l j Tfl G R 1 C U L T U R F 
ROCHESTER, N, Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, APRIL 15 , 1865 , 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WIKKLY 
RURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
order and ready for use when wanted should be 
made so without delay. How are the gates, 
plows, cultivators, harrows, mowers, et cetera, 
which you will have occasion to use as the sea¬ 
son advances? If you have machines of the 
right kind, take care of them, atul if you have 
not, be careful in purchasing, to obtain the best 
— such as have been thoroughly tested and are 
known to he the most economical. 
Look out for the grain tields "about these 
days." See to their drainage, the tares, stones, 
&e., and do not omit top dressing and rolling in 
cases where either is necessary. The reports as 
to the condition of the wheat crop are very 
favorable, but in many cases much will depend 
upon care and attention. And don’t forget, the 
meadows; keep animals olT, remove the stone, 
and if any fertilizers arc to be nsed, now is the 
time for their application. 
Your ground being prepared in the best man¬ 
ner lor sowing and planting, remember that it 
Is of equal importance to hate good , pure seed, of 
thi best varieties obtainable. 
thrive, all must zr# .'"geiher, that each may 
share in the growth. Let all thoughtful men, 
all farmers with wise foresight, help ou iLe time 
when the farm and the workshop may be 
neighbors, and not, as now, in wasteful and 
jealous distance from each other. Thus shall he 
aided the lasting triumph of free labor and free 
government, with tie rich results of tine culture, 
home enjoyment, education, manly and womanly 
character, and independence of the fluctuations 
of trade and policy In foreign nations. s. 
BINDERS AND SELF-RAKERS 
that lay on the box have a pin through them 
close in the corner; this prevents the rack from 
working ahead or sidewise. A piece is put across 
the center of box and pinned to the long pieces 
at each end. As all boxes have a support under 
the center, I strap the rack to this and go along. 
It can be taken off or put on in three minutes 
by one man. You always have a box ready for 
use. It will last a lifetime if cared for, and it is 
cheap. L. G. Sherman. 
In the Rural of March the 11th, appears an 
article entitled “Tbe Economy of Binders,” by 
A. D. V., in which are statements so much at 
variance with my experience with the binder 
and what I conceive to be the facts in the case, 
and at the same time so manifestly unfair, that I 
think it due to the public to make a correction 
of the statements in said article. 
With what show of tuirness does he put the 
binder hands at $2.50 each, while self-rake bind¬ 
ers are obtained for $3? With such a beginning 
we are prepared to hear that "the wire is very 
bad to thrash," that it will take one "extra 
team to draw the binder," and that "fonr men 
will bind it much better than can be done with 
any of Bursox’s machines." All of which 
statements differ from my experience, and I 
thiuk from that of every one who has used a 
Bckson Binder through a single harvest. My 
experience with the binder is that $3 worth of 
wire will bind ten acres of the average of our 
Western wheat, at the high price of last year, 
and I would rather draw my reaper with the 
binder attached than any self raker that I have 
ever seen, while the wire thrashes as easily as 
straw bands, and my cattle never looked better 
in the spring than when running to the straw 
pile with the wire in it. 
One thing further. We can "work in" a 
cheap hand for driver, these war times, when 
our good men are in tbe army. Now, for my 
figures: 
Self-Hake Account. 
One team,.. $2 00 
One drive*, (manager, j . 2 SO 
Foul binders at $2.60>.10 00 
_ 
Total, .$14 50 
lUt/A Burson's Binder. 
One team,. $2 00 
Cheap hand for driver,. 1 50 
One forker,.. 2 50 
One binder,.. 2 50 
Wire for ten acres.. 3 00 
Total,.$11 50 
This shows a saving by the binder of three 
dollars per day. But as most farmers do not 
estimate with reference to the use of self-rakers, 
a cheap hand tor driver should be added to the 
self-rake account, making $1.50 more, or $4.50 
per day, saved by the use of the binder. 
Add to the above the difficulty of getting men 
iu harvest, the vexations of having a large num¬ 
ber around during any delay caused by bad 
weather or reaper breakages, and the exhorbit- 
aut wages demanded at times, (many places last 
harvest being three dollars per day and board,! 
and it will be seen that farmers only want to be 
persuaded that the binder will do for them what 
it has l’or me — good, satisfactory work — and 
they will speedily adopt it. n, c. 
