3 
VOLUME V. NO. 45. 
Stfljm’s $ml 
A QUARTO WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Literary, and Family Newspaper 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
ASSISTED HY 
JOSEPH HARRIS, in the Practical Departments: 
EDWARD WEBSTER, in the Literary and News Dep’ts. 
Corresponding Editors: 
J. H. Bixbt,—H. C. W hite,— T. E. Wetmore. 
ROCHESTER, N. Y. - SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1854. 
WHOLE NO. 25-3. 
Thr Rcral Nhw-Yorker is designed to be nnifjue 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. 
IgP 5 ” For Terms, kc., skk last pagx. .^^3 
Progress hnd Improvement. 
INDIAN CORN FOR EXPORT. 
The London Mark Lane Express of Oct 
lGtli has an elaborate article on the value of 
Indian Corn as “Food for the Million.” It 
starts with the assumption that none ofthece- 
ralia holds out greater prospects of a regular ! 
supply than Indian corn, “especially to the . 
limited means of our laboring population,” and f 1 '", ^ m Ell gl and > wb ile Indian corn can be 
argues that the existing prejudice against, haC at amuch lower flgure than our able Eu S li?h 
Maize as an article of food must sooner or later ; C ] 0lltem P 0rai 7 can ever expect to get it in Lon- 
givc way beiuro the progreaa of science. It i ^ 011 '. ITuyprineipal eject, however, in alluding 
shows from analyses that Indian corn meal is ' t0 tb * S arbcle is to ca!l tbe attention of farmers 
policy of exporting wa ter to this country,” and 
says we are mistaken in thinking “ that John 
Bull will part with his sovereigns for what he 
has generally too much of.ulready.” It is true 
that we have paid too little attention to the 
preparation of corn for export, but the Express 
is mistaken in attributing it to the selfish de¬ 
sire of selling water, however much the quota¬ 
tions from Dr. Lee - may favor such an idea.— 
The fact is Indian corn for exportation needs 
artificial drying, and when the price of a good 
article is high enough to pay for the extra ex¬ 
pense, means will speedily be devised for sup- 
plying John Bull with all he may require.— 
NV e believe, indeed, artificial drying has al¬ 
ready been resorted to, but with what success 
we have not learned. 
It has long been known that Indian com is 
exceedingly rich, containing a large quantity 
of fat, but we were uot prepared to find, ac¬ 
cording to the calculation of the Express, that 
the 10 tbs. of fat in“cach 100 lbs. of corn rneal, 
estimated at thirty-six cents per lb.,—the price 
of butter in England, is worth something more 
than the price of the meal. We butter-de¬ 
vouring Americans might take a hint from 
this in regard to domestic economy, and use 
more Indian corn and less fine wheaten flour 
and butter. If it is so desirable to introduce 
Indian corn as an article of food into England, 
it cannot but be equally desirable that we 
should u£e it ourselves. Wheat flour is, at the 
present moment, worth nearly as much in this 
more nutritious than wheaten flour, containing 
two per cent, more gluten and six per cent, 
more fat, and concludes that it is “ not only- 
more nourishing than wheaten flour, but also 
more wholesome to the generality of people, 
owing to the large quantity of fat and peculiar 
medicinal elements which it contains.” How¬ 
ever suspiciously Englishmen may at first look 
at “ mush ” and “ Johnny-cake,” they soon find 
that “ they keep the stomach and bowels in bet¬ 
ter order than wheaten flour, lubricating the 
whole system, and producing a higher degree 
of health at much less expense,” and that they 
soon learn to like Iudiau corn in all its various 
forms. It thinks, however, that “Indian corn 
“ has a flavor or taste peculiar to itself, which 
the prejudices of this country (England) have 
yet to overcome.” It is, nevertheless, “fast 
establishing itself among all the civilized na¬ 
tions of the world as an invaluable article of 
food,” and “ from experiments made by us late¬ 
ly we have no hesitation in saying that if it 
were imported here fresh, and free from injury, 
it would soon become a favorite at the tables 
of more than our toil-worn population.” 
