( '* 
1^ J>m? 
Wk*m?mzJB^K&&Mm&im5L ... 
N \'A- -'Mm (5n] p 
v A ..J»|iii : IHUs 
I Sim w *i 
Rf^B 
VOLUME V. 
Jpore’s g»ial ftcto-gmin: 
A QUARTO WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Literary, and Family Newspaper 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MCOE.E, 
ASSISTED BY 
JOSEPH HARMS, in the Practical Departments: 
EDWARD WEBSTER, in tho Literary and Nevra Dep’ts. 
Corresponding Editors: 
J. H. Bixby, —H. C. White, —T. E. Wetmoee. 
Thu 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 mftny appropriate and handsome engrav¬ 
ings. than any other paper published in this Country,— 
rendering it a complete Agricultural, Literary and 
Family Newspaper. 
JVp 5 ” For Terms, kc., see last page. J£% 
Mural lleto-fchcr. 
Progress and Improvement. 
EXPERIMENTS IN PIG FEEDING-NO. II. 
The second series of experiments, like the 
first, consisted of 12 pens, with 3 pigs in each. 
The first series commenced in February, the 
second in April. The foods chosen were bean 
and lentil meal, barley meal, and bran; the 
same as in the first series, except that barley- 
takes the place of Indian corn. The propor¬ 
tion of limited to unlimited food was also 
changed—3 lbs. instead of 2 lbs. per pig per 
day of limited food being given, when it con¬ 
sisted of bean and lentil mixture or of barley- 
meal, and only 1 lb when of bran. The weath¬ 
er during part of the period of the experiment 
was excessively hot, and partly on this account 
5 of the pigs died in the course of the experi¬ 
ment. These 5 pigs, however, all belonged to 
one lot of 8, and it is probable that there was 
some defect in their constitution which a rich 
diet in hot weather rendered fatal. Owing to 
these accidents, we shall not go into a detailed 
account of the consumption of food and in¬ 
crease of animal in all the pens, but simply 
compare some of the results of this series with 
those we have already given, and point out 
some other matters of practical interest iu both 
series. 
Comparing barley meal alone ad lib., with 
Indian meal alone ad lib., we find that the av¬ 
erage weekly consumption per pig was, barley 
meal 6SJ lbs., Indian meal 45j lbs., and the 
average weekly increase in live weight per pig 
was, with barley 12.12 lbs.; with Indian 
meal 9.21 lbs.—a difference in favor of the 
barley, so far as increase alone is concerned, 
of 3 lbs. per pig per week. But, calcu¬ 
lating the amount of food consumed to I 
produce 100 lbs. increase of animal, we find 
that 565 lbs. of barley m<*al is required, and 
only 491 lbs. of Indian meal. With a limited 
quantity of bran, of bean and lentil meal, or 
of the two together, in addition to the ad lib. 
food, the difference is even still greater in favor 
of Indian corn, and this not merely in the 
amount of food consumed to produce 100 lbs. 
increase of animal, but also in the actual in¬ 
crease per pig per week. 
In the second, as in the first series, the best 
result was obtained from a variety of food.— 
T hus, 65 lbs. per week of a mixture of 1 part 
bran, 2 parts bean and lentil meal, and 3 parts 
barley meal, gave an average weekly increase 
per pig of 12.92 lbs. The pigs on this mixed 
diet, too, consumed a less amount of food—503 
—to produce 100 lbs. increase of animal, 
than any other pen in this series. 
These experiments afford another striking 
illustration of the correctness of established 
opinion among observing experienced farmers. 
Indian corn is considered the most fattening 
pig food; a “mixed diet” is thought better 
than any single food; and it is generally be¬ 
lieved that as animals fatten they consume 
less food. Mr. Lawks’ experiments demon¬ 
strate the correctness of all these opinions.— 
NVe believe, however, that ou the latter point 
farmers have no idea that the diminution of 
food is so great as these experiments indicate. 
I bus, taking the first series, during the first 
period of 14 days, pen 1, with bean and lentil 
ROCHESTER, "N. Y.-SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1854. 
\ WHOLE NO. 
meal alone, consumed per 100 lbs. live weight 
of animal per week, 37.2 lbs.; during the second 
period, 36.7 lbs.; during the third period, 30 
lbs.; and during the fourth and last period on¬ 
ly 26.6 lbs. It will be seen that there is a 
gradual diminution of the quantity of food con¬ 
sumed as the pigs fatten. In pen 5, with In¬ 
dian meal alone,the diminution is still greater; 
thus,, during the first period, the weekly con¬ 
sumption per 100 lbs. live weight of animal 
was 33.7 lbs., and during the last, only 19 lbs. 
