ing to any one family, but has diligently sought 
the best and most profitable sheep out of differ¬ 
ent families of the improved American Merino. 
No exhibitor, therefore, has anything to fear 
from their prejudices, or from their being spe¬ 
cially attached to or interested in any particular 
name, family, or flock. Mr. Ellis is also an 
experienced sheep breeder, and until within a 
few years owned one of the choicest tine-wooled 
flocks, of about half Spanish and half Saxon 
Merinos, in the State. lie is now a merchant 
in Syracuse, and usually deals largely in wool. 
He is a very superior judge both of sheep and 
wool. This committee fairly represents all 
interests; and it is made up of sound, solid men, 
of high standing and unsuspected integrity and 
independence of character. A stronger or more 
appropriate committee could not have been 
chosen. 
The choice Merino flocks of New York have 
ted in the atmosphere again, and the process of 
evaporation cool9 the surface of the soli and re¬ 
tards vegetable growth or development Water 
should not be allowed to stand on the surface of 
soils, whether grain or grass lands, to evaporate. 
2. The air follows water and operates to dis¬ 
integrate the particles of soil and liberate food 
for the plant to take up, as well as furnishes food 
direct Ami air being admitted, the moisture 
of the atmosphere supplies the. plant in time of 
drouth—in other words, the soil is in condition 
to absorb and retain moisture sufficient for the 
purposes of vegetable growth, without obstruct¬ 
ing that growth by a surplus which must begot 
rid of by the chilling (to the plant) process of 
evaporation. 
3. Not the least important is the increased ac¬ 
tion of light and heat, from the suu, in the de¬ 
velopment of the plant. All know that the hot, 
dry seasons develop the most good, nutritious 
qualtities in forage and fruit.. The grape gives 
more sugar, the sugar cane yields a greater per 
cent, of saccharine matter, the seeds of the 
grains are more perfectly developed, the juices 
of the grasses are more nutritious, even though 
the growth is far less. In a dry reason than jn a 
wet one. And on deep tilled, well drained soils, 
it has been again and again demonstrated that 
drouths do not diminish the quantity, and are 
sure to improve the quality of the product. 
No, good friend, rain-water Is manure if pro¬ 
perly used. But it must not evaporate. It is 
God's way of irrigating your soils—a wonder¬ 
ful provision of which you should take advan¬ 
tage. It falls upon the earth, does its work, 
bubbles out at the hill-side 'o springs—the 
mouths of God's tmder-drains—follows the path 
of rivulet and river to the ocean, ascends in va¬ 
por, becomes clouds and descends as rain. So 
on your little domain you must make the minor 
under-drains and water-course* which God in 
His w isdora has taught you are necessary. And 
you will reap the reward of your labor in more 
abundant harvests, fewer failures, a more health¬ 
ful climate, and less suffering during both the 
wet and the dry seasons. 
the world for ages. When that result is 
achieved we can resume party organizations 
and settle matters of such minor importance as 
political differences at leisure. But until then 
let us all work for a re-united Union and Nation. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
RURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE. 
CHARLES D. IIKACHMIN, A«*oclato Editor. 
USBANDRY 
CURRENT TOPICS DISCUSSED, 
HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. D.. 
Editor Department of Sheep Husbandry. 
Sand and Gravel Soils, and Drouth. 
Damos, of Huron Co., Ohio, writes:—“I 
have a piece of ground composed of sand and 
gravel which will not stand a drouth. What 
can I do to remedy it? Will leached ashes, tan 
bark, or currier's waste, leather scraps, hair and 
lime, &c., accomplish the object ? ” It lias been 
our experience that sand and gravel soils, deep¬ 
ly plowed anil properly enriched, endure drouth 
the best of any upland soils. But organic ele¬ 
ments must be added to it in such supply as to 
meet the demands of plants. A sandy soil is, 
perhaps, mechanically, the best adapted of any 
soil to the rapid ami perfect development of 
plants and their fruits. But, as we have before 
written, the organic elements wanting must be 
supplied. If the soli contains these in abun¬ 
dance, there will be little danger from drouth. 
The substances our correspondent names are 
all excellent if properly prepared before being 
applied. The spent tan and currier’s waste, 
leather scraps, Ac., should tlrst be decomposed 
by mixing with lime and salt. The tan, unless 
so decomposed, is of but little value, and may 
be a positive injury because of the tannic acid 
it may contain. If you have access to muck its 
application will afford you profit. Even a top 
dressing of clay or stiff loam will help the mat¬ 
ter. In using muck on such soils, it should he 
either exposed to the air before application to 
t he soil, or applied to the soil direct the fall be¬ 
fore a crop Is to be put on it, and exposed to the 
action of frosts, or it should he sweetened by 
mixing with alkalis—unleached ashes, potash, 
and lime. 
