MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
FEB. 7. 
Now I fully concur with the Director, that a 
new generation produced from the seed-balls are 
more liable to disease, but by no means from the 
same cause. That “ they are longer maturing,” I 
do not believe. My experience 13 the reverse, and 
my reason iBthat the old and tried varieties that 
were most liable to the diseases, were one after 
another discarded, and only those varieties that 
were the least liable were continued to bo planted. 
Aud the same test by weight would purge the new 
generation from the light and tender ones subject 
to the rot, which has taken the farmers for the last 
tw r enty years to rid themselves of. Again, if Di¬ 
rector-General Lbnni will but take the trouble to 
investigate the 173 varieties which he tested on 
the Trial-Field, he will find those that were the 
least inoliued to rot were of the new generation, 
that is, were raised from balls since the blight. 
Though I do not recognize auy of the varieties by 
the Prussian name, vet by the shape I am quite 
sure I cannot be mistakeu. I can discover at a 
glance that the round potatoes were much less 
liable thau the elongated, and previous to the 
blight there were but few varieties of rounded 
raised for market, as the elongated was generally 
regarded as a better eating potato. 
But again to the Director-General’s fact, “That 
the new varieties mature somewhat later than 
others, may account for Ibis predisposition to dis¬ 
ease.” My facts are quite the reverse. I think I 
have had some experience in testing them in every 
way. By planting the early and late varieties in 
alternate rows, and in the same drill, set about, 
aud then by leaving part of a field to plant at dif¬ 
ferent times later for six or eight weeks, and not 
in a single instance did the late varieties or late 
planted of the same variety, bIiow symptoms of 
disease first, but on the contrary invariably a few 
days later. The fact was that the early varieties 
and early planted, had sets partly or full grown, 
while the late had none or very small, consequent¬ 
ly the general impression and universal expression 
w r as that the early planted and early varieties 
stood the disease best That fanners generally who 
make the raising of potatoes a secondary business, 
should make a mistake, is by no means strange, 
that the Director-General of one of the first Agri- 
caltural Schools in the world, who had a Trial-Field 
on which to make experiments, should fall into the 
common error, is strange to me. 
I commenced planting this year in April, and 
finished the 7th of July, and raised more than four 
thousand bushels that were planted after the 15th 
of June, and did not find one when digging that 
was affected. The best yield was from the last 
planted—they were kept growing through the hot, 
dry weather by cultivating every week until Sep¬ 
tember, when the nights were longer, and the 
heavy dews gave a little moisture—being two hun¬ 
dred and seventy bushels to the acre. If there 
had been sufficient raius to have wet the bills, the 
last of August or 1st of September, there would 
have been four hundred bushels to the acre. In 
1854 the drouth commenced earlier, and there was 
sufficient rain to wet the hills in September. Then 
some of my late planted gave nearly lour hundred 
bushelE to the acre, and yet I do not advise Di¬ 
rector-General Lbnni to plant his potatoes late or 
of a late variety, as early planted will most likely 
give him a better crop; most assuredly will it 
the blight strikes them previous to their maturing, 
unless he looks after them before sunrise and after 
sunset while the dew is on, or in the middle of the 
day when the suu strikes them, which will enable 
him to see the first approach of the blight, when 
something must be done, and that speedily, or the 
top will soon decay, unless a change of weather 
occurs, which many times secures the crop. The 
oanse that produces the blight on the top is as un¬ 
like that which rots the potato, as the cause which 
rusts wheat is unlike that which spring-kills it, 
although when one is affected the other ceases to 
grow. I have seen the top of field after field all 
killed, and the potatoes all sound. In 1855 nearly 
all the tops in this region on soft-water land were 
diseased, while on the bard or lime-water soil 
there was but little or no blight. I shall, however 
continue to plant late for the best of reasons; I 
have found it profitable. In 18541 raised and ex¬ 
ported more potatoes from 40 acres, than was ex¬ 
ported from the entire county of forty square 
miles, and have no doubt shall do the same in 1856 
from fifty acres. 