There is not a single exception in the whole 
series to this rule. Taking the mean of the 
whole 12 pens of the first series, it is, during 
the first period, 36.3 ibs.; the second, 31.7 lbs.; 
the third, 27.9 lbs.; and the fourth, 23.7 lbs.— 
It should be observed too that with the rich, 
available non-nitrogenous food, Indian corn, 
the diminution is much greater than with the 
highly-nitrogenous bean and lentil meal, and 
bran. In the second series, the same rule is 
observed, the mean of the whole 12 pens being, 
during the first period, 40.3 tbs.; second, 34.1 
lbs.; third, 31.7 lbs.; fourth, 25.7 lbs. The 
mean of the whole of these two series together, 
was, during the first period, 38.3 lbs.; during 
the last, 24.7 lbs.; that is to say, the pigs on 
an average consumed sixty-four per cent, less 
food 1 he last fortnight of the experiment than 
the first fortnight. At the same time, the fig¬ 
ures indicate that, in the language of Mr. 
Lawks, “although there is this great decrease 
in the amount of food consumed to a given 
weight of animal as it matures, yet that the 
productiveness —at least iu gross increase in 
live weight—of a given amount of food, is 
much more nearly constant throughout the fat. 
tening process.” Thus taking the mean of all 
the pens of the first series, we find that the in¬ 
crease produced by the consumption of 100 
lbs. of food, was, during the first period, 18.8 
lbs., and during the last, 18.6 tbs.—a difference 
of only two-tenths of a pound. It follows, 
therefore, that though the pigs consume less 
food as they fatten, they also increase less in 
about the same ratio. So that a bushel of 
corn will make no more pork on a nearly fatted 
pig than on a lean one. The lean hog eats 
more and increases more; the fat one eats less 
and increases less, in the same proportion. 
HARVESTING CORN AND CORN STALKS. 
Excepting, perhaps, in the great corn dis¬ 
tricts of the A Vest, one of the great items 
in the profitable culture of Indian corn, is the 
value of the stalks as food for cattle during 
the winter months. In deciding on the merits 
of the various processes of harvesting corn, 
therefore, their effect in increasing or decreas¬ 
ing the amount of nutritious matter in the 
corn stalks must be taken into consideration. 
If there is no danger of frost, and the stalks 
are not needed as fodder, the corn might be 
allowed to get fully ripe before it is cut. But 
there, is a vast region of country where early 
frosts frequently prove highly injurious to the 
grain of standing corn, and render the stalks 
nearly worthless. Experience as well as direct 
experiment, sanctions the practice of cutting 
up the corn close to the ground as soon as the 
grain is glazed. When thus cut before they 
are fully ripe, the stalks unquestionably are 
more palatable, and we believe more nutritious; 
the quantity of corn is nearly, if not quite, as 
large; while the quality is superior. A frosty 
night, that would materially injure uncut corn, 
will do no harm whatever wheu it is cut up 
and stooked. 
On a recent visit to some farmers in this 
county, we were surprised to find that they had 
already cut up a considerable portion of their 
corn. We “go in" for cutting corn before it 
is fully ripe, for the reasons above stated, but 
there is such a tlrng as cutting it too early. 
We know, from actual experiment, that there 
is considerable loss in quantity from cutting 
wheat in the milk. And, though we have no 
experimental evidence of the fact, we have no 
doubt, from what we know of the effect of im¬ 
maturity on the composition of the turnip, Ac., 
that wheat cut in such a state is relatively 
poor in starch and rich in nitrogen,—and con¬ 
sequently is of poor quality. On the other 
hand, if it is allowed to get too ripe, the 
quality of the wheat is injured from the con¬ 
version of the starch into woody fibre, in order 
to form a good thick bran for the better pro¬ 
tection of the germinating principle of the 
grain. So that, while for seed we should let 
the wheat get fully ripe, for bread-making it 
should be cut while the grain is still soft, after 
the milk has disappeared. 
In cutting Indian corn the same principles 
will probably hold true. While there are 
many reasons for not allowing the corn to get 
fully ripe before cutting, we believe there are 
equally as good reasons for not cutting it too 
early. In such a case there would be a loss 
of starch in the grain, and though the stalks 
would contaiu more of the elements of nutri¬ 
tion, we have good reason to doubt whether 
they would prove any more nutritious. The 
matter would be in a crude, unorganized state; 
would, in fact, belong rather to the “ mineral ” 
than to the “ vegetable ” kingdom, and which, 
it is well known, cannot sustain animal life.— 
In this matter, as in nearly all others, therefore, 
extremes should be avoided. Corn should not 
be cut up while it is quite green, nor yet left 
till it is fully ripe. 
Corn stalks are always valuable as fodder, 
but, owing to the great drouth, they will be 
more than ever valuable the coming winter. 
