MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WRBK 1.7 
AGBICUimAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY JOURNAL. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With *n Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors. 
Tbs Rural Nsw-Yorkkr is designed to b« unsurpassed in 
V & luo. Parity. Usefulness arid Variety of Contents, and unique 
and beautiful in Appearance. Its Conductor devotes his per¬ 
sonal attention to the supervision of its various departments, 
and earnestly labors to render the Rural an eminently 
Reliable Guide on all the important Practical, Scientific and 
other Subjects intimately connected with the bnunesa of 
those whose interest* it aealously advocate*. A* a Family 
Journal it is eminently Instructive and Entertaining— heins 
so conducted that it can be safety taken to the Hearts and 
Homes of people of intelligence, taste and discrimination. It 
embraces more Agricultural. Horticultural, Scientific, Educar 
tional, Literary and News Matter, interspersed with appropriate 
and beautiful Engravings, than any other journal,— rendering 
it the mo*t complete agricultural, Literary and Family 
Nkwbfasxr in America 
For Tkrms and other particulars, see last page. 
Entkrkp according to act of Congress, in the year USLby 
D, [). T. Moork, in the Office of the Clerk of the District 
Court for the Northern District of New York. 
|y Our only objeot in copyrighting thia paper is to secure 
what every honorable journalist will freely grant —proper 
credit for articles selected from its pages. Any and every 
journal is at liberty, and invited, to copy freely, by crediting 
each original article or Illustration to Rural New- Yorker. 
SUGGESTIONS ON FARM PRACTICE. 
Although it is senseless to ignore “ book farm¬ 
ing,” as the practice of what we learn from books or 
papers is called in opposition to whut we learu from 
observation and experience, yet we acknowledge that 
oar most useful lessons are the results of long prac¬ 
tice and close observation. We like to listen as the 
old farmer relates his experience,—we delight to 
K'jv be Lin'd, and the reason why,--of his 
itpetttcu tnalr and struggles, aun tmai triuinfob, we 
listen to Ilia sage advice on all practical questions, 
only occasionally urging such objections as are 
necessary to bring out the facts more clearly, or to 
arouse the old veteran to a more thorough and 
enthusiastic defence of his favorite practices. In 
almost every neighborhood there are one or more 
known to be men of experience and good judgment, 
— the people have faith iu their wisdom and to a 
great extent receive their counsels and follow their 
example. They thus exert an influence on their 
neighborhood, and this is considered right by all,— 
learning from practice. We listen to the counsels of 
such sages iu agriculture, take a note in memory’s 
page, or on a page of our memorandum, book, lay 
them before hundreds of thousands of readers, and 
in the opinion of some they become changed to wild 
and visionary theories. Strange effect this, of types 
and ink. Sometimes we induce the old worker, 
whose fingers are better titted by use for the plow- 
handles than the goose-quill, to make, a few pen-and- 
ink sketches, and these we use at such times as may 
be most beneficial to our readers. We have some 
memoranda now that are quite seasonable, and we 
thiuk will not be unprofitable. 
% Pasture is often badly mismanaged. It is poor 
economy to put cattle in the lot until the ground is 
fairly settled. Then, make careful calculation how 
many head your pasture land will support during the 
Hammer, and divide this number by the figure 2, and 
it will give you the right number. Sell off the 
balance of your stock, or provide for their keep in 
some other way. This will be found the most 
economical, even if you have to sell at a sacrifice. 
A little well rutted manured scattered over the sur¬ 
face iu the Bpring gives the grass a good start, and if 
the pasture is old,'scratch the surface with a harrow. 
In growing Corn, where the soil is of a fair 
fertility, a very great increase can be made to the 
crop by a little nursing or feeding in the hill. We all 
know the benefit of extra care in the early life of 
animals, and how it gives them a start in the world 
and exerts an influence for years; while early neglect 
causes evils that are never fully overcome. The same 
is true of vegetables. A plarjt stunted when young 
never makes a vigorous growth or arrives at matu¬ 
rity. This is the reason why some are prejudiced 
against deep plowing, by which a portion of the sub¬ 
soil is brought to the surface. The plants when young 
and when they need the best and most delicate food, 
the “ milk for babes,” are compelled to subsist on 
this crude sour earth, that has lain out of reach of 
sun and air for centuries. It is no wonder, then, that 
they become sickly from dyspepsia or starvation. 
