TWO DOLLARS YEAR.) 
“ FROGBJK88 A.NU IMIPROVKIVLENT.” 
[ SINCAI.J HI NO. B’OTJR cents. 
YOL. XI. NO. 40.! 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-F0R THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, I860. 
1 WHOLE NO. 560. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
' : ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
EXTRA!, HTL.'Rl AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
CONDUC ED BY D. D, T. MOORE, 
With an Able - . •. 30 oi Assistants and Contributors. 
Ths Rural Nr:: -Yorker is designed to be unsurpassed 
In Value, Purity, Usefulness and Variety of Contenm, and 
unique aud beautila its Appearance. Its Comluctor devote* 
his personal attention to the aupnrviemn of it« various de- 
partmenta, and earnestly labors to render the RURAL an 
eminently Reliable Guide on all the important Practical, 
Scientific and other Subjects Intimately connected with the 
bu si near of those whose interests it zealously Advocates. 
As a Family Journal it is eminently Instructive and Kn- 
tertaimng — being «o oonductod that it can bo safely taken 
to the Hearts mid Homos of people 01 intelligence, taste 
and discrimination It embraces more Agricultural, Horti¬ 
cultural, Scientific, Educational, Literary and News Matter, 
interspersed with appropriate and beautiful Engravings, 
than any other journal, — rendering it the most complete 
AomorLTCKAj., Literary and Family Newspaper in 
America. 
For Terms and other particulars, see last page. 
1ws* 
tl "Ji • 
iMMCi0 .wtMnuvm 
THE SEASON-RESULTS AND LABORS. 
The odd piercing winds, the clear blue sky, 
with here aud there a fleecy oloud flying swiftly 
through the upper air, the hazy atmosphere dur¬ 
ing warm and pleasant days, the rlptning of the 
autumnal fruils, the gay dresses of purple, and 
gold, and crimson, which the trees are beginning 
to put on—all wai n us that the summer is gone 
and the autumn time has come. 
Never have the farmers of America had greater 
cause of gratitude to the Giver of all Good—never, 
perhaps, since “thorns and thistles ” sprang up 
from the seed;;o Idiaobenienee, and man was con¬ 
demned to pro : Me bread by the sweat of his face, 
has the toil of th.? husbandman been moie richly 
rewarded, than is oar own happy land the present 
year. The earth ha yielded its moat delicious 
fruits in such abundance ihat there has been 
enough for all, and while the price hus been so 
low as to enable all to pure ase a generous supply, 
the abundance cf the crop has well remunerated 
the grower. Apples, penis, plums, peaches, grapes, 
in fact all the fruits, have beeu exceedingly 
abundant here, and with the exception of peaches, 
we hear of similar reports from all parts of the 
couutry.. The wheat crop never has been nearly 
as large. The Western barns and storehouses 
are groaning under their immense burdens; and, 
as a gentleman remarked to us a few days since, 
the West hus the iippsarance of one vast granary, 
designed for the feeding of the world. Oats and 
barley have yielded large crops almost every¬ 
where, and the com was never better. We don’t 
know how largely roots have been planted, but 
wa do know the present season has been exactly 
adapted to their growth, and wherever planted 
they have attained a size and perfection uuusual 
in this country. 
There is only one drawback to this general 
prosperity. The potatoes in this State and in 
some others, are very badly rotting. We noticed 
the disease in the haulm in July, and published 
the fact in the Rural before we had heard a 
whisper ou the subject from any other source. 
Our fears have been realized, and we think the 
disease will be found more general and more 
destructive than for these many years past A 
gentleman of Walworth. Wayne county, informed 
us yesterday that thei ire many fields in that 
town that will not pay j..: digging, and have been 
abandoned. We heard of another gentleman in 
the same town, who selected sufficient Flukes for 
winter use, as being the least diseased, and put 
them in bis cellar, but they decayed so rapidly 
and produced such a stench, that he had to re¬ 
move them. The only thing that can now be 
done is to get potatoes out of the ground as quick 
as possible, aud thoroughly dry them. Thorough 
drying we know prevents the spread of the 
disease, and naves the tnbers that are sound at 
digging, but many that appear Bound will be 
found diseased upon close examination. Even 
when there is no appearance of rot, potatoes 
should be got 03 of the ground as soon as 
possible. Hundred of bushels are every year 
lost in this neighborhood, by delaying digging 
until it is so late that all cannot be safely 
housed before hard frosts. 
Corn is well ripened, we believe, in all parts of 
the country. On our return from the East, on 
the ltith of September, we observed that between 
Schenectady and Utica there h id been consider¬ 
able frost a night or two previous, but we were 
informed tho corn was so far advanced toward 
maturity, as to receive no lojury. In this section, 
up to the present time, (Sept. 27th,) we have bad 
no frost, and the corn stulkB are larger, with 
more and broader leaves than usual, aud as they 
have ripened gradually without frost, are in ex¬ 
cellent condition, making a very large amount 
of good feed. They should be secured at once 
from future injury, for though everything seems 
abundant at present, ibis is no excuse for waste. 
