7r/>CimCULTURf> 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, APRIL 9,1864 
{WHOLE NO. 743 
MOORE’S RURAL KEW-YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WKKKLLY 
RURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
can agriculturists by the appointment of the 
present Commissioner of Agriculture, and sub¬ 
stitute a man who knows something of the 
wants of the Industrial classes and the common¬ 
est facts current among them. James Bu¬ 
chanan was never more imbecile as President 
than is this Isaac Newton as Commissioner 
of Agriculture. These are plain words: but 
truth is often very plain and homely. 
just enough to keep the water from standing 
still, and there wiU be no danger of the pump 
handle becoming tight. 
How a Sucker Grows Potatoes. 
A. C. Powell, of Winnebago Co., Ill., 
■writes us he has had good potatoes with but 
very little rot the past three years. He says:— 
“I first plow as deep as I can, then furrow out 
three and a half feet apart, fill the furrows with 
barn-vard manure, thpu drop the potatoes from 
sixteen to twenty Inches apart, cover with the 
plow, let them remain two or three weeks, and 
then harrow down smooth. It. is easy keeping 
them clean. I plant as soon as I get through 
seeding small grain, and before planting corn.” 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE. 
CH ARL ES O. IIracoon, Aiwoclato Editor. 
KEEP HUSBANDRY 
HENRY 8. RANDALL. LL. D„ 
Editor Department of Sheep Husbandry. 
SPECIAL OOI-TTEtBUTOHS: 
P. BARRY, C. DEWEY, LL. D., 
H. T. BROOKS, L. B. LANGWORTHY, 
SPRING WORK. 
TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS. 
Carrots .—See article on page 76, current Vol. 
Carrotseed requires time—considerable time—to 
germinate. Of course, the soil should be in con¬ 
dition. warm and dry, to receive the seed. But 
this crop is usually put in too late. A large por¬ 
tion of the season best adapted to the growth 
•of this root is lost by most farmers who plant it 
aftermost other crops are in the ground. We 
urge, therefore, early planting, and think our 
readers will thank us for the. hint if they use it. 
Potatoes— Plant early. Plant this month if 
possible. Plant before your seed has begun to 
sprout. Considerable observation, and some 
experience, has established the conviction that 
the earlier in April potatoes are planted on well 
prepared, well drained soils the better and surer 
the crop — the less the danger from rot. Pota¬ 
toes well ripened, early in the season, will ripen 
better, taste better, am! are better in all respects, 
than those which the early autumn frosts find 
with foliage green and growing. Wheat, peas 
Tub Rurai. Nkw-Vorkkr Is designed o> lie unsur¬ 
passed In Value, Purity, and Variety of Contents, ami 
unt(|ue and ixuiuttfUl In Apnea ranee. Its Conductor 
devotes Ids personal attention to tile supervision oTIts 
various departments, and earnestly labors to render 
the Rural an eminently Reliable Guide uu all the 
important Practical. Stolen UAe. and other Subjects Inti¬ 
mately connected with the business of those whose 
Interests It zealously advocates. A« a Family Journal 
It Is eminently Instructive and Entertaining—being so 
conducted tliat it can lx? safely taken to the Hornes ot 
people of Intelligence, taste and discrimination. H 
embraces more Agricultural, Horticultural, Scientific, 
Educational, Literary and News Matter, Interspersed 
with appropriate Engravings, than any other Journal.— 
rendering It the most complete AGRICULTURAL Lite¬ 
rary and Family NicwsrAPBlt In America. 
attend mem, whether students pursuing the 
course of scientific study adopted, or not; so 
that the farmer and mechanic and their sons, 
who may not be in circumstances, nor qualified 
by preparation, to go through with a course of 
study, may reap such benefit from such an insti¬ 
tution as they may have time and means to 
secure. 
We do not believe a student should be taught 
the languages in such an institution. Neither 
would we admit a student who had not availed 
himself of the advantages of our public and 
high schools to acquire the needed preliminary 
education. These schools arc to be organized 
to provide a specific kind of knowledge which 
other schools have hitherto made no effort to 
furnish. Tin's was the design of Congress. It 
was what the people asked for. Let them be 
confined to this business. Let. them be and re¬ 
main independent and distinct from all oilier 
institutions; and if the amount of Congressional 
appropriation does not, meet their requirements, 
let each State, respectively, provide for the de¬ 
ficit. 
Where there are existing State institutions, 
controlled by the State governments, as is the 
case in most of the Western States, there is less 
objection to adding a Department than there 
would otherwise be. For instance, create an 
agricultural school and a mechanical school as 
distinct departments of the University of Mich¬ 
igan, as law and medical schools are distinct. 
Create the same distinct departments in the 
Normal University of Illinois. Thus a State 
building, already provided, may be used, and 
yet the Industrial departments he kept distinct 
from and independent of the Normal departs 
ment. 
We see nothing difficult iu this. The great 
difficulty lies in the fact that existing sectarian 
and literary institutions, controlled by sects and 
corporations, are seeking to get possession of 
this land grant for their own purposes. They 
are manipulating legislators 
A Corn Marker. 
B. L. Ii., of EllingtoD, New York, sends us 
a sketch of a corn marker, which we give above. 