As a general thing, we believe there is a loss 
of at least one-third through carelessness in 
curing and stacking the corn stalks. We trust 
the scarcity wili induce reform in these partic¬ 
ulars. Though a somewhat difficult matter, 
every fanner knows how to cure corn stalks, if 
j he would only be at the trouble. Let the 
husking be done iu good season, while the 
j weather is fine. It is certainly as cheap, and 
generally as convenient to do it tfirly as late. 
If the husking is done in warm, dry weather, 
and the bundles tied up small, and not put iu 
too large stooks, the stalks will soon be ready 
to draw in. 
In an article on “ stacking hay and grain,” 
in the Rural of July 1st, we mentioned an 
English method of ventilating hay stacks by 
placing a large sack, filled with chaff or cut 
straw, upright in the centre of the stack, and 
pulling it up as the stack rose, forming iu this 
way a chimney for the heated air to escape.— 
I he Country Gentleman, in alluding to it, 
thought that “ au empty salt barrel, with an iron 
rod across the top for a handle, would be likely 
to suit a Yankee better, and would draw up¬ 
wards easily, if the hay was not built much 
above the middle or swollen part This 
would doubtless be a good contrivance for 
corn fodder stacks, which so often suffer for a 
want of ventilation .” We believe if this prac¬ 
tice was adopted in stacking corn stalks, or 
even wheu they are put iu the barn, and a lit¬ 
tle salt was scattered over them—say half a 
peck to a load—the value of the fodder would 
be much improved. If any of our readers 
have tried this method, or any other which an¬ 
swers the same purpose, we shall be pleased to 
hear from them. 
TWO STUMP MACHINES. 
The beauty and value of a field is much en¬ 
hanced by its being cleared from every ob¬ 
struction to the plow; so, to further this ob¬ 
ject and comply with the request of corres¬ 
pondents, we give engravings and descriptions 
of two of the simpler machines for the extrac¬ 
tion of stumps from fields. 
The first was furnished us iu 1849, by an 
Ontario Co. correspondent, for the Genesee 
Farmer. He gave it a thorough trial, in 
clearing 15 acres from stumps the previous 
fall. 1 he same machine is given iu Thomas’s 
Farm Implements, under the head of the ap¬ 
plication of the lever to practical principles. 
We give a condensed description below : 
Two pieces of strong, three-inch white-oak 
plank, eight iuches wide, are pinned together 
at the ends through a piece of four-inch 
scantling, between the planks, and furnished 
with a movable leg or prop (4). Two rows of 
holes are bored through them 4£ inches apart 
and 1| inches in diameter, to receive iron pins 
of the same size. The lever (1)—a round 
pole 10 feet long and 4 in. in diameter at the 
largest end, which is well banded—is furnished 
with a strong iron hook, 
[shown iu fig. 2] which is first 
fastened to the root of the ~ 
stump, and then one of the |M1 
pins is inserted under the -a\ 
lever. The lever is now ele- g|f 
vated, and the other bolt is ®| 
placed under it. It is next 
pressed dowD, and the first % Mi 
bolt elevated one hole higher, 
and so on till the stump is torn out. To pre¬ 
vent the lever slipping, there are notches for 
the pin to rest in on each side of the bolt. 
The machine costs $7 or $8, and with a team 
and stone-boat to draw it about, two hands 
can do very effective work at raising stumps 
which have beeu cut for some years. 
Another and more powerful machine is 
given in the work referred to above. It is on 
the same principle, and is thus described: 
“ The lever, a, should be a strong stick of 
timber, furnished with three massive iron 
hooks, secured by bolts passing through, as 
represented in the figure. Small or truck 
wheels are placed at each end of the lever, 
merely for the purpose of moving it easily 
over the ground. The stump, b, used as a ful¬ 
crum, has the chain passing round near its 
base, while another chain passes over the top 
of the stump, c, to be torn out, A horse is 
attached to the lever at d, and, moving to e, 
draws the other end of the lever backward 
and loosens the stump; while iu this position, 
another chain is made to connect g to h, and 
the horse is turned about and draws the lever 
backward to i, which still further increases the 
loosening; a few repetitions of this alternating 
process tears out the stump. Very strong 
chains are requisite for this purpose. Large 
stumps may require au additional horse or a 
yoke of oxen. Where the stumps are remote 
from each other, iron rods with hooks may be 
used to connect the chains. 
“The power which may be given to this 
and to all other modes of usiner the lever, as 
we have already seen, depends on the differ, 
ence between the lengths of its two arms. A 
yoke of oxen, drawing with a force of 500 
pounds on the long arm of a lever 25 feet 
long, will exert a force on the short arm of six 
inches equal to 50 times 500 pounds, or 25,000 
pounds, on the stump.” 
