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VOLUME V. NO. 16. 
ROCHESTER, N. Y. — SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 1854. 
WHOLE NO. 224. 
Jpjjrt’s gnat Htto-Jjrttt: 
A QUARTO WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Literary, and Family Kewspaper, 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
ASSISTED BY 
JOSEPH HARRIS, in the Practical Departmental 
EDWARD WEBSTER, in the Literary and News Dep’ts. 
Corresponding Editors: 
J. H. Hixby, —H. C. White, —T. E. Wktmork. 
Tiik 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 in¬ 
terests it advocates. It embraces more Agricultural, Horti¬ 
cultural, Scientific, Mechanical, Literary and News Matter, 
interspersed with many appropriate and handsome engrav¬ 
ings, than any other paper published in this Country,— 
rendering it a complete Agricultural, Literary and 
Family Newspaper. 
FOR Terms, &o., see last page. 
-faker. 
Progress and Improvement. 
HOW TO PAY FOR A FARM. 
Do not exclaim “ Eruka ,” reader, on glanc¬ 
ing at our suggestive heading, for perchance 
we cannot impart the information thereby in¬ 
dicated. Our attention has been directed to 
the subject, by the inquiry of a non-subscriber, 
who, after intimating that he would be a sub¬ 
scriber if free from debt, wishes us to secure 
the entry of his name on our books, by com¬ 
municating the knowledge necessary to free his 
(when paid for) farm from incumbrance.— 
Though one additional subscriber is no partic¬ 
ular object, it has occurred to us, that perhaps 
a large number of our readers are like un¬ 
pleasantly situated, and possibly a discussion 
c? tKo subject may prove »>t«v«vGcial t-t< all, pur- • 
ties. So thinking, we will offer a few sugges¬ 
tions, without undertaking to give sage advice 
or definite directions for the accomplishment of 
an object so generally desirable. 
In the first place, would it not be well for 
our friend, and all others similarly involved, to 
subscribe for and read at least one of the many 
well-conducted Agricultural journals? Aside 
from any personal or pecuniary consideration, 
this is our first hint, or prescription—for we 
firmly believe that no man of sense and dis¬ 
crimination can fail of being directly benefited 
by reading, and properly heeding, the facts, ex¬ 
periments, suggestions, See., embodied in a vol¬ 
ume of any good journal devoted to rural 
affairs. There is scarcely such a journal in the 
land, which does not publish, each year, the 
gist of more experience and observation, by 
the best farmers, than any one could learn in 
his individual practice during a whole life-time. 
In our opinion any one who wishes to pay for 
a farm, will find the expenditure of from two 
to twenty dollars a year for agricultural read¬ 
ing a most judicious and profitable investment 
Another aid in freeing the farm from debt, 
is a good subsoil 'plow . This implement, prop¬ 
erly used, will exhibit more valuable riches on 
their own premises, than many farmers ever 
dreamed of in their (we will not say shallow) 
philosophy. It will penetrate an almost ex¬ 
haustless mine of wealth, without a tithe of the 
“prospecting” required to find a comparatively 
worthless vein in the far-famed El Dorado of 
California. By increasing the depth and fer¬ 
tility of his soil, annually, and judicious man¬ 
agement, almost any farmer can, under ordinary 
circumstances, so increase his income as not 
only to become free of debt, but receive, in¬ 
stead of pay, interest money. Hence, purchase 
a subsoil plow, and commence at the very 
foundation of the incumbrance. 
In many localities an item of equal or greats 
er importance is the manure heap. The man¬ 
ufacture, husbanding, and proper use of ma¬ 
nures and fertilizers will place almost any farmer 
in the land, (oilier things being equal,) on the 
direct road to competence and wealth. In not 
a few sections this lias, to our own knowledge, 
proved the farmer’s Philosopher’s Stone—re¬ 
claimed so-called “ worn out farms” from bar¬ 
renness, and rendered their present possessore 
(whose predecessors gave up in despair, and 
sought new land in the West or elsewhere,) pe¬ 
cuniarily independent We might cite many 
instances in which sterile and almost skinned- 
to-death farms were purchased on credit within 
the last decade, that have not only been paid 
for, but many of the owners are so well-to-do 
they are from year to year adding the small, 
shallow farms of their neighbors—each appa¬ 
rently possessing both the disposition and 
means to own “all the land that joins him.”— 
Of course manure is an indispensable requisite 
to him who desires to pay for a farm. 