Some die, others linger along, and when the weather 
becomes exceedingly warm and pleasant, and the 
gentle showers descend upon the earth, this exhumed 
soil becomes ameliorated, the plants take courage, 
and after a time make a respectable growth, but never 
become as large or stronger yield as much as though 
they had been well cared for from the first. The 
proper way to do is to manure land in the usual way 
all that you think necessary, and then give a little 
nicer luod lor the youug plant to use just as soon as 
its roots push out. If ihe ground is in good heart 
. from the manure 'given the previous year, a good 
portion ot the needed food is found in the soil, in a 
very good condition for use, but even then a little 
is of great advantage. For this purpose the best 
article is a handful of manure from the chicken house. 
It will give corn a vigorous start and a healthy color. 
The next best thing is a small shovel full of well 
rotted manure, finely broken up and mixed in the 
hill. In manuring we must remember that a plant 
cannot, like a pig, run around in search of food, so 
that what it need* must be put within its reach. A 
plant may starve with abundance of food within a few 
inches of its hungry mouths. From this food given 
when young, strength is acquired and the size in¬ 
creased so that the roots can reach out and obtain the 
food supplied by the ordinary manuring. Pursue 
this course and yon will find the crop wonderfully 
increased. Indeed, this is the way to raise premium 
crops. For potatoes the same plan is good, though 
not* perhaps, as necessary as for corn, because the 
old potato, if we are not too penurious to plant a 
whole one or a large piece, will furnish food for the 
young plant for some time. 
In Planting Potatoes we have long thought that 
onr farmers nse too little seed, and put the hills too 
far spurt. A “ Canadian Farmer” says be cannot 
imagine how American fanners can seed their land 
with potatoes and use only from six to ten bnshels, 
while he plants never less than eighteen or twenty, 
and sometimes more. Some of the potato growers 
we know of would have very few potatoes to sell if 
they were to keep twenty bushels to the acre for seed¬ 
ing the next season. The best crop of potatoes we 
ever saw grown was planted in rows, from a foot to 
eighteen inches apart, and the towb just far enough 
apart, to allow the use of a small cultivator,- This 
plan requires some hand labor, but it pays well if 
potatoes are worth anything. The plan of manuring 
in the hill, as suggested above for corn, is just as 
valuable, we think, for potatoes. Give plenty of seed, 
plant in rows, and give plenty of good manure around 
the sets, and in a soil of ordinary richness, three or 
four hundred bushels may be grown, if free from rot. 
It is a poor plan to make bills three and a half feet 
apart, put little seed and no manure in the hill, and 
then cultivate a whole season, and rake over an acre 
of ground to "et-her up fifty or a hundred bushels of 
marketable potatoes. t'Ome persons think that if 
■W i>ua. potato,Uhtoo mu; {'eyes, or to large 
a piece, they get too much top, iiut this is not the 
case. If a whole potato is planted, a few of the 
strongest eyes will send up their, shoots, exhaust the 
strength of the potato, and the less active eyes will 
never push. 
TOBACCO GROWING. 
A few weeks since we published two articles on 
the Culture and Curing of Tobacco, taken inaiuly 
from the Transactions of the State Agricultural 
Society. The following communication is from a 
gentleman who, in addition to much experience, has 
published a valuable essay on the subject, and we 
believe it was for his work the engravings used in 
our articles were originally made: 
Edh. Rural New-Yorker:— A few weeks since I 
noticed an article in the Rural on the Culture of 
Tobacco in your State, giving estimates of cost of 
raising, &o., Ac. Having had some experience in 
raising tobacco in New York, and in selling it, both 
of my own and of others’ raising, it occurred to me 
that a few suggestions from me in your journal, in 
regard to tobacco raising iu New York, might be of 
some use to your people. As I have not Been all that 
you have written on the subject, it is possible you 
may already have made similar suggestions to the 
same end. 