[Concluded next week.] 
dffwntitiutatiotts. 
ABOUT WHEAT AND CHESS. 
Eds. Rural: —Your correspondent of Jan. 17th, 
from “ Rural Grove, Wisconsin,” asks the opinion 
of some of your friends in reference to the trans¬ 
mutation of wheat into chess. He quotes, at 
length, the opinion of some unknown intelligent 
writer, who rejects the possibility of this change. 
The ground of this rejection, as stated, seems to 
be, " that as the manner of inflorescence decides 
the character of the grain, and as the inflorescence 
of wheat is contained in a spike, (or ear,) while 
that of chess is in the form of a panicle, (or small 
pendant stem,) it is plain that wheat cannot turn 
to chess.” This, I reply, would be true after tbe 
cliesshad developed tbe blossom. But as the stalks 
before putting out the ear or panicle are precisely 
alike, what is to decide tbe (act that one shall or 
shall not, or to prevent the fact that one may or 
may not, put oat the panicle and produce chess, 
and the other the ear and produce wheat? Some- 
natural cause decides this result, but what that 
cause is, who can tell? He also objects that “ chess 
is found in rye,” and asks, “ is it possible that two 
different kinds of grain should produce the same 
article?” I answer—if not, then chess must have 
been sown with the rye. 
The uniform objection to this theory of trans¬ 
mutation, advanced by scientific men, and by them 
considered unanswerable, is this:—“That like 
should produce like.” To the correctness of 
this principle, as a general rule, I fully subscribe. 
But then I as firmly believe that wheal can pro¬ 
duce chess. The fact I think I know. The reasons 
of the fact I do not know, nor am I bound to know 
or to explain, any more than I am bound to ex¬ 
plain how the inhalation of air into the lungs 
should sustain animal life. 
Like will not produce its like except through the 
agency and efficiency of means. And the manner 
of this efficiency, and the extent of the influence 
of this efficiency in producing uniformity in re¬ 
sults, I do not know, nor can I know. Light, heat 
moisture and elementary constituents of the soil, 
all exert an agency in producing the plant, and in 
perfecting the fruit after the sowing of tho seed. 
If some essential element in this agency is want¬ 
ing, it would not be strange, but would be a mat¬ 
ter of course, that the plant or fruit should be de¬ 
teriorated, and perhaps materially changed. 
Farmers are practical men aud have to deal with 
facts. Facts arc stubborn things, and one i ndis- 
putable fact is worth a thousand theories. ,; ! pro - 
pose to state three facts, and submi t to scientific 
men, to reconcile them with the theory that wheat 
cannot produce chess. 
About thirty years ago I had a'field of barley 
fronting on the road. In order to sow to wheat a 
lot adjoining in the rear, it was necessary to cross 
a corner of this field, then a barley stubble. The 
men in crossing carelessly let their plows, here and 
there, turn over a short piece of furrow. After¬ 
wards several large green tufts or bunches attract¬ 
ed my notice; and on turning up the furrow I dis¬ 
covered a quantity of barley heads collected aud 
deposited nnderthe farrow by the small squirrel as 
I supposed, for his winter supply. They had 
sprouted—the sprouts had risen through the fur¬ 
row, and produced these green tufts of grain. 1 
decided, as an experiment, to see if they would 
live through the winter, and if so, whether barley 
could not become a winter grain. They did live 
—aud produced a good crop—but it was all pure 
chess. 
I once cleared up a large tract of heavy timber¬ 
ed land. It was sown to wheat and seeded down. 
A large field was used for pasture only, for some 
18 years, being level and rather wet, having a stiff' 
clay subsoil. About 8 years since this field was 
sown to wheat—was well tilled—tbe seed excel¬ 
lent. It produced luxuriant crop, but it was all 
chess! I am not sure that one stalk in five hun¬ 
dred was wheat. The entire crop was used to 
spread over the yards, and for litter in the stalls. 