Broadhead, Green Co., Wis., 1865. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE 
HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. D., 
Editor ol the Department of Sheep Husbandry, 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS I 
P. BARRY, O. DEWEY, LL. D., 
II. T. BROOKS, L. B. LANGWORTHY, 
T. 0. PETERS, EDWARD WEBSTER. 
Tub Bubal New-Yorker Is designed to be unsur¬ 
passed in Value, Purity, and Variety ol' Contents, and 
unique and beautiful In Appearance. Its Conductor 
devotes Uis personal attention to the supervision of its 
various departments, and earnestly labors to render the 
Rural an eminently llellahlo Guide on all the important 
Practical, Bclentlflc and other .Subjects intimately 
connected with the business of those whose interests It 
zealously advocatos. As u Family Journal It Is emi¬ 
nently Instinctive and Entert.iLulnjif—being bo conducted 
that It can be safely taken to the Homes or people of 
Intelligence, taste and discrimination. It embraces more 
Horticultural, Scientific, Educational, Literary and News 
Matter, Interspersed with appropriate Engravings, than 
any other journal,—rendering It far the moat complete 
Agricultural, Literary and Family Nkwspaprr in 
America. 
GLEANINGS FROM LETTERS AND PAPERS, 
The Early York Potato. — S. W. Arnold, 
Cortland, Illinois, writes the Rural : — “ The 
Early York Potato is the best early potato 
grown in this place. It does not mature 
quite as early as Early June, but attains a 
given size quite as soon, is much larger and 
more productive. It is of good quality for sum¬ 
mer or winter. Top, medium. Will bear thick 
planting, is easy to dig, the tubers all lying near 
together, and usually ripens before the time of 
year for the rot to commence. I obtain them of 
of marketable size about the middle of June. I 
consider them the most valuable of any one 
variety of potato. They were introduced here 
from Michigan about nine years ago. Where 
and by whom were they originated?" 
Deep Plotting, —Ww. P. Strong of Mercer Co., 
Ill., writes:—" I see a great deal said about deep 
plowing in the Rural and other papers, hut it 
is seldom that any writer tells us how many 
inches he thinks is deep plowing. I find that 
farmers differ very much about it. Some call 
flve to six inches deep ; others, six to eight, and 
so on. N- v when # man advocates* deep plow¬ 
ing, let him say how deep, and how he manages 
to attain that depth. I call from ten to twelve 
inches deep plowing; and I plow that deep by 
hitcliiug three horses abreast to a common two- 
horse plow, with the mole-board raised about 
three inches in bight—plowing each year a little 
deeper than the year before.” 
Drilling Spring Wheat on Fall Plotted Land. — 
N. Battey & Sox, Winneshiek Co., Iowa, writes 
the Rural that wheat drilled on fall plowed 
land at the rate of bushels per acre yielded 
four or five bushels more per acre than broad¬ 
cast sowing ou similar soil. The ground was 
harrowed before drilling, and seed put in from 
10th to UOth of April. Think flve pecks of seed 
per acre enough when put in with a drill. 
Drilled oats on corn-stubble land, spring plowed, 
yielded 05 bushels per acre, while, by broad¬ 
cast sowing, they had never before received 
over 4$ bushels. They paid $90 for the drill, 
and it saved three times its first cost the first 
season. 
Sowing Rye for Pasture. — A Van Buren 
county, Mich., correspondent, asks the Rural: 
"Will you, or some of your correspondents, tell 
me if rye can be raised on sandy openings for 
pasture with profit; if so, what rye and when 
sown ?” We have seen good pasturage secured 
by seeding land the last of J uly, or in August, 
with winter rye. Tbe chief object of such seed¬ 
ing was to secure winter pasturage; and in 
spring the crop was plowed under aud planted 
to corn. If our readers have experience bearing 
upou our correspondent's question, let them 
give it. 
Rliiuj Hops .—On page 54, C. A. T., Madison, 
O. , asked for the best method of poling hops. 
In response, B. T. W., Canandaigua. N. Y., 
writes the Rural, and recommends poling with 
poles 20 feet long, because, L It is, in 99 cases 
out of 100. cheapest. 2. When slats or wires 
Every farmer should 
save the best of his seeds and tubers for plant¬ 
ing, if he uses his own product for that purpose, 
but it is often beneficial to change seed, pro¬ 
curing a superior article from another locality. 
Experienced farmers understand this matter so 
well that no argument is necessary ; the hint is 
thrown out for the benefit of those not fully 
advised on the subject. 
In Western phraseology there is a "heap” 
of work to be done immediately, and a " right 
smart chance" for every one to labor at some¬ 
thing, or in some department, on the farm. 
Many of our readers know what l& to he done, 
and when and how to enter upon the perform¬ 
ance of their multitudinous labors and duties. 
They need no special advice or admonitions, 
while others are proue to iguore printed hints 
and suggestions. Yet we stir up the minds of 
all by way of remembrance, trusting that each 
will dul} r heed and perform the Duties and 
Labors of tbe Season. 
tifFor Terms ami other particulars, see last page. 