For the last four or five years the market value of 
New York Seed Leaf has declined in comparison 
with other seed leaf. The question at once arises as 
to the cause. Why should not New York Seed Leaf 
hold its relative value? or, rather, why should it not 
be of equal marketable value to the Connecticut or 
Ohio Seed Leaf? I will venture to say that it is not 
on account of the difference in Boil or climate. The 
soil of Western and Central New York is equal ia 
fertility to the Valley of the Connecticut, or the State 
of Ohio, ami the difference of climate is too small to 
have a decided influence except, possibly, that Con¬ 
necticut has a dryer atmosphere during the fall 
months. This is the drying or curing season,—when 
the tobacco is on* the pole9,— and this fact — if it ia 
such — it is important to know in order to bestow 
more attention to the opening and shutting of the 
tobacco bouse, according as tlm weather may be 
damp or dry. I would suggest, also, that a less 
quantity should be put within a given space on the 
poles, to insure a better current of air. Tobacco 
houses are often too much crowded. More tobacco 
is raised than there is room to house in the best 
manner. 
To return to the question why the New York Seed 
Leaf is not of equal marketable value with other seed 
leaf, I would say, because less care aud skill are 
brought to bear to produce it. The raising of tobacco 
involves both agricultural and mechanical skill. It 
is a business that must be learned, aud advautage 
taken of the experience of one year to correct any 
mismanagement for auutber. It requires constant 
watching and intelligent supervision, from the selec¬ 
tion of seed through all the stages of planting, worm¬ 
ing, hoeing, cutting, housing, curing, stripping, sort¬ 
ing, and in boxing, till itis ready forthe manufacturer. 
Whenever the tobacco raisers of New York State are 
prepared to give to the subject that care and skill 
that is given to it by the growers of other States, 
they will be able to produce as good, ami a marketa¬ 
ble tobacco; and, until they make up their minds to 
all this, they had better plant those crops that need 
no care to bring them to perfection. 
Very little, if any. attention is paid in procuring 
seed, which requires to be renewed from the Havana 
stock whenever the original peculiarities of this plant 1 
have become extinct, and a thick, harsh leaf is pro¬ 
duced, when a thin and silky one is wanted. The 
tobacco grower ought first to find out what the 
market requires, what is a first rate quality of seed 
leaf tobacco, to be able to know it when he has it. 
Then lie has to learn the process of producing it. it 
will not come by chance, except as exceptions to a 
rule. 
1 intended only to suggest In this note that the 
growers of tobacco iu New York do not produce so 
line and valuable an article of seed leaf as the people 
of Connecticut; andto state why, in my judgment, they 
do not. I have learned from old and experienced 
tobacconists that tobacco has been raised in New 
York of the very finest quality wf texture and flavor, 
equal or superior to any of the New England or 
Northwestern Seed Leaf Tobacco. 1 am in no way 
interested in the tobacco trade, and would like to 
have the New York tobacco growers do justice to 
thetr fine soil and to themselves. a. 
THE OSIER—ITS CULTURE, ETC. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: — Having lately seen 
several inquiries in your paper respecting the Osier 
Willow and its culture, anil being asked almost daily 
“ Do yon think It will pay?” 1 have concluded to send 
you my experience in its cultivation. 
Three years ago this spring, after com planting, I 
set two acres of the French Osiers, placing them iu 
rows three feet apart, at a distance Of one foot from 
each other. The first year I cultivated and hoed the 
same as corn, and many of the shoots attained the 
height of four feet. The next spring I cut them, but 
having no machine for peeling, lost the crop, except 
a few used for sets. Last Bpring l cut and com¬ 
menced peeling by tuu'V ..which T found rather an 
I up-hill business, and nlrm, ' resolved to abandon their 
culture, if they fruit be. >p this way. About 
Uli.s timi* & machine MVfLH lor pcclffig willow•>, 
the same which was advertised in your paper in 
March, present volume. I immediately procured one 
which worked to my entire satisfaction, and with it 
finished peeling my crop, which, when ready for 
market, including some sold for sets, a little exceeded 
a tun. These I shipped to a commission merchant in 
New York and received for them $110 per tun. 
