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VOLUME V. NO. 50.S 
ROCHESTER, N. Y. - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1854. 
I WHOLE NO. 
Stmt's gtmtl Utto-gorter: 
A QBARTO WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Literary, and Family Newspaper. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOGBE, 
With an abi.r corps of Assistants and Contributors. 
Thr 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 haadsome engrav¬ 
ings, than any other paper published in this Country,— 
rendering it a complete Aqrjoultitral, Literart and 
Family Newspaper. 
TEP.M3, IN ADVANCE: 
Subscription —$2 a year—$1 for 6 months, in advanoe. 
For reduction to Agents, and those who form Ghibs, see 
notice on last page. 
Advertisements, — If brief and appropriate, will be 
inserted at 16 cents a line, each insertion. JT|?” No Patent 
Medicine, or deceptive adVIs, published on any terms. 
Progress and Improvement. 
STUDY THE SOIL YOU TILL. 
The past season of great drouth has un¬ 
doubtedly developed many interesting facts in 
regard to the hygroscopic and retentive power 
of soils, which, if farmers could only be induced 
to record them, would greatly extend onr 
knowledge of this interesting but neglected 
branch of scientific agriculture. Chemists who 
in too many cases have been investigating 
agricultural phenomena by deductive methods 
alone, now manifest an inclination to abandon 
their inglorious pursuit, and to walk slowly and 
cautiously, hand in hand, with practical fann¬ 
ers. They have given up the attempt to 
revolutionize the system of agriculture, based 
on experience; and no longer pretend, by the 
aid of an analysis, to dictate to a farmer a 
thousand miles away, what his sick soil needs 
to care it, and make it produce immense crops 
at little expense. They are satified that they, 
themselves, are still much in the dark in regard 
to what constitutes a fertile soil, and are will¬ 
ing to listen to what practical, observing 
farmers have to say oh the subject. We an¬ 
ticipate much good from this change iu the 
direction of chemico-agricnltural investigation; 
being satified that if the chemist and farmer 
would only work harmoniously together, they 
would soon clear up much of the uncertainty 
at present attending many of our agricultural 
and horticultural operations. The duty of tho 
former is to record every fact ooming under 
his observation; that of the chemist to search 
after the cause of the phenomenon. Chemists 
are now ready, we are convinced, to do what 
they can; icill the farmers kelp them? 
We are particularly desirous of ascertaining 
facts concerning the influence of drouth on 
different classes of soils; also as to the effect 
of peat, plowing in clover, deep plowing, un- 
derdraining, &e. While we can hardly be 
said to have paid too much attention to the 
simple elements of plants which a soil contains, 
we may safely aver that we have given far too 
little attention to the mechanical condition of 
the soil; to its power of absorbing moisture 
and fertilizing gases from the atmosphere, to 
its retentive and capillary powers, and to 
the quantity of water required to saturate it. 
Led away by the delusive fascinations of the 
“Mineral ’ and “Special” manure theories, 
we have neglected for the past ten or fifteen 
years to study these characteristics of soils; 
and, indeed, many writers at the present day 
appear to have forgotten that soils have any 
such qualities. 
It is known that soils which contain much 
humus or decayed vegetable matter, have 
great power in drawing moisture from the air. 
It might be supposed, therefore, that an appli¬ 
cation of peat—which contains much humus— 
would prove beneficial in a dry season on 
Bandy soils. Has such been the case? Clay, 
too, possesses this power to a great extent, 
but it should be well pulverized in order to 
allow tho air to permeate through it Pure 
sand does not possess the power at all; and 
yet sandy soils which contain a little clay and 
humus, often suffer less from drouth than 15,792 lbs. of hay. One ton of hay, there- 
tenacious clay 3 , owing doubtless to their per- fore, produced 143 lbs. of increase of animal, 
meabihty. Sir Humphrey Davy says : “Ike The second lot, ^hich received 
soils which are most efficient in supplying the eraged at the commencement of the experi- 
plant with water, by atmospheric absorption, ment 896 lbs.; at the end of 13 months, 1890. 
are those in which there is a due mixture of increase, 994 lbs. They consumed per head 
sand, finely divided clay, and carbonate of lime, 14553 fog. of hay. Or one ton of hay pro- 
with some animal or vegetable matter; and duced 137 lbs. of increase of animal, 
which are so loose aad light as to be freely The steers receW ^ pr0(taced ^ lto . 
permeable to the atmosphere With respect more inereaEe for each ton of hay consumed 
to this quality, carbonate of lrme and animal thM lhoM which were Dot ailowed ^ ^ 
and vegetable matter are of great use m soils; . ., , , . 