We may say in this connection that during a 
visit to Oneida Co. in this State, the past week, 
we found an illustration of the manner in which 
sandy soil will endure drouth when properly 
prepared, and containing the proper elements, 
flic soli we refer to was elevated, sandy, con¬ 
tained but little loam, and was of a character 
that nine-tenths of the farmers of the country 
would call light and poor. This soil had been 
manured, (we believe) and thoroughly cultiva¬ 
ted ; ami we ate Garnet Chili potatoes from seed 
planted late (we think sometime in May) that 
were as large as any potatoe ought to be for eafc- 
iug, and as excellent in quality as any we ever 
ate. And the vines were as green and thrifty 
as we ever saw vines, some of them were in 
blossom. They did not feel the drouth, while 
on the stiller soils in the neighborhood no such 
potatoes could be found, ami we were repeated¬ 
ly told that not a half crop would be grown. 
The great advantages which sandy soils pos¬ 
sess over the stiffer soils, is that they are right 
mechanically ami lack only organic elements; 
while our still' soils require more and better me 
ehauieal preparation and less manuring. And 
the farmers of this country have not yet learned 
the Imperative Importance of this thorough me¬ 
chanical manipulation of soils—havu not learned 
the importance, and best modes, of comminu¬ 
tion, disintegration. Without this stiff soils car¬ 
ry their crops through the drouth no better than 
sandy or light soils. In the one case the organ¬ 
ic elements are wanting; in the other they are 
not wanting, but need to be liberated so that 
they can be used by the plant. 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS! 
MR. GOREY’S MERINO SHEEP. 
C. DEWEY, LL. D., 
l. b. langworthy, 
P. BARRY, 
H. T. BROOKS, 
Thomas Gorby of Randolph, Portage Co., 
Ohio, has a flock of forty-five ewes of the Ham¬ 
mond (Tnfantado) stock, and four ewes of the 
Rich (Paular) stock. His original purchases of 
the former consisted of thirteen ewes from the 
flock of Victor Wright, now of Middlebury, 
Vt., and eight ewes from the flock of Mkrril 
Bingham of Cornwall, Vt. 
Tiik Rural New-Yorker is designed to be unsur¬ 
passed in Value, Purity, and Variety of Contents, and 
unique and beautiful in Appearance. Its Conductor 
devotes lib personal attention to the supervision of Us 
various departments, and earnestly labors to rentier 
the Ritual .in eminently Reliable Guide on all the 
itnportan! I’nietteal, Scientific and other Subjects Inti¬ 
mately conneided with the business of those whose 
Interests It zealously advocates. As a FAMILY JOURNAL 
it is eminently Instructive and Entertaining— being so 
conencteu that It van be safely taken to the Homes of 
people of Intelligence, taste and discrimination. It 
embraces more Agricultural. Horticultural, Scientific, 
Educational, Literary and News Matter, Interspersed 
with appropriate Engravings, than any other Journal,— 
rendering i: the most complete AGKict i.Tt'RAL Litk- 
rauy and Family Nlwsi*ai*je« in America. 
Hpintlhwal 
THE DUTY OF THE HOUR. 
The American People have many important 
duties to perform at the present time, but that 
which we consider jiaramount and incumbent 
on every citizen of the North, especially, is to 
aid in crushing a rebellion that is cursing the 
country, and which, if not subdued, is destined 
to divide the Union and destroy the best Gov¬ 
ernment ou earth. This duty can not be neg¬ 
lected with impunity by any intelligent man or 
woman in the Loyal States, but shoidd be dis¬ 
charged, in some way, with alacrity and cheer¬ 
fulness, now this sacred duty to country, fam¬ 
ily and posterity can best be performed, each 
individual must judge for him or herself. The 
Producers of the country—and of that class, 
mainly, arc lhose addressed by this journal—can 
do much by industry, calculation and economy 
to increase their products, thereby materially 
aiding the Government, Nation and People in 
bringing the Avar to a successful issue. But 
they should not be content with that alone. 
Alter producing more tliau usual, they should 
invest the extra amount obtained therefor, and 
other surplus means, in such manner as will aid 
in sustaining the Government while it is restor¬ 
ing or maintaining the Union. Every invest¬ 
ment in Government securities tells toward de¬ 
fraying its expenses, and maintaining its credit 
at home and abroad,—and if the People at large 
simply do their doty In this matter, the finan¬ 
cial affairs of the Nation will soon he and con¬ 
tinue in a healthy condition, and the Union aud 
Liberty for which our forefathers fought, bled 
and died, he restored and perpetuated. The 
accomplishment of this object—the leaving as 
an inheritance to posterity a Republican or 
Democratic form of Government 
MR. gouby’s 
“ Hannibal," whose portrait is herewith 
given, was in the ewe whes purchased of Mr. 
