TWO DOLLARS J\ YKAR.l 
PROGRESS A>TJ3 IMPROVEMKNT.’ 
[SnSTG-LK NO. FIVE CENTS. 
VOL. XV. NO. 13.S 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, MARCH M, 1864. 
{WHOLE NO. 741. 
MOOSE’S RURAL NEW-TOEKEE, 
* AN ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
RURAL, LITERARY AN!) FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
CONDUCTED EY D. D. T. MOORE. 
C11AKLK8 1*. ItKAUDON, Associate Editor. 
HENRY 8. RANDALL. I.L D., 
Editor Deportment of Sheep Husbandry. 
SPECIAL CONTTU 13 UTOR8: 
P. BARRY, 
H. T. BROOKS, 
C. DEWEY) I.L. I)., 
L. B. LANG WORTHY. 
ABORTIVE COWS. 
I r Deems that tho. Herkimer County dairymen 
are alarmed at the increasing prevalence of 
abortion among their dairy cows. At a recent 
meeting at Little Falls, a report of wldeh wo 
iind in the Utica Herald , this subject was dis¬ 
cussed, and a rather imposing statement of losses 
this season was made by gentlemen present. 
About two hundred cows, belonging to gentle¬ 
men present, were reported to have been ren¬ 
dered worthless for dairy purposes the present 
season. And the disease seems to be rapidly 
extending. 
Various theories were advanced as to the 
cause of the trouble. Several geutlemen 
thought the disease was caused by tho deteri¬ 
oration of the soil — by the extraction of phos¬ 
phates from the soil from the meadows and 
pastures and the shipping of the same in the 
shape of cheese to the cities, without making 
any return In kind to the soil. As an indication 
that this ia one cause at least, it was stated that 
cows in certain localities were Inclined to gnaw 
bones. Some gentlemen had believed this 
action was induced by tlie presence of some 
saline material in the bones. Gentlemen who 
had studied tho matter were of tho opinion that 
this absence or phosphates was the cause. .Nor¬ 
ton was quoted to sustain this position, lie 
says: 
“ From the composition of the ash of Choose, its 
just noticed, and that of milk, mentioned before, 
we can easily see how it is that pastures become 
poor in phosphates. All that which is sold off 
in cheese never returns to the soil; and that fed 
to fattening animals lu milk, is also for the most 
part lost. Besides the milk Which each cow 
gives for dairy purposes there is also her annual 
calf, the phosphates in the hones of which must, 
also come out of the pasture. It is certain that 
iu the bones of the calf, and in the milk, each 
cow would deprive the pasture of at least tifty 
or sixty pounds of bone earth or phosphate of 
lime in each year. For these reasons it is that 
hones, as has been indicated, are most likely to 
prove of great advantage as a manure on worn 
out pastures, and also on meadows that are used 
in autumn for feeding. Applied us dust, or, still 
better, dissolved in sulphuric acid, a few bushels 
per acre (In the latter ease two is enough) have 
been found to produce a most wonderful effect, 
in many instances doubling and even tripling tho 
value of pastures within a year or two after the 
application.” 
But one gentleman Maid lie hud dissected 
aborted calves and found their bones hard and 
healthy. Whatever tho first, cause, it seemed 
to be a general opinion that the disease was con¬ 
tagious, or became extended through sympathy. 
Indeed, there were facts elicited going to show 
that, t he disease was not confined to hums where 
the soil had been exhausted of phosphates by 
W. T. KENNEDY. Jr., AantatmU Oftloo Editor. 
The Rural New-Yorker Is designed to be imsur- 
passed In Value, Purity, ami Variety of Contents, anil 
unique aud beautiful In Appearances Its Conductor 
devotes Ids personal attention to the supervldon of Its 
various department.*, and oamestly labors to render 
thu Kukai, an eminently Reliable Guide oti all tin 
Important Practical, SclenUlto and other Subjects Inll- 
lUHtely couiteeted with the busline- of those whore 
Interests It'sealously advocates. Asa Family Journal 
I t Is eminently Instructive and Entertaining — belli* so 
conducted that it can be safely taken to the Homes of 
people of Intelligence, taste and discrimination. It 
embrace* more Agricultural, Horticultural, Scientific, 
Educational, Literary and News Matter, Interspersed 
wlUi appropriate ICngr.Wings, than any oilier Journal,— 
rendering It the most complete agricultural Litk- 
rary and Family Newspaper In America. 