,, . , , . ° “ may be considered only a slight advantage, 
they glee absorbent power to the sod w.thont and io France d!d not p , y for tte cost of ^ 
l . ‘Ti'i '' .J ’■ 0n l ° ' 7 ' salt; in this country, however, where salt is 
which also destroys tenacity, gives httie ab- much ch j(s ^ wffl b<J 
sorbent power. I have compared the absorb- f ,, . a . * 
. .. .5 . I able. .Boussingault remarks “ the salt exer- 
ent power et many soils with respect to at- ; , , , . a ,, 
, . . , J „ , cises no considerable influence on the growth, 
mosphenc moisture, and I have always found „ . , , c . , ~ , 
.. . . . , „ .. J , yet it appears to exert a benefieial effect on 
it greatest m the most fertile soils; so that j v... » „ 
.. , al , . , . ’ , the appearance and condition of the animal. ’ 
it affords one method of judging of the pro- » Pfa „ . » . , .... 
, .. r 1 j n mu • . , i „ After the first fourteen days, no perceptible 
ductiveness o land. There » a rich field differ5nc6 WM observed between thVtwo lots; 
X (MY , X open tor mvesUgation ,n th.s direction. but in the course of the month following, the 
/fiO [ n pm - fj ari fT , 1 f 1 ;“” "y of wato re 7 red t0 tl,oro ’ , B h - difference was visible even to the unpractised 
^AWU JLIU A RUt + ! ly saturate the vanons earths, is a question of In the beasts of both lots, the shin to 
much importance. ScnuBLER found that a the touch was Sue and sound,but the hair in the 
cubic foot, when thoroughly saturated, eon- steers hatiDg salt „ w>s Bm00th End shid 
tamed of water as follows :-Silicious sand, thit of tko other3 du „ and eretL - Ag lhe M . 
Z „ ' eyP f m r °"i d , er ' 27 ' 4; caleareo “ s periment progressed, these signs became still 
sand, 31.8; carbonate of hme, 47A; fine slaty more „ In the of ae eec . ; 
mar , 3o.6; pure grey clay, 48.3; stiff clay or oud after q, had hrf n f | 
hnf h- PRftli API A.- o-«rdcm mrmlrl Aft A 'PUm ... ^ J ’ • 
AN OCTAGON BARN 
■ ELEVATION. 
,, ,, , , tuc tuutu naa uuc auu Hjuiiu,uut me amr lame 3 V , . , ,, 
cubic foot, when thoroughly saturated, eon- steers having sal , „ !m00 th and sbininv ' MM - " is!eh *e space e, allotted for wagons or 
tained of water as follows :-SUicious sand, that of the others dull and erect.” As the ex- Above we prescnTTvie, ofan ootamn “ entered l ^ pleading to the 
, gr T‘ P ° W ,f - ; caIcareoa3 periment progressed, these signs became still bare, which may suit the idea, of some of °L s ' way w,th door F ” at « 
sand, 31.8; carbonate of hmn, 47.5; tine slaty P orc Fom P „ent, - in the anLals of the sec- refers It ie^Z of In 7 ’ aad I o, barn-y«d 
blS : earth P « a®"’ 7 f“ 7 ’ y ^ 1®*. a «et they had had no salt for a year, venienee in feeding stoek, of compactness, and t °ZL Here ? edmg ;™ ora ' m sha P e oc - 
b„ca oa th, 45.4; garden mould, 48.4. The j the bair was matte( p and t]M ski „ ^ md j chea ofcon 2, oUon .’ It ^ . ° cuttw » bo ^ **" ®« 
fact that -garden mould imbibed more ; there deyoid of hair- Those cf the first lob ! by the Peoples' Journal- “ arranged. ^ Apertures mto the various man- 
water than any other soil, and the poor | on ^ contTSlT7 , ^ned the look of staU-kept , Tt p - JP are indicated by the little openings— 
“silicious sand” the least, indicates that rich j beagts _ Their liveliness and freouent indii-1 “ represents a barn 4 “ fee ^ m diameter— Through these ail the hay and other food for 
soils are less easily saturated than stari'e mite L. , . * . 6 tsassssszags^. the stoek is nnt TTnv from +b* 
soils are less easily saturated than sterile ones. tioB3 of the tendency to le C0Btrasted strik . 