A long, and perhaps tedious and seveie winter, 
is before us. 
Almost all roots make a good growth quite late 
in the fall, therefore it, is desirable to leave them 
in the ground as long as possible, particularly if 
they were planted rather late, and have not, there¬ 
fore, completed their growth. It iB better, how¬ 
ever, to take them up a little too early than too 
late, and delays at this time of the year are very 
dangerous. Sometimes winter sets in suddenly 
and unexpectedly, it is always will to ho pro 
pared for winter an early as possible. It is a very 
good plan to commence digging pretty early, 
where practicable, and continue digging a few 
every day or two, as fast as the stock can con¬ 
sume the tops, which are of a good deal of value. 
It takes much more food to make a pound of 
flesh in the cold weather of winter, than in au¬ 
tumn. The pigs, therefoie, should now be fatten¬ 
ing. In gathering crops, there is a good deal of 
waste food excellent for hogs, especially if cooked 
and mixed with a little meal, that could not be 
used very well in any other way. But wc need 
not particularize. Every farmer understands 
this matter, and our only design is to drop a hint 
and help the memory. 
COMPARATIVE VALUE OF GUANOS, &c. 
Facts which have of late come to onr knowl¬ 
edge, have convinced us that the comparative 
value of manures, and especially of the natural 
guanos, is not welt understood even by those of 
considerable general intelligence in regard to 
agricultural matters, Wc recently attended a 
discussion among practical men where this lack 
of knowledge was plainly visible. This made 
us to determine write a biief article, in the 
hope of making the matter plain to our readers; 
and for the further purpose of answering some 
inquiries as to the but mode of applying guano, 
Ac., which for several weeks have been awaiting 
a convenient opportunity tor reply. Fortunately 
we have just received au interesting pamphlet on 
this subject, from England, entitled the History 
and Properties of the different varieties of Natural 
Guanos, by J. C. Nesbit. We observe that It is 
highly commended by the Gardener's Chronicle, 
and other English journals, aud we shall make 
use of ita p <ges at the preseut time, deferring any 
lengthy remarks of our own for another occasion. 
We have also received several pamphlets from 
American dealer*, w.bich we will notice in due 
time. This is becoming au important matter. 
Millions of dollars arc now spent by American 
farmers every year for Guano, and we fear in 
some oases to very little purpose. They have a 
right to look to the Agricultural Press for such 
information as will save them liom becoming the 
dupes of designing speculators. The adulteration 
of guano and the sale of inferior sorts we fear is 
not confined to England. 
Mr. Nssbit describes the composition of plants, 
the relations of manures to vegetable growth, aud 
the rules for calculating the value of a manure 
founded on its composition as declared by an¬ 
alysis and on the value of its several ingredients 
in the market, lie then in successive chapters 
enumerates the different kinds of guauo, gives 
many of the analyses of each, which he has him¬ 
self conducted, and estimates by the rule already 
given the intrinsic as compared with the com¬ 
mercial value of the articles thus analysed. 
He classities guanos under three beadB: 
1 st. Those which have suffered little by atmos¬ 
pheric action, and which retain nearly the whole 
of their original constituents, such as the Anga- 
mos and Peruvian guano. 
2d. Those which have lost a considerable por¬ 
tion of their soluble ingredients; of this churn are 
the Ichaboe, Bolivian, and Chilian guanos. They 
contain aamfficient qnantity of nitrogen to distin¬ 
guish them from the third series. [In this class 
we think is included the American Company’s 
guano.l 
3d. Those which have lost nearly all their am¬ 
monia, and contain but little more than the earthy 
phosphates of the animal deposit. Many of these 
are largely contaminated with Band. [In this 
class is embraced the Sombrero.] 
The greater part of the pamphlet is occupied 
with a description of these several imported ma¬ 
nures—with a list of analyses of each—and with 
instances illustrative of their liability to adulter¬ 
ation. The following paragraph contrasts Peru¬ 
vian gnano with various home manures: 
The following table coutains aualysesof various 
manures, made by Boussino aui.t aud other well- 
known chemists, and also an analysis of an ordi¬ 
nary Bample of Peruvian guano: 
ANALYSES OF FARM YARD DUNO, AC. 
Farmyard Dung. 
tan 
P 
9 
Pi 
3 
s 
Cow Dung. 
til 
a 
p 
P 
tii 
K 
p a 
.P © 
fg • 
*:sb 
* c 
Peruvian Guano. ^ 
Moisture,. 
79.3o 
70.17 
36.41 
62,00 
94.24 
18,35 
Organic matter,. 
