VOL. VIII. NO. 51.1 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-SATURDAY, DECEMBER ID, 1857 
!WHOLE NO. m 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AU ORIGINAL WEKKLY 
Agricultural, Literary and Family Newspaper. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
WITH AN ABLE CORPS OP ASSISTANT EDITORS, 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS i 
Phot. 0. DEWEY. 
Ur. M. P. MAURY, 
Dt ASA PITCH, 
T. a ARTHUR. 
T. 0. PETERS, 
H. T. BROOKR 
EWD. WEBSTER, 
.Mbs. M. J. HOLMES, 
LYMAN B. LANGWORTHY. 
Tm Rural Nsw-Tobksb Ib designed to be miKnrpfissed in 
VMu.s, Pnrlty, Utofalnen &sd Variety of Content*, and unique 
and bo&utlfli’ hi Aypoamnce. Its Conductor devote* hlg per¬ 
sonal attention to tho supervision of It* carious departments, 
and earnently Inborn to render the Rural an eminently Reliable 
Guide on the Important Practical, Scienttflc nnd other Snbjecte 
Intimately connected with the bugtnem of tfcoao whose Interests 
It aealonely advocates It embraces more Agricultural, Horti¬ 
cultural, Srienltflo, Mechanical. Literary aod News Matter, 
interspersed with appropriate and beantifnl Engravings, than 
any other journal,—rendering It the moat complete Agricultu¬ 
ral Literary ash Pa wav Jours al in America. 
W All communications, and business loiters, sbonld be 
addressed to D D. T. MOORE. Rochester, N. Y. 
FOB Terms and other particulars, see last page. 
ftal flefo-fntfini. 
THOUGHTS FOB THE THOUGHTFUL. 
We would not flatter the farmer, nor would we 
discourage nor undervalue the results of his 
labors and experiments. In the few hints we aie 
about to present, our only object is to offer a few 
thoughts which may be of some service to those 
in pursuit cf knowledge. If experiments are 
conducted for the purpose of elucidating a cer¬ 
tain proposition, they are most likely to result in 
good ; hut such experiments as many of those 
reported In the Agricultural Journals of this coun¬ 
try, are, in a great degree, aimless, and give but 
“ an uncertain sound.” Great and hidden truths 
remain to be developed. Let ns search, for them 
in earnest, as though we realized the impor¬ 
tance of the work, and had strong faith in our 
ability to aid in its accomplishment. 
The manufacturer of woolen cloth, huya the 
kind of wool he needs for the production of the 
article which is In greatest demand, or upon which 
he can realize the greatest profit He is so well 
acquainted with the cost of manufacture that he 
can tell the price he can afford to pay for the 
several grades, and the profit that will result from 
tho operation. Hence our readers will often 
see it stated in oar report of the wool market, that, 
“at present rates, manufacturers buy very sparing¬ 
ly,” or in some cases that they refuse to bay alto¬ 
gether at the ruling prices. The same is true of 
the manufacturers of almost all articles of com¬ 
merce, There is no guess-work about if. Every¬ 
thing has been reduced to rule by experiment 
and practice. The farm is a manufactory of wheat, 
oorn, potatoes, beef, inuttoD, pork, wuol, and all 
necessaries of life. The farmer ia the manufac¬ 
turer, depending upon the profits derived from 
the manufacture of these Articles for the support 
of himself and family. And yet, who, among the 
hundreds of thou#ands engaged in the business, 
can tell what it coBts him to raise a bushel of 
wheat, or corn, or potatoes? Who can tell what 
it costs him to make a quart of milk, or a pound 
of cheese? Who can tell how much pork or beef 
he oin make from a bushel of corn? Who oan 
tell the comparative value of hay, and coro, and 
carrots in the manufacture of beef, and at what 
prices it would be most profitable to Bell the one 
and feed the other? These are important ques¬ 
tions, aflecting directly the business and profits of 
the farmer. Well do we know that the pursuit 
of the farmer, is, more than any other, affected by 
oontiDgences entirely beyond his control, such as 
the weather, diseases, insects, Ac.; yet, taking all 
these things into consideration, we would ask oar 
readers If there is not an unnecessary lack of in¬ 
formation on these points? Scientific men pre¬ 
sent us with analyses of the different articles of 
food, and from these calculate their comparative 
value; but theso results are often found false in 
practice. Careful experiments have alao been 
made in Europe, with direct reference to some of 
these questions, but our climate and other circum¬ 
stances are so different, that while these results 
are of great value in many ways, they afford us no 
true guide in practice. We must search for our¬ 
selves, and Instead of relying on the labors of 
others, add onr mite to the stock of universal 
knowledge. 