Next in importance, in many sections, is un¬ 
derdraining. Indeed this process is a primary 
necessity in certain localities,—an indispensable 
requisite to successful and profitable cultiva¬ 
tion. An investment in this branch bf im_ 
provement is certain to yield ample dividends 
—better than railroad, bank, or “.fancy” stocks, 
which too often drain the purse entirely.— 
Every rod of underdrain on farms which re¬ 
quire it—and many more need it than is gen¬ 
erally supposed—will materially increase the 
products and profits of the farmer. Those in¬ 
terested will please investigate the subject.— 
The advantages of the process have been fully 
demonstrated in these pages. From his local¬ 
ity we judge it will essentially aid our friend in 
paying for his farm, and removing another in¬ 
cumbrance. 
There are other matters of more or less mo¬ 
ment to all situated like our correspondent, but 
we have not space to speak of them in this 
connection. Among these, however, we may 
mention the personal supervision of the owner 
—his individual industry, care and attention 
being essentially requisite to the proper and 
profitable management of the farm. The eye 
of the master, and the talismanic words, “come 
boys,"—accompanied with judicious economy, 
and a management exhibiting wise “progress 
and improvement”—will soon relieve the in¬ 
volved farmer from embarrassment, and place 
him on tlie hiirb road to prosperity- 
SEED-TIME AND ITS LABORS.-No. II. 
One of the most encouraging signs of our 
progress in agriculture, is the increased atten¬ 
tion annually paid to the production of root 
crops. The turnip crop is said to be the sheet- 
anchor of English agriculture; and though we 
probably shall never be able to cultivate tur¬ 
nips to the extent she does, yet we believe that 
there are other root crops which we can raise 
with equal advantage, and which will greatly 
aid us in keeping more stock, and thus enable 
us to enrich the soil and produce more grain 
crops. 
All root crops delight in a rather light soil, 
deeply and thoroughly pulverized, and enriched 
with well rotted farm-yard dung, or other 
quickly acting fertilizers, such as Peruvian Gu¬ 
ano or superphosphate of lime. 
Carrots. —The value of carrots as an aux¬ 
ilary food for horses aud milch cows, is admit¬ 
ted to be very great. It is admirably adapted 
to our climate, and though considerable labor 
is needed to weed them, «fcc.,- yet on the whole, 
we know of no crop in this vicinity which pays 
better. Our esteemed correspondent, E. S. 
i Iayward, is eminently successful in growing 
carrots. The following is his method of cultiva¬ 
tion:—A yellow chestnut loam well manured, 
say 20 to 40 loads of rotten yard manure per 
acre, makes a first ral e soil for carrots, but they 
will grow on any deep rich soil, and produce 
well. The soil should be thoroughly pulveriz¬ 
ed with the cultivator and harrow on the top 
before plowing after the manure is spread.— 
Then plow deep and follow with rakes, and 
rake the top of the furrow and the manure, if 
there is any left in sight, to the bottom of the 
furrow, and continue in this way till the piece 
is prepared, which leaves the ground level and 
clean on the surface. Four hands will follow 
and rake as fast as a team will plow. The 
ground should be sown while moist, soon after 
it is fitted, in rows 12 to 14 inches apart aud 
half an inch deep. The soil should be pressed 
on the seed by treading or rolling, to ensure its 
vegetation. If sown by hand, the usual quan¬ 
tity of seed is four pounds per acre; if with a 
machine, two pounds is sufficient. The seed 
should be soaked in warm water 48 hours 
or more before sowing, then mix with plaster 
till the seed will separate. Sow as early in 
May as the season will allow. The ground 
may be marked out with a marker made for 
the purpose, and the seed covered with a rake. 
If the weather is favorable, they will be up and 
rea'dy for the first hoeing in about three weeks. 
The hoe should then be passed lightly through 
between the rows to kill the weeds and help 
the growth of the carrot3. In ten days hoe 
again, weed and thin, leaving one plant in a 
place; in two weeks hoe deep, weed and thin, 
leaving the plants four or five inches apart in 
the rows, and the work will be completed for 
the season. If weeds grow after the last hoe¬ 
ing, weed them out, for weeds and carrots can¬ 
not grow on the same ground at a good ad¬ 
vantage. 