14.03 
197(1 
11 .20 
14.29 
1.72 
51.25 
Inorganic matter,... 
6.67| 4.13 
2.36 
3.71 
l.U-1 
30.40 
100.00 100.00 
100.00 
lOO.UO 
100.00 
1 100,00 
Nitrogen (equal to) .. 
0.41 
i U.rtS 
0 36 
0.6] j 0.94 1 
13.88 
Ammonia,. 
0.19 
0.7S 
0.43' 
0.7l| 1.14 
16.85 
Boussingault, Paykn, and many others of our 
leading practical Agricultural Chemists, have 
come to the conclusion that the value of different 
manures varies nearly in proportion to the 
amount of nitrogen they contain. There may be 
eases to which this rule is uot exactly applicable; 
but in many natural manures, an increase of ni¬ 
trogen is accompanied by an increase in the 
phosphate of lime, and every other valuable ma¬ 
nuring element. In the above table, for instance, 
the 13.88 of nitrogen in the gneno is accompanied 
by 30.40 parts of inorganic matter, of which 23.00 
parts (or more than two : . ids) is phosphate lime. 
if we take the per eentage of nitiogen, then, 
as a correct indication of manuring value, we 
shall land that one tun of ordinary Peruvian guano 
Is equal to 334 tuns of farm-yard dang, 21 tuns of 
horse dung, 38.) tuns of cow dung, 224 Gins of pig 
dung, and l-l] tuns of mixed human excrements. 
Let those who farm in hilly countries, and 
other places where carriage is expensive, ponder 
weil the above facta. 
Though a good farmer will produce as ranch 
manure as he conveniently can, yet even farm¬ 
yard dung may be bought too dear; aud it is cer¬ 
tain tbat on numbers of farms the cartage of dung 
is so expensive an item of management, that the 
introduction of guano, for those paita at the 
greatest distance from the homestead, would be 
productive of t,ho same fertility at a considerable 
saving of expense. 
Instructions are given for the application of 
this valuable fertilizer to the various crops. The 
following paragraph relates to the preliminary 
preparation of the manure for drilling. 
For drilling, it must first be mixed with four to 
six times ita weight of the ashes of turf, or coal, 
or with the same quautity of well-sifted mould. 
Charcoal, in powder, either from peat or wood, is 
also a most excellent article to be mixed wiih the 
guano, in the proportions indicated. Its great, 
porosity allows it to retain the volatile ammonia, 
and dry weather to absorb considerable moisture 
from the air. This is of material benefit to plants 
in their early growth. 
Before mixing, the guano must be finely pul¬ 
verised, which may easily he done with a common 
garden roller upon the floor of a barn or shed, or 
even by beating it with a common shovel. A 
layer of the ashes, Ac., is then spread evenly upon 
the floor, and a quantity of the flue guano sifted 
over it. This is followed by another layer of 
mould or ashes, and another of guano, until the 
requisite quantity of both is used. The whole 
must then be repeatedly turned with the shovel 
until thoroughly mixed. If time will pcrmit.it 
is uow preferable to leave the mixture for eight 
or ten days. It must then be again sifted, wken it 
will be ready for use. 
In using guano with the drill, care must be 
taken that the mixture falls below the seed, and 
that an inch or so of soil intervenes between 
them, otherwise the strength of the guano will 
kill the seed. 
The above mixture is generally sufficiently 
damp to fall exactly where the hand directs it. 
When this is not the case, a small quantity of 
water Bhould be added; the field most be sown 
with the mixture in the ordinary manner, and 
the manure harrowed in; the Bced is then drilled 
as usual. 
Perhaps the preferable mode would betobroad- 
cast two-thirds of the guano applied, and to drill 
one-third with the seed. The young plants would 
then have enough manure under the drills to serve 
the early stages of growth, while the guano sown 
broadcast would supply the wants of the plants 
in a more mature Btate, when the roots would 
have spread in every direction in the soil. 
Mr. Nksbjt also refers in general terms to the 
adulteration of guano: 
jln oivTsr famhinta 1 j iyjcig-iiottsic. 
F.D 8 . Rural New Yorker:— In your issue of 
Hept 16th, a correspondent requested that you or 
some of your readers would present, through the 
RURAI., a plan for a Bee House. I therefore take 
the liberty of sending one, and if thought worthy, 
you will oblige ihe undersigned, and, perhaps, 
benefit your intelligent correspondent, as well as 
others, by placing it in your columns. Jn the 
constiuoUon of a Bee House, two things onght, 
first to be provided against, viz.—a great heat, in 
summer, and extreme cold in winter. To provide 
against, these, when separate hives are used, is no 
groat task—they being easily moved to any de¬ 
sired situation; but when a bee house is employed 
like the above, it is quite a diffi-rei t thiug. In 
this case the walls should be boarded up on the 
inside as well as out, and the spaces between the 
two tilled with some good non-conductor, such as 
spent tan-bark, saw dust, &c. 
