[SINGLE NO. FIVE CENTS 
TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.] 
tionB have likewise been more nnmeroas ami cost¬ 
ly than in any preceding year—the number of 
engravings in thiB volume being about three hun¬ 
dred and fifty I 
— We refer to these business-like items and mat¬ 
ters as pertinent to the occasion: moreover we 
desire to show any and all who may be interested 
that it requires great labor and expense to com¬ 
bine, in one sheet, an Agricultural, a Horticul¬ 
tural, a Litbraby, Family, and News Paper— 
and hence, that the Rural cannot and wilt not 
enter the arena of competition, in price, with pa¬ 
pers which are actually published at less than 
one-third or one-half the labor and expense to 
which we are subjected, whatever may be their 
size or however extravagant their pretensions. 
Our aim is to excel in quality and value, and to 
famish a paper worth far more than its subscrip¬ 
tion price to any one interested in its subjects and 
objects — such an one as shall prove a welcome, 
useful and entertaining visitor to any family in 
the land to whom it may be introduced. 
But, great as have been and will continue to be 
our efforts and expenditures, they have been and 
are being widely and largely appreciated—for 
many thousand subscribers have been added to 
onr list during the year, and we never closed a 
volume with better prospects for the future, the 
“hard times'" to the contrary notwithstanding. 
From all parts of the land, near and distant—East 
and West, North and South—and fro o residents of 
both Town and Country, we are daily receiving 
the most flattering and substantial indications that 
the Rural is highly appreciated, and will attain 
increased circulation and usefulness. Indeed, by 
the proper nse of Mind and Money, and the gen¬ 
erous influence of its friends, the Rural Nkw- 
Yorxbr has become an “Institution” which is 
recognized and patronized by thousands who for- 
metly supposed that the great cities—such as New 
York, Philadelphia and Boston—were the only 
producers of influential and widely-circulated 
Newspapers. The simple fact, however, that the 
Rural haB a far larger subscription than any 
Agricultural, Religious, or, (with a single excep¬ 
tion) Political weekly published in said empo¬ 
riums, conclusively proves that the Atlantic 
seaboard does not comprise all the ports iu the 
great Ocean of American Journalism. 
As to the Future of the Rural, we have little to 
say in addition to what has been already an¬ 
nounced. We hope to make R more than equal to 
what it has been in the patf* Our arrangements 
for the ensuing year are ample, and, with abundant 
facilities, augmented experience, and as ardent a 
desire to progress, improve and excel as ever be¬ 
fore, we are confident of rendering the Ninth 
Volume superior to either of its predecessors in 
both Contents and Appearance. With the con¬ 
tinued assistance of our capuble and efficient 
office Associates—Messrs. Kennedy and Vick_ 
aDd that of most of our present corps of able and 
talented Special Contributors, (with others recent¬ 
ly engaged.) and hundreds of practical and ex¬ 
perienced Correspondents, the Conducting Editor 
believes that the contents of the new volume will 
manifest the true spirit of “ Progress aud Improve¬ 
ment” Iu Appearance, also, we hope to make 
some progress. With an entire new dress, com¬ 
prising some changes which are regarded as 
improvements, we trust the Rural will appear 
more boautilul and attractive than ever before. 
— Before closing this finality for tbe year 1867, 
we wish to tender profound and gratefal acknowl¬ 
edgments to each and all who have in any manner 
contributed to the extraordinary success, influence 
and usefulness of this journal. Without sayiDg 
farewell to any,—for wo hope to continue a welcome 
and Instructive visitor to the same firesides for 
months and years,— we cordially trust all onr 
renders may close the year prosperously, enjoying 
a “ Merry Christmas” aud truly “Happy New Year.” 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
AJI OKIQiKAL WE KELT 
Agricultural, Literary and Family Newspaper. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
WITH A2f ABLE CORPS OP A88I3TANT EDITORS 
Wk have a few inquiries on hand, some of which 
we propose to answer in this, the last number of 
the present volume. We hope our friends who 
desire information on any particular subject will 
have no delicacy about troubling us with inquiries, 
as we always feel a pleasure in answering, as far 
as possible, or in publishing them, to be answered 
by onr numerous intelligent and practical corres¬ 
pondents, as may in our judgment be best calcu¬ 
lated to draw out facts. In this way a great amount 
of information is elicited on various important 
questions, which otherwise might never be known 
beyond the discoverer and a narrow circle of 
friends. 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS t 
Pbo» 0. DEWEY, T C PETERS. 
la. M. P MADRY, H. T. BROOKS, 
Dr. ASA FITCH. EWD. WEBSTER. 
