ROCHESTER, N. Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, APRIL 2-3,1864 
{WHOLE NO. 74-5 
MOORE’S K¥EAL NEW-YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
RURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE. 
CHARLES I». ItKAGDOX, 
to j bushel; lucerne, S to 10 pounds. For pas¬ 
ture, sow 2 to 3 bushels of a mixture of the dif¬ 
ferent grasses and clovers mentioned on page 110 
current volume Rural. Hungarian grass, .J to 
| bushel. 
Vegetable and other Seeds. —Beets, 4 to 5 ; 
carrots, 2 its; ruta-baga, | to 1 lb; tobacco, 2 oz: 
white mustard, 10 to 15 quarts; cotton, 2 to 5 
bushels; turnip. 1 to 2 lbs; parsnip, 1 to 2 lbs: 
potatoes, 1 to 15 bushels, depending upon mode 
of cutting, or whether cut or not; flax, 1 to 2 
bushels; hemp, 1 to l.J, and sometimes 2 bushels; 
onion, 3 to -A pounds. 
thistle is comparatively unknown, each indi¬ 
vidual farmer is interested in its enforcement. 
This thistle is not indigenous to the prairies. 
But it is getting firm foot-hold in some localities, 
and is only treated with toleration because far¬ 
mers do not know its vUlainous character. 
Canada is waking up to the evil effects of this 
weed which is too much honored bv its 
whole truth. Of course to the vender of milk, 
quality is of less importance, ne seeks the 
animal that produces the greatest number of 
quarts. But the butter and cheese manufac¬ 
turer should know something about the animal 
he breeds from. 
Aumclalc Editor. 
HENRY S. RANDALL, IL. D.. 
Sditor Department of Sheep Husbandry. 
HEEP HUSBANDRY 
COOKING FOOD FOR CATTLE. 
name. 
A bill has been introduced into the Provincial 
Parliament “ to prevent the spreading of Cana¬ 
da thistles in Upper Canada." The lirst section 
of this bill makes it the duty of every owner, 
possessor, or occupant of land, to cut, or cause 
to be cut down, all Canada thistles growing 
thereon so often each year as to prevent them 
going to seed, if he fail to do this so as to pre¬ 
vent the spread of the seed, a tine of $10 for 
each offense is imposed. Section second makes 
it the duty of the Overseers of Highways to cut, 
or cause 1o be cut down, all of these pests that 
may be found in the highway in their respective 
districts, and to notify land-holders or owners in 
his district on whose lands these thistles may be 
found growing. If the land-holder neglects to 
cut them down within five days after the ser¬ 
vice of the notice, it is made the duty of the 
Overseer to do it. 
to the owner 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS; 
P. BARltY, C. DEWEY, LL. D., 
H. T. BROOKS, L. B. LANGWORTHY. 
Wishixg to make an addition to one of my 
barns this season, and being anxious to put in 
an apparatus for steaming dry food for cattle, 
and having seen some excellent articles on the 
subject in the current volume of the Country 
Gentleman , by H. H. Peters. Esq., of South- 
borough, Mass., I lately visited his place for 
further information. Air. P. is among the 
largest breeders of pure Ayrshire entile, if not 
the largest, in the country. His herd now 
exceeds ninety head, all thorough-bred, full- 
blooded animals. 
To CORRESPONDENT-. —Mr. Randall’S address Is 
Cortland Village, Cortland Co., X. Y. All communica¬ 
tions Intended for this Department, and all Inquiries 
relating to sheep, should he addressed to him as above. 
Tub Rural Nkw-Yobkbr Is designed to be unsur¬ 
passed In Value, Purity, and Variety of Contents, and 
unique and henuttfljl In Appearance. Its Conductor 
devotes Ids personal attention bo the supervision of its 
various departments, and earnestly labors to render 
the Rlual ;ui eminently Reliable Guide on all the 
Important Practical,Scientific amt other Subjects Inti¬ 
mately connected with the business of those whose 
Interests It zealously advocates. As a Family JOURNAL 
it Is eminently Instructive and Entertaining—being so 
conducted that It can bo safcl) taken to the Homes of 
people of Intelligence, taste and discrimination. It 
embraces more Agricultural, Horticultural, Helen title, 
Educational, Literary and Xews Matter, Interspersed 
with appropriate Engravings, than any other journal,— 
rendering It the most complete Agricultural Lite¬ 
rary and Family Newspaper in America. 
DOCTORING’’ SHEEP. 
very many having been im¬ 
ported for and on his own account, selected by 
his own ageut. sent out for the purpose, who is 
one of the best judges in the Union. The farm 
which Mr. P. occupies was formerly what is 
known in the region as a Milk Farm. It was 
one devoted to a milk dairy, to furnish milk for 
the city of Boston. He still continues that 
business upon the farm, and nas thus had a fine 
opportunity to test the milking properties of 
this breed of cattle. After trying nearly all 
breeds and grades of the different breeds, he 
has settled upon the Ayrshire?, and is making 
his milking as well as his breeding herd exclu¬ 
sively from full-blooded animals of this breed. 