Wright, and was dropped Mr. Gorby’s. He 
was got by 11 California,” bred by Mr. W right. 
he by “Long Wool.” bred by Mr. Hammond. 
For pedigree and description of Long Wool, see 
Practical Shepherd, pages 121, til. California's 
dam was by “Wooster.” bred by Air. IIam- 
MoND, (see Practical Shepherd, pages 121. 412, 
grand dam a ewe purchased by Messrs. Ham¬ 
mond & Hall of Stephen Atwood, of Con¬ 
necticut. Hannibal's fleece, this year, weighed 
244 pounds and was of very superior quality. 
Mr. Gorby writes us that the largest fleeces in 
his flock are from the get of Hannibal— the 
heaviest ones weighing 13t, 134 and 14 pounds 
apiece, and quite a number 12 pounds apiece. 
Fifty-live fleeces, including Ilannibals, (all the 
rest from ewes and tegsl averaged 10 pounds 124 
ounces apiece. 
Measurements alone afford but little idea of a 
sheep—but they are not without a degree of 
value to those who are accustomed to employ 
them as bases of comparison between different 
animals. On the Oth day of January, 1864. we 
saw Hanoibr.l careful’y measured, at the barn of 
his owner, and the following were the results: 
Inches. 
KYora motift 1 to horns,. l(Pi 
From hum to shoulder .11 
Fr n front of shocl'ler to roots of tail,.. 2* 
w 1 leg,. .. 12 
Distance of hip bone* apart,. it 
Girth hark of foreleg..... 45 
Girth of belly,..,...S3 
Breadth of tail, iucludiin; Viool,. 5 
Breadth of thigh, including wool,..... 11 
The measures of girth were taken by keeping 
the measuring tape on the ends of the wool—not 
by parting the wool and drawing the tape to the 
skin. 
4 HANNIBAL.” 
never been anything like generally represented 
on the show ground at our State Fairs. Our 
farmers complain that they get the best Me¬ 
rinos of Vermont, and then can not sell their 
equally good descendants for half or a quarter of 
tbe Vermont prices. There are perhaps several 
reasons for this. One of the strongest reasons is 
that most of the New York flocks are not known 
in other States, or even beyond theii' own coun¬ 
ties at home. Probably eight-tenths of the 
choice breeding flocks of Vermont are owned in 
one county—Addison. There is scarcely a man 
or boy in Middlebury — the principal railroad 
depot of that county — who can not, from the 
constant habit of answering such questions, 
glibly give a list of the neighboring breeders. 
Every buyer who comes in from a distance, 
goes the rounds of their flocks. Their names 
have thus become familiar to inquirers on such 
subjects even in Iowa and Kansas. 
And we observed an excellent Vermont prac¬ 
tice at the last State Fair in that State—the very 
extensive (.ri.ihition of sheep by comparatively 
undistinguished breeders. A few of the old, 
frequently victorious exhibitors bad no sheep 
on the ground. But according to our recollec¬ 
tion there might have been twenty or thirty or 
even more pens of very superior Merino sheep 
— a considerable portion of which belonged to 
new breeders, or those whom we had never 
hoard ranked in the first class. These men 
had property to sell, aud, accordingly, they 
put it where distant buyers could ascertain it 
was for sale any judge of its quality. What 
though these men lid not get premiums? A 
majority of buyers do not expect to buy 
premium animals. But we heard of oilers and 
sales that showed that animals which could 
not command premiums, could at least command 
high price—far higher prices than are obtained 
by most of our New York breeders whose flocks 
spring from Vermont premium sheep. Now 
let us tell young breeders a secret. A good 
second class sheep will often, if not generally, 
sell better when shown side by side with a very 
The man with 
Figures from “ Broadlands.” 
We have hitherto spoken in these pages 
of the experiments being made on the magnifi¬ 
cent prairie farm of Hon. M. L. Suluvant, in 
Illinois, with the spader. On page 181, current 
VoL, we gavu a letter from Mr. S., stating the 
progress of the work, aud his impression con¬ 
cerning this new implement. He now fur¬ 
nishes a contemporary the figures for the season, 
which will he found Interesting. His letter is 
dated July 6th, and he says:—“ I have prepared 
and planted to corn this season, 1,335 acres of 
laud; 811 acres were plowed in our usual man¬ 
ner, say about four inches deep, at a cost of 
415 days manual labor, at $1.50. SOULSO 
SOO days horse ! abor, at 50c,. 445 00 
Total.$1,112 50 
“ Or $1.31 per acre. 
“There were spaded (8 inches deep) with 
Comstock’s Rotary Spader, 401 acres, at a cost of 
88*4 days manual labor, at $150 
20S day s horse labor, at 50c_ 
201 days ox labor, at 25c.. 
Total 
with neither 
aristocracy nor slavery as ingredients is worth 
untold treasure aud blood. Let, therefore, those 
who are unable to fight for the cause, make 
athrr investments or sacrifices in its behalf. 