T. R ARTHUR. Mrs- M. J. HOLME8. 
LYMAN K LANG WORTHY. 
Thb Rural Nkw-Torxkb t* designed to be nnsnrpassed In 
Value, Purity, Usefulness and Variety of Contents, and unique 
and bountiful In Appearance It* Conductor devotes his per¬ 
sonal attention lo the impervinlon of its various department*,, 
and earnestly labors to render the Rural un eminently Reliable 
Guide ou the Important Practical, BclcntWc and other Subjects 
intimately cornice ted with the business o! those whose interest* 
it teuloualy advocate* It embrace* more Agricultural, Horti¬ 
cultural. Selentlflu. Mechanical. Literary and News Matter, 
Interspersed with appropriate and beautifnl Engravings, than 
any other Journal.—rendering It the most complete AcmeoiTtr- 
RAL Lit* hart and Partly JoURHAL m America. 
13T All commnnlcations, and business letters, should be 
addressed to D. D. T. MOORE, Rochester, N. Y. 
For Trrms and othor particulars, see last page. 
A question asked and answered not only 
benefits the inquirer, but in many cases conveys 
information needed by hundreds ana thousands of 
others. On some subjects the experience of others 
may differ from our own, or, some one may have 
learned facts unknown to us; in all such cases we 
shall be happy to receive and publish all the light 
that can be given on the various questions discus¬ 
sed. In the field of agricultural knowledge we are 
all learners and all teachers. There is no practi¬ 
cal, thinking, observing man but learns something 
every year that ue can teach others to their ad¬ 
vantage. There is no one so wise hut he may 
learn even iroia the humblest. To this depart¬ 
ment we design to give especial attention the 
coming year, and we ask all our readers, in their 
zeal in obtaining knowledge not to forget to im¬ 
part it to others. In this way, we can help each 
other on. 
GAS TaR AND GRAVEL FOR HOOFS AND WALKS. 
Eds. Rcsal:—C an gus tar be used successfully, mixed 
with sand, for coating aud making tight matched pine 
roofs ? Report says that It is thus used, also for gravel 
roofs and sidewalks. Will yon ic struct your readers how 
to prepare this article for use for the purpose first named? 
—H. J. F., Palmyra, jV. X, 1057. 
A composition of gas tar and some other mate¬ 
rial, probably pitch, is used for roofing. Sheets 
of coarse, heavy paper are first saturated with the 
composition in a warm state, and allowed to cool. 
The roof is then given a coating of the mixture 
hot, and the sheets of paper are laid on, overlap¬ 
ping eaoh other a little. This, of course, secures 
them firmly to the roof boards. Another dressing 
of the mixture is then given hot, and the whole 
covered with a couple of inches of clean gravel, 
such as is used for garden walks. We have never 
known tar alone nsed for this purpose. A mixture 
of gas tar and gravel makes a hard, durable walk, 
and is particularly desirable for paths on uneven 
ground, where in heavy showers the gravel alone 
would he washed away. We have seen many 
plans adopted for preventing the washing ol 
garden walks, without success, hnt we have 
never known this to fail. Pour the tar ou the heap 
of gravel, mix it and lay it with the Bpade like 
mortar. It does not make a handsome looking 
walk, as the tar shows black, but in most cases it 
may be kept covered with an inch or so of gravel, 
FOWLS. 
Editor Rcral:— Will you, or gome correspondent ot 
the Rural, communicate through your paper answers to 
the following questions: -1. How many hens may profita¬ 
bly be kept io a single apartment and yard? To get the 
greatest amount of eggs, should they have constant access 
to their food during the emite year ? 
Please give a plan for a ben house that shall be most 
convenisnt for procuring eggs and disturb tbe heus the 
least. —A SciiSOaiKKR, Parish, N. It, Oct , 1856. 