Mangel Wurzel. —This is another root well 
adapted to our climate. It is not injured by 
insects or worms, requires no hand weeding, the 
tops as well as the bulbs are excellent food for 
stock, and more nutritious food can be raised 
from an acre in mangel wurzel than in any 
other crop we have ever cultivated. They are 
gross feeders. It is hardly possible to make 
the soil too rich for them. They should be 
planted in rows 30 inches apart, and from 12 
to 15 inches in the rows. The seed can be 
dropped and covered with a hoe, just as in 
planting Indian corn. It is advisable to drop 
four or five seeds in a hill, so as to secure one 
good plant. A little sulphate of lime dropped 
with the seed, will be beneficial in giving the 
plants a start; but superphosphate of lime, say 
a quarter to half an ounce in a hill, will be 
very much better. When placed in close 
proximity with the seed, it has a remarkable 
effect in stimulating the growth of turnips, ruta 
baga, mangel wurzel, &e., and if a good article 
can be obtained at a reasonable price, it will 
pay well to use it for these crops. Mangel 
wurzel should bo sown from the middle to the 
end of May. 
Buta Bagas arc muoJi rasre > tcasjvGy cul¬ 
tivated in England ih«« iAaugt-1 vmlzef, but 
they are not so well adapted to our climate as 
mangels. There are those, however, who as¬ 
sert that ruta bagas cun be raised as well 
here as in Great Britain, and we would be 
the last to discourage the idea, for we believe 
that the extensive cultivation of this root would 
be attended with many advantages; yet we be¬ 
lieve the climate of the British Isles is better 
adapted to the growth of this root, than the 
dry, hot summer of this country, Ruta bagas 
can be sown in June, in the way as commend¬ 
ed for mangels. Be careful not to cover the 
seed too deeply. By using superphosphate 
you may be sure of a crop. 
Potatoes, till within the last few years, were 
considered one of the safest root crops—never 
being attacked by insects or injured by disease; 
but the “ mysterious dispensation ” which 
has extended to all countries, and affected, 
more or less, all varieties has rendered the 
potato a very uncertain crop. A rich, light, 
rather mucky soil, when well manured, is 
best calculated to ploduce a heavy crop; but 
a dry, gravelly, sandj soil now yields the sound¬ 
est and most palatable. Good, short hog ma¬ 
nure is best for potatoes. A little plaster scat¬ 
tered round the hill, just as they break through 
the soil, is frequently beneficial. The best ar¬ 
tificial manure for potatoes is Peruvian guano, 
sown broadcast, at the x'ate of 300 pounds per 
acre; or what is still better, scattered in the 
hill, being very careful to place soil between it 
and the set, for if tile guano touches it, the po¬ 
tato will assuredly ie injured. Early planting 
is one of the best preventives of the potato 
disease. In this latitude, they should always 
be planted by the first of May. If planted in 
hills, they are more readily hoed aud kept clean; 
but planted in rows 30 inches apart, mid 12 
inches between the sets, will probably yield 
the heaviest crop. 
CONVERSATIONS ON AGRICULTURE.—No. I. 
BY HUGH T. JROOKS. 
Meeting a farmer frienl the other day, we 
talked about the “rural dstricts.” It was evi¬ 
dent something had happened to them—it was 
probable they had at la;t got the news !— 
Fences were marching hto line—houses, as 
well as horses, were gettiig a new coat iu the 
spring—dry land began to appear—domestic 
animals were assuming i more comely shape 
SBlIiii 
A* 
KETCHTJM’S IMPROVED MOWING MACHINE. 
W e have received several letter's of late ask¬ 
ing information on the subject of Mowing Ma¬ 
chines, and particularly concerning Ketchom’s 
patent. Some inquire about the speed, others 
the price, and others still wish us to specify 
which is the best machine for mowing now 
manufactured—while a few ask where they 
may obtain the most perfect combined mower 
and reaper. Now, we cannot answer all these 
queries definitely, for the reason that we have 
not witnessed the operation of some of the re¬ 
cently invented, and highly recommended ma¬ 
chines. 
— the hungry were entertaining hopes of 
being fed. Thanks given to Providence, to 
Science, aud to the Press. “ Aye, the press; 
if a man don’t take an agricultural paper he 
is? » puod deal of a—fooL /accented softly,) and 
if he takes oue, and learns from the Hoar-bought 
experience of others, while he neglects to con¬ 
tribute from his own fund of information what¬ 
ever may be useful, he is a good deal of a— 
knave.” “ Folly and knavery are rather com¬ 
mon with us, I am afraid, judging by that rule.” 
“ Yes, they are, and I am resolved to root them 
out as far as I am able.” Preface enough. 