This, however, is the great difficulty. Indian 
corn is uot exported in good condition, and 
consequently has fallen in disrepute. The Ex¬ 
press says:—“Good Indian corn is hardly to 
be had in this country; forjudging from forty 
or fifty samples we have purchased, upwards of 
one-half would not be considered, in America 
fit for human food. Even the best samples of 
corn on the Corn Exchange smell musty—an 
infallible proof that injury has been sustained 
either iu the “ crib ” before marketing, or sub¬ 
sequently in granary or vessel during transport’ 1 
It then goes on to say that we have latterly 
paid much attention to the quality of our dairy 
and salted provision exports, and if we would 
only look to Indian corn, “ they would find 
that the Union sustains a much greater loss 
bom the latter than from the former, and that 
consequently it presents a wider field of useful¬ 
ness before them, promising results not very 
i.isil) estimated in the present revolutionary, 
progressive state of the old world.” 
1 he principal injury corn is subject to arises 
from the quantity of water it contains when 
ground or shipped. The Express makes itself 
merry over the recommendation of our friend 
Dr. Lee, in the Patent Office Report: “When 
farmers sell corn soon after it is ripe, there is 
considerable gain in not keeping it long to dry 
and shrink iu weight.” It thinks the practical 
inference to be drawn from this reconmienda- 
of the Doctor is “ obviously the short-sighted 
and others interested, to the importance of 
using means of sending to England good, fully 
matured and well seasoned Indian corn, for, in 
the language of the Express, “ Jonathan cau 
never succeed in learning John - Bull to eat 
either ‘sour flour or 1 musty meal;’ whereas, 
ou the contrary, he will soon find a ready cus¬ 
tomer for ‘Johnny cakes,’ ‘crumpets’ and 
‘slap-jacks,’ if he only attends to the quality.” 
essential, though it is sometimes added to has¬ 
ten the process. 
The change of alcohol into vinegar is sim¬ 
ply the oxydation of a portion of the hydrogen 
of the alcohol. To facilitate this the liquid 
containing the alcohol—say fermented cider, is 
sometimes filtered through a cask filled with 
well-washed beech chips. This method is very- 
common iu Germany, aud is there called the 
Schnellessigf abrikalion, or quick vinegar pro¬ 
cess. Fermented cider may in this way, by fil¬ 
tering three or four times through the chips, 
be converted into excellent vinegar in 48 hours. 
The rationale of the process consists simply in 
exposing the liquid to the atmosphere iu thin 
sheets over the vast surface of the chips. This 
induces its rapid oxydation. The sides of the 
barrel should be perforated with augur holes 
to admit the air, and if the chips are soaked in 
vinegar before using, the process will be accel¬ 
erated. 
A farmer near this city who makes Ex¬ 
cellent vinegar from cider has two large vats, 
one containing vinegar fit for use, and the other 
eider undergoing acetous fermentation. As 
vinegar is drawn from the one, it is replaced 
by an equal quantity from the other. In this 
way a constant supply of good vinegar is ob¬ 
tained. It is desirable that the sweet cider 
should be allowed to ferment considerably in 
small barrels—if possible all the sugar should 
be converted into alcohol—before pouring it 
iuto the acetous fermenting vat. 
If a very strong vinegar is desired, whiskey 
molasses or sugar may be added to the cider. 
In such a case a little yeast might be added 
with advantage. We do not kntfx ftat it him 
GUANO ON POTATOES. 
We have frequently recommended Peruvian 
Guano as a manure for potatoes, thinking, 
from their comparatively high price, that its 
application would be found not only beneficial 
but profitable. Two years ago, II. C. Ives, 
Esq., at our recommendation, applied 600 lbs. 
of Peruvian Guano on two acres of potatoes, 
and left other two acres adjoining without any¬ 
thing. The Guanoed two acres yielded 410 
bushels, and the unguanoed two acres 238 
bushels, and thus 300 tbs. of Peruvian Guano 
per acre, costing about $9, gave an increase of 
86 bushels. 
This year, Mr. Charles W. Seel ye, of Roch¬ 
ester, applied 300 lbs of Peruvian Guano ou 
CARE GF STOCK.—PREPARE FOR WINTER. 
