rJZS^: 
Mature 
TUflGR I CULTURE ->i 
[SINGLE NTO. FOUR CENTS, 
[WHOLE NO. (JIG 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AS ORKIIXAL WBKKLT 
AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY JOURNAL. 
If the former, we hope means will he soon obtained 
to carry the produce of the Great West, to the sea¬ 
board at fair prices. Wither case, farmers should not. 
be iu a hurry to sell their crops at such ruinous rates, 
but wait for a better time, which we are confident is 
coming, and that before long. If shippers will not 
work for a fairly remunerative compensation, their 
vessels should rot at the docks. 
It is not adapted to our conditions and wants. Mole 
ditohers are! Hence, in judging of the merit and 
value of any new invention, an estimate of its worth 
must embrace its adaptation to the wants and ability 
of the class for whoso use it Is intended, as well 
as to the character of the work it is designed to 
accomplish. 
At tho Milwaukee fair, (and at Chicago too,) Mr. C. 
Comstock, of Milwaukee, exhibited a new imple¬ 
ment to which he has given the above title. It con¬ 
sists of an irou wheel or skeleton drum, thirty inches 
long, suspended by an eccentric axle, supported by 
two small cartwheels. The periphery of this skele¬ 
ton drum consists of ft scries of wrought iron forks 
or spades, with arms or handles as levers, which are 
worked, and the required motion secured, by the use 
of friction rollers and ft peculiar cam. This cam 
regulates the thrust of the spades in the ground, tho 
lifting of the earth, and insures its perfect pulveriza¬ 
tion. Well, hero stood this two-horse spader or 
pulverizer, three or four days at Milwaukee, and as 
many dayB at Chicago, tho inventor spending his 
breath explaining it to every man who made an 
inquiry telling the same story again and again. 
Wo do not know what tho sapient committee (If there 
was one,) said about it iu their report, but we are 
sure there was no trial of this new implement at. nil— 
no provision made lor it. 
legs; their color changes from yellowish to brown and 
reddish, with usually a blackish spot, on enoh side. 
These pests aro, however, too well known to require 
further notice here, nor are they likely to be con¬ 
founded with the insects under consideration. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors, 
CHAS. D. BRAODON, Western Corresponding Editor, 
THE POTATO ROT. 
Tire Rural Nkw-Yorkbr is designed to be unsurpassed in 
Value. Purity, Usefulness and Variety of Contents.and unique 
and beautiful in Appearance. It* Conductor devotes bis per¬ 
gonal attention to the guperritfon of its various departments, 
and earnestly labors to render the Renat, an eminently 
Reliable Guide on all the important Practical, Scientific and 
other Suhjocts Intimately connected with the business of those 
whose interests It zealously advocates. As a Eamilv Journal 
it is eminently Instructive and Entertaining— being so con 
ducted that it can b« safely taken to the Hearts and Homes of 
people of intelligence, taste and discrimination. It embraces 
more Agricultural, Horticultural, Scientific. Educational, 
Literary and Nows Matter, Interspersed with appropriate and 
beAutiful Engravings, than any other journal,- rendering 
it the most complete Aoiucultural, Liticiurv a.m, Family 
New8papkr In America. 
Tub prevalence of the potato rot in Europe the they are taken up, instei 
present year has caused both practical and scientific tion at the time of planti 
men to give increased attention to the subject, to 
ascertain if possible the cause and cure ; and although 
the results of past researches in this field have not 
been such as to raise very exalted anticipations of 
the present, the Bubject is one of such vast impor¬ 
tance as to give it great interest, and cause us to 
hope, even against hope, that a remedy may he at 
last discovered that will banish the malady from the 
earth, or bring it under easy control. 