1. With all necessary arrangements for ventila¬ 
tion, cleanliness, Ac., with sufficient yard room, we 
do not know why the number of fowls should he 
limited any more than sheep or cows. For want 
of proper accommodation when a great number 
are kept together, they generally become diseased, 
diB-urb each other's nests, and broils and fights 
are the result, very annoying no doubt to the 
fowls, and unprofitable to the keeper. Those who 
keep a dozen or two of beus generally get more 
eggs and chickens than those who keep twice that 
nnmber. 2. With proper conveniences for feed¬ 
ing, so that It will not be wasted, it is well to keep 
both food sod water where the fowls can have 
access to it at all times. Otherwise we Bhould 
prefer to teed them well twice a-day. We have 
already given several plans tor poultry houses the 
present year. The principal points tobeconsid 
ered in tbe construction of a house is thorough 
ventilation, ease of cleaning, and a good window 
lor light aud sunshine in the winter, when the 
fowls are confined by storms to the house. Each 
building should have three apartaents, for roost¬ 
ing laying and feeding. The feeding apartment 
it is not necessary to make large. 
Mr.ssss Editors Can you inform me, tbrongh the 
Rcral, where I can putcbuso a pan of lie “Sebright 
Bantam Fowls " aud the price:— H. E. S, Youngstown, 
jY. 1 " , Nuo , 1857. 
The Sebright Bantams which received the pre¬ 
mium at the last State Fair at Buffalo, were shown 
by D. 8. Huffrom, of Utica. There are doubtless 
plenty for sate, but we have not seen any adver¬ 
tised lately. 
Eds. Rural 
OOTCE SHE2P DOG OB COLLEY 
if some one of me readers of your useful paper can inform 
tae where I can obtain b pair of pure blooded Chinese Al¬ 
ton Game Fowls, and the price per pair ?— J. C. V. R., Dex¬ 
ter. Washt it Co., Mich , Dec., 1857. 
We know nothing of a game fowl by this name. 
We did think we were pretty well posted in regard 
to fowls, but must acknowledge that onr Michigan 
friend has got entirely the start of us. 
Eds. Rural: — a disease is now raging among the cattle 
in this section of the country called the Bloody Murrain. 
Its principal victims are ’he spring calves. Any informa¬ 
tion respecting the cause and treatment of this d'etiss 
will be thankfully received by the farmers— ,J. D , Root, 
y. F , Dec., 1857. 
We hope some of our readers will give ub me 
benefit of their experience, in the treatment of 
this disease. In xhe meantime we give the follow¬ 
ing from Yount? s Diseases of Cattle. “The early 
stage of murrain ta one of fever, and the treatment 
should correspond with this—bleeding. Physic 
should be cautiously yet not timorously resorted 
to. Small doses of purgative medicine, with more 
of the aromatic than we generally add. will be ser¬ 
viceable, effecting the present purpose, and not 
hastening or increasing the debility which gene¬ 
rally is at hand; but if the bowels be sufficiently 
open, or diarrhoea should threaten, and yet symp¬ 
toms of fever should be apparent, no purgative 
must be given, but the sedatives should be min¬ 
gled with some vegetable tonic. The peculiar 
fetid diarrhoea must be met with astringents, min¬ 
gled also with vegetable tonics. In combating 
the pustular and sloughing gangrenous stage, the 
chloride of lime will be the best external applica¬ 
tion; while a Hale of it administered with the 
other medicines inwardly may poasibly lessen the 
tendency to general decomposition. The exter¬ 
nal application of it should not be confined to the 
ulcerated parts alone, but it should be plentifully 
sprinkled over and about the beast; and the in¬ 
fected animal should he immediately removed 
from the sound ones. For a drink, take sweet 
spirits of nitre, half an once; laudanum, half an 
ounce; chloride of lime, in powder, two ounces; 
prepared chalk, an ounce. Rub tnem well together, 
and give them with a pint of warm grueL Tnis 
may be repeated every six hours, until the purging 
is considerably abated; but should not be con- 
xinued until it has quite stopped.” 
8HEFHBHDS' DOGS. 
