VrURE 
• _ — murnm^ 
KSTICULTi 
FTTaGRICUlTURF 
I WHOLE NO. 589 
FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 1861 
often as they thus show themselves, and you will can be 
destroy them. You need not look in the Almanac to system 
find ' where the sign is ,’ or pay any attention to the 
moan, as to where she is, or what her age may be. 
But remember your thistles arc in the earth. Their 
roots are in its soil, and its top must and does draw 
a part of its nutriment from the atmosphere; and by 
cutting off the top, you deprive it of this nutriment, 
and as a consequence, the thistles starve and die. 
I have had some experience in this matter, and I 
am fully satisfied that one summer’s attention to a 
‘patch of thistles’ will use them up, be it wet and 
cold, or warn and dry, sign or no sign, moon or no 
moon, even though they have as many lives as Bun- 
van's ‘Giant Despair,’who is said to have had as 
1 many lives as a cat,' ” 
From our own experience, we are satisfied that 
if every Canada thistle is chopped down as soon 
as it makes its appearance above ground, it 
will soon perish; bnt if allowed to grow several 
inches in height before being cut down, the leaves 
will accumulate sufficient of needed air • nourishment 
in the roots to enable them to send out a new Stock 
of shoots, and thus the evil continues and increases. 
Successive plowing produces the same effect, but >1 
must he thorough, and done at the right time. They 
may be destroyed in any hoed crop, and for this 
nothing is hotter than corn or potatoes. Every 
farmer should consider himself fully empowered, by 
virtue of his occupation, to wage a continual war 
against this invader, until it is entirely subdued. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WKKKLT 
agricultural, literary and family journal. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors. 
Thb Rural New-Yorker ig designed to be unsurpassed in 
Value, f'nrity, Usefulness and Variety nf Contents, and unique 
and beautiful in Appearance. Its Conductor devote* his per¬ 
sonal attention to the supervision of it» 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 business of 
those whose interests it lealoualj advocates. As a Family 
Journal it Is eminently Instructive and Entertaining— beintr 
so conducted that it can be safely taken to the fl carts and 
Homes of people of intelligence, taste and discrimination. It 
embraces more Agricultural. Horticultural, Scientific. Educa¬ 
tional. literary and News Matter. Interspersed with appropriate 
and beautiful Engravings, than any other journal,—rendering 
it the most complete agricultural, Literary and Family 
NkwhtauER in Ameriea. 
For Terms and other particulars. Bee last page. 
Lucerne. 
Eds. Rural Nkw-Yorkkr:— Will some of your readers 
give mo a little information about Lucerne grass—how to grow 
it, and wbat are its advantages; whether it is suitable for 
lawns, and the same time good for cattle? — Inquirer, Lewis¬ 
ton, n. r, 1861 
Lt ?chunk is one of those plants that Is almost 
Invaluable under some systems of culture, and about 
worthless under others. It is a perennial plant, and 
with clean culture and a rich deep, soil gives an 
enormous amount of food, either for green feeding or 
hay. When soiling become* general, Lucerne will 
be very popular for summer feeding. It will give a 
good cutting several times during the summer, and 
make from three to eight tuns of bay. It does not 
attain maturity until the third year after planting, 
though it will give lighter crops the two first years. 
It is unfit for lawns. 
Entered according to act. of Congress, in the year 1861, by 
J). D. T. Moore, in the Office of the Clerk of the District 
Court for the Northern District of New York. 
r3r* Our only object in copyrighting this paper is to secure 
whst every honorable Journalist wiH freely grant—proper 
credit for articles selected from lb page a Any and every 
journal is at liberty, anil Invited, to copy freely, by crediting 
each original article or illustration to RaraX Hew-Yorker. 
Nasal Diseases — Horse Distemper. 
Eds Rural New-Yorker:—W ill you inform me, through 
the columns of your paper, how to cure the horse distemper? 
Is the disease contagious? If so, can I prevent other horses 
taking tho disease after being “ exposed.”—S. Hows, Shingle 
House, Pa., 1861. 