xlere, too, is a fine field for study. ingly with the heavy gait and cold tempera¬ 
te power ot retaining water, when exposed men t observed in these of the second lot_ 
to the atmosphere, is also known to differ ma, « There can be no doubt,” Boussingault adds, 
tenally m the several earths. Schubler found, „ that a bigher price wou i d kaYe beeQ obtaiD . 
calculating the evaporation as from 100 grains ed in the market for the oxen reared under ^ 
of water contained in the earth, that 200 grains fofl u6Gce 0 f salt” 
of earth, spread on a surface of ten square _ 0 _ 
inches, at a temperature of 653.0, evaporated in 
4 hours as follows. Silicious sand, 88 . 4 grains; 
calcareous sand, 75.9; gypsum powder, 71.7; 
FARMERS, WRITE FOR YOUR JOURNALS! 
The Summer toil of the Farmer is past, and 
sandy clay, 52.; loamy clay 45.7; stiff clay or his leisure hours have come. The Winter 
brick earth, 34.9; pure grey clay, 31.9; fine evenings are the time for Farmers to reflect on 
lime 28; garden mould, 24.3 ; magnesia, 10.8; the past, and meditate and plan for the future; 
Our space will not allow us to comment on and it is the time for them to hold communion 
these results, or to pursue the subject further with each other; and, through the medium of 
at this time, but we would commend their the Agricultural Journals, enjoy the plea- 
study to every farmer, and especially -to every sure, (aye, and the profit, too,) of interchang- 
farmer’s son. Do not forgot, moreover, to let uig thoughts and views on the various branches 
us have the results of your observations during of their multifarious pursuit. Would they 
the past year. but adopt the plan of informing each other 
Through these all the hay and other food for 
the stoek is put. Hay from the 
\ loft above is thrown down by 
means of a trap in the floor over 
h. The stalls being all arranged 
in a somewhat circular manner 
the feeding is quickly accomplish. 
I ed, and the animals easily secur- 
I ed. In the hay-loft above, there 
I being out one small space requir. 
._— § ed in the centre, for the fodder 
C to be thrown down, a much 
-C —1 larger quantity of hay can be 
E stowed than in barns where there 
I are racks at the sides, which pre- 
J vent full storage.” 
It is said that buildings on the 
octagon principle can be built at 
less expense than in any other, 
form. If any of our readers have 
tried this, their experience woul d 
. X t be valuable t© others. Plans of 
SALT IN FEEDING CATTLE. 
the past year. but adopt the plan of informing each other 5 T ~ ^ U1WU lULX ’ “^experience worn a 
-. -- through the medium of their Journals, what . i;tfPROrZD octagon barn —ground plan. be \ aluable t© others. Plans o 
SALT IN FEEDING CATTLE. they have done the season past, and with what Eacb Slde ] s 12 feet ) oa £- 0tir fif9t engraving buildings, properly drawn, will always be glad 
-- ' success, and what they wish to perform the 6boTV ' 3 a elevation, and the second is a ly received, and if thought of sufficient merit 
From some slight and inconclusive experi- coming year, by giving a general statement of * rouud p ' an ‘ ^ P^ aH A > ar e larga doors j to justify the expense, will be engraved. 