Eds. Rural: — Wbat is tbe bea: breed ol shepherds 
Dogs Would they be of suiHcieut advantage in this 
country to pay f ir their importation, keep, &c.? I bare 
thon.ht that it they were adapted to our country they 
would ha'ebeen more generally introduced.— Mjsrj.vo, 
Sttuben C*> - 6 . Y., 1857. 
fits them for service in their respective countries* 
The Spanish Sheep Dog is a large and powerful 
animal, invaluable for guarding the migratory 
flocks of that country from the attacks of wolves 
whieh he will attack without fear and destroy with 
ease. Several ot these have been brought to this 
country with Spanish sheep. One was 3ent to 
Francis Botch, Esq, of this State, hut was shot a 
few years afterwards for an attack upon a person 
who had foolishly affronted him, by striking him 
with a whip. The Mexican Sheep Dog is a very 
powerful and sagacious animal, and an American 
traveler observes—“I have often thought when 
observing tbe sagacity of this animal, that if very 
many of the human race possessed one-halt of the 
power of inductive reasoning that seems to be the 
gift of this animal, that it would be far better for 
themselves and their fellow creatures.’' 
The English Sheep Dog is smaller than the pre¬ 
ceding, but equally sagacious, and valuable either 
for the drovers or shepherds. Mr. Colman says— 
“ These dogs appear endowed with a sagacity al¬ 
most human, and almost to know every individual 
belonging to their charge. They are sure, with an 
inflexible pertinacity, to bring back a deserter to 
she flock.” The Scotch Sheep Dog, or Colicy, is 
smaller than the English, light, active and saga¬ 
cious, and admits of no superior. Of thiB animal 
we give an engravingtakenfrom an English work, 
and also a correct likeness of a thorough-bred 
Scotch Shepherd Dog, “ Sweep,” which was owned 
a year or two since by a gentleman of Cayuga Co,, 
in this State. He is a full blood descendant of the 
celebrated dogs sent to this country from Scotland , 
as a present to Gen. Bonaparte, of New Jersey. 
There can be no doubt, but well bred and irain- 
ed Sheep Dogs would be of great value in many, 
and indeed, in almost all parts of the country.— 
But they shouldbe of the right kind. 
In regard to the training of dogs we have but 
little experience. 8ame men have a particular 
faculty for teaching all kinds of dumb ani¬ 
mals. If the trainer had one good old dog, there 
would be no difficulty in learning a Bcore of young 
ones. But the Shepherd Dog requires but little 
teaching. He seems to be born for bis work, and 
to be guided by instinct. On this point Buffon 
says—“If we consider that this animal, notwith* 
standing his ugliness, and his wild and mel¬ 
ancholy look — is superior in instinct to a 1 
others; th8t he hss a decided character in whi, h 
education has comparatively little share: lhat be is 
the only animal born perfectly trained for the ser¬ 
vice of others; that, guided by natural powers 
alone, be applies himsslf to toe care of our flocks 
CLOSE OF THE YEAR AND VOLUME 
Tins nnmber adds Finis to tbe Eighth Volume 
of the Rural New-Yorker, closing our engage¬ 
ments with nearly forty thousand of Its support¬ 
ers—all whose subscriptions expire with the year. 
During tbe twelve-month in which the fifty-two 
numbers oi ihe volume have been prepared and 
issued, we have conscientiously soughtto discharge 
aright onr duty to individual readers, families and 
community. Our constant and earnest aim has 
been to render tbe paper eminently Instructive, 
Usefal and Entertaining—to enhance, so far as in 
onr power, the Physical Interests, and promote 
the Home Happiness of all its readers—without 
misleading the judgment, injuring the morals, or 
vitiating the taste ot a single Individual. How 
well we have succeeded in this honest endeavor, 
the discriminating reader can best determine.— 
We trust, however, that whatever errors have been 
committed will be regarded In their true light—as 
those of the head or judgment rather than of the 
heart or Intention—and that they are not consid¬ 
ered of snch magnitude or importance as to in¬ 
duce any right-thinking and reasonably charitable 
individual to banish the Rubai, from his home and 
family. Be that as it may, we submit the results 
of a year's earnest and untiring labor in the 
confident belief that the decision of a tribunal 
which we have ever found jnstaud discriminating, 
will he alike charitable and favorable. 