MWZ RS-SPN.se. 
eOT.T.ITMS’ HORIZONTAL HOT YARD. 
Our engraving represents an invention de¬ 
signed to be of great benefit to hop growers. 
This “stake and string” yard generally and 
perhaps more properly designated Collins' Hori¬ 
zontal Hop Yard — lias been tested for several 
years, and was patented in December lust by 
F. W. Collins, of Morris, Otsego County, 
New York. Tho principal advantages of this 
improvement, as ascertained by successful 
experiment, are enumerated iu the inventor’s 
advertisement, to which we refer all interested. 
V~if~ For Terms and other particulars, see last page.- 
long continued dairy husbandry; and that on 
some such farms it did not exist, at all. The 
opinion prevailed that this bad liabit or disease 
had been introduced into the dairies of Herki¬ 
mer County by bringing iu diseased cows from 
other localities, and several instances were given 
where it could be traced directly to such cows. 
A resolution was adopted recommending tliat 
when eases of abortion occur in herds, the dis¬ 
eased animals be immediately separated front 
the others, and the stables be thoroughly ven¬ 
tilated and fumigated with some disinfectant. 
At a subsequent meeting, l)r. Oopkman, of 
lltica, discussed the subject at length. He 
showed, by reciting facts, that tho period of 
gestation with a cow ought not to tie less than 
260 days, nor more than .100. lie stated that he 
had found that abortion with cows occurs most 
frequently between the fourth and seventh 
months of pregnancy- Cows, of all our domestic 
animals, are most liable to miscarriage, and a 
cow that has onoo miscarried is very likely to 
repeat it when next in calf. It is his opinion 
that this malady can he propagated from patient 
to palieul by infection. He liases this opinion 
upon the fact, that this malady is limited to cer¬ 
tain farms or districts. When a disease begins 
on a farm and gradually spreads thence as from 
a center, tho presumption is in favor or its 
propagation from animal to animal. And if the 
malady is conlined to tho animals who have had 
intercourse with the sick, and more frequent 
in proportion as that intercourse has been close 
and continued, and If wo find that other herds 
iu the same neighborhood, and under precisely 
the same general management, entirely escape, 
we have in these facts convincing evidence that 
the disorder has been spread by infection. 
Have wo facts of this kind? Wo have iu the 
amplest abundance. Such is I)r, Foreman's 
position, and lie adds: 
“The question, however, is not whether Infec¬ 
tion is the only means by which the disorder is 
propagated, Tor it te admitted by many compe¬ 
tent observers to prevail in animals who have 
once commenced aborting; there is also good 
reason lor Lhe belief that it may be excited bv 
morbid mat ters adhering to Lhe hands or cloth¬ 
ing of those who attend aborting cows. 
One reason why the herbivora are unusually 
liable to infection may be assigned to the fact 
that their nostrils are continually brought near 
the ground, especially w hile collecting food, 
hence they are compelled to inhale gases evolved 
by putrek’cnt matters, witli which, incases Much 
as abortion, tho litter, floor, or earth, must 
always lie more or less contaminated. 
• 
Treatment. Whenever this malady makes its 
appearance in a herd, the approaching symptoms 
must tie carefully watched for, and as soon as 
perceived Hie animal shchtid bo immediately 
removed to hoiuo comfortable shed or hospital, 
which must lie as remote from the cow-house as 
possible. The hospital should lie guarded in 
such a manner as to prevent any person from 
having access to the cow except those iu charge 
of her, and these, if they have handled the 
feutUH or placenta, should not visit other cows 
immediately, ou any pretence whatever. It, 
however, occasionally happens that a cow will 
move about during the night, in such ease the 
From tlie recommendations of experienced and 
prominent hop growers, its description and other 
evidence, we are inclined to believe that Mr. 