It is rather difficult to prescribe a certain course 
for the treatment of “Distemper,” as so many of the 
..: u.. i All 
calarrtial affections, as common catarrh, epizootic 
or epidemic catarrh, laryngitis, bronchitis, or other 
diseases accompanied by nasal discharges, are very 
frequently classed under this common title. With 
the first of these, (and which is often only a simple 
cold, elevated by dignity of name,) there is no danger 
of contagion from exposure. With the second, ns its 
prefix indicates, this peculiarity is one of Its distin¬ 
guishing features. We give Dr. Dadd's manner of 
treating simple catarrh, as follows: 
If tho weather he cold, let the animal have com¬ 
fortable quarters, and a good bed of clean straw. A 
blanket may be thrown over the body, and the legs 
ahonld first be well rubbed with a wisp of straw, and 
then bandaged with flannel, ft has often been 
remarked, that if a man’s feet arc cold, his whole sys¬ 
tem is chilled, and the same may lie said of the horse; 
for, bo long as the feet of the hitter aro cold, we can¬ 
not expect to equalize the circulation, or restore the 
exh&lant function. The diet should consist o£ scalded 
shorts, and these should he given warm, for the 
steam arising from them aids the nasal discharge, and 
relaxes local strictures. We have frequently given, 
with good effect, a quart of linseed tea, sweetened 
with honey, night and morning. If the throat is 
sore, a little powdered bloodroot may be added. The 
soreness of the throat may be relieved by the follow¬ 
ing:—“ Olive oil, 8 ounces; oil of cedar, I ounce, to 
be rubbed around the parts night and morning. Yet, 
in slight cases, a simple flannel bandage fastened 
around the neck might answer the purpose just as well. 
We frequently employ the following, with a view of 
regulating the secretions, and lubricating the mucous 
surfaces: — Powdered elecampane, 2 ounces; pow¬ 
dered licorice, 4 ounces; cream of tartar, 1 ounce; 
powdered bloodroot, -1 drachms; powdered slippery 
elm, R ounces. Mix, divide into eight parts, and 
give one night and morning.” 
Some persona recommend bleeding, — and this 
once was the customary mode of initiating the treat¬ 
ment, — but such use of the lancet can do no good, 
while it may work a great deal of harm. Where the 
attack is light, the following may be all that is 
required:—Take of saltpeter, two ounces; powdered 
ginger, one ouncq; divide into eight powders, and 
give one night and morning. Where a swelling is 
exhibited under the jaw, poultice with linseed meal. 
If the nostrils discharge largely, steam witli boiling 
Bliould the inflammation 
INQUIRIES AND NOTES 
Canada Thistles. 
Eds. Rural New Yorker: —Will you inform me how to 
destroy Canada thistles? I have discovered a small patch 
upon my farm, on new ground, and among stumps, and am 
anximia to destroy them.—C. P. F., Gaines, Kent Oo., Mich. 
eminent botanists, and o- 'ctical farmers, which tins 
heretofore been given in oar columns. Wo doubt 
not he will here find a successful mode of carrying 
on a war against this pest. 
Dr. Darlington, in American Weeds and Useful 
Plants, says:—“This is, perhaps, the most execrable 
weed that has yet invaded the farms of our country. 
The rhizoma, or subterranean stem, (which is peren¬ 
nial and vory tenacious of life,) lies rather below the 
usual depth of furrows — and hence the plant is not 
destroyed by common plowing. This rhizoma rami¬ 
fies and extends itself horizontally in all directions, 
— sending up branches to the surface, where radical 
leaves are developed the first year, and icrial stems 
the second year. The plant appears to die at tho end 
of the second summer; but it only dies down to ' 
the horizontal subterranean stem. The numerous 
branches sent up from the rhizoma soon cover the 
ground with the prickly radical leaves of the plant, 
and thus prevent cattle from feeding where they are. 
Nothing short of destroying the perennial portion of 
the plant will rid the ground of this pcBt; and this, I 
believe, has been accomplished by a few years of con¬ 
tinued culture (or annual cropping of other plants, 
that require frequent plowing, or dressing with the 
hoe,)—so as to prevent the development of radical 
leaves, and deprive the rhizoma of all connection or 
communication witli the atmosphere.” 
Curtis says,—“ Repeated observation Iirb con¬ 
vinced ns that many husbandman arc ignorant of its 
economy,—and while they remain so, they will not 
be likely to get rid of one oT the greatest pests which 
can affect their corn fields and pastures. Of the 
thistle tribe the greatest part are annual or biennial, 
and hence easily destroyed. Some few are not only 
perennial, but have powerfully creeping roots,— and 
none so much as the Canada or Cursed Thistle. In 
pulling this plant out of the ground, we draw up a 
long slender root, which many arc apt to consider as 
the whole of it; but if thoBe employed in such busi¬ 
ness examine the roots so drawn up, they will find 
every one of them broken off at the end; for the root 
passes perpendicularly to a great depth, and then 
branches out horizontally under ground." 
S. S, Saktwkll, of Camden, N. Y., whohashadmore 
than forty years’ experience, gives his plan, —one 
which he has never known to fail,—as follows:—“Cut 
with a sharp hey the when the stalk is hollow, which 
is when in blossom, and daring very heavy raios. If 
done in fair weather, the stalk will close, and the 
cutting will not kill unless the stalk becomes filled 
with water, which will kill root and branch. As the 
stalks are not ail hollow at the same time, it must be 
repeated. Three years, well managed, will make a 
fiuish of them.” 