THE SEASON AND ITS LABORS, 
IMPROVED BEE- HAT 
Friend Rural find a drawing of an 
Improved Ly my friend Say/ 
yer. It is made from a common felt, or heavy 
straw hat, with a wire cloth cylinder (a) to pro¬ 
tect the face, with a light piece of cloth or calico 
(b) attached, to button down under the coat, or 
vest. A strip of wire cloth (mesh sLxteen to the 
inch,) sixteen inches long and eleven wide will 
cut in two parts, making the front and rear of 
the cylinder; to he sewed together, the seams 
coming on each side of the hat. A wire ravel¬ 
ing may be used to- *ew them. Width of the 
cylinder in front eight inches and three inches 
behind. The upper aud lower edges of the wire 
cloth are bent over, after the manner of hem¬ 
ming, aud then bound with common dress-braid. 
This binding enables us easily to sew to the 
lower side of the brim of the hut and also to sew 
the dependent cloth, to its lower edge. 
The circumference of the cylinder will be 
about thirty-two inche 
large .portion of the country -with deep snows, 
followed, as Spring opened, fi lth extraordinary 
freshets. The inundation in this region was 
unparalleled, far exceeding any thing in the 
recollection of "the oldest Inhabitant" of the 
famous Genesee Valley, Aud yet, since the 
flood, the season has been very propitious, with 
warm and favorable weather for out-door opera¬ 
tions. Though wc had, in February, a greater 
depth of snow than at any period for a decade 
or more of years, it has been gone, hereabouts, 
for some weeks, and Spring reigns triumphant. 
Ruralista aro busy, everywhere, as they should 
be, and the indications in regard to seed-time 
and harvest are encouraging, so that we have 
no doubt the scriptural promise will be amply 
fulfilled, and that the peaceful campaign of 
tho agriculturists will prove eminently success¬ 
ful, though it may not excel iu glory such 
achievements as are being chronicled of the 
heroes of the Union Army—the Grants, Sher¬ 
mans and Sheridans who arc just now so 
unmercifully exterminating the evil weeds which, 
produced and prolonged the rebellion. 
But wlnit of the Season and its Labors? Na¬ 
ture is awake and at work, amid a genial atmos¬ 
phere aud glad suushiue. Ia Mau at his post 
and on duty In garden, field and orchard? Are 
his forces marshaled for the arduous Spring and 
Summer contest—prepared to enter upon each 
duty at the earliest practicable moment and to 
prosecute the campaign in such a manner us to 
preclude failure? Do you fully comprehend 
" the situation?” He is a wise farmer who ap¬ 
preciates his position—who know's the condition 
aud power of the elements and forces at his 
command— such as soil, laborers, teams, imple¬ 
ments, etc.—and has the wisdom and energy to 
guide them aright. Both mind and muscle must 
be brought into requisition and use at this 
season, for planning and executing are equally 
important auxiliaries of successful husbandry. 
Like the general who plans well but fails to ac¬ 
complish, the farmer who does the figuring only, 
with none to carry out Ids programme, must 
inevitably fail as regards profitable results. It 
is superior management and judicious labor du¬ 
ring Spring and Summer that produce commen¬ 
surate returns iu Autumn. But wo need not 
dwell upon what must be patent to every iutel- 
ligcnt aud experienced cultivator; every Rural 
reader who is posted knows that mental should 
precede and accompany manual labor to insure 
the most profitable results in agricultural, as 
well as other operations. 
There arc various matters which demand 
immediate and eareful atteutiou. Need wc enu¬ 
merate them? Your domestic animals require 
extia attention at this season — those which arc 
to " bring forth the increase," as well as tho 
teams upon which you depend for work. It 
is Important that these things bo not neglect* 
ed. ftrOllnr nnH n-wl ...... 
THINGS FOR PRODUCERS TO CONSIDER. 
Association of labor and diversity of employ¬ 
ments grow with civilization, freedom and 
wealth. The pioneer, in his log cabin, goes 
miles to a blacksmith’s shop, wasting precious 
time, and strength thereby. Soon a smith’s 
shop is set up near his door, and that waste 
saved. Then comes the tailor, the shoemaker, 
and others, until, at last, great factories are built 
up, ready to furnish his wants or minister to his 
growing taste. The factory wants his produce, 
he wants their goods, and there is mutual con¬ 
venience and economy in their proximity. 
Our country has varied soils ; great mines of 
coal, iron, copper, Jfcc.; water-power and water- 
carriage in almost every State; steam, and the 
skill to use it everywhere. No land in the world 
is so adapted to the growth of the varied in¬ 
dustry Indispensable to lasting power, true free¬ 
dom, aud the best culture and education. Yet 
over large regions there seems little thought or 
effort for varying industrial occupations. 