Thorough experiments to obtain reliable results 
would be tedious and expensive, and on an exten¬ 
sive scale, perhaps, might be done best by some 
of onr Agricultural Societies, under the super¬ 
vision of some competent person. In Europe, 
men of wealth, lovers of truth and science have 
devoted their lives and fortunes to these subjects, 
and have produced the moat valuable results, that 
will crown them with honor as long as time en¬ 
dures. Here we have few men of leisure and 
wealth; very few designated in onr directories as 
“ gentLmen," and these are looked upon as some 
strange animals. Something, however, haB been 
done by individuals, and much more might, and 
we hope, will be accomplished in this way. One 
point, thoroughly tested, ia worth a thousand half- 
tried experiments or untried theories. 
Another point that needs investigation is the 
actual arid comparative value of manures . There is 
much need of light on this important subject, as 
it seems to be very little understood, and those 
who know the most, feel most the want of the 
teachings of experience, and facts demonstmted 
by well-tried experiments. Can the farmer afford 
to draw manure from five to eight miles, after pay¬ 
ing three t r four shillings for a common wagon 
load, for the purpose of mannfacturingcornatsixty 
oents a bushel? if not, at what price can it be 
raised by this method? This thing is done 6very 
year, in the neighborhood of cities, and yet we 
have never been able to obtain a satisfactory 
answer to this question of any person engaged in 
the work. There must be a point at which it 
would be cheaper to use guano than to purchase 
and haul manure, and in moat cases there is donbv 
less a better way than either. Last summer we 
were informed by several farmers on Long Island 
that guano was the cheapest manure they could 
use, much more so than that brought from the sta¬ 
bles of the city, or the sweepings of the streets.— 
Leached SBhes, is alao a favorite manure for the 
light lands of the Island, and they are brought a 
great distance, in some cases even from Western 
New York, to be applied to the soiL On the shores 
of lake Ontario, and within five or six miles of 
this city is land very similar to the sandy lands of 
Long Island, and yet hundreds of bushels of leach¬ 
ed ashes may at &vy time be had here for a trifle, 
or even for the drawing, but they are seldom 
used, and are treated as if worthless. 
Many seem to think the value of a manure heap 
depends entirely upon its bulk; and not long ago 
we observed a farmer drawing coal ashes from the 
city to be used as manure, because he could ob¬ 
tain them for nothing , although they were worth 
about the same after he had drawn them foar or 
five miles. Had he gone even on the road-aide, a 
few rods from his own door and skinned off the 
turf, raked up the fallen leaves Irom the woods, or 
collected the weeds and rubbish from the corners 
of his fences, to add to his compost heap, he 
would have obtained afar better manure with less 
labor. 
We did not design to discuss any of these ques¬ 
tions, but merely to direct the attention of prac¬ 
tical men to subjects that need investigation in 
the hope that some of onr readers would be in¬ 
duced to test these things for themselves. 
— » ■ » - 
SHEEP.—THEIR FOOD AND SHELTER. 
There is one point in the management of 
Sheep, and a material point too, which requires 
more attention than it seems to have received.— 
Their food is often injured and rendered distasteful 
by the steam and Bteneh which rise from ferment¬ 
ing materials beneath; in fact their appetites and 
general health a re affected by these causes. Who¬ 
ever will go under a Bhed towards Bpring, where 
sheep have been kept, and disturb the surface of 
the manure, will perceive at once that “essences” 
are generated there sufficient, if prudently man¬ 
aged, to make the fortune of any Parisian “per¬ 
fume” dealer. A cloud of steam arises that re¬ 
veals at once the great amount of gaseous mate¬ 
rial that is generated there, and which ia con¬ 
stantly rising to pollute the air and nauseate the 
food. 
8heep have no liking for pcr/tim^ry—lik6tbe deer 
and the goat they delight in fresh air and fresh 
food. They are peculiarly delicatein their tastes, 
and though they have been domesticated for ages, 
they long for the liberty of their native hills and 
for the green herbage that grows there. Between 
the hill-side with its western breeze, and the dose 
shed with its reeking contents, there is a contrast. 
Farmers, like others, are a little inclined to 
make room for only one idea at a time; aud when 
they get a netc one there ia some danger of throw¬ 
ing the old ones away, as though they had no fur¬ 
ther use for them. For instance, “good, warm 
shelters” have been recommended for years past 
as “the great idea of the age,” and a very great 
Idea they are,—but they are not like '‘The Resur¬ 
rection Pills,” aud " The Elixir of Life,” a care for 
all the ills that flesh is heir to. There remains to 
be provided ventilation, and a sweet plaoe in which 
to eat sweet food. 