The above engraving is intended to represent 
an octagon or eieht-sided house, the walls of 
which are constructed in this manner:—The win¬ 
dows shown at the sides are uot of glass, but 
merely painted on the wood work to give it a more 
attractive appearance. The bees en.ter the hives 
(which are fixed aronnd on the inside of the 
houBe,) through the small holes seen near the bot¬ 
tom of the windows—and the narrow shelf below 
is for them to alight upon. Windows or skylights 
Figure 2. 
are fixed in the opposite Bides of the roof, which 
are covered or uncovered at pleasure by the 
hinged doors, (seen in the engraving partly open.) 
These dooia are operated by the small cords con¬ 
nected with them, which pass np over small 
pulliea in the little cupola, thence down into tho 
interior of the building. 
Fig. 2 represents the ground plan. The parti¬ 
tions seen around on the inside, are frames for 
the hives, which are made of sufficient size to 
slide snugly into these frames from the inside. It 
must be understood that t.be frames aro fixed per¬ 
manently to tho sides of the house. The dimen¬ 
sions of tho house are as follows:—Height, 8 feet; 
distance from the opposite sides passing through 
the center, IK feet. 
Your correspondent requested a plan for one 
that was capable of containing 30 swarms. This 
one will hold 35 swarms, placing five on each 
of the seven sides of the house, the door occupy¬ 
ing the eighth. The dimension of the frames is 
18 by 20 in breadth and length, and 24 inches in 
height—allowing a necessary waste of room at the 
corners of the house. 
In constructing the hives, be careful not to 
plane the insides. You may paint, varnish, find 
smooth the outside as much as you please, but if 
you consider the speedy working and comfort of 
yonr bees worth a/iyllnnff, leave the inside as 
smooth as tho reciprocating motion of tho saw¬ 
mill saw left it. Tho bottom of the hives should 
be about three feet from the ground. A small 
piece of glass three or four inches Bquare, should 
be fixed in the middle of the hack pint of each 
hive, so that the progress of tho bees may be 
viewed at pleasure. The holes through the walls 
of the house at which the bees enter, aro directly 
opposite those in the hire, thus leaving au unin¬ 
terrupted passage from the outside of the house 
to tho interior of the hive, and vice versa. The 
hives should be constructed of one-inch pine, 
basswood, or hemlock boards, not forgetting, as I 
‘•aid before, to leave the inside as rough us possi- 
sible. Tho boards ou the outside of the house 
should be placed in a vertical position; those on 
the inside horizontal,— in both cases the edges of 
the boards should be well matched. The honse 
should also be painted with some attiactive color 
— say, for Instance, a light sky-bluo with the 
shelves and ends of the rafters white. The latter 
should be ornamented by carving to represent 
brackets. The advantages that can be claimed 
for this bee house are, I think, 1st, Beauty, if not 
elegance of appearance; 2 d, Comfort of the bees; 
3d, Security of the bees and their manufactured 
products. One word more. Build your.boo house 
in the most picturesque and pleasant location your 
premises afford. Wm. Brooks, Jr. 
Darien, Genesee Co , N. Y., 1800. 
The demand of the farmer for cheap manure, 
acting upon the trade through the medium of the 
unscrupulous dealer, has given rise to a fraudu¬ 
lent and hitherto successful business. 
A most extensive and profitable trade is at 
present carried on by parties who practice the 
compounding of specious-looking articles to mix 
witli guano; these they supply to dealers in that 
manure. 
The materials used to sophisticate guano are 
numerous. Saud, marl, cluy, chalk, lime-stone, 
bricks, tiles, gypsum — ground, when necessary, 
to a flue powder—constitute the materials for 
which the farmer is destined to pay 8 /. or 10 /. per 
tun. Those, mixed in proportions to counterfeit 
the color uf gnano, are sold to roguish dealers in 
town and country, who introduce a little genuine 
guano to give the necessary odor. Some recent 
actions brought against parties who have sold 
adulterated guano, in which heavy damages were 
obtained, have contributed some little to arrest 
this nefarious traffic. One remedy lies with the 
farmer, who ought to prosecute vigorously those 
who impose upon him. 
Another system of deception is often practiced 
by men whose consciences are perhaps too tender 
to sell us first-class guanos those they know to 
have been manufactured in England; these parties 
however, have no objection to sell as first-class 
guanos importations of very inferior quality. 
What they sell is no doubt guano, but it is not the 
gnano the buyer wishes to purchase. All pur¬ 
chasers should therefore require the invoice to 
expressly declare on its face the name and quality 
of the guano bought, such as Peruvian, Bolivian, 
&c. The parties will thus render themselves 
liable to severe punishment in case of fraud. 
Though numerous unprincipled dealers exist 
h 
iavraa. n y 