Prof. He Bary, a celebrated Botanist of Leipzig, 
has published a pamphlet on the subject, in which 
he reviews what has been written on the subject 
worthy of notice, and gives the results of a series of 
experiments to ascertain the habits of a peculiar 
parasite which always precedes, and which ho believes 
is the immediate cause of the malady. It is a fungus 
growth or mildew, of a peculiar character, propa- 
YELLOW CLOVER, AGAIN 
In response to our cull for specimens of Yellow 
Clover, we have received samples from several places 
iu the north-east parts of this State, mostly bordering 
the Hudson. In all cases save one our friends have 
sent us but one species, T'rifolium ngrnrium, Bhowing 
that this has become pretty well disseminated in that 
section. The small species, 7’. proctanbtns, is the 
most abundant, yet is no doubt considered too small 
or too worthless to receive attention. To a lady of 
Rensselaer county we aro indebted for the following 
interesting communication : 
Eds. Ritual: — Tn looking over your last issue, I 
sftw an article beaded, YgUvw Clover. The vellow 
CROPS IN AMERICA AND EUROPE 
1, Tho larva of Thrips found in the blossom of the clover; 
4, The seven-jointed antenna;. 
2, The pnpa; and 3 the imago, Thrips or rather Phlmo- 
thrips; w, one of the wing« of tho perfect insect,—all greatly 
magnified. 
6, Larva of a Tbrlps with a Pezomachus escaping. 
One species to which Mr. Hauday has applied the 
specific namo of Thrips, Cerealium, infests the 
It is evidently something 
on which much thought, labor, and time has been 
expended, and from its character deserved tlie atten¬ 
tion, trial, and report of a competent committee; 
but it Is doubted if it got it. A good team before it 
would have saved tho lungs of the man who owned 
it, and enabled the public to judge something of its 
merits. 
One word more about it. The machine wo saw is 
intended to imlverizc the surface about eight or nine 
inches deep and thirty inches wide as it goes for¬ 
ward. Two horses, it is said, will work it. It is 
designed to adapt its capacity to any power, whether 
horse or steam; if to steam, it is proposed to make it 
the propelling wheel of the engine —at least an aid 
in its propulsion. The inventor, who lias but recently 
completed It, has tested it with satisfactory results. 
Now about adaptation. Many of the soils of the 
West need sorno other process of pulverization than 
that which obtains at present. Many of these soils 
are undrained, and if the season of seeding is wet, 
the plowing process renders them cloddy; and it is 
about as possible for plants to grow, thrive and pro¬ 
duce among these clods as among brick-bats, and no 
more so. 
This machine combines in its operation tho clod 
crushing process as it rolls over tho ground, and t,lm 
process of pulverization as the wrought iron forks 
lift the soil and shake it iu pieces; for it has the 
Bame jerk that is given the manure fork by the man 
In some sections of our country the crops havo 
proved far better than the average, while in others, 
from the depredations of the Army Worm, and from 
other causes, the results of the year's labor have 
proved less satisfactory. On the whole, however, we 
have reasons for gratitude to the Giver of all Good; 
for we have enough for homo consumption, enough 
for the brave and patriotic men who are fighting the 
battles of their country, and from whose noble sacri¬ 
fices we anticipate a glorious harvest of good results 
to onr own favored land and the lovers of liberty 
everywhere. We have enough, too, to supply the 
deficiency which exists in Europe, and which will, 
no doubt, cause a great demand for American grain— 
a demand which we can supply with benefit to our¬ 
selves and our customers. 
By reference to our news columns it will be seen 
that Portugal is looking to this country for the staff 
of life. We have reports also from other sections of 
a great deficiency in grain, while poor Ireland seems 
doomed to another winter of famine and suffering. 
Never since the memorable years of 1840 and 1847, 
has there been such a general destruction of the 
potato, by rot, as the present season. It is on this 
crop that the poor depend for subsistence during the 
winter, and the most serious consequences are antici¬ 
pated by the true-hearted men of Ireland. Meetings 
have been called in many districts to obtain, if possi¬ 
ble, a full knowledge of the extent of the evil and the 
best means of averting the consequences, and pre¬ 
venting suffering and crime. At one meeting where 
reports were called for from several districts, we 
observe that no one reported more than one-quarter 
of the crop safe, while others gave twenty per cent, 
good, and still others regretted to declare the melan¬ 
choly faetthat in their districts the entire crop was lost. 
