dominion,” and 
one which we hope other State Societies will 
imitate. 
There is one objection to offering premiums 
for experiments which should not be forgotten. 
If the experimenter aims solely or principally 
at merely getting the premiums, there will be 
danger of striving to obtain striking and profit¬ 
able results, rather than of carefully and scien¬ 
tifically investigating the laws which regulate 
vegetable growth. 
Experiments. —Have any experiments been 
made with pearlash as a fertilizer? It is cer¬ 
tainly cheap; or with aqua ammonia as a fer¬ 
tilizer, compared with guano, <fcc. &c?— 
As the ammonia water of the shops is of 
strength enough to make, with ten drops in a 
tumbler of water, water quite as stroug as one 
could well drink, 1 should suppose that 12j 
cents worth would make a hogshead of water 
stronger than it would do to apply to vegetation; 
and perhaps it might, $1 for $1, be worth as 
much, or more, than water in which guano has 
been dissolved. 
Numerous experiments have been made with 
pearlash, enough to enable us to judge cor¬ 
rectly of its true value as an artificial fertilizer. 
We have sown it, in varying quantities, on 
wheat, turnips, clover, peas, and beans, and 
never saw any benefit derived from the appli¬ 
cation, except a slight one on beans. 
We have known ammonia used in the way 
suggested with good results, but with no greater 
effect than the same quantity of ammonia 
produced in sulphate or muriate of ammonia 
or guano while ammonia in the latter form 
is much cheaper than in the former. 
A patent has been taken out in England 
for the manufacture of Guano from sea-weed. 
A good manure may be made from it; but that 
one so concentrated and valuable as Peruvian 
Guano can be obtained from it, is impossible. 
It is said that iodine enables the potato and 
vine to resist the disease so destructive to them 
for the past few years. If this be so, sea-weed 
or kelp, well rotted, would be the beat manure 
to use for potatoes or grapes. 
Red Clover—Again. —I observe by the last 
Rural, that you are backing up, by book au¬ 
thorities, your assertion, “ that, the red Clover is 
biennial, or dies at the end of two years from 
sowing. This averment is entirely at variance 
with my views and with my experience. It may, 
nevertheless, under certain circumstances be 
true, for I am aware that there are several veg¬ 
etables, which, if cut at the period of flowering, 
will send out fresh leaves and become perennial, 
and it is barely possible that this is the case with 
Clover in meadows, where it is mown annually. 
Clover mowed on the first, weeks in July, 
again blossoms and produces seed, and it is from 
the second mowing that all the seed of com¬ 
merce is procured, and I have known it to flower 
three times in one season when used for soiling. 
I am not going, Mr. Editor, to quarrel with 
you on the subject, but I shall, l)co rolcnte, next 
spring, examine' the Clover sets in a field 1 have, 
that went to seed last fall, and were not cut or 
pastured, and if 1 find them sending out fresh 
foliage I shall conclude you are wrong, and shall 
not be mealy mouthed in telling you so. —n. y. 
Our correspondent asked for our “authori¬ 
ties ” on this point, and we thought he referred 
to book authorities, and answered accordingly. 
We have no more confidence in books than 
has our correspondent. We have discovered 
in them too many discrepancies with actual ex¬ 
perience, to place implicit confidence in the as¬ 
sertion of any writer, however eminent. If our 
correspondent will carefully investigate the 
matter for a few years, he will be able to satis¬ 
fy himself and ourselves. As observed facts 
now stand, we are compelled to conclude red 
clover a biennial, but we shall be happy to 
stand corrected by our correspondent, if his 
investigations show us to be wrong, even 
though he be not “mealy mouthed” in com¬ 
municating his observations. In our first ar¬ 
ticle we did not use the word biennial, in its 
strict, botanical meaning, but rather as indicat¬ 
ing that the red clover plant died out after yield¬ 
ing two crops of hay or grass in two successive 
years. We did not. mean to be understood as 
saying that if clover were sown this spring 
with barley or wheat, in the fall of 1855 
it would perish after yielding one crop of clo¬ 
ver, or being grazed for one season, but rather 
that it would die out in the fall of 185G, or in 
two years and a half from the time of seeding. 
The difference between our correspondent and 
ourselves is, we think red clover is a biennial 
or triennial, while he thinks it is a perennial. 
Superphosphate of Lime. —Will you be so 
kind as to inform me through the Rural, why 
the much talked of superphosphate of^lime is so! 
much better than ground bones?— U. Dean, 
Tyrone, N. Y., 1854. tt 
The inorganic part of hones consists princi¬ 
pally of phosphate of lime, a salt which is in¬ 
soluble in pure water, and therefore net avail¬ 
able to plants. By the action of the air and 
the acids of the soil, it becomes slowly soluble 
in rain water. The finer the bones are ground 
the sooner do they become soluble and availa¬ 
ble as food for plants. In the manufacture of 
superphosphate of lime, this insoluble phos¬ 
phate of lime is converted into a superphos¬ 
phate of lime, a salt containing less lime, and 
which is readily soluble in tenter. For plants, 
which are greatly benefited by an application 
of readily available phosphate of lime, such as 
i he turnip, superphosphate is the best manure 
we can use, and the expensive process of con¬ 
verting bones into superphosphate, can be 
economically and profitably employed. But 
for wheat, which is benefited more by the or¬ 
ganic matter of the bones Ilian by their phos¬ 
phate of lime, it will not pay to convert them 
into superphosphate. 
Oil Cake. —Is oil cake good to fatten cattle 
and horses ? Can it be had in Rochester?—and 
at what price ?—J. Sibley, llansomville, N. Y. 
For cattle and sheep we know of nothing 
more fattening than oil-cake, and nothing except 
flesh, blood, &c., which when fed to animals, 
yields such rich manure. It is owing to this 
last fact that we recommend the use of oil-cake 
as food for stock. We would not use it large¬ 
ly for horses. A small quantity, say one pound 
per day, may be given with advantage. It 
can be had in Rochester, at wholesale, for $25 
per ton. 
Carrying Eggs by Railroad _Can you or 
some of your correspondents inform me whether 
eggs will hatch after being carried a considerable 
distance by express.?—C., Almond. 
Eggs are frequently sent by express without 
the least injury to their vitality. Great care 
is necessary when packing them. When pack¬ 
ed in bran, and tightly pressed in a box, we 
should have no fears for their safety. Wheat 
chaff or finely cut straw is also frequently used 
for packing. 
Cultivator. — I am desirous to build me a 
Hinge Steel-tooth Cultivator to cultivate in grain 
on fall plowing. Will you or some of your cor¬ 
respondents inform me how it should be built; how 
large should the timber be, how many teeth and 
how far set apart.— Robert Harden, Three Mile 
Bay, Jefferson Co., A r . Y. 