I will state briefly one fact more. A farmer, 
whose daughter had picked by hand in a neigh¬ 
bor's field heads of wheat of a choice variety, 
sufficient to make a bushel of seed, aud rnbbed it 
out by hand, requested to sow it on a corner of a 
lot belonging to me, adjoining his grounds. It 
was uneven, rolling land, with knolls and hollows 
and basins where the roots of large hemlocks had 
been thrown up by the wind. In the hollows and 
basins tbe water stood during a large portion of 
the wet seasons of the year. In the heat of sum¬ 
mer, and the time of sowing all was dry. The 
seed, it will be noticed, was entirely pure and clean. 
On the high and dry grounds the crop of wheat 
was pure and excellent. On the deepest and low¬ 
est part of the hollows the crop was winter-killed. 
On the edges and margins of the hollows and ba¬ 
sins chesB prevailed, in a greater or less degree, as 
you receded from the wetter portions and ap¬ 
proached the dry ground. 
Now in the two cases here stated, natural causes 
—excessive moisture, the wetness of the ground, 
and perhaps in the largo field the elementary char¬ 
acteristics of the soil,— seem evidently to have 
produced these results. 
Whether, therefore, the theory that wheat can 
degeuerate into chess be true or false, the practi¬ 
cal influence these suggestions ought to exert upon 
the farmer, is this—never to sow chess, for not 
being a hybrid, but being deteriorated grain, it 
will surely and invariably produce its like; and al¬ 
ways to sow pure seed wheat, and on warm and 
dry soil, where it cannot be vitiated and destroyed 
by the long continuance of excessive surface 
water. Farmer D. 
-•- 
“RAZOR-BREEDS” m. SUFFOLKS. 
Eds. Rural:— Havingread a good deal lately in 
the Rural, and other papers of the East, about 
Suffolk pigs and their profits, with frequent thrusts 
at our “big-eared,” “ coarse-meated or no meat” 
porkers of the West, I take up the cause of the 
latter and will plead the same to the best of my 
ability, in the Rural of the 3d iusb Mr. Talcott 
gives a very fiatte ring account of them, generally, 
and of one killed by him that weighed 525 pounds 
dressed, he enters into particulars. That was cer¬ 
tainly a good pig. Now, with your permission, a 
word for our “land shark”—a Michigan porker. 
One year ago the 31st of last Angnst I found a 
sow of mine, about ten months old, with nine pigg, 
all of which were raised in our “ Makedo” West¬ 
ern manner, until near the setting in of Winter, 
when five of them sold for from $1 to $1 26 each. 
The others ran at large until December, when they 
were put in a comfortable pen and fed the slop 
from tbe house,—which was hut little, as the fami¬ 
ly consists of bnt three persons,—with the niilk,of 
a two-year old heifer part of the time, and corn at 
tbe rate of two and a half bushels per month.— 
Nearly the same feed of corn was continued until 
some time in the ensuing October. After the mid¬ 
dle of July, and until September, they had the sour 
milk of four cows and were kept perhaps one- 
third of the time in clover, the balance in road or 
stubble as it might happen. From the middle of 
October to the 16th of December they were fed soft 
corn all they would cat, then butchered and aver¬ 
aged 425 lbs. each, dressed. Several of my neigh¬ 
bors have killed hogs of 18 month’s age weighing 
650 to 575 lbs. I have now a July pig, wintering 
on from 6 to 8 ears of corn per day, that I believe 
can bo made to weigh more next December thau 
any Suffolk of same age and feed. If any Mend 
of Sutfolks thinks not, I will wager him a year's 
subscription to our favorite Rural on it—each to 
feed as he pleases after the first of March; kill the 
15th of December; report kind of feed and 
amount. Makedo, Jr. 
Cass Co., Mich., Jan. 24th, 18C7. 