Collins’ invention will prove a groat desidera¬ 
tum to those engaged in hop culture. The Hop 
Growers Jowmal commends it in very strong 
terms. Tt says:—“The plan referred to is nol 
a new or untried experiment, but excellent and 
experenced growers, who are disinterested wit¬ 
nesses, state the results of several years’ use of 
tltis method in terms of high commendation.” 
stall in which the animal stood must be care- 
full cleaned ot all tilth and dung, and no cow 
‘near her time’ put therein for tsvo or three 
weeks. The placenta, with ail hay, straw or 
litter, which may bo more or less contaminated 
to he forthwith can-fully removed and buried 
deep and far from the pasture. Tho cow when 
Hilly recovered should at tho earliest conven¬ 
ience of the owner bo fattened, and sold to tho 
butcher. This is the first and the grand step 
toward the prevention of abortion, and he is 
unwise who does not immediately adopt it when 
an emergency arises. All other means arc com¬ 
paratively inefficient and worthless.” 
- ■ ... 0 -■ ■ 
CURRENT TOPICS DISCUSSED. 
Sow Peas Now. 
1F you want an early crop for market or for 
family use. or even for an early feed, put them 
in just as soon as you can get on tho ground to 
do it. It you have land, fall plowed, thrown up 
so that water will not stand ou it, harrow or 
cultivate it, if necessary, and mow the peas on 
it. It is the early bird that gather* the worms 
the early peas that sell best In market. We 
have known peas sown in latitude 41 deg. in 
February. There should tie a spot in every 
mau’a garden where he. may put in the seed 
early. It, Is not a difficult matter to take two or 
three crops from a field when this is done. 
Old Mortar. 
"A Subscriukk,” of Vermilion, O., in- 
forms us he is going to tear down a house in 
which there is considerable old plastering, and 
wants to know the best u-c lie can make of it, if 
any. He is informed, hereby, that old mortar 
is a very valuable manure. It contains lime. 
And liuio enters into tho construction of all 
plants and animals. It I* therefore a necessity 
in the soil for production. Added, it (lime) 
sweetens sour soils and renders them, in this 
respect, better adapted to tho needs and charac¬ 
ter ot plants, old mortar also contains nitrate 
of potash, formed by the changing of tho nitro¬ 
gen of the hair (in t he mortar) into nitric acid, 
and its union with the potash in the plaster. 
'Fills nitric acid unites w ith the lime also. It is 
valuable, therefore, to apply direct to the soil or 
to add to composts and apply in combination. It 
should, by no means, be wasted. 
“Buildings iu a Hoap.” 
Alexander Dale, of Allegan Fa, Michi¬ 
gan, does not agree with some one of our corres¬ 
pondents who is in favor of having house ami 
barns all in a pile. He says:—“It is a little 
handler to have them all close together, but let 
him count the eost Of drawing the grain and hay 
half a mile, and the manure back again, ami 
estimate the Increased risk from tiro. That is 
not all, the field nearest the barn will get all the 
manure.” 
It is a subject which merits careful calcula¬ 
tion thu location of farm buildings on a large 
tarni. The more wo see of tho advantages ami 
saving by a distribution of bams in various 
parts of Lhe farm, tho more are we inclined to 
think it good policy. Stock is easier assorted 
and separated the young from tin: old, the dis¬ 
eased from the healthy, and the convenience of 
securing crops, and the distribution of manure 
is an important item. We know there are good 
arguments against it, but the thoughtful farmer 
will adopt that plan best adapted to His locality, 
business, objects, and tlio circumstances. 
Preparing the Seed-bed for Tobacco. 
L. S. Hays writes:—“As the season for 
tobacco culture has commenced, and the atten¬ 
tion of Eastern Dinners has been drawn that 
way by the very remunerative prices, I will 
give you the process hero pursued for preparing 
the seed-bed, which, by tho way, I find suits 
admirably for other vegetables, which are 
usually transplanted. 