For a full description of bis method of pre¬ 
paring the food, I shall refer the eurious reader 
to the articles before mentioned. My object 
was to become satisfied as to the fact of its 
adaptability to our region of country. I became 
fully satisfied, from personal examination of the 
cattle and the manure, that upon a grain farm, 
or any other where there is a large amount of 
coarse fodder, as straw, stalks, or coarse, rank 
clover or herds grass hay, at least one-half of 
the expense of maintaining stock can be saved 
by cutting and steaming the food. In other 
words, a person can keep well double the num¬ 
ber of sheep or cattle or horses upon the same 
food steamed, that they can upon it fed dry. If 
grain be fed, a still larger profit is received. 
But at the same time, care must be taken to pro¬ 
tect the manure in a dry place untU applied 
directly to the land, or an important source of 
j profit will be lost, 
Mr. P. has erected a -teamer in the cellar of 
one of his barns, and steams, in properly pre¬ 
pared steam chests or boxes, about one hundred 
bushels in each at a time. He has had four 
years’ experience, anti he is firmly in favor of 
the system—as it adds largely to the manure 
pile, as well as giving a large surplus of market¬ 
able bay. which can be sold at high figures_ 
though I think his rule is, to consume upon the 
farm the grass, grain, and straw and stalks 
grown upon it. 
So entirely satisfied did I become of the great 
saving by steaming coarse food and grain, that I 
shall put a small engiue into my bam cellar to 
cut and steam food this winter, even at consid¬ 
erable expense. I shall also sow several acres 
with corn, as being the cheapest method of sup¬ 
plying a large amount of valuable food for 
steaming. I expect to winter double the num¬ 
ber of cattle that I could do on dry food, and at 
less expense than if fed dry. To be sure, it re¬ 
quires an extra outlay of capital, but thru it 
repays a very large interest, and saves the pur¬ 
chase of move land to furnish winter forage for 
this increased stock. 
I hope to have leisure to give some notes in 
regard to the system of farming which Mr. P. 
is inaugurating in that portion of {Massachu¬ 
setts. Willi ample means, — an enterprising 
spirit that does not know the word “ fail.”—he 
has literally made "two blades of gross grow 
where but one grew tiafore,” and he is demon¬ 
strating that both for public good and financial 
success, the intelligent application of capital to 
the improvement, of the soil, is of vast public 
benefit as well as private gain. In the city, 
the successful merchant or business man simple 
vegetates, his mind cramped and dwarfed by 
the frivolities of a highly artificial mode of life. 
But in the country, atld upon the farm, the 
mind expands by its constant intercourse with 
the grand and beautiful objects of nature which 
arc spread out around one with so lavish a 
hand. And a man feels that he is Jiving for 
noble ends.— t. c. p. 
And he need give no notice 
of non-resident lands. 
Sections three, four and seven provide for the 
compensation of the Overseers, for this work, 
and punishment of delinquents. 
Section five provides that any person who 
shall kn< vingly vend any grass or other seed 
among Which there is any seed of the Canada 
thistle, -ball be liable to a Cue of ien dollars for 
every such offense. Section six imposes a fine 
of $20 upon the Overseer who neglects or re¬ 
fuses to discharge the duties imposed upon him 
by this act. 
The Canada farmer, discussing the merits Of 
this bill -ays:—“ The most serious consequences 
threaten some of the most-valuable sections of 
the country unless something effectual is done in 
the direction of the proposed enactment. * * 
* From the nature of the plant in question, 
effective measures must, of necessity, be simul¬ 
taneous. The seeds of the Canada thistle are 
so Uglit and downy that the winds readily con¬ 
vey them great distances. Nine-tenths of the 
farmers of a given locality may be vigilaut 
and active in their eradication, but if then- 
neighbor is negligent they labor in vain. * * 
* Our lines of railway are in danger of becom¬ 
ing, ton large extent, seed-beds for this weed. 
In various localities each side the track is one 
dense mass of Canada thistles. The value of 
farm property is beginning to be affected in 
some localities by the existence of this pest and 
we know of neglected domains that are quite 
unsalable because so overrun with this weed.” 
All that our Canada contemporary says of 
this weed is true; and what he says of the 
measures which should be adopted in Canada to 
prevent its extension, applies with equal force in 
the States. Indeed the States east and west 
have no small interest in the passage of this 
Canada bill: for travel and traffic through Can¬ 
ada, each way. contribute to scatter the seed 
grown along its thoroughfares, on our own 
soils. We do not nronose to let our vender* r,„-. 
UP* For Terms ami other particulars, see last page. 
CURRENT TOPICS DISCUSSED. 
Preparation of Soils for Crops. 