-- 
POTATO BUG.—INFORMATION WANTED. 
Eds. RnnAL:—There is a yellow, striped hug in 
this country, (about the size of the small yellow 
wasp) called the Potato Bug, which cats potato 
vines, turnip tops, the leaves of beets, and, in fact, 
everything which comes in its way of the vegeta¬ 
ble kind. Now, as your paper is a medium of in¬ 
formation through the entire country, we ask—can 
you or your correspondents tell us of any method 
by which we may stop tho ravages of this destroy¬ 
er of vegetable life? The insect is poisonous, and 
if killed upon the hand or arm will produce a 
blister, as well as the celebrated Spanish fly.—E. 
T., Mecca, Ohio, 1857. 
FARMING IN THE “SOUTHERN TIER.” 
Eds. Rural: —This afternoon I have been look¬ 
ing at several articles entitled “Does Farming 
Pay?”—“ Profits of Farming,”—“Profits of Keeping 
Sheep,” Ac., and find that farming is profitable, and 
pays well in tbe rich counties of Monroe, Ontario, 
Genesee and some of the deep-soiled prairies of 
the fertile West. But does farming pay down here 
in tho “Southern Tier,” in Allegany? We will see 
how that is. 
My farm is a small one, consisting of 99 acres, 
situated two miles west of the thriving village of 
Pike, in what was a few years since included in 
the “State of Allegany.” Said farm is not valued 
at eighty or a hundred dollars an acre, as in the 
counties before mentioned, but only about thirty; 
and contains 35 or 40 acres of uncalled wood land, 
the remainder being divided into pasture, meadow 
and plow land. On this T pursne a mixed hus¬ 
bandry, raising a little of almost everything, and 
at tbe same time, not much of any one thing. I 
make it a rule that whatever crops I put in, to put 
them in well, and in this I think lies the secret of 
success. 
I generally keep a schedule of the time, manner 
and cost of performing most of the labor on the 
farm, and by reference to it and its results, I fre¬ 
quently' derive much assistance. During the year 
1855, the last we are able to compute the results of, 
I sowed and planted as usual, wheat, oats, barley, 
peas, rye, corn, beans, potatoes, and the various 
root crops, besides keeping the common kinds of 
stock, horses, cattle, sheep and swine. Some of 
the crops did pay well, as the following account 
will show. 
On a field of fall-plowed clover sod, I planted 
two acres of corn, one of which, being badly ent 
by the worm, I dragged in to barley, the 12th of 
June, with tho following result: 
Dr. 
To plowing inis'll....— $2 00 
Three bushels of seed.... 319 
Sowing and barrowing...1 75 
Harvesting____ 2 00 
Threshing, at 7 cents per bushel.316 
Marketing, at 4 cents.......... 1 80 
Interest on land, at twice average value__4 20 
Until |lotcs ant) Items, 
By 45 bushels at $106__47 SI 
Barley straw.....8 00 
Deduct cost of raising . 
$50 81 
. 18 09 
Net profit on one acre..$32 72 
Another account with 1J acres wheat, being the 
third crop of wheat in five years, on the same piece 
of ground. 
Dr. 
To plowing, Nov. after corn.$2 00 
Three bushels seed-----..... 6 00 
Sowing and harrowing_'......__ • 1 75 
Harvesting.....2 03 
Threshing, at 10 cents per bushel.. 3 75 
Drawing to mill.......—.... 190 
Grinding, at 10 cents per bushel.... 3 75 
DrawiDg flour to market...._2 00 
Interest, as before_ ....... 6 30 
Cost of raising. 
By 85 sacks flour...-$74 38 
487 pounds shorts, &c__ 4 87 
Wheat straw..... .4 00 
Profit...$54 07 
Profit per acre------- 36 05 
As in cultivating the soil, I think the best way 
is the cheapest, so in raising stock, I think the 
best kind the cheapest; hence, 1 have paid high 
prices to get a good quality of Aheep, as their ac¬ 
count will show. 