This is uo time to talk of peace or compromise— 
for so long a* the rebellious Confederates de¬ 
mand independence—ft separation, or an aristo¬ 
cratic, slaveholding class in tho Union —no 
peace or compromise would be lasting or hon¬ 
orable. We believe every means which God 
and Nature have or may provide us should he 
speedily used to crush, and if need be, extermi¬ 
nate. the originators and willing abettors of the 
accursed rebellion, and therefore urge every 
reader hereof to discharge to the country his or 
her Doty of the Hour. 
—Need wo add that the Rural is uot aud 
never has been in any seuse a political or party 
journal. If any so think from the expression of 
such sentiments as the above, let us part com- 
|bj pany—for, verily, we ask no favor or support 
j\j, from any who are uot, iu’sontimeut and action, 
“ Or 03 cents per acre. 
*• I have had in operation two horse and three 
ox machines. One machine was worked 33 
days, with the same team of four horses. At 
the end of the season their condition showed 
that the work had not been harder for them 
than ordinary plowing. The ox machines re¬ 
quire a team of two or three pairs of oxen each. 
A portion of the season l worked two of the ox 
machines ganged with six pairs of oxen, one 
man managing the team aud spaders readily. 
Four of the spaders are three feet in width 
each. For a few days in the latter part of the 
season I had at work one 3 feet 8 inches wide, 
which is the usual width of our corn rows. It 
is proposed to construct the most of them here¬ 
after this width, and attach a self-acting corn- 
planter. This will be capable of spading and 
planting oue acre per hour, with a speed of 24 
miles, at a cost not exceeding 44 cents per acre, 
allowing eight hours as a day's work. As a 
labor-saving implement, and a deep aud thor¬ 
ough tiller of the soil, I am greatly pleased with 
it, and shall watch with a great deal of interest 
the produet of the crop at maturity, At pres¬ 
ent there is no perceptible difference in the ap¬ 
pearance of the corn on the plowed and spaded 
land, but I shall expect a yield of from 10 to 26 
per cent, in favor of the latter.” 
Auoiuer correspondent asks a question 
which it is pertinent to consider in this connec¬ 
tion. He writes:—“You urge drainage and 
deep culture. Why? To allow the water to 
leach through the soil? Will it uot do more 
harm than good if allowed to escape in that 
way ? ” We cannot suppose that our correspond¬ 
ent can be really serious in asking such ques¬ 
tions, though he may be, for we know that they 
are natural ones for the thoughtless, or for those 
ignorant of natural law*, to entertaiu. 
in reply, we would provide that the water 
which falls from the clouds should pass down 
through tho soil, because, 1. It adds elements 
to its fertility. Rain contains ammonia. In¬ 
deed, it is perhaps the most important means of 
conveying the ammonia of the atmosphere to 
the roots of plants. But if there is no provision 
by which it may pas* down through the soil it 
(the water) evaporates, the ammonia is libera- 
MERINO SHEEP COMMITTEE AT THE N. Y. 
STATE FAIR 
We learn that the viewing committee on 
Merino Sheep at the next N. Y. State Fair con¬ 
sists of Franklin J. Marshall of Wheeler, 
Steuben Co., James M. Ellis of Syracuse, and 
I>. W. Pkrcey of North Hoosiek, Rensselaer 
Co., N. Y. Messrs. MARSHALL and Pkr< ky 
are practical sheep farmers who have been 
brought up to the business, and who have been 
familiar with the best varieties and families of 
Merino sheep from their childhood; and both 
are conceded!}’ admirable judges of all those va¬ 
rieties and families, and are as disinterested 
as respects their rival claims as any gentlemen 
who can be found in the State. Neither has 
ever confined himself in his own line of breed- 
superior aud celebrated sheep, 
a moderate purse there learns that the actual 
difference in quality bears no comparison with 
the difference in price; aud the enormously high 
price asked for the superior animal, actually 
prepares the buyer to give more thau he other¬ 
wise would for one which his own eyes tell him 
is not greatly inferior. The actual difference is 
much less than the preconceived or imagi¬ 
nary one. 
In New York, the best Merino flocks of the 
State are scattered throughout its entire extent— 
,'j myaitotbe Government and Union. Wo care 
S hot what party is in power or who may be the 
legally constituted President, we hold it to be 
the sacred duty of every loyal Union citizen, iu 
*4, a C1 ' s is like tho present, to uphold those in au- 
i thority. Indeed, our people should he united as 
J one man, discarding party aud politics until the 
war is terminated, and such a peace conquered 
as will benefit and bless posterity, mankind and 
TERMS, $2.50 PER YEAR.] 
“ PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT." 
[Single yro. SIX CENTS. 
VOL. XV. NO. 3-3.S 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1864. 
S WHOLE NO. 761. 
W surah 