The thousands of friends who have borne us 
company from the commencement of this journal, 
know that we have spared no reasonable effort or 
expense to annually improve it iaboth manner and 
matter, and to make it, continuously, a high-toned 
and progressive, as well as eminently Practical, 
Usefal and Instructive, Rural, Literary and 
Family Newspaper. That far more labor and 
expense have been bestowed upon the present 
than any preceding volume of tbe Rural, must be 
evident on examination and comparison, and we 
trust its interest and value have been corres- 
pondiiig'y augmented. The small, though bold 
and readable type used, bsB enabled ns to give 
from one-third lo one-half more reading matter 
than iu either of the early volumes— bo that, esti¬ 
mating the quantity only, our subscribers receive 
a full equivalent for their investment. The Agri¬ 
cultural Department comprises a large amount of 
practical, timely and Important information—as 
much as ordinarily given in from four to Bix books 
which cost as many dollars—while we think the 
quality not inferior, to say the least, to that of most 
works on Rural Subject*. The page devoted to 
Horticulture, Domestic Economy, ih\, has alone 
contained more leading than two such volumes as 
Barry's " Fruit Garden,” while the quality and 
value of the matter given haa not been surpassed 
by that of any other journal. The departments 
named above—ooonpying the first three pages of 
eaoh of the fifty-one numbers already issued— 
alone contain over Two Thousand distinct Articles, 
mostly on subjects ot direct Interest and value to 
Rurallsts, and worthy of preservation for future 
reference, ns will be seen by consulting the ample 
Index given iu onr present number. Tbe first cost 
of the matter alone haa been greater than book 
publishers usually pay for the copyright of half a 
dozen volumes which soil at a dollar each—and it 
ought to be worth more, for we have employed the 
best talent in the luml, and paid fiomten to thirty 
dollars ouch lor many articles. The Literary, 
Miscellaneous Hnd Ncwb departments of the Ru¬ 
ral have also required far more labor aud expense 
than heretofore— more Indeed than is usually be¬ 
stowed upon two or three ordinary journals, l 0 8ay 
nothing of the “dollar papers” or like cheap (?) 
repriuta of daily or other sheets. Oar illustra- 
The Chess Question. —During the past few 
mouths we have been favored with sundry srti 
cIcb on this “vexed question”—some of which 
were able and from reliable sources, and others 
anonymous—but as we could not find room for a 
discussion which would be tedious to many of our 
readers, and perhaps unsatisfactory to more, we 
havo published none. This explanation is due 
those who have written on the subject. Tbe Can¬ 
ada gentlemen who sent ua an anonymous article 
on Chess—and then wrote anonymously complain- 
ing of its non-publication—is respectfully Inform¬ 
ed that we rarely read, and much more rarely 
publish, any article from au unknown source. 
SCOTCH SHEEP DOG “SWEEP. 
a duty which he executes with singular assiduity ( 
vigilance and fidelity; tiiat he conducts them with 
au admirable intelligence, which is a part and por- 
ion of hitnaclf; that his sagacity astonishes at the 
same time that it gives reposs to his master, while 
it requires great time and trouble to instruct other 
dogs for the purposes to which they are destined; 
if we reflect on these facts, we shall be confirm d 
in the opinion that the shepherd’s dog is the tree 
dog of Nature, the stoek aud model of the whole 
species.” 
Eds. Korai.: -Will yoh or your correspondents please 
inform rue, through vonr paper, or otherwise, the best 
method of training a Shephei d's Dog to watch aud drive 
etn-ep ? I have a She herd puppy about four mouths old, 
which I wish to train for that purpose; as I have also a 
targe dock of sheep. I have Kept him in his kennel moat 
oi the time.—C. A. H., Maine, Cook Co., III., 1S57. 
There are several breeds of Sheep Dogs, each of 
which are particularly prized in their native 
homes, and are considered superior to all others, 
possessing as they do some quality that especially 
Carrots in Succession. — Iu some parts of 
Massachusetts, four or five successive crops of o r 
rots are taken from the same laud, without a 
diminished product. The editor of the New Eng- 
I should like to aak, through the Ruralj 