The farmer In Western New York, Michigan, 
or Iowa, sells his grain or wool to a distant 
market—on the seaboard or Iu Europe—and gets 
his cloth and hardware from shops equally 
distant, in return. Meanwhile he is lulled to his 
nightly sleep by the sound of the stream sweep¬ 
ing through his own farm, whose waters might 
be his servant, to weave the cloth, or shape the 
tools he uses. Meanwhile, too, he is sending 
away the materials which should be returned to 
his soil to keep up and increase its fertility, and 
his crops slowly but surely grow less and less; 
and New England, with her poor soil, aud her 
factories and farms side by side, Increases in her 
productiveness. Why is this ? Simply because, 
with shop aud farm ucar each other, all waste 
and offal is put back into the earth. 
You may draw on the soil largely as you will, 
and (he draft will be met, if only you pay back in 
manure to keep the balance. That condition can¬ 
ned be obeyed in any wholly agricultural region, 
and hence the need, for lasting prosperity, of 
variety of occupation. Short-sighted indeed is 
til© course which will exhaust even the richest 
soils of our noble West, which puts ou the 
farmer the burthen of transportation to and 
from the distant market and shop, and which 
retards the exercise of varied talents aud facul¬ 
ties which fail to find scope where there is uo 
varied range of productive industry. 
Farmers, Mechanics, Manufacturers, there is 
uo real conflict of interest between you, but the 
closest unity. Each must exist, that all may 
s, aud will give ample 
room inside for the face, leaving sufficient space 
to protect the wearer from the sling of the bee. 
It does not obstruct the vision, so asr.o preclude 
seeiug the eggs deposited in the combs, aud if 
the hat is straw, and the cloth light, is not un¬ 
comfortable to wear. It is perfectly bee and 
musquito proof. L. L. Fairchild. 
Rolling Prairie, Wis., March, 1865. 
RIGHT vs. LEFT HAND PLOWS, 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker;—I see the relative 
merits of these plows are being discussed. I 
like left-hand plows best because : 1.—With the 
left-hand plow the lead horse is in the furrow, 
and the team walks more steadily than if the 
lead horse is on the laud, as he is compelled to 
be if a right-hand plow |s used. Then he soon 
learns to walk eloso to the furrow, because it 
makes the plow run easier ; aud then a true fur¬ 
row and a lull one cannot be cut. To prevent 
this happening when a left-hand plow is used, 
we use a jockey-stick between the bit of the off 
horse and the leader’s hames, which keeps them 
in the right relative position. 2.—I had rather 
haw a team around than gee. I begin in the 
center of the laud to plow, and thus turn my 
team ou un pi owed land, aud the land is not 
tramped hard after it is plowed by turning on it 
Aud when the field is plowed, the dead furrows 
are clear through aud all around it. Some will 
say, " that will do if the land is square; hut if it 
is not so, how will you manage it?" Why, 1 
should begin just where the man would finish 
who plows around the outside of his land. 
Mercer Co., Ill. Wst. P. Strong. 
SELF-ACTING APPARATUS FOR WATERING 
BARN - YARDS. 
Editors Rural Nsw- Yorker: —We have 
an apparatus iu successful operation in this 
vicinity, for watering barn-yards, by means of 
cisterns, that I have never seen described in your 
paper. As it may be new to many of your read¬ 
ers, I send you the following imperfect descrip¬ 
tion, to do with it as you think best: 
Iu the first place the cistern should be built so 
that the bottom is not quite as low as the lowest 
part of the yard. Insert au Inch pipe (larger 
would be better) near tho bottom of the cistern 
leading to a part of the yard where tho water 
will run out freely iuto a tub. At this end of 
tho pipe is a stop-cock, fastened on a metallic 
lever of about one foot in length. Ou the other 
eud of this lever is fastened A hollow bail of 
brass or composition, four or five inches in 
diameter. This ball is designed to fioat ou the 
surface of the water, aud is so constructed that 
when the tub is nearly full it will close the faucet. 
As the water is drank by the stock, the ball set¬ 
tles, the faucet opens, tho water runs in and 
keeps the supply good. This tub should be 
secured agaiust frost or disturbance of any 
kind. Then insert Into this tub a pipe, (half inch 
will do,) leading to another tub, from which let 
the stock drink. 
If this is properly done a constant supply of 
water is at all times accessible to the stock as 
long as the eisteru holds out, and none is wasted. 
The water from the first tub cau be conducted 
to as many places as desired, with sufficient fall. 
Geo. Quick. 
Mendou Center, N. Y., March, 1865. 
CHEAP HAY RACK 
Eds. Rural New - Yorker : — In No. 11, 
March ISth, I see an inquiry for a light, con¬ 
venient and durable hay rack. Now, what some 
would call convenient others would not. I am 
using one which suits me better than any I ever 
tried before. It is placed on top of the wagon- 
box, atul is made of inch and a half and two 
inch light stuff made wide enough for the side 
piece to come outside of tho wheels. The pieces 