M inter is at hand \Vith its storms of sleet 
and snow, and all necessary preparations for 
the comfort and thrift of his stock should be 
made by the farmer. These duties will now 
nearly monopolize his attention. Every season 
has for him its appropriate and varying work, 
and that of winter brings him often among his 
i domestic animals, as their sustenance and shel- 
i ter is mostly provided by his care and labor. 
| On these subjects we offer a few suggestions. 
Considerations of economy as well as hu¬ 
manity should induce attention to the protec¬ 
tion and shelter of domestic animals in inclem¬ 
ent weather. Less food is required to sustain 
. „ , | in thriving condition, an animal kent in a corn- 
two acres of potatoes, leaving four rows in the i f\,u,Kin + +u , , , 
centre of the field withnnt on.- J° rtab J e stable ’ tfaan one uot thus sheltered.— 
! a he vital heat-must be kept up to a certain 
point — about 100° — and this is done by the 
i foed consumed, which serves as fuel to sustain 
I that temperature. A sheltered position tends 
centre of the field without any dressing. The 
tivo acres produced about 225 bushels. The 
four rows without guano gave 11 bushels, and 
four rows the same leugth which received gu- 
ano, gave 14 bushels. Thi3 is equal to an in- ; • , , . ... 
e o a i. i * : to keep up the animal heat, while exDosure 
crease of 24 bushels per acre, and estimating „ K ** , „ exposure 
a i ,1 ° i decreases it, or rather makes more food or fuel 
them wortn half a dollar per bushel (a portion ; „• * ... . , Iuei 
- - 1 ' i requisite to support it. An equable tempera- 
j ture is also more healthy than one continually 
; changing. No animal, however hardy it may 
j be, can be exposed to a winter storm, especially 
| a drenching rain, without injury to its health 
! and condition. The moisture may rapidly 
of the crop was sold on the ground at 62 J eta 
per bushel) will certainly yield a handsome re¬ 
turn for the 84,50 invested in guano. We 
saw these potatoes early in the summer, and 
the difference between the four rows, and the 
guanoed portions on each side, was verv ner -1 , ,, , „ , 
° 1 | evaporate, but every drop of water thus pass- 
ceptible, and indicated a much greater increase i •<. a- « . _ _ ^ 
& , utd " e i mg off, takes with it a portion of vital heat as 
than was realized. This was probably owing ! it ri * es . 
to the great drouth which shortly afterwards ' 
set iu, for it is well known that guano requires 
a moist season to bring out its full effect The 
small increase, as compared with Mr. Ivss’ ex- 
ever been practiced, but if the sweet cider was 1 P criinont > is aE o probably owing to the same 
concentrated a little—by boiling away some of ! caUse ‘ Peruvian guano has been used in 
MANUFACTURE OF VINEGAR. 
Every one knows how to make vinegar. In 
fact, as a fanner said to us the other day, «it 
makes itself. Nevertheless the science of vin¬ 
egar making is one of the most interesting por¬ 
tions of organic chemistry, and forms of itself 
a profound study. Vinegar, acetic acid, or, to 
be still more correct, acetylic acid hydrate, is 
usually formed out of alcohol by the acetous 
fermentation. If we take a solution containing 
starch or sugar, the starch, by fermentation, is 
first converted into sugar, and the sugar by 
the vinous fermentation is changed into alco¬ 
hol; this again by the admission of oxygen, 
which combines with a portion of the hydro¬ 
gen of the alcohol, is changed by acetous fer¬ 
mentation iuto vinegar. The process of vine¬ 
gar making therefore, if we do not push our 
inquiries too far, is very simple. 
A solution of sugar, when mixed with a ni¬ 
trogenous substance—yeast, and kept at a fer¬ 
menting temperature, with free admission of 
air, soon turns to alcohol. If we take eider, 
wine, wort, or any other liquid containing sugar 
and a nitrogenous substance, aud keep it at 
a warm temperature with free access of air, it 
will be found to contain in a few days a great¬ 
er or less quantity of alcohol, as the liquid 
contained a greater or less quantity of sugar or 
substances capable of forming it. By simply 
allowing the fermentation to proceed, the al¬ 
cohol is ultimately converted into vinegar. 