Dr. 
To keeping 82, summer, at 371* cents-$30 75 
■Wintering, at 811* cents.... .66 62 
By 410 pounds wool, sold..$164 00 
30 lambs, at $1 25.-. B7 60 
Whole gain._____:-$10413 
Gain per head.---- $127 
It will be seen from these facts, that farming 
will pay well, even here, bnt it will appear more 
clearly when I state that besides what was requir¬ 
ed for seed and family use, I sold of wheat, barley 
and wool, the following amount, viz. : 
Flour . .*.$290 06 
Wool... 164 00 
Barley .... 71 06 
$525 11 
This may not count the dollars produced in re¬ 
gions that are considered more highly favored by 
nature and cultivation, but here, aside from oats, 
beans, potatoes, corn, peas, appleB, pork, butter, 
and keeping for five horses, cattle, Ac., it aids 
quite a little towards taking off the rough edges 
of debt and supporting a family. 
Pike, N. Y., Jan., 1867. Marcus D. Tiffany. 
-- 
LIMA BEANS. 
Mu. Moore:— Last spring I received of our 
friend Bixry, of Royalton, N. Y., one hundred and 
twenty Lima beans, which I planted about the ICth 
of May on one square rod of ground. They came 
up so well that there was no need of re-planting, 
which T believe is not usually the case. They were 
kept free from weeds, and at tho proper time I set 
small poles eight or ten feet high firmly in each of 
the hills, which were about two and a half feet 
apart each way. Care was taken to make tho 
vines climb the poles, and when they had reached 
the top, I tied cords from one stake to another, 
that the vines should have something to reBt on, 
for they continued to run until some of them 
reached the length of fifteen feet. 
The growth was somewhat injured by the frost 
but the crop was a good one. We used all we 
wished for the table fur several weeks while they 
continued green, besides giving specimens to sev¬ 
eral friends who wished to obtain the seed, and 
gathered when ripe four or five quarts for seed.— 
It is impossible to give just the amount, but I 
think the yield a great one. They were the first 
of the kind I ever raised, and I consider them a 
cheap luxury, and a valuable addition to my gar¬ 
den vegetables. —J. Sibley, Forestville, N. I'. 
Remarks.— Our Rev. friond’s success in growing 
Lima beans was complete. We saw them and 
helped to dispose of some portion of the product. 
We thought the ripe beans very early and hand¬ 
some, so that, we suggested a return of the seed 
supplied—and Bball plant our next crop with Li¬ 
mas grown on the Lake slope of Chantauque Co. 
—J. H. B., Niagara Co. 
The Great Storm— Meteorological Observations. 
—The subjoined note so clearly expresses the ob¬ 
ject desired, that we give it publicity in preference 
to making its statement and request editorially.— 
We trust many of our readers will respond by 
furnishing Lieut. M. tbe information sought: 
Observatory, Washington, lb C .,) 
Jan, 23, 1867. ) 
Ed. RuralNew-Yorkku:— The great snow storm 
of 1867, commenced here about midnight, of the 
17th. Where did it begin? Which way and how 
fast did it travel?— aud where did it end? Those, 
with other circnstances couuected with if, are in¬ 
teresting points ot inquiry; and if those of your 
readers who keep Meteorological journals, will 
send me an extract from them for a week com¬ 
mencing Jan. 14th—and if those who do not keep 
journals will report when the storm began and 
ended with them, the amount of snow that fell, and 
the way the wind blew,—I shall have materials 
enough to go into the investigation. 
Will yon do me the favor to say that 1 will be 
much obliged to any of your readers who will have 
the kindness to give me such information through 
the Post-office ? M. F. Maury. 
- » m • - 
Pennsylvania State Ao. Society.— The Penn. 