ments ot onr own, as well as from pkysiologi- their farming operations, it would give volumes .. *"". . -- - ■■■ • - - ~ 
cal considerations, we have had our doubts of useful facts that would be of great impor- lt is ^ a y era S e production for a number of EXTRACTS FROM TIIAER’S WRITINGS. 
whether it was good oconomy to allow aui- tance to them all. It would inorease their yearS that ** the evide ' nce °f a S ood cultivator. - 
mala, feeding for the butcher, the free use of agricultural knowledge, and habituate them to And there are of us competent to put Ifc IS onl J lhc straw of plants which bear a 
fere rin 8 ,! “ f d0Ub “ e “ and macerate,, oe all 
favoring the formation of bile, and aiding in their farming operations; and it would give a f aent ^ f’ Q01 stnj f out ^ords to make a Jarcrer g , of nourishment. Its mitritive 
carrymg effete matter from the system; but rich expansion to their agricultural thoughts, artlc tf- Bat lfc 13 110 mor ® a di sgrace to povel . ^ in p ropor tion to the greenness of the 
there is no reason to snpposo that it favors and be a real zest in their leisure hours; and the farmer that . he 19 not a fluent writer -crop when mown. Millet and maize straw, 
the accumulation of fat. Liebig, indeed, as- the time and labor necessary to accomplish it n barrister that he cannot hold the when properly prepared, likewise belong to the 
serts that 11 the absence of common salt is fa- would be but trifling, would they but make a pIow ‘ ll ia tlie farmer s Province to deal with more nutritious class. 
vorable to the formation of fat,” and that the heoin nin o- facts, and not with flowery language. A plain For winter feeding, it is almost universally 
“ fattening of an animal is rendered impossi- Make a map of the farm, number the fields aad distiECt statement of facts and things is thought- necessary to chop the straw. The 
ble, when we add to its food an excess of Balt, and mark on the map the number of acres in th ® beant 7 of tlie formers style. But all these topped straw is divided into soheffels, one of 
1.1 1 • ~ "l~ _ A 1 , . 1 A! ll* 1. 1 I wrL ink HArnmnl tt J 1 r-i Ja J -AlY® ll rtoffl A TPAl' a*L n 
long article. But it is no more a disgrace to 
tho farmer that he is not a fluent writer, than 
larger supply of nourishment. Its nutritive 
power i® in proportion to the greenness of the 
crop when mown. Millet and maize straw. 
it is to tne barrister that he cannot hold the when properly prepared, likewise belong to the 
plow. It is the farmer’s province to deal with more nutritious class. 
facts, and not with flowery language. A plain For winter feeding, it is almost universally 
aad distinct statement of facts and things is thought- necessary to chop the straw. The 
the beauty of the farmer’s style. But all these shopped straw is divided into soheffels, one of 
although short of the quantity required to each field, and keep a farm journal; set down ot)8tacles 111111 Acuities can be overcome by ^hich,coarsely^ividedfor horned cattle, weighs 
_i__ _z- ^ ... . _ r J ’ foUL ft,! w fi__— about 9 lbs., taking the straw of annua- and au- 
prodnee a purgative effect.” Recently, how- each season the number of acres that there laitb - 11 ' perseverance, 
ever, in allusion to experiments made since the are under the various crops, together with W!ie - Un L N ~ p y om ^ e r ’ lS54- 
publication of the work in which the above their probable average production; perfect Cavn-osT for Cobn—A Teneepondent o 
sentences occur, Ltebig saysSait does not accuracy is not essential for general purposes, the Pentu Farm Journal ^ M a maniu , 
fft as a pr0du “!' of fl f h; Dut J neutralizes but the nearer correct the more valuable it for coni( a oompost made 0 f the following sub 
the injurious actions of the conditions, which will be. stances:-A layer of sods and soil six inche! 
must be united in the unnatural state of ani- Bat I am fully aware that there are many tKick . a layer of .table manure, two inches; * 
mals fed or fattened in order to produce flesh; inconveniences to be overcome for farmers to IaaLao. 