Speaking of Oxen.—“ When I commenced 
farming I bought two good yoke of oxen; they 
performed well. The next winter I stabled 
them, fed plenty of good hay, and worked them 
very little. My father, who was somewhat 
older than I, said ‘they were too fat’ I was 
disposed to risk it. In the spring I began to 
work them; they laughed me out of counten¬ 
ance! ” (The writer will explain for the benefit 
of city readers—the oxen opened their mouths, 
breathed short, quick and hard, protruded their 
tongues —not venomous at all—perspired freely 
and looked anxiously for some “deep, umbra¬ 
geous wood.”) “ Subsequent experience,” con¬ 
tinued my friend, who is oue of the best and 
most successful farmers iu Wyoming Co., “has 
taught me that there is little danger of oxen 
becoming too fat if the flesh is worked on.— 
An ox may be uniformly kept so as to make 
good beef (if a sudden emergency should re¬ 
quire him to be slaughtered,) without detri¬ 
ment to his working qualities. Be sure and 
find business during the winter for your oxen, 
even if you have to drive them to mill aud to 
meeting, as people did when I was young. No 
animal can suddenly change its habits without 
detriment; this should be a warning against 
idleness to all oxen, and to all asses. Regular 
habits, some labor and some rest, should go 
through the year. Long intervals of repose, 
for man or beast, interspersed with great and 
unusual efforts, are in the highest degree inju¬ 
rious. Leave nothing to be done in the spring 
which can be done in the winter, and nothing 
for the summer that can be accomplished in 
the spring.” 
Mv own opinion is, that horses are constitu¬ 
tionally adapted to warm weather in a greater 
degree than oxen, but one reason why they are 
preferred for “standing the heat,” is that, being 
admitted to a wider range of duties they are 
more regularly employed, and better fed and 
groomed than oxen. Much has been said of 
the comparative value of horses and oxen.— 
One man. in my opiuion, with three good horses, 
will plow more, and with less expense, than two 
Ketciium’s Mower—a good representation 
of which, as improved, is given above—we 
know to be a valuable labor-saving machine, 
and if it is not the very best for the purpose, it 
has no superior within our knowledge. Those 
who wish definite information in regard to its 
capacity, price, &c., are referred to an adver¬ 
tisement in this paper. The machine may be 
seen at the Agricultural Warehouse of J. 
Rapalje &• Co., agents for Rochester and 
vicinity. 
Of combined reapers and mowers we shall 
• have something to say in a future number. 
men can with two yoke of oxen, even though 
one man is a boy. My friend Tyrrel, of 
Wyoming, very properly remarked, that “ grain¬ 
growing districts require the most work in hot 
weather; whereas, in New England, teams can 
have more jest in ‘Jog-tiaya. - Tliis uiujr U.Jag 
horses more in requisition here than there. If 
men must have horses for all road purposes, 
small farmers will not keep oxen. Tt is said, 
that ox teams are driven at the west, twenty 
miles with a load, and back again the same 
day, without inconvenience. It must be con¬ 
ceded that horses cannot do much better. 
Great care is taken to breed from mares and 
staliions that have good speed and bottom. A 
colt from “ Black Hawk” costs, I believe, some 
fifty dollars;—if the owners of the fast bisons 
would only bring forward their animals, and 
demonstrate their powers of locomotion, per¬ 
haps their services would command as high a 
price, and then intelligent and enterprising 
breeders could get up road oxen that would 
amount to something. Devons are generally 
considered better workers than Durhams, but 
I recollect to have heard CoL Sherwood call 
this doctrine in question. I think natives are 
better than either. Seriously, I think that, it 
would be well to get up a race of animals with 
special reference to agility and endurance. A 
worthy female acquaintance says, “ I took my 
wedding tour iu an ox cart, and felt proud of 
my equipage.” The fickleness of fashion is 
proverbial; perhaps the “upper ten” will take 
to oxen. I should certainly think they would 
if there was not economy in it; the fact that 
oxen can be worked during the best years of 
their life, and can then be sold to the butcher, 
is very much in their favor. 
Mr. Albert Brisbane, then late from Paris, 
the head-quarters of all cookery, was to dine 
with me one day. As I was selecting a piece 
of beef from a butcher’s cart, Mr. Brisbane 
came along. “ Be so kind, sir,” said I, “ as to 
pick out a piece of beef that will suit you.”— 
“How old was the animal that furnished this?” 
inquired Mr. B. “Young and tender,” said 
the butcher. “ Young and tender! au animal 
is uot fit to kill till it is seven years old; it 
takes all that time for it to mature and become. 
what nature meant it to be.” This struck me 
as correct, and if so, let. the slaughter of young 
animals cease. I Ait our steers be made docile 
when young, and worked till they get their full 
size and maturity: after that, there is probably 
a loss in keeping them unless they have very 
unusual working qualities. Farmers should 
make it a principle not to sell their young 
stock, as they probably improve quite as much 
from three to five, as from oue to three. 