The Irish Farmer's Gasette, in summing up the whole 
matter, says:—“In several districts tho portion which 
is free from disease is very small indeed, while even 
Rooms, Albuny. It grows similar to the red clover, 
except in its blossoms, which it bears in small 
bunches, all along its branches, and they are yellow. 
Tako a good sized stool, when it has well expanded, 
and there will be all mzcd seeds, from ripe ones to 
(lowers upon tho ends ot tin- branches. When the 
seeds are rioe *he^ loot v-Ay singular, being in 
clusters, as black as a coal. I send you one stem of 
leaves, which you will see are for size between the 
red and white clovers. It is this year’s growth from 
the seed. I have been particular to burn up all l 
found that were ripe, for fear it would prove as 
worthless as the other yellow clover, and on reading 
your request ^looked for some, but found only one 
stool and that young. 
I also send yon a specimen of the other yellow 
clover which is filling our lands here, even in the 
woods. It grows abundantly, and is entirely worth¬ 
less as food for cattle, or for fodder, being, when out, 
more like sticks than hay, and unless cut up with 
other hay the cattle will not touch it. I am told it 
was introduced into this country by a Mr. Graves, 
who was a foreigner by birth. Ilu was famous for 
“ Fringe-winged,” though Linn.ecs placed tho 
genus Thrips next to the plant-lice ( Aphidians ) in 
tho order HemipUra. The structure of the wings 
and mouth, which latter seems to be of a character 
intermediate between the Mandihulala and the Haus- 
telluta, differing both from Orthojftera and Htmlp- 
tera, induced the change. 
A similar species of Thrips wore Bent to Dr. Fitch, 
July 9, 185.?, by David Williams, Geneva, Wiscon¬ 
sin, causing some alarm in that vicinity. First 
noticed about the middle of June, — found in all 
blossoms In great numbers. For about two weeks 
they were found in the blossoms of wheat ami clover, 
causing numbers of the blossoms to wither, and in 
some cases the kernel also was attacked. Mr. Fitch 
also figures one species, and describes two new spe¬ 
cies, viz., the Wheat Thrips, Thrips Trilici, and the 
three-handed Thrips, which he calls Calr.uthrips tri- 
faciata. His figures differ from mine, No. 1 being 
au accurate* copy of the insect found in the clover 
blossom by Mr. Koon, greatly magnified, the other, 
figures 2, 3, and W, are from Westwood’s Thlu-othrips, 
a genus of this family. 
Minute as these inceeta are, they also have their 
parasites. Figure 5 is a Thrips from the body of 
which is seen to escape a species of Pexomaehus, (6,) 
belonging to the Ichneumomdce, distinguished by 
their abdomen being petloled; oviposter exserted, 
short or moderate; wings rudimental, not fitted for 
flight. 
Having no remedy to give, I state the above fact 
to show that, tho laws of nature are conservative, 
and perhaps the best safeguard to protect us against 
the undue prevalence of mischievous insects, as with 
their increase tho remedy is also furnished, so that, 
if they do prevail for a season, the evil is not likely 
to be perpetuated. So much I venture to say by way 
of consolation to the agriculturist in this connection. 
I have other drawings ol Thrips, some of a dark 
color. Figure 7 is the pupa of ono found in au 
excrescence on the chestnut-oak leaf. Figure 8, a, 
on the upper surface; b, the lower surface of the 
leaf. These were of a shining black color, and sup¬ 
posed to be one of those little black pests, called 
midges, so common in the month of July. I found 
nish employment to farm hands and laborers, and at 
the same time benefit the proprietors. In urging this 
matter, several gentlemen stated that they had drained 
land at an expense of from forty to fifty dollars an 
acre, and the increased value of the three crops fol¬ 
lowing bad paid all the cost, while the land for all 
practical purposes had been doubled in value by the 
operation. Here we have another evidence of the 
value of thorough drainage that American farmers 
would do well to remember. 