REMEDY FOR THE PEA BUG. 
A correspondent at Rutland, Jefferson Co., 
X. A'., seuds us a remedy for the pea bug. It 
is as follows:—Thrash the peas early, and 
put those which are designed for seed the 
next year, into a tight sack, that no bug can 
escape, and at the time of sowing, turn the 
peas, bugs and all, into a tub of hot water and 
scald them to death. It has been tried in this 
vicinity with success, the past season. It doet- 
not hurt the germinating principle of the pea.” 
■ 'I’his is not a new remedy. It has been recom¬ 
mend for years, and on a small scale proves 
quite practicable and efficacious. We would 
suggest, however, that the peas be dipt for a 
few seconds, sufficient to kill the bug, but not 
to injure the pea, at this season of the year, 
for it is during the early winter months that 
the bug does the most damage. 
Our friend says: “ I think that if every farm¬ 
er and gardener would adopt this practice, and 
feed out the remainder of his peas this fall, we 
can destroy the pea bug from the land.”— 
Would it not be cheaper to feed out all the 
peas in the fall as suggested, and then obtain 
peas from Canada or other places where the 
pea bug is unknown? 
They migrate but slowly, “ they have been 
six or seven years in getting from Lime to Rut- 
tand, a distance of 20 miles, and I think they 
have been brought in by seed peas faster than 
they would fly of themselves. Last year there 
were but a few in this town, but this year there 
is a bug in every pea.” When in Lewis county, 
some time since, we were informed that the 
bug did not affect the peas there, and are sorry 
to learn they are so troublesome in Jefferson. 
Destructive as the bug is, we still believe it 
profitable to sow peas for the purpose of fat¬ 
tening pigs early in the fall before the bug does 
much injury. They are an admirable crop to 
precede wheat, impoverish the soil little, if any, 
are highly nutritious, and when consumed on 
the farm greatly increase its fertility. The 
great drawback is the high price of seed.— 
Farmers in localities where the bug is un¬ 
known. we are satisfied, would find it to their 
interest to raise more peas in order to supply 
; seed to their less fortunate brethren. 
MULTICOLE RYE. 
This is a, native of Poland, and was intro¬ 
duced to this country through the instrumen¬ 
tality of the Hon. W. C. Rives. It has been 
quite extensively disseminated, and where tried, 
we believe it has given excellent satisfaction. 
It flourishes well on any soil adapted to rye, 
and is noted for its great tillering propensity, 
as well as the length of straw and head, and 
the abundant yield. Iu Virginia it frequently 
yields 40 bushels to the acre. 
Mr. Klopper, of Montgomery county, Md., 
iu the Pat Office Report for 1850, says his 
crop averaged from 5 to 6 feet high on thin 
land without any manure, though not sown till 
December, and scarcely visible till spring, and 
then retarded by a drouth. The yield, he adds, 
is much in proportion to the quality of the 
land. Mr. Lemuel Norris, of Ashtabula co., 
O., speaking of this rye in a recent letter, re¬ 
marks that he received a small sample by mail, 
in t’ne fall of ’52, which he sowed so late it was 
badly winter-killed, but of what lived and 
grew, he gathered over a quart From two 
grains planted in August of last season, he 
this season gathered 202 well developed heads 
that were many of them seven inches in length, 
and averaged 75 grains to a head, making the 
product of 7,575 grains from one. He adds: 
“ What I sowed in the field did not yield as 
well—it was sown too late and too thick. I 
think a half bushel seed to the acre enough, 
aud that it should be sown in August, or even 
in July.” The writer plauted on the 28th of 
October last a small sample in a light sandy 
soil. Owing to cold weather coming on, it 
did not appear above ground till Xov. 20, and 
attained to only two leaves growth wheii win¬ 
ter really set in. The severe weather-of the 
latter part of March killed two-thirds of it.— 
The balance grew well, stooled enough to per¬ 
fect from four to a dozen heads from each root. 
The heads average 6£ to 7 inches; some meas¬ 
uring 8 inches, aud containing from 70 to 100 
grains in a head. 
For those who desire a fall and winter feed 
for calves and sheep, this grain seems to be 
most desirable, the more so, as it will flourish 
on soils where it is often difficult to get clover 
and the ordinary grasses to catch. Besides, 
after being fed till late in the spring, it may be 
permitted, where desired, to go to seed, and a 
good crop thus secured. Or it may be turned 
under for corn, and the ground not injured, but 
rather benefited. t. e. w. 
Clear out the dead furrows after sowing 
your wneat fields, and if the soil is of a reten¬ 
tive character see that ample drains are pre¬ 
pared and in order. 