“ A piece of naturally rich soil is selected, con¬ 
venient to timber land, from which the brush is 
cleared. The entire surface of the bed is cov¬ 
ered with brush and refuse wood and burned oil', 
heating tho ground sufficiently to kill all other 
kinds of vegetation. The ground is then 
dug up with a hoe or spade to the depth of 
four (4) inches, thoroughly pulverized, and the 
seed sown at tho rate of one ounce to forty square 
yards, ami covered sufficiently with brush to 
keep the sun from affecting it too severely until 
the plants are about one inch high, or until the 
second leaves begin to appear. Our planters 
have mostly sown their plant-beds, and I think it 
will be time for a month yet to sow in your lati¬ 
tude. If it will be of any service to your farm¬ 
ers, I will give you the entire process of growing 
the crop at times during tho season.” 
We shall be very glad to receive it. 
The Out-Buildings. 
With the fresh green robe that spring puts 
on, it is well to put a fresh “ coat of respecta¬ 
bility” on the out-building,—especially wooden 
ones. There is a gratification follow ing tidiness 
which compensates the small labor and expense 
— which pays a man for getting up a little, 
ear'ler mornings and working at a light business 
when ha would otherwise be enjoying an after- 
diuuer siesta. The exterior of the old home¬ 
stead house where the writer was born and 
i reared, never received any other adornment 
than a coat of the material we are about to let a 
correspondent give, and the rich drapery of the 
clambering woodbine; and the more modern 
house which has taken its place does not and 
never will look half as well to him. 
B. J. Coon rad, of Albion, Michigan, recom¬ 
mends the following us a good and cheap substi¬ 
tute for oil paint —one which he has “tested 
with perfect success.” “Water lime, mixed 
with skimmed milk to the consistency of good 
cream, and applied with a paint brush, answers 
every purpose for barns, sheds and out-houses. 
It can be made of any color desired, by adding 
coloring matter—Venetian red, for a reddish 
color; lamp-black for a dark or drab; metallic 
paint for a brown. Take a little ami try it ou a 
piece of board. It will form a sidid cement on 
rough boards, and stick better than it will on 
planed ones. 1 painted a barn last year, GO by 
(to feet, at a c<Wtol'$3.2A; and the oldest, keenest 
and sharpest-eyed person could not tell, twenty 
foot away, but what it was oil paint,” 
We am Indorse the preservative qualities of 
this paint. And an old house, no matter how 
rough and weather worn, may be made to look 
like a new one. And it fills up the crevices 
beside. 
ITEMS FOR HORSEMEN. 
Sure-Footed Horses. “Junius'’ says: 
The sure foot or safety of action may he judged 
from the slant of the shouders and perpendicu¬ 
lar position of tho fore-legs; they must stand 
well upon their pins. Hood feet and legs are 
sure to stand under a healthy constitution. 
Hollow feet are predisposed to contraction; Hat 
feet are the consequence of disease; the short, 
oblique pastern gives pleasant action, and will 
stand the wear and tear of hard service. Tho 
horse that throws his weight upon the shoulder, 
or stubs his forward toe into tlte ground, is a 
stUinbler. This may be detected by examining 
the wear of the shoe at the ext rente circle. 
Breeding from Bingboned, Spavined, 
or Bund Horses. The same writer says it 
is objectionable to breed from such horses if the 
infirmity is hereditary. But lie says there, are 
thousands of horses suffering from oue or another 
of those infirmities, and still free from heredi¬ 
tary taint, Lexington is cited as an example of 
a horse with an infirmity who does not transmit 
it to ills offspring. 
i it JsY die: vt*I 
1 UltWHIiLi .. Hi Hi].. 
Sheep husbandry. 
EDITED (BY HENRY S. RANDALL. LL. D. 
To Correspondents. - Mr. Randall's address la 
Cortland Village, Cortland Co., N. Y. All communica¬ 
tions Intended r,, r this Department, and all inquiries 
relating to sheep, should be addressed to lilm as above. 
■t» < - 
THE TARIFF ON WOOLS AND WOOLENS. 
The present Tariff imposes the following 
duties on wools and woolens: 
On wool unmanufactured, the value of which at the 
Inst port of export is 18c per pound, or less, it duty of 
0 per cent (ml valerem;) on tho saitm, the value of 
which at the last port of export is more than 18c., and 
not over 2lc. per pound, u duty ot 3c. tier pound; on the 
same, the Till tie of wtifeh at. the last port of export is 
over Stic per pound, a duty of He. per pound. on the 
-nine, Imported iu such a state by mixture of dirt, etc., 
as to reduce it to 18c. per pound, or less, a duty or Up¬ 
per pound. 