In other countries of Europe wo learu from the for¬ 
eign journals that there is a deficiency in grain crops, 
which all seem to admit must be supplied from this 
country. After all that has been said of the impor¬ 
tance of the cotton crop, the present year’s experi¬ 
ence may prove that corn is of more importance than 
cotton,—in fact, that Corn is King. The European 
demand, as soon as it begins to be felt seriously in 
our markets, will doubtless cause an advance in price, 
and farmera who live near the sea-board mav antici¬ 
pate remunerative prices at least. For our farming 
friends at the West we hope for better times. We 
hope the day is passed when they will be compelled 
to sell good corn at eight or ten cents a bushel, and 
yet we have onr fears, for they seem to be but the 
servants of the shippers, who obtain more for trans¬ 
porting a bushel of com from Chicago to Buffalo than 
tho firmer does for growing, husking, and shelling, 
t is said that a vessel carryiug 20,000 bushels of corn 
at present prices clears over $3,000 by a single trip 
between these ports. This is wrong, and mast result 
Horn a deficiency in the means of transportation, or 
an unholy combination amoDg shippers. If the lat¬ 
ter, we know of no remedy but a like combination 
mong growers of corn as a means of self-protection. 
uiuk species aesennea, we nna from the speci¬ 
men received, is a Yellow Clover, Trifolium, agra- 
num, and it will be seen that oor correspondent justi¬ 
fies the opinions we expressed in regard to its value. 
A “ New Subscriber” in Kingsboro, Fulton county, 
sends us fine specimens of T. ugrarium, and says: 
“ Cattle feed on it well, both in pasture and hay. It 
ba3 produced two tuns per acre in hay.” 
Fin Thripiriid®, 
Eds, Rural NEW-YoitKEa: —The very small bright 
red insects lodged in the clover blossoms, which your 
correspondent, J. 15, Koon, says will destroy a bushel 
to the acre, if not more, prove to be the larvie of 
'Thrips. These insects are in an order by themselves, 
comprising but a single family, the Thrijndm, Lbaou, 
the species of which are far more numerous than has 
been generally supposed, as may be learned from Mr. 
Halidav’h valuable memoir, published in the Ento¬ 
mological Muganne, No. 15. 
Figure 1, the larva; figure 2, pupa; figure 3, the 
perfect insect greatly magnified; they being of a 
very minute size, rarely exceeding a line in length. 
The body is long, linear, and depressed, Ac., as shown. 
The larvai of those inclosed are oi a deep orange or 
bright brick-red color. 
These insects are found upon various plants, some 
times swarming in various kinds of flowers. They are 
very nimble, and will leap to a considerable distance 
when disturbed. They feed upon the juices of plants, 
and are often extremely injurious,‘especially in hot¬ 
houses and vine-hoases, the leaves upon which they 
reside being marked ail over with small decayed 
patches. They are known to infest melons, cucum¬ 
bers, kidney beans, Ac. The larvie are generally 
WESTERN EDITORIAL NOTES 
A ROTARY PLOW OR AUTOMATON SPADER. 
I AH one of a class, if such a class there be, who 
believe in the existence or a supreme law of adapta¬ 
tion. I do not believe ia the success of any thing, 
or idea, mechanical, philosophical, or ethical —or 
that there will be any success — until the people are 
ready, by the discovery of its necessity and use, to 
receive and adopt it. 
There are many good things invented which are 
not successful, thoogh practical in character, because 
they are not adapted to the present wants, condition 
or Btage of progress of the people. For instance, It 
is folly to talk about draining our western lauds with 
tile, so long as lands are so chimp, labor and tile so 
cosily, and capital so scarce. Tile are useful in some 
countries, and in localities in all countries are 
necessary, and the cheapest and best mode of drain¬ 
ing land. But so long as our prairies may bo drained 
quite as well, a hundred times 
more rapidly, and at 
one-tenth the cost by the use of the rnole ditcher, it 
is useless to waste time talking tile to western men. 
It is impracticable to use it to a large extent We 
* We fear that, owing to some imperfections in copying und 
engraving the drawings sent by Mr. S., the figures above aro 
not entirely accurate.—Eo. R. N. Y. 