Flock masters oomplain of a want of appetite, 
particularly towards spring when the warm weath¬ 
er comes on. It is then that the accumulation of 
manure Ib greatest, aud decomposition most rapid; 
the flock refuses food and falls away, and the c-anses 
are not always understood. What is the remedy? 
It is far better to remove the manure to the fields 
than to let it ferment and pass away in the yard. 
This might be done frequently during the winter. 
I But what would be still better, there might be 
sufficient muck or other earth spread over the sur¬ 
face at regular intervals to prevent in a good de¬ 
gree the escape of steam. 
But it iB about the rack itself that " perfect pa¬ 
rity”—that is a high standard—should be aimed 
at. Permanent racks about the outside of the 
buildings, elevated a little upon an embankment 
of earth to prevent the manure from getting above 
their level and to iavor the keeping of it away, 
would go far to remedy the evil complained ot— 
At any rate the common practice of using box 
racks, and letting them be moved promiscuously 
about over a mass of putrefying excrements, is a 
grievance that ought not to be permitted. 
I have spoken for the sheep, aa perhaps being the 
greatest sufferers, but the necessity of feeding ad 
animals in a wholesome place, upon wholesome 
food, cannot be too strongly urged. h. t. b. 
-- 
CONSTRUCTION OF STABLES. 
In the Rural of the 5th inst, we spoke briefly 
concerning some of the defects noticeable in the 
erection and completion of the home of the horse, 
and as several important matters connected there¬ 
with were not treated npon, we again revert to the 
subject 
In onr previous remarks, we asserted that where 
stables were close, and as a consequence fetid, 
lung diseases ancoDg the horses were frightfally pre¬ 
valent, and that the deaths from consumption 
occupied a prominent position among those known 
as fatal. The air is the grand purifier of the blood, 
and where the lungs are charged with a foul and 
vitiated atmosphere, the blood cannot be otherwise 
than impaired in its life-giving properties. The ren- 
ovatory process ia accomplished by inhalation—air 
and blood are brought in contact, and the latter is 
thus prepared for Ife'return through the body. In 
the fulfillment of the designs of nature both the 
air and blood become radically changed. The 
former loses a portion cf ita oxygen and acquires 
carbon, the latter parts with its dark scarlet hue, 
and assumes the brilliant ted—so marked of purity 
—and bounds with fleetness along tie minute 
courses traced by the All-Wise hand, impart¬ 
ing health and vigor. If, by repeated use, the air 
is deprived of its oxygen, the whole animal econo¬ 
my languishes—the great labor of replenishment 
ceases, and In proportion as the stifling process is 
lengthened or decreased we are enabled to per¬ 
ceive its deleterious workings. The whole case 
stands thus: whatever tends to render the blood 
impure tends to consumption. We can here take 
in the whole matter at a glance—the cause and the 
effect, the germ and the disastrous fruit. 
How shall a remedy be found? Standing amid 
the multitudinous contrivances', patent and no- 
patent, that have been brought before the people, 
lor the purpose of giving employment to the lungs, 
one would imagine that the Creator had either de¬ 
prived us of the material with which to- Inflate the 
system, or that the apparatus specially constructed 
for that purpose was sadly deficient in ita capacity 
to labor. Scientific treatisea apon ventilation, with 
names attached that are “household words” for 
learning and probity, are doubtless very well, but 
after all, the subject is simple and does not need 
burying under a mass of verbiage. Running water 
purifies itself—air tn motion is self-purifying .— 
Heated air will rise, and if opportunity is presented 
it will as inevitably pass oil', and its place be sup¬ 
plied by a purer atmosphere. 
The apertures for the escape of impure air ought 
to he placed at the highest part of the building, 
and their frequency and size mast be determined 
by the number ot animats confined. Each stall 
should be provided with either a ventilator exclu¬ 
sive, or a passage Into a Large one used as a gene- 
eral purifier for the whole stable. From eight to 
ten inches square is deemed the best size for the 
conduit which ia to carry off the air as it becomes 
foul. These should be so arranged with a revolv¬ 
ing panel that a current of air may be set in mo¬ 
tion or checked as may be desirable. 
which admit the air are placed in the back or end 
walls of the stable as close to the floor as possible. 
These openings should, iu all cases, he furnished 
with aliding doors or windowp, and so arranged 
that they may be readily thrown open or closed at 
the will of the keeper. 