State Ag. Society met at Harrisburg, on the 20th 
ult. The Secretary read his annual report, togeth¬ 
er with the reports of the Chairman and Treasurer 
of the Trustees of the Farmers’ High School. Tbe 
latter report showed the receipts of the School 
Fund to be #10,579 17, and the expenditures for 
the year $11,535 76, leaving a balance iu the Trea¬ 
sury of $6,043 41. The members proceeded to bal¬ 
lot for the several candidates; which resulted in 
the election of the followiug Officers for the ensu¬ 
ing year. President — David Taggart, lice Presi¬ 
dents —Geo. W. Woodward; A. T. Ncwbold; Chas. 
K. Engle; Joseph Yeager; Thos. P. Knox; A. R. 
M’llvaine; Adrain Cornwell; Geo. M. Keini; John 
Strohm; John P. Ruthford; Amos E. Kapp; E. W. 
Sturdevant; Asa Packer; Wru. Jessup; il. N. M’- 
Allister; Jacob S. Haldeiuan; Win. Heyser; Elias 
Baker; John M’Farland; Joshua Wright; John 
Murdock, Jr.; Win, Martin; Win. Maxwell; Wm. 
Bigler; Jas. Miles. Additional Members of the Ex¬ 
ecutive Committee .—Frederick Watts; Jas. Gowen; 
A. O. Heister; Isaac G. M'Kinley; John C. Flenni- 
ken. Cor. See'y. —A. Boyd Hamilton. Chemist 
and Geologist —Prof. S. S. Haldetnan. Librarian — 
Henry Gilbert, 
National Trial of Machinery and Imple¬ 
ments. —The Committee of the United States Agri¬ 
cultural Society, appointed at the Fifth Annual 
meeting, held at the Smithsonian Institution, in the 
city of Washington, on the 15th of January, “to 
designate the time and to make all necessary ar¬ 
rangement for a national trial in the field of agri¬ 
cultural implements and machinery have invited 
the inventors and manufacturers of all such articles 
both in the United States and abroad, to partici¬ 
pate in a public trial to be made in Louisville, 
Kentucky, under the auspices of the Society during 
the fall of 1857. 
-- 
Seneca County Ag. Society. — The Annual 
Meeting of this Society and the Winter Fair was 
held atWaterloo on the loth ult. The receipts for 
the last year, including the balance in the treasury, 
were $1,227 80. The expenses $2,791 58, leaving a 
balance iu the treasury the 23d of December, 1856, 
$1,436 22. The following persons were chosen to fill 
vacancies in the Board:— President —(os. Wnionr. 
Vice-President —Abram Rappleyo. Treasurer —Jno. 
D. Coe. Secretary —Charles Seutell, Directors — 
F. J. Swaby and Hugh Chapman, 1 year; Henry 
Foster, 2 ; 0. Southwick and I. Johnson, 3 years. 
- »-4 « 
Jefferson Co. Ao. Society. —This Society met 
at Watertown, on the 14th ult., and made choice of 
the following gentlemen as Officers for 1857.— 
President — Jas. BliODIK, of Ellisburgh. Vice Presi¬ 
dents —John C. Cooper, Adams; Clift Eames, Rut¬ 
land; Hon. Wnt. Rouse, Stone Mills. Secretary — 
A. P. Sigourney, Watertown. Treasurer —Hon. W. 
Ives, Watertown. Directors —Daniel Green, Ellis¬ 
burgh ; John M. Wilcox, Three Mile Bay; M. B. 
Hunting, Roberts Corners; Hon. Moses Eames, 
Rutland; F.rastu3 S. Kelsey, Evans Mills; George 
Webb, Pamelia. Board of Auditors —T. H. Camp, 
J. A. Sherman, and J. C. Sterling, of Watertown. 
Madison Co. Ag. Society —Annual meeting at 
Morrisville on the 6th of January, when the follow¬ 
ing officers were elected:— President — John R. 