, This year I have a much heavier crop. For an 
■ experiment 1 have weighed those cut from twelve 
I stools, which amount to eighteen pounds. 1 have 
i found in peeling and drying they waste nearly orie- 
i half. The produce of an acre stands thus: 
! 11,520 fitools per acre, )i lbs, each,__21,780 lbs. 
i Ready for market 6)4 tuns, $110 per tun,.$006.00 
Cost of cutting per acre,. --$0.00 
Coat of peeling per tun, $7,... 38.60 
n'-j:-1 ...(.7-~ 0*7 r.O 
Binding and taking to market, $5 per tun,- 27.50 
Total,. . $72.00 
Deducting expenses, tills leaves a profit, per acre, 
of $533,00. According to directions received at the 
HUNGARIAN MILLET. a] 
- It 
Eds. Rural NewYoukeh:— This is an excellent and fli 
very profitable article to the farmer, whether grown for p 
seed, or for fodder for any kind of farm stock. They ti 
will eat it with avidity, and winter as well as when fed 
on clover or timothy. The writer of this article has 
raised both this millet and the Hungarian grass, but 
regards the millet as preferable for two reasons, viz.: 
1st, The seed, which yields from twenty-five to thirty 
bushels per acre, and weighs from fifty-five to sixty 
pounds per bushel, is valuable not only for feeding 
neat cattle and horses, but is good for fattening hogs 
and sheep. Also good for fowls. 2d, \\ hen cut and 
cured for hay, it has a very tender and remarkably 
sweet stalk, well covered with blades, and the yield 
per acre is from three to five tuns,—soracti nu-s more,— 
and as an article for soiling stock, it Is very superior. 
When sown for seed, half a bushel per acre is suffi¬ 
cient, and in harvesting is to be treated like oats. 
When sown purposing It for hay, about three-fourths 
of a bushel per acre is sufficient, and it should be cut 
as soon as it is headed out. In curing it for bay, it 
should be treated like red clover, and allowed to 
stand in the cock two days at least. The stubble, 
in the latter case, will shoot up anew, making a fine 
crop of fall feed, but should be fed off before much 
frost, for that injures it. A soil suitable for oats is 
suitable for this; but it should not be sown before 
the first of June, say from the first to the tenth. The 
land should be thoroughly fitted before sowing; after 
sowing, harrowed lightly and rolled, so the mower 
or reaper can be used in cutting. 
Monroe Co., N. Y„ 1861, A. Bekbk. 
--4. • 4 « - 
AN EXPERIMENT WITH POUDRETTE. 
Ens. Rural New-Yorker:—Two years since I 
thought I would experiment with i’oudrette, and 
accordingly sent for three barrels, which was used on 
one acre of rather poor land, and planted to com. 
The result was abundantly satisfactory, although I 
have no figuies to show definitely tho result. last 
spring I used six barrels with the following result: 
Twenty bills, without Poudrette, gave ill pounds. 
Twenty bills, with P/adrctte, gave 2 * pounds. This 
makes about 32 bushels per acre without, and 60 
bushels with Poudrette, (more or less according to 
the distance which the corn is planted,) and this, at 
50 cents per bushel, gives a balance of $10 ill favor 
of the Poudrette, beside a great difference in the 
fodder, to say nothing of the satisfaction of hoeing 
large corn, or of having it, ripen from ten to fifteen 
dayH earlier, which it does. My experiment is for 
the corn as soon as husked. I consider this fertilizer 
equal to the best green stable manure for the present 
crop, while the whole cost is less than the mere haul¬ 
ing of tho manure iu many cases, 
i In writing this article I do not expect to induce all 
the readers of the Rural to avail themselves of the 
imported Poudrette, but hope 1 may induce them to 
avail themselves of similar means within their reach 
(deodorized night soil,) that shall enable them to 
raise a remunerative and abundant crop, instead of a 
' few soft nubbins not worth harvesting. Brother 
appropriate elevation would approach somewhat the 
Italian school, modified by an omission of the tower, 
and perhaps otherwise, — by adaptation to our 
peculiar wants and hurtes,— into what maybe more 
truly termed the American Farmers’ Style. Tho plan 
first floor. 