James M. Wescott, of Dundee, N. Y., writes us 
that “there is no ‘hocus pocus’ operation necessary, 
neither is there any great outlay required for imple¬ 
ments. It only requires patience and perseverance, 
with u determined resolution to conquer, and then 
one season 
ALLEN'S IMPROVED PATENT HARROW 
their comfort, we proceed low briefly to condense 
and compile such instruct! gar jil regard to the maitu- 
fucutre <>t , I,,,..*,, r.ri ' jswc v sury U enable tho 
novice to cany it on succttWi,- ?-. \ 
T he cheese zone is much more extended than that 
of butter, for good cheese may be made where, from 
the peculiarities of soil and climate, good butter 
could not be produced. Its profitable manufacture 
depends upon so many contingencies, that it can 
never he made a leading farm product outside of tho 
New England and the Middle States. 
In this State it is usually made on the coniines of 
the grain and dairy regions, or where spring grains 
can b« successfully grown, and yet where good pas¬ 
turage is easily accessible. Herkimer county is the 
great cheese county, more cheese being made in that 
county than in any other in the State. Its farmers 
early adopted the best methods of manufacture, and 
obtained a reputation in the market which is not 
diminished to this day; and “Herkimer county 
cheese” is a brand that sells millions of pounds 
which never saw that county, unless passing through 
on the carB or canal boat. The name I found in that 
region had another signification. One morning I 
stopped at a good sized dairy in Chenango county, 
and observed the women busy witli the cheese mak¬ 
ing, and saw In a Bink quite a large pile of nice look¬ 
ing butter. “ All !” said I to the mistress, pointing 
to the butter, “ you mean to make a profit from both 
sides of your milk.” 
“Oh, yes,” said she, “we are making Herkimer 
county cheese, and skim the night’s milk in the 
morning.” 
Whether that is one of the peculiarities of that 
kind of cheese, I am not prepared to say. 
In the western part of the State, especially i-n Erie 
county, has originated another celebrated brand, 
called “ Hamburgh cheese,” which is similar to the 
Herkimer county, hut made in a different region. 
This is tho favorite brand both West and South in the 
valley of the Mississippi, and millions of pounds are 
sold under it that never even saw the'State of New 
York. Large quantities with this mark go from the 
Western Deserve dairies down the Ohio river. The 
only peculiarities of these two brands are In the size 
more than anything else; and in this they bear a 
close resemblance to the English Cheshire cheese. 
They usually weigh from 60 to 100 pounds. The 
“English ” and “ Limburgh” are the only other dis¬ 
tinctive brands made in tins State. The Pine Apple 
is made both in Connecticut and Ohio; but as the 
demand Is not large, the manufacture is in few hands. 
If wc arc to credit the agricultural writers and 
annual address makers, cheese making must have 
been carried on at a very curly day. My own impres¬ 
sion is, that. Adam and Kvk may have set up the 
business soon after leaving the Garden. There is 
certainly nothing to prove they did not. Probably 
when they found they had got to take care of them¬ 
selves, in looking about for the bent paying business, 
when labor was rather scarce and necessarily dear, 
cheese making occurred to them us a very safe one. 
And I am the more inclined to that opinion from the 
fact that Adam saw a good chance to shirk the hard 
work. Even to the present day, by far the largest 
portion of the work is done by Eve’s daughters. I 
have seen as fair ones us ever the old mother her.-olf 
must have been, with rolled up sleeves stirring the 
“pearly treasures” of the cheese vat In the morning, and 
at evening elegantly arrayed doing the honors of the 
parlor or drawing room, with tho graceful ease of the 
highest ton. 
To Adam undoubtedly belongs the honor of invent- 
I ing the first cheese press represented in aecompany- 
plaeed horizontally, as shown in figure 2. By turning 
tho part with the links, g. a, up to a position at right 
angles with the other section, tlw Hole* -may be con¬ 
nected with the hooks by inserting them in the space 
at the point of the latter, and when both parts are 
returned to their working position, disconnection 
cannot occur, although the greatest freedom of 
motion is obtained. The sections may rise and fall 
together, to follow the undulations of the ground, or 
one may move up or down vertically independently 
of the other. A corresponding liberty of longitudi¬ 
nal motion is secured by the position of the hooks, 
li, li. The attendant may, at any time and place, 
detach the parts of the harrow by simply turning 
one half to a vertical position, either for convenience 
of removing or repairing, or for using one section 
alone for cultivating between the rows of crops. 