Chatman, of Sullivan. \ice-Presidruls — J. C. Til- 
lotson, of Oazenovia; Gardner Morse, of Eaton; 
John Potter, of Stoekbridge; Stephen Hill, of Fen¬ 
ner; Jonathan Wells, of Nelson; David Maine, of 
ltuyter; Truman Baker, of Lebanon; Oliver B. 
Hinckley, of Brookfield. Secretary —Hiram D. 
Cloyes, of Eaton. Treasurer — Lorenzo D. Dana, 
of Eaton. Directors —Butler Gilbert, of Hamilton; 
W. P. Wells, of Cazenovia. 
Herkimer Co. Ag. Society. —At the Annual 
Meeting of tho Herkimer Co. Agricultural Society, 
held at Ilion, on the 6th ult., the following persons 
were chosen to serve as Officers during this year: 
President — Samurl McKbe. Vice President —Jere¬ 
miah Corey. Secretary —J. D. Ingersolb Treas¬ 
urer —William J. Lewis. 
-* 4 ^- 
N. Y. State Ag. Society. — Onr readers will 
bear in mind that the Annual Meeting of this So¬ 
ciety is to be held in Albany on Wednesday next, 
Feb. 11. We trnst the various districts of the 
State will be represented, as the occasion will bo 
one of interest to the friends of Improvement.— 
We hope to be able to attend and note the more 
important proceedings. 
Valuable Pair of Twins.— The Short-horn cow 
Duchess 66th, now owned by Col. L. G. Morris, of 
Fordham, N. Y., haB lately produced two heifer 
calves, by Duke of Glo’stcr. Colonel Morris, in 
connection with the late N. J. Becar, purchased 
this cow at the sale of the herd of the late Earl 
Ducie, at the price of 700 guineas, and Duke of 
(Go’s ter for GOO guineas. 
-- 
Deferred.— We have an unusual number of very 
valuable articles on file for publication—including 
able papers from Lieut, Maury, Dr. Fitch, and 
other contributors. 
Irish Potato Peelings. —Some lime in March 
last, a negro boy of ours was sent from the. kitchen 
to the pig-pen, to throw in some of the raw peel¬ 
ings of the Irish potato. The boy picked out 
those peelings containing tbe eyes, and planted 
them in a fence corner. When the frost cut ours 
down, the little nigger chuckled at his later patch 
—frost never touch him. A short time ago, we 
saw the little fellow staggering under a load of 
something in a large basket on hia head. He ap¬ 
proached, showing a set of ivory, and with a know¬ 
ing look, said:—“Just look here, massa Charles, see 
what Psc made from dera tatcr Birins! beat your 
big taters all to smash.” We looked in the basket, 
and to our astonishment saw near a bushel of as 
fine Irish potatoes as were ever raised in any 
country; they were of uncommon size and as 
mealy as a boiled ohesnut. “Master!” says little 
woolly, “ain’t yon going to put it in the noose- 
paper, how little nigger make big taters from peel¬ 
ings in the fence corner, and beat he old master 
wid all his gwunner and gypsum?” We promised 
to put it in the “ noosepaper,” and here it is.— 
“ White folks ” may take a lesson from the little 
negro's economy. There is many a fence corner 
that might produce a good crop of Irish potatoes. 
—Soil of the South. 
•- 
Bones as Manure. — When hone-dust, such as 
is commonly employed as manure, is left for some 
time in contact with water, and the latter is filter¬ 
ed away, it is found to contain appreciable quanti¬ 
ties of the phosphates of lime and magnesia. The 
same result is obtained when the water is freed 
from carbonic acid by long boiling. By filtering 
water for months through the same muss of bo e- 
d 11 st, it was seen constantly to contain these earthy 
phosphates, and their quantity even appeared to 
increase in proportion as the organic matter of 
the bones became putrid in consequence of its 
long contact with water and air, and the water 
flowing off became turbid and offensive. This laot 
seems to have some practical value in agriculture, 
as it shows that, without any artificial preparation, 
the earthly phosphates may be extracted from the 
bones and introduced into the soil in a state of 
solution, porhnps exactly in the quantity necessary 
for their appointed functions, and that in the em¬ 
ployment of hone dust as manure, all the prepara¬ 
tion necessary is perhaps to lay it in heaps during 
the summer, aud keep it constantly moist.— Prof. 