A, Hall— 9x9 feet; D, Parlor—18x18; C, Dining Room— 18x14; 
D, Kitchen—18x14; U, Sink Room— 14x11; l‘\ Bed Room— 
14x11; <i, Porch— 12x9; If, Pantry— 9x6; J , /, 7, Cio»ets; J, 
Passage; A', Chamber and Cellar Stairs. 
has a few points of excellence that may be men¬ 
tioned. It will be observed that the two principal 
rooms are pleasantly located,—are reached from a 
very convenient hall; and that by a very simple 
arrangement the dining or sitting room is supplied 
with closets, while being improved in size and 
appearance by a neat bay window. Home may object 
SECOND FLOOR. 
time I planted, I have not cultivated mine since the first f/irm try experi ments and “report progress.” 
year, but think they should be cultivated once every 
spring, to loosen the soil and keep them free from 
weeds aud grass. I am confident any one that has 
suitable ground, and will bestow proper cultivation, 
can realize this amount from an acre of willows, per¬ 
haps more. After reading these facts, 1 think no one 
can hesitate how to answer the query, “ Will It pay?” 
Geneva, N. Y., 1861. W. P. Rupert. 
CORN CULTURE. 
Eris. Rural New-Yorker:— While perusing the 
pages of your useful paper, and receiving the benefits 
of the many valuable suggestions of both editors 
and contributors, I have thought that perhapB I 
could partially remunerate my brother farmers for 
those suggestions, by relating some of my experience 
in Western farming. 
My method of cultivating corn is somewhat ditfer- 
ent from any that I have seen laid down in the books. 
The soil of my farm ia the rich vegetable mold so 
common on the prairies of Southern Wisconsin and 
Northern Illinois. I select my field for planting and 
plow it deep in the fall. In the spring, just before 
planting, I harrow thoroughly; then plant in straight 
rows four feet apart each way. When the corn has 
sprouted, and nearly ready to prick through the sur¬ 
face into daylight, 1 again take the harrow,—a light 
one this time, —and harrow as thoroughly as l did 
previous to planting, regardless of rows or hills. By 
this process all the weeds lying near the surface are 
destroyed, giving the com, which will be up in a day 
or two, an opportunity to get a fair start before the 
cultivator will be needed. After this, cultivate in the 
usual manner. 
Every one knows, who has had experience in rais¬ 
ing corn on old land, how difficult it is to keep the 
weedB down for the first few weeks, especially the 
weeds growing in the hill, among the young and 
tender stalks; rendering it necessary to at once 
commence with the hoe and fingers, or let the weeds 
have possession. But by using the harrow as above 
indicated, tho soil is loosened about the lull, thns 
encouraging the youug corn, and at the same time 
discouraging the weeds. There is no danger of 
disturbing the hills, not one iu a thousand will be 
moved by Ihe harrow. D. G. Chekvkr. 
Clinton, Rock Co., Wis., 1861. 
Vernon, N. Y., 1861. 
G, N, Lawrence. 
CHEESE-MAKING IN ALLEGANY. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: —Herewith please find 
the result of my cheese-making the past season, from 
ten good cows. We commenced making in tho fore 
part of April, (cows did not all come in till last of 
May,) raised 4 good calves, gave them milk till 5 or 
6 weeks old, and then fed them whey. Made butter 
for family use, (Bix in number, beside help in haying 
A, Hall—27x9 feet.; /(, H, Chambers—18x13; O, C, Chambers 
—14x12; l>, V, U, I), Closets; R, K, Balconies. 
to the amplitude of the upper hall, yet I would not 
reduce it. Opening into apartments sufficiently 
roomy,—and connected, us it is, with projecting 
balconies commanding reverse prospects,— I should 
deem It the beauty (as well as the comfortable fea¬ 
ture, ) of the chamber plan. l. w. l. 
Grand Rapids, Mich., 1861. 