Even under the most favorable circumstan¬ 
ces of temperature and aerification, alcohol and 
water alone will not ferment The presence of 
yeast or some other nitrogenous substance is 
essentiul to its conversion into vinegar._ 
1 lie presence of air is also essential, not only 
at the commencement, but also during the en¬ 
tire process. Good vinegar, however, may be 
made trom anything containing a sufficient 
quantity of alcohol or sugar, simply by adding 
yeast and keeping it at the proper tempera¬ 
ture, say from 80° to 100°, with free access of 
air. Cider, wine, wort, Ac., as we have said, 
contains a nitrogenous or fermenting substan¬ 
ce, and therefore the addition of yeast is not 
the water as is done in making apple molasses 
—and then allowed to ferment, a stronger vin¬ 
egar would be obtained. Great loss' is sus¬ 
tained by the evaporation of alcohol. The 
strength of vinegar depends on the quantity of 
alcohol in the mother liquid, and it is therefore 
desirable to preveut this evaporation of the al¬ 
cohol as much as possible. But as it is abso¬ 
lutely essential to admit the air, this is not easi¬ 
ly accomplished. A good plan, we should 
judge, would be to fill the barrel only about 
three parts full, and have a tin tube tightly fit¬ 
ted into the bung-hole, reaching down nearly 
to the cider. This would supply air aud pre¬ 
vent the escape of the alcohol, which by fre¬ 
quently shaking the barrel would be re-absorb¬ 
ed by the eider aud ultimately converted into 
vinegar. 
CURING PORE AND HAMS. 
Sometime since we had the. pleasure of dining 
with Leonard House, Esq., of Ilouseville, 
Lewis Co., N. Y., and could not but observe 
the superior quality of the pork and ham— 
juicy, tender and fine flavored. They were 
cured as follows: —For pork: make brine 
enough to cover the pork, as strong as possible. 
I oi e\erj lajing of pork, put a layer of ground 
black pepper, say about one pound to a barrel. 
But in three or four ounces of sult-petre; this 
is not enough to make it taste, and yet it is 
sufficient to keep the lean from getting hard. 
When used the second time, don’t scald the 
brine. This is very important Mr. H. thinks 
brine should never be boiled. 
For hams: to each 100 lbs. of ham take nine 
pounds of salt, five ounces of sult-petre, one 
quart of molasses, a large spoonful of saleratus, 
aud four ounces of ground black pepper. Let 
the hams remuiu in the brine from four to six 
weeks. Smoke them about a fortnight; then 
pack them away in dry ashes. Care should be 
taken to prevent the pork from freezing; or at 
least be careful that the frost is all out when it 
is put in the brine. More hams are probably 
lost from neglect of this, than any other cause. 
Many imagine that because the hams have been 
in the salt the required time, they must neces¬ 
sarily be cured, forgetting that if they are fro¬ 
zen the salt cannot penetrate them. 
England as a manure for potatoes to a consid¬ 
erable extent, for eight or ten years. We may 
fairly conclude, therefore, that English farmers 
find its application profitable, otherwise the 
piactice would soon be abandoned. But po¬ 
tatoes generally command a higher price here 
than in England, aud if guano is a profitable ma¬ 
nure for potatoes there, why is it not at least 
equally so here ? Guano will give as great an 
increase of wheat here as there; in fact, if we 
may credit the statements of Virginia and Ma- 
nlaud farmers, it gives a somewhat greater in¬ 
crease; but its application here, as a general 
thing, will not be so profitable as iu England, 
because wheat sells at a much lower price. 
With potatoes, carrots, cabbage, beets, onions, 
Ac., the reverse holds true, and we believe 
a judicious application of good Peruvian gua¬ 
no will be found profitable. Under some cir¬ 
cumstances, when hay is high it will also yield 
Comfortable stables and sheds for horses, 
cattle and sheep—not neglecting the pigs and 
poultry — are a part of the essential requisites 
o‘i a good ''arm. Still they may not always be 
conveniently provided, and in such cases, one 
should do his best to prepare a substitute. 