the Penn, Farm Journal uses as a manure 
thful persererauce. W. Qarbctt. about 9 lbs> * takin ? the straw of s P rin g and au- 
Vheatland, N. Y. f Deoember, 1854. tumn e©rn together. For an ordinary native 
- < ■ ♦ . --- cow, from three-quarters to one scheffel per day 
Compost for Corn. —A correspondent of 48 thought sufficient. 
e Penn, Farm Journal uses as a manure Some persons think that hard water is best 
- com. a oomDOst made of the following sub- horses ; but they prefer soft water, and 
stances-.-A layer of sods and soil six inched d f iak more from pcad ® ^ , from 
♦vgaD. « Af.inKla monn«, . clear springs. Hard spring-water should there- 
thick; a layer of stable manure, two inches; a 
fore be exposed to the air for some time before 
--- ------- “ „ - - u °* a ’ mcuuvcmeuLes 10 CJK overcome ror xarmers to layer of wooda earth, six inches; as much night - 
and the advantages attending its use can attend to even these trifles. We are not in S aH r an be collected- a bushel of given to horses. 
hardlv be estimated too hio-hh/ * it,, i 3 , . , son as can be collected, a bushel of piaster to Cleanliness is of great importance to the 
The experiments of IforfsTvoAm > m a • wntiu ^ “ d our p0 “ iu ' ld mk ar * every fifteen loads of compost, another layer health of the horses ; if it he neglected, a crust 
often helirdo ^ TT? uT fTA” ’ °** ^ ^ woods earth, and afl the refuse of sweat and dust collects on the skin, and 
often bean alluded to as indicating that salt by after the fatigue of a long bummers day we wood and coal asheg about the premise ,. Af _ givc8 rfse to mange and other diseases. Agri- 
no means exeicises a ene cia in uenee upon rarely feel inclined to look them up, and set ter lettiug the heap stand a few weeks mix the cultural horses cannot, indeed, be treated with 
t.hA crrnmih nf nnifln, «n r! immi fl ^ J or .. . 
the growth of cattle, and upon the develop- down the number of acres plowed, planted, or whole thoroughly together, and strew on a lit- ^ the minute attention bestowed on pleasure 
ment of flesh, to the extent usually ascribed sown; and we generally are a little affected tie more plaster. He has made from 50 to 75 horses; such as currying, brushing, dusting, 
to it. . His more recent experiments, however, with the impulse of vanity, and do not like to j oads of {b j g cornpost every w ; n ter for several 1111(1 wa£hil; g every time they return to the sta- 
result in favor of salt. Thus, two lots of steers, mention our miss-goes, nor let our poor crops y eu ,. q and thinks it e ual in value to barnyard ble ; but ’ at 311 event3 > they should be curried 
of three each, were fed on hay for 13 months, bo known, (which will sometimes happen to ' T i v q , a ,, r . K „„ a every morning, ancl have their hams, knees and 
, . , . v manure. Ihe heap shouiu be as near the , . , , , ,, , . 
one lot being; allowed salt, the other not the beet of farmer*) We mast have some- ^ a , iMe P d rcceireall th , tc fcetjr— 1 .-H «v.„ .he, W. „nt 
Ihe average weight per head of the salted thing great or wonderful if we let our neigh- _ 0 i _ _airty. 
lot, at the commencement of the experiment, bors know it ,—which is wrong, for it is not A Good Chbsss should oontaiu all the but- of ^ 
was 95o lbs.; at the end of 13 months 2,090 lbs. one bountiful crop, nor one or two fine animals, ter of tba md k as well as the curd; and in i s i nd 
Increase 1,135 lbs. They consumed por head that is the evidence of the farmer’s thrift, but mriair . the butter should remain unchanged. 
every morning, and have their hams, knees and 
feet washed every evening, when they have got 
*" ' ' "* ~ V\~hen pigs are accustomed to pasturage, that 
A Good Cheese should oontaiu all the but- 0 f the woods is always preferred by them. It 
ter ot the milk as well as tne curd; and in ig indispensable, however, that they have a 
curing, the butter should remain unchanged, proper supply of water. 