In the foregoing design we have a seotion of 
the stables of Mr. Lyon, of Glasgow, Scotland, in 
which the windows serve as outlets and inlets, and 
in addition furnish light. While the heated and 
impure air is ascending the rides of the tunnel, the 
external air is descending the centre of the same 
passage and spreading all over the stable. Each 
of these stables contains sixteen horses. The air 
is kept perfectly fresh by this mode, and, say9 
Stewart, author of the iStable Book, “they are 
the best lighted buildings for the purpose I have 
ever 3een.” 
cottonwood, oak of different varieties, walnut, ma¬ 
ple, linwood, with a scattering of a few of the 
common aud smaller growing forest trees. A 
recent geological survey has developed beds of 
coal, iron, plaster and lead, in the Central and 
Southern partB of the State. Coal is quite abundant 
along the Des Moines river, as high up nearly as 
Fort Dodge. It will unquestionably be found in 
places where it ia not now known to exist, as the 
various improvements and tillage progress. How 
extensive the deposits of iron, lead and gypsum, 
have been found, or are likely to prove, we have 
not learned. 
In respect to water-power for milling and manu¬ 
facturing purposes, Iowa is more fortunate than 
some others ot the Western States. Nearly every 
portion of the State is watered by creeks and riv¬ 
ers, some of which are sufficiently large to be navi¬ 
gable at seasons of high water. Commencing in 
the Northern part, we find emptying their waters 
into the Mississippi the Turkey, Wapsipineeon, Ce¬ 
dar, Iowa, Skaok and Des Moines rivers, some of 
which have large branches. On the Western bor¬ 
ders of the State are the Big Sioux, Little Sioux, 
Boyer, Niahnubotany and Nodaway rivers, besides 
several large creeks aod branches. The most con¬ 
siderable of these rivers is the Des Moines, which, 
starting in Minnesota, runs in a South and South¬ 
easterly direction the entire length of the State, 
when hearing more to the Eastward it forms a part 
of the Southern boundary and unites with the Mis¬ 
sissippi below Keokuk. In high water, spring and 
fall, merchandize is taken up this river as far as 
Fort Des Moines, and in some instances as far as 
Fort Dodge, which ia far towards the North¬ 
western part of Iowa. 
Some years since, the State commenced the im¬ 
provement of the Des Moines river, by means of 
locks and dams, for the purpose of slack water 
, navigation, but subsequently transferred their fit- 
| ‘erest to a company who bave steadily prosecated 
seen. the work, and some of whose financial efforts have 
Means mast be contrived for the admission of figuxed conspicuously in the Halls of Congress.- 
n.‘i air, as well as for the removal of that which g yer y confidence is felt here in the ultimate com- 
. n knMMMA. J If__ . . ____ A . At-J_l_ ■ 
fresh air, as well as for the removal of that which 
has become vitiated. Many persons seem to think 
that they have done all that is required when the 
mode of egress is obtained—and console them¬ 
selves with the reflection that the wants of the 
animals wilt be met by such chance drafts as force 
under doors, around loose windows, and between 
the crevices that imperfect construction has left 
open. The fact fa, without these latter openings, 
the process of ventilation will often prove an en¬ 
tire failure, and money thus laid out be actually 
squandered. 
Crowded, confined stables are another evil fea¬ 
ture of the majority erected. We have seen four 
pletion of the work. In addition to this, several 
important railroad enterprises bave been com¬ 
menced, some of which are partially completed, 
and will again he pushed forward as soon as the 
present financial crisis has passed. An intelligent 
business man, with whom we conversed, expressed 
very strongly his conviction that not a railroad of 
any magnitude had been projected in Iowa, but 
would be builr, and become a good investment— 
If so, they will prove more fortunate than a ma¬ 
jority of such enterprises in the older States. 
The progress of Iowa fa a perfect realisation of 
the familiar adage, “ Westward the star of empire 
«« , _ _ _ . , t »UV IUU1IMMA MV, ’ ’ W VTI Ml U VUV »MCI Vt VUipil 
horses m an apartment hardly arge enough for , takea lu w „ ]n 1S36 lt cou tamed p 0pa1dti on 
on*. The great fault of these—in addition to im . 1ft 
The above seotion of a “roof-ventilator” is taken 
from the Cyclopedia of Agriculture, and ia de¬ 
scribed as follows:—"It is constructed with four 
posts, a, a, forming a square, the sides of which 
are filled iu with louvre-boards, b, b, \ b, having 
openings between them. The roof is formed of 
boarding, covered with lead or zinc; and there are 
lead or zinc flashings, c, o, round the base, cover¬ 
ing its junction with the main roof.” The panels 
proper ventilation—is to be found in the sadden 
and extreme transitions of the temperature they 
undergo. Colds and coughs are prevalent among 
animals thus cribbed. Where every means are 
adopted for a supply of pure air, the stalls should 
never be lees than six feet wide—we should prefer 
eight—eight feet high, and with a depth thatevery 
time yon wish to pass the horse a “ long halter" 
and flying heels will not reach yon, tr the animal 
should desire a more intimate acquaintance. 