He thinks it an improvement on the ordinary 
marker, for uneven ground. “The draft bar is 
made of four-inch, hard wood scantling, eight 
feet long. The thills, running through the 
draft bar with a dovetail mortise, are each one 
foot and three inches from the center of the 
draft bar, extending back two feet for handles, 
ami fastened in with a key. Take two pieces, 
four feet long, frame two legs or markers in each 
three and a half feet apart. Boreholes through 
the center of each of the short pieces, place 
them in front of the draft bar, and so that the 
inside markers will lie three and a half feet 
apart. Bore a hole through the draft bar cor¬ 
responding with those through the shorter t ries, 
put » pin through, having it smaller iu front, 
that the markers will adjust themselves to the 
surface. The markers should be one foot and 
eight inches long, with a natural crook at the 
lower end extending back. Handles can be fas¬ 
tened to tbe draft bar to steady (<he marker by. 
The whole can be easily taken apart and placed 
under shelter when notiu use.” 
For 'JVmis auJ oilier particulars, see last page. 
ISAAC NEWTON ON AG’L COLLEGES. 
Thk paternal manner in which Sir Isaac 
undertaken to direct and enlighten public senti¬ 
ment upon the subject of Agricultural Colleges, 
is exceedingly amusing. We have only spnqe 
to call attention to and discuss one of the salient 
features of a paper on this subject which we 
find iu the Commissioner’s bi-monthly report 
for January and February. 
We quote:—“So far as they (opinions) have 
been expressed in the course of study in our 
few agricultural schools, and in the wiitings of 
those who have sought to mould public opinion, 
the instruction proposed has contemplated a 
preparation for the farm only. The languages j 
SHEEP AND WOOL GROWING IN AUSTRALIA. 
From Dr. Charles of Kenworthy, who 
has resided for a number of years in Australia, 
we have recently received a letter in regard to 
sheep and wool growing iu that country ; and it 
eontaius many inquiries preparatory to an in¬ 
tended emigration of the writer to the United 
Mates. He thinks popular English and Ameri¬ 
can authors have u very imperfect idea of sheep 
raising in the Australian Colonies, and believing 
that a knowledge of the modes there practiced 
would prove uselul to those who wish to raise 
sheep ou a large scale and on uuineiosed lands 
in the United States, he offers to furnish full in¬ 
formation in regard to them for publication, if 
we desire it of him. Knowing the extensive 
experience possessed by our correspondent on 
the subject, we have not failed to accept his 
offer; and his articles may be expected to appear 
indue time in our columns. Though his pres¬ 
ent letter was not intended for publication, the 
following paragraph from it will convey new 
J. D. P.. of Smithville, says sap will be 
obtained from a tree in proportion to the num¬ 
ber of spouts if the holes are far enough apart so 
that they will not draiu the same cells—say four 
to six inches. He says further that small trees 
dry up sooner after a freeze than larger ones; 
but alter another freeze they arc fresh as be- 
lore, except the gradual searing of the wound 
which is common to all trees. 
*■ A bit which will bore a hole about five- 
eighths of an inch in diameter in the largest 
place, gradually tapering to a point, is the best 
shape; for when the inside of the hole scars 
over somewhat, by boreing about a quarter of 
with Ibis object; 
and unless the industrial classes are vigilant, 
and make some effort to thoroughly understand 
their own wants, and make them known, and 
organize to secure their supply, these sects and 
corporations will succeed. They cry that this 
appropriation is not ample enough for the pur¬ 
pose designed—that their aid is required. But 
we find them working for it like greedv corrno I 
rants. It is ample for their use. Aud Isaac j 
Newton, Commissioner of Agriculture, is 
lending them his potent aid! We pray Sir 
Isaac to'continc his attention to his milk busi¬ 
ness, and eeuso talking of what it is so evident 
he knows little about. For had he read the 
Agricultural papers of the country during the 
past five years, he would hardly have ventured 
upon the assertions we have quoted above. 
— Since the foregoing was written and given 
the compositor, the Country Gentleman has 
come to hand, containing a just criticism of this 
report, especially of the “ figures and arithme¬ 
tic it contains. The editor closes his review 
of the report, by saying:—“ if the Commissioner I 
CURRENT TOPICS DISCUSSED. 
Manuring Potatoes. 
F. IX, of Onaquago, N. Y., gives us his 
practice. Lie plants ou dry land; furrows it 
feet apart, and plants in hills about the same 
distance apart. Marks with a marker across 
the furrows. Drops a small forkfull of coarse 
straw manure when the mark crosses the fur¬ 
row. Digs a hole through the mauure with the 
hoe, and deposits there a hoe-full of fine, warm 
soil; places the‘Ced ou it, covers up the seed 
and manure carefully. Gets good crops of dry, 
good-flavored potatoes. Asks Dam os to try 
this mode, and report to Rural in the fall. 
Boiling Pans for Sugar Making. 
Thk same writer says: — “A sheet iron 
boiler is undoubtedly best. There are a variety 
of opinions as to the best form. There are 
evaporators that work well. The common 
three-sheeted (?) pan answers a very good pur¬ 
pose. But all within my knowledge seem some¬ 
what defective.” 
To Keep Pumps from Freezing. 
T. II. L\, llopedale, 0., writes us that an 
old-fashioned log pump can be kept from freez¬ 
ing as follows:— Boro a hole in the pipe an Inch 
in diameter far enough below the platform or 
curbing to be out of reach of frost, insert a 
wooden spiggot, similar to those used in vinegar 
barrels, except that the handle should extend 
above the curbiug eighteen inches, and close to 
the side of the pump, so that it will not be in 
the way. Iu freezing weather turu the handle 
Cleansing Maple Syrup 
Mu. J. D. P. says if the sirup is allowed 
to stand until it is thoroughly settled, milk and 
eggs are only a damage to it; for just as white 
sugar can be made without as with them; and 
they Cause molasses or soft sugar to sour sooner. 
Sugar should be strained through a woolen 
strainer just as it begun, to grain. 
Ralph Evans rgt 