On woolen cloths, cnssiraeres, shawls, and all manu¬ 
factures of which wool Is a component, material, if 
value over one dollar per square yard, or weigh* under 
1? ox*, per square yard, a duty of ifte. per pound, and 
35 per rent, (ad valorem :) on the same article*, Sf not 
otherwise provided (or, a duty or 18c. p**r pound, and 
30 per cent, (ad r \tlarrm.) On nine leading kinds of 
carpettngv value $1.35 per square yard or under, a duty 
of 46c. jxr square yard ; on the same, value over $1.35 
per square yard, a duty of 53c. per square yard, “ pro¬ 
vided that none of the above carpeting shall pay a less 
duty than 45 per cent,” (ad valorem.) On certain other 
kinds of woolen carjxftiug, the duties are roapetlively 
38c. and 28c. per square yard. 
The annual average prices of imported wool 
from 1.840 to 1857, is shown by official records to 
have ranged from G cents to IS cents per pound. 
It is estimated for 1860 at 14 cents, and for 1S61 at 
to cents. From thence we again have official data, 
showing that it. averaged a little over III cents per 
pound in 1802. and about the same in 1863. 
The amount of protection to the manufac¬ 
turer of woolens, as contrasted with tho protec¬ 
tion given to the producer of wool, will be 
shown by taking a yard of Moth that weighs 12 
ounces, mode of wool, imported at tlte valuation 
of 16 cents per pound at tbe port of shipment. 
Two pounds of such wool should bo abundantly 
efficient to produce 12 ounces of dloth. These 
two pounds of wool will cost 32 cents, and must 
pay a duty of 5 per cent, on that valuation, 
I which will be one cent and six mills. Thus the 
manufacturer can purchase and pay the duty on 
the material for a yard of cloth that will weigh 
12 ounces for 88 cents and six mills. To this 
must be added t he eost of transportation. 1 f tlte 
same wool is manufactured before it conics to 
this country and is imported in cloth, it must pay, 
in duties, first 18 cents per pound on its weight, 
which, for the 12 ounces that the cloth weighs, 
is 18 cents and 6 mills; second. 30 per cent. 
ad valorem, and if we assume that the yard is 
worth one dollar, this will be 30 cents, which 
gives an aggregate of 43 cents and 5 mills in 
duties on a yard of such cloth. It then results 
[ in this, that the duties ou a yard of this cheap 
cloth are 0 cents and 0 mills more than the cost 
of the raw material from which it Ls manufac¬ 
tured. in the case of dearer cloths made of 
finer and costlier foreign wools, the increase of 
the protective ad valorem duty more than com¬ 
pensates for the increased duty on the wool. 
If there is any error in tho above estimates it 
is unintentional, and we are ready to be cor¬ 
rected. But let it he by the precise showing of 
actual facts—properly vouched for not by de¬ 
clamation. 
On the 28th of December last, Mr. George 
William Bond, of Boston, furnished us the 
following estimate of Imports of Wool into the 
United States in 1863, based upon custom house 
returns to a recent data from New York and 
Boston, and estimates for other ports for the 
remainder of the year: 
Imported front 
Europe, .... 
Cape of Good Hope,. 
Buenos Ayres, Ac.,. 
Riisstn,) .......... _ 
Hast India mid Chinn,_ 
Spain and Portugal_ 
Turkey, . . 
Mexico. . 
chili,..... 
Various places, in small 
parcels,.. 
Pounds of 
Fine. 
11,000,000 
11,000,000 
15,000,1**) 
St *),000 
Pounds of 
Coarse. 
10,(**1,000 
6 , 000,000 
2,000,000 
750.000 
760,000 
3,1*10,01*) 
1,500,000 
2,500.0(H) 
1 , 000,000 
27,500,000 
37,500,000 27,500,000 
These tine foreign wools are as fine as our fu II- 
blood Merino. They will probably average 
finer; and some of them are claimed by Mr. 
Bond to be superior for many styles of goods to 