Want of light is another of the cruelties too 
often imposed upon the horse. To enter many of 
the stables and look 3round, one would suppose 
that the deeds of the owners were evil, with such 
seeming care is the light of heaven excluded. It 
fa utterly impossible to produce or sustain healthy 
animal or vegetable life where everything fa given 
to the powers of darkness. Many veterinarians 
contend that this continued gloom fa irjurlous to 
the eyes. Be this as it may, there are a thousand 
reasons tor letting the light :n in its fullness, aud 
those who bave placed an embargo upon tr, sbonld 
immediately remove every obstruction, and give 
to the patient and worthy horse the care that a 
mercitul and high-minded man will ever award to 
the handiwork of his Creator. 
IOWA: 
60IL, PRODUCTIONS, IMPROVEMENTS, ETC. 
Eds. Rural:— As you have many readers in this ; 
new State who will feel a commendable pride in a 
just notice of the home of their choice, and alao 
many readers who may be interested to know more 
of the country hereabouts, allow a brief space for 
a sketch of Iowa* 
This State lays between the Mississippi and Mis¬ 
souri rivers, bounded on the North by Uinnesotaand 
by Missouri on the South. Through the centre of 
the State East and West, from river to river, the 
distance is about three hundred miles. It is longer 
from North to South. A large proportion of the 
land in this State Is ot that description known as 
"prairie,” the timber lor the most part being con 
tiguous to the streams. The soil fa fertile, of a 
dark, tenacious, clayey loam, from one to five feet 
deep. There are different characteristics in differ¬ 
ent localities, though differing not materially as 
for as we can learn, taken as a whole. 
The timber in the Southern part of the State ia 
of 10,531, and in 1850 the census shows 503 035.— 
The assessable value of property returned for 
1851, was $2S,464,550 P and that for 1855, $164,194,- 
413. From the statistics of the latter year we 
learn the number of acres of improved land to he 
2.343,058 ; of meadow 140,242 acres, produoisg 
223,234 tuna of hay, or little more than one and a 
half tuns per acre; of spring wheat 345,518 acres, 
producing 4,972,639 bushels, being little short of 
fifteeu bushels per acre; of winter wheat only 41,- 
043 acres, yielding 495,703 bushels, a fraction over 
twelve bushels per acre. Of oats the acres are 
pnt down at 190,158, harvesting 6,054,341 bushels, 
not quite thirty-two buahela per acre. There was 
planted of corn, 632 803 acres, producing 30,986,- 
127 bushels, a moiety less than forty-nine bushels 
per acre. Potatoes yielded less than thirteen 
baahefa per acre. The value of hoga sold was $2,- 
904,563. Amount of batter made 6,075,739 pounds 
which at twenty cents, a moderate price in the 
State, was worth $1,215,147 SO; of cheese 729,852 
pounds, and of wool 515,808. Domestic or house¬ 
hold manufactures are estimated at $438,321 while 
the general manufactures are valued ai $4,684,461 
and the value of lead produced $213,000. The 
State taxes for 1856 were $205,243 02. These sta¬ 
tistics were the result of a census ordered by the 
State, and if the ratio of increase has continued, 
as there is reason to suppose it has, the population 
now approximates closely to 750,000. 
The soil of Iowa fa easily tilled, being mostly 
prairie, and yields a fair return to the industrious 
husbandman. It will be observed, that the greater 
portion of the wheat grown is spring, and it may 
be doubted if winter wheat can be grown to any 
great extent. The action of the frost npon these 
semi-clay soils has the effect of rendering them 
perfect honey-combs, even thus early in the season, 
and if continued through a severe winter, while 
the snow fa blown off the fields, which moat usual¬ 
ly be the case, very little winter wheat or even 
gTass can be expected to stand. Very few perma¬ 
nent pastures or meadows have been made as yet, 
and bat for the introduction of the Hungarian 
Grass, a species of small-growing millet, it would 
be difficult to winter large herds of cattle without 
making grain the chief reliance. Here, as in 
New York, deep tillage and thorough draining 
will be the great ameliorators of the soil, and the 
most effective means of ensuring a fair reward for 
TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.] 
“PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT.” 
[ SINGLE NO. FIVE OENTS. 