FENCE BUILDING. 
Eds. Rural Nkw-Yorkbr: — I put up board fence 
on the following plan, which fully meets my expecta¬ 
tions. I take three scantliug, 2 by 4, 7 feet long, 
(hemlock;) boards, 1 by 6, 16 feet long; battening, of 
burcb, 1] by 3, t feet long. 1 sharpen my scantling 
one foot on each end, (so that I can change ends,) 
bore an inch hole In the center, and one from it each 
way about 16 inches. My battening I bore a hole .} of 
inch, in which I cut a thread of a load of five to the 
inch. My screws are of oak, or red beech, or burcb, 
or soft maple, and made long enough , to go through 
the scantling, (or post,) and through battening where 
the hoards intervene, I set tho fence a little crooked, 
and harvest.,) and some 50 pounds that wo sold, i^jug the end of one panel come into the angle 
Used all the milk we wished in the family, hired man rna(Je by tbo board atu ] the post of the length that 
not being fond of meat, we had it regular three priiCC d e a It. I put a striug of matching over the top 
times a day. Fed the whey to cows, what the calves 0 f , ny pog t a to make them secure to each other, as 
aud three spring pigs Would not drink. Fed cows wirc w(u uot convenient. This has stood in the 
about two quarts of pea meal each, per day, for six m(Jgt exposed place in town, and has kept its posi- 
or seven weeks after cold weather came on; and con- tion> | think this the best portable fence that can bo 
tinned to make once a week through January till 5th , na( ] e f or the same price. Iron screws may be used, 
of February. Cows all to come iu this spring about but at present they are too expensive. This fence 
the same time as last. Total amount of cheese made, cogttlj 
5,710 pounds, making 671 pounds each. The cheese For „ oard||) 3a feet . 10.24 
was sold by the season, at $8.00 per cwt., — $456.80 For Battening. 4 feet. 4 
to which add the value of butter sold and used goj . .'S.VSS...V.............. 4 
in family, and milk used, and also growth of pigs and Foe Wire.. 1 
calves, and it would not he less than $50 per cow, or Tolal . . . 45 
$500 for the ten. The cows had good pasture, and Tb is can be made by any handy farmer for the 
no extra feed except what, is stated above. tbe other five cents per panel, making only fifty cents 
Alfred, Alleg. Co., N. Y., 1861. C. D. La.yoworthy. ... f „ . .. 
’ s ’ per rod, except the loss in zigzag. 
Phoenix, N. Y., 1861. Samuel Avkky, M. D. 
WIND-MILL PUMPS. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker;— Noticing an inquiry in 
your paper of March 30tli, from A. A., Monroe Co., 
for description of pump to raise water by wind, aud 
also your request for some of your readers to give 
AN IRREGULAR COTTAGE. 
Eds. Rural Nkw-Yorkkr:— The accompanying 
design will, I think, suit some of your readers, who 
are looking for utility in a farm house, combined 
with sufficient variety and novelty to relieve it from 
the monotonous effect of the square, or parallelo¬ 
gram form. In adding but little to the first cost of their cxperiuce in relation thereto, is my reason for 
the simplest style, it comprises many desirable 
qualities,— as ventilation, exterior views, &c.,— not 
so readily obtained in a compact, or purely regular 
building. It is intended as a homestead, or residence 
of some pretension, — though of no metropolitan 
model,— but unmistakably that of the country gentle¬ 
man, born and raised amidst landscape scenery, with 
rural tastes and habits. 1 have not furnished the 
upright or perspective view; but suggest that an 
addressing you. I have been for some years on the 
lookout for information on the same subject, and 
finally made an arrangement with the patentee of a 
mill, which was on exhibition at the State Fair, held 
in Elmira last October, to set it np on my premises on 
trial. From an experience since that date, 1 can 
express myself as being highly pleased with its 
operation. For description I would refer your cor¬ 
respondent to the patentee, but will just say that tho 
TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.] 
“ PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT.’ 
SINGLE NO. KOTIK. CENTS 
you xn. no. i6,s 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 1861. 
! WHOLE NO. 588. 