“How shall I prepare the soil?” is a query 
which comes to us concerning nearly every crop 
about which questions are asked. A very per¬ 
tinent question it is, too; for success with any 
crop depends largely upon the preparation of 
the soil. One word answers the above question 
if the soil is sufficiently rich In the food required 
by the plant. That word is, comminute. There 
is no other word that we know of which answers 
it so comprehensively and completely. It ap¬ 
plies to the preparation of the soil for all crops. 
It is especially essential to success with root 
crops. Not only docs the quantity produced 
depend upon it, but the quality of the product is 
also involved. Who over saw a fine, crisp, long, 
smooth carrot or beet produced on shallow, stiff, 
cloddy soil? It is not a very difficult matter to 
tell the condition of the soil by the character of 
the product. An observant farmer will do so. 
But how to comminute is the question. We 
confess it has its difficulties. Thorough commi¬ 
nution depends first upon adequate — perfect — 
drainage. No soil can be cultivated well which 
is not well drained. Drainage is a mrt of cnli.i- 
The most ignorant is always the most pre¬ 
suming person in such cases. The mau of large 
experience and knowledge finds out that “doc¬ 
toring, ' under tho most favorable auspices, for 
serious and constitutional maladies, is very un¬ 
certain In its results—that, usuaUy, sheep which 
arc “doctored” much, die. Bis opinions, 
therefore, are given with hesitation. But your 
ignorant booby who knows nothing about the 
properties of drugs, and who uever owned a 
hundred sheep in his life, understands every¬ 
thing at a glance. He either had or saw "just 
such a case once ” — such and such things were 
given—and the sheep " got well right off • And 
some sensible men listen to such nonsense! 
If it is not right to experiment in this blind and 
inconsiderate way with animals which are actu¬ 
ally laboring under serious disease, and which 
stand in need of a proper remedy, what shall we 
say of those intermeddlors with nature who drug 
and dose animals in perfect health, to prevent 
some future anticipated diseases—diseases, too, 
not particularly Incidental to the locality, like 
grub in the head ? We have owned a great many 
thousand sheep, and never lost but a very few 
where we thought there was strong reason to 
bebeve it was caused by the grub. Yet we 
never resorted to a medicine preventive against 
it. The lesson we have drawn from a long aud 
large experience with sheep, 
'•-makes us rather bear those ills we have, 
Than fly to others that we know not of." 
The whole doctrine of medical preventives, 
as commonly understood, is based on error. If 
in perfect health, can I take anything which will 
prevent me from catching a cold or contracting 
a fever a w eek afterwards, if I become exposed 
to its exciting causes? If a sweat will throw-off 
a cold, will it, taken in advance, prevent a cold? 
The. remedy for the actual disease, so far from 
being a preventive of that disease, if taken in 
health, w-ould often prove rather a provocation 
of it, or of some other malady. 
Does some one ask:—"if I see my sheep 
perishing, and don’t know what to do for them, 
shall I fold my hands and let them perish?’’ 
My friend, if you don’t know what to do, and 
The Calves which should be Raised. 
Experiments will prove to every dairy¬ 
man that there are certain of his cows that 
will yield him a greater ainouut of but¬ 
ter— from twice to three Limes as much — as 
other cows giving the same quantity of milk, 
if lie purposes to continue in the dairy 
business, and rear his own cows, or a suffi¬ 
cient number Of calves to keep his quota good, 
he should make such experiments as will 
enable him to determine what stock to breed 
from. It will cost little to make such; and the 
Profit resulting is self-evident. For it is a mat¬ 
ter of no small moment whether a cow, eating 
the same quantity and quality of food, requiring 
the same care, yields Dim-half or one-third the 
profit of another one. finch stock is not the 
kind to breed from for dairy purposes. 
Again, such experiments will disclose the 
tact that certain animals, which yield the great¬ 
est quantity of milk, are of less value than 
others that only till a smaller pail, fiuch ani¬ 
mals are better to sell than to keep; for pur¬ 
chasers ask after the quantity of lacteal pro¬ 
duct -not alter its quality, albeit it may properly 
become an ethical question, whether the seller 
should or should not tell the purchaser the 
Quantity of Seeds per Acre. 
We arc frequently asked how much seed 
per acre is required of different kinds of grain, 
grasses and vegetables. We give the following 
for reference 
Grain, 
bushels; 
Is; rye, 1| to lj 
barley, 2.J to 3 
i, 1 bushel oats to 2 of 
barley; peas. 2 to 3 bushels; buckwheat, i to | 
ol a bushel; corn, in hills, 6 to 8 quarts; in 
drills, lor fodder, 2 to 3 bushels; broadcast, for 
fodder, 3 to t bushels; broom corn, in drills, J 
to i! bushel; beans, (white) l to U bushels; sor¬ 
ghum, j to j bushel. 
Grasses.- Timothy, 8 to 12 quarts; orchard 
grass, | j to 2 bushels; red top, 12 to 10 quarts; 
Kentucky bluo grass, 2 bushels; white clover, 4 
toll quarts; red clover, 6 to 8 < marts: millet, a 