“ 1 do not claim securing a horizontal and vertical 
motion in the connection of the parts, nor do I claim 
a method of connecting the sections by hooks and 
eyeB so arrangod as to require ft particular position 
of the respective sections to Connect and disconnect 
them; but what I claim as my invention is the com¬ 
bination aud arrangement of the vertical oblong 
links, g, g, and horizontal oblong hook-links, h, h, 
whereby the double advantage of allowing a free 
vertical aud horizontal play to the sections of the 
harrow, and a very efficient and convenient means 
of connecting and disconnecting them readily, is 
secured at the same time.” 
For further information relative to this improve¬ 
ment, address Mr. Elliott, as above, or see his 
advertisement in this paper. 
It affords ua pleasure to introduce to the agricul¬ 
tural rutVLc “valuable Improvement, n one of the 
most, important Of farm implements -iz: an Oscil¬ 
lating Harrow, recently patented and assigned to Mr. 
Chas. Elliott, of East Kendall, Orleans County, N. 
Y. An examination of a model of this harrow, with 
tho assurances of those who have used it, convince us 
that it is an improvement which will be appreciated 
by practical farmers. It combines several advanta¬ 
ges over the common harrow, t’orhapa wo cannot 
better state these advantages than by giving the above 
illustrations and quoting (from the Letters Patent,) 
the main portion of the inventor’s own description 
of the construction and operation of bis improve¬ 
ment, as follows: 
“My Invention consists in au improved device for 
connecting two or more of the sections composing 
the Harrow together in a manner to secure perfect 
flexibility, with free vertical, longitudinal and lateral 
motion, and the ready separation of the parts. As 
represented In the main plan (figure I,) A, A, are two 
sections provided with suitable teeth to constitute a 
harrow when properly united together. It is a 
draught bar to which the team is attached, it is 
connected to the two sections by chains, c, c, which 
are attached to hooks, d, it, one of which is firmly 
secured to each part of the harrow. Two strong iron 
bars or straps, /, /, are securely bolted across each of 
the sections, those upon one being provided with 
vertical links, g, g, at one end, which lie outside of 
the frame of the section. The bars on the other 
section terminate in hooks, or oblong hook-links, 
h, li, of size and form corresponding to tho links, hut 
ing engraving. Naturally indolent, he thought if he 
brought up the cows, and helped inilk, that was his 
full share, and when Eve, ' In the gentle manner 
usual to the sex, urged upon him tho necessity of 
a press,—he merely stuck one end of a rail under the 
corner of the house, and gruffly told her if that did 
not suit she might give up the business. I am sorry 
to say the “Adamic” press is hardly extinct yet. 
Whether all the Eves take it so mildly, or not, is 
quite another thing. 
find an interesting and healthful employineut. Be¬ 
yond that, in large dairies, the labor is performed by 
men. It is no longer, therefore, a doubtful ques¬ 
tion whether good cheese can be made uniformly, in 
the same dairy,— a poor one* would be the excep¬ 
tion. — p. 
GROWING PINE WOOL 
water poured upon bran 
show a tendency to spread down the throat, apply a 
blister, extending to the breast. 
.Soiling Cuttle. 
Eds. Rural Nw-Yorkkr:— Will you, or some of your 
numerous correspondents, please to give, through the medium 
of tho Rural, some information on tho subject of grepn- 
soiliug cattle? Is it profitable or not? Is it good for the 
health of the stock to keep thorn confined so much, or should 
they not rather have more exercise than the system allows? 
What kinds of crops aro best to sow for the purpose of feed¬ 
ing, in order to have green feed throughout the year?—A 
StniscRttiKit, Sharon, Mercer Co., /'a., 1861. 
Soiling Is found to be profitable by all who give it 
a fair trial. It is a system that will bo slowly and yet 
surely adopted in this country, as land becomes 
scarce and dear. Its advantages are a saving of land 
and fencing, aud economy of food. The cattle are 
claimed to be kept in better condition aud greater 
comfort, while the manure is all saved, aud of better 
quality, as well as of greater quantity. For feeding 
in the summer, grass, clover, green oats and barley, 
and Indian corn are used. Experience may yet show 
that Hungarian Grass orMillet, Lucerne, Vetches, &c., 
will suffice to effectually extirpate all the 
L Canada thistles which may be subjected to the ordeal 
of my plan. 
jjpP If any one of the Rumal’s readers has a ‘patch’ of 
sJ the pest, let him begin in the spring, as soon as the 
5J t°P* ure fairly out of the ground, and if in a field yon 
([ wish to cultivate, give them a good, deep plowing, 
then keep your eye upon them; and as soon as they 
^ are nicely up —say two or three inches high — go at 
fry them with a hoc, and be sure to cut off every top 
A which is to be seen. Cut them well below the sur- 
* face. Follow up this courFe, and cut them down as 