Wohler. 
- *«4 -- 
Product of California. — The agricultural 
product of California in 1856, was 3,465,250 bushels 
of wheat, 3,730,430 bushels of barley, 901,870 
bushels of oats, 165,466 bushels of corn and 721,- 
061 bushels of potatoes. The wheat crop increas¬ 
ed 880,282 bushels over the yield of 1856, and the 
barley crop 1,437,025 bushels. The oat crop has 
decreased 189,469 bushels. 
Michigan Ag. College. —Hon. Joseph R, Wil¬ 
liams, formerly of Constantine, Mich., but more 
recently editor of tho Toledo Blade, has been ap 
pointed President of this Institution. 
BOOKS FOR YOUNQ FARMERS.—ENQUIRY. 
Eds. Rural:— Being a young farmer and proud 
of the calling, I am going to “stick” to my busi¬ 
ness regardless of “clerkships” or “ agencies,” and 
want more information on the subject—both prac¬ 
tical and scientific. From my acquaintance with 
yon through the Rural, I have learned to depend 
on what you say. If you can advise me relative 
to two or three authors, such as are first practical, 
next scientific, I should go into them as a truth, and 
be obliged to you now and hereafter. If its not 
asking too much, please answer through the Rural. 
—S. C. I)., Shelby Basin, Orleans Co., N. V. 
Remarks. —We would recommend S. C. D. to 
master, as far as in his power, the natural sciences, 
particularly Chemistry and Natural Philosophy.— 
Johnston’s Lectures on Agricultural Chemistry you 
might study to advantage, aud Boussingault’s 
Rural Economy contains a mine of reliable inform¬ 
ation. Still, we would not advise onr young friend 
to adopt, untried, tho opinions of auy author.— 
Read, but think and experiment. Learn new truths, 
and add a new page to the great book of knowledge. 
IMPROVE THE EVENINGS. 
Few of the youth in the country, we fear, ap¬ 
preciate or improve the advantages they enjoy— 
particularly those afforded by the long winter 
evenings. The youth in our cities, at most trades, 
have to*labor as long, and longer, in the winter 
than at any other season. The evenings are not 
their own, but their employers. In the country 
the winter is a season of leisure. The farmer’s 
son and daughter employ the evenings as best suit 
their inclination. What an opportunity this af¬ 
fords for mental improvement!—a rare chance to 
gain that knowledge which shall prepare them for 
respectability and usefulness in tho world. A 
young man, by the assistance of such books as all 
can procure, in three or four winters can layup a 
stock of knowledge that shult prepare him to act 
well his part us a farmer and citizen—a knowledge 
that will give him an influence over less intelligent 
neighbors, and if rightly nsed, will advance the 
best interests of the country, and the good of all. 
It is for every young man und every young wo¬ 
man to decide whether this golden opportunity 
shall he improved—these evenings well spent; or 
whether they shall be wasted, or worse than wasted, 
in idleness and frivolity. We would not detract 
from your pleasures—far from it; the pleasures ol 
knowledge surpass any pleasure afforded by the 
too common amusement of the young. The fields 
of science afford solid pleasure—they furnish now 
sources oi delight at every onward movement— 
they ure strewn with flowers at every step. The 
pleasure of science is, perhaps, the only earthly 
exception to the words of the poet, that, 
“ KucU ploasture bag its poison, too.” 
We can only hope to arrest the attention of the 
youth, and then bid them go on, furnishing them 
facilities, as far as possible, to help them search 
for knowledge—ever holding up tho encourage¬ 
ment that industry and perseverance in a right cause 
insure success. 
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