Sheds may be built of poles, rails or boards, 
and straw, which will shelter sheep and cattle 
almost as well as more costly structures_tho’ 
of course, not as conveniently. When built of 
rails, the walls should be made double and 
filled in with straw, which may be also used as 
a thatch; or evergreen boughs answer well 
for this purpose. 
It is poor policy to pinch stock in the early 
pare of W inter. Let them be kept in good 
| heart, if it cau be done, from first to last, and 
it they must be put on short allowance, let it be 
at the close of the season. To make the best 
of the fodder, a straw-cutter in the barn is a 
prime necessity. Corn stalks cut fine are 
eagerly consumed by cattle ; and clover and 
all coarse hay goes much farther when cut, and 
even the best of hay is increased in value by 
this preparation. If grain of any kind is fed 
a good return on meadow land. If any of our ! be ground and mixed with cut straw, 
readers have used guano, nitrate of soda, 
“ Mapes improved,” or other superphosphate 
of lime, we should be glad to hear from them. 
I he good farmer should be a close observer 
of all the phenomena of nature within his range, 
and be always endeavoring to prepare himself 
for every emergency where his knowledge may 
be turned to good account. 
CURIOUS PHENOMENA. 
Our English exchanges speak of an un¬ 
known aquatic weed, which is likely to cause 
much trouble on the Chesterfield canal. The 
weed sprang up about two years ago, the wa¬ 
ter sometime previous having become of a 
deep green color; it spread with such amazing 
rapidity that it already extends from Work¬ 
shop to Retford, aud “unless something is 
done to stop its growth, the consequences to 
traffic must be serious.” Owing to this im¬ 
pediment, the time required to navigate a load¬ 
ed boat between these two places is nearly 
double what it was two years ago. Besides 
being of rapid growth, the plant under pres¬ 
sure “ rolls up into great heaps the size of hay¬ 
cocks,” so that boats are frequently brought to 
a complete standstill. It has a long stem 
thickly set with small leaves, and produces an 
immense quantity of flax-like fibres. 
Indications of a Good Cow.— To the marks 
furnished by the veins and the scutcheons says, 
Magxe, are to be added the following:—A ho¬ 
mogeneous, very voluminous but yielding ud¬ 
der, sinking much by milking, covered with a 
thin skin and fine hair; a good constitution,an 
ample chest, regular appetite, and great incli¬ 
nation to drink; flesh rather lean than fat; a 
slender, supple skiu; soft, short hair; a small 
head, fine horns, quick eye, gentle look, femin¬ 
ine air, fine neck 
first moistened with water. It will be better 
digested, and consequently less will be required. 
Apples and roots are of much value as food 
for all kinds of farm stock. 
Much may be done towards increasing the 
quality and quantity of the manure heaps.— 
The stables should be kept well littered, for 
| the comfort and health of their occupants, and 
the pig pen be supplied with the raw material 
for the young porkers to manufacture. Muck, 
leaves from the woods, coarse hay and such 
absorbeut materials will add much to the value 
of this “essential to productive farming”_ 
manure. Enough of these or of straw should 
be mixed with the horse dung to prevent its 
heating, and to take up the liquid portion of 
the same. No farmer who studies true econo¬ 
my will suffer any fertilizer to go to waste, 
which his reasonable care can save. 
Water as well as food is necessary. This 
should be brought into the yard, if it may be, 
so that every animal may have the supply his 
wants demand. It is an excellent plan to have 
proper cisterns constructed to take the water 
from the barn rool, where springs are not 
available, and in this wav a full supply of the 
best water may be secured. 
But we will uot be tedious with our remind¬ 
ers. Onr readers observe the times and sea¬ 
sons as well as ourselves, and no doubt are 
doing what we are only talking about. _b. 
Great Oat Crop. —A South Essex (Eng.) 
farmer offers to wager $500 to $25 that he has 
a field of oats which will yield 136 bushels 
per acre. The wager has been taken up. 
