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‘PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT.” 
[SINGLE NO. TEN CENTS 
VOL. XVI. NO. 47. S 
ROCHESTER N. Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1865. 
{WHOLE NO. 827. 
MOOEE’S BUBAL NEW-YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WRKKLY 
RURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOOBE. 
HENRY S. RANDALL, LL, D., 
Editor of the Department of Sheep Husbandry. 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS' 
P. BARRY, 
H. T. BROOKS, 
T. 0. PETERS, 
C. DEWET, LL, D., 
L. B. LANGWOBTHY, 
EDWARD WEBSTER. 
The Rural Nkw-Yobkrb is designed to be unsur¬ 
passed In Value, Purity, and Variety of Contents, and 
unique and beautiful In Appearance. Its Conductor 
devotes ma personal attention to the supervision of Its 
various departments, and earnestly labors to render the 
Rural an eminently Reliable Guide on all tlio Important 
Practical, Bclentlllc and other Subjects Intimately con¬ 
nected with the business of those whose Interests It 
zealously advocates. As a Family Journal It Is emi¬ 
nently Instructive and Entertaining—belna so conducted 
that it can be safely taken to the Homes of people of 
Intelligence, taste and discrimination. It embraces more 
Horticultural, Scientific, Educational, Literary and News 
Matter. Interspersed Wltll appropriate Engravings, than 
any other Journal,—rendering it far the most complete 
▲eBtOULTUBAL, LlTKRABY AND FAMILY NBWBFAPRS 
In America. _ 
r?TFou Turns and other particulars, see last page; 
and for Inducements (Premiums, Free Copies, &c.,) to 
those forming clubs, address the Publisher. 
ABOUT PRICES OF FARM PRODUCTS. 
When prices rule high for produce there is a 
general disposition to sell. It is true there is a 
class of farmers who seem to become excited, 
or frightened it may be, when prices advance to 
high figures, mid thus at the critical moment 
when they should hasten to dispose of their 
produce, they utterly refuse to sell. Because 
prices are unusually high, they Imagine there is 
Borne mystery concealed from them, and that 
somebody—speculators especially—will make 
extraordinary profits if they deal with them. 
Therefore’they hold on. If wheat is two dollars 
and a half, their price is three, with a chance 
reserved for hacking down if offered that. If 
wool Is one dollar per pound, theirs is dollar 
and a quarter wool, which price they assert they 
will get or cIbc store it till doomsday. If meat 
runs up to ten cents pur pound on foot in the 
early spring, then their cattle and sheep have 
eaten so much good eorn and hay, and had so 
much care, that no speculators shall make two 
or three cents per pound clear by handling their 
stock- And they feed on, hoping the risiug 
tide will reach their high-set stakes. But what 
is the result generally ? High prices stimulate 
many to sell. Stock and grain that would be 
held much’longer ou a low market, are pushed 
forward by those in debt, who see in such times 
good chances of clearing away their incumbran¬ 
ces. Sharp men likewise sell off close, knowing 
that in a little while they cau buy again at 
cheaper rates. Prices tumble under the pres¬ 
sure, and the holders get sick. Commonly they 
have not the pluck to sell on a falling market, 
so they wait tlLl the very bottom is reached, and 
then take what they can get. So, when there is 
a revulsion of prices, in every neighborhood 
there may be found some “sick men” selling 
wheat, woollaud stock for half the sum they 
might have obtained a few months before. 
Farmers should remember that It Is lmpossi- 
ble’for onc[always to get the highest prices for 
all produce Bold, The knowledge that would 
secure such a result is beyond the grasp of the 
human mind. It is also entirely unnecessary to 
sell for the lowest prices, unless one is cramped 
by debt, or some other unfavorable circum¬ 
stance. It we were going to make a rule by 
which to be governed ourselves, we should say, 
when prices are high, sell; when low, holdoii. 
There Is always safety in this course. It is uot 
so necessary to success sometimes to obtain the 
highest price, as It is to receive always one ap¬ 
proximating to it. When the market is rising 
it should be clOBely watched, aud if one holds 
till the downward course beglus, It is better to 
sell then than to wait longer. It is related of a 
celebrated broker who acquired a fortune on 
the Stock Exchange, that, in reply to the ques¬ 
tions by what rule he was governed in his trails- 
actions, he said he always bought in a rising 
market and said in a luliiDg one. He did uot 
aim to soli for the very highest, nor buy at the 
very lowest price, but when these were indi¬ 
cated he promptly Belzed the next best chance. 
When produce cannot he sold for a sufficient 
sum to cover the cost of raisiug it, and leave 
besides a fair profit, there is no risk in holding, 
providing It will not deteriorate by keeping. 
The temporary abundance will be followed by 
waste, and a falling off in the immediate produc¬ 
tion, thus creating a scarcity and an advance in. 
price which will more than compensate for the 
use of tho capital invested. Likewise, when 
prices are high and the profits large, t here exists 
a strong stimulus to save carefully what is 
already on hand, and to produce as much more 
as possible. These causes, of course, will in 
due time bring down the prices. 
As the markets in which the farmer sells his 
produce are world wide, and the causes that 
operate to make a scarcity or an abundance vari¬ 
ous, it is necessary for him to be well informed 
in order to act with judgment. He should take 
the widest survey, and keep well posted in 
regard to those great centers that rule the 
world. All the circumstances that tend to affect 
the average yield of a crop should be considered. 
In England the market is so sensitive that a 
week of wet weather in harvest time will send 
up the price of wheat all over the Kingdom. 
The Department of Agriculture has inaugurated 
a system for obtaining information respecting 
the state and yield of crops by reports from cor¬ 
respondents In every county in the Union, which 
are summed up and published in the monthly 
reports of the Commissioner. If this plan is 
faithfully carried out it should place such in¬ 
formation before the American farmer as will 
enable him to Judge with considerable accuracy 
regarding the supply of various kinds of pro¬ 
duce, and the consequent state of market likely 
to ensue. In the report for October a general 
summing np of the amount and quality of the 
crops for the past season is given. From this it 
appears that of wheat the falling off from last 
year’s yield Is over twelve millions of bushels, 
while tho deficiency In qualify amounts to much 
more than in quantity. Tho present condition 
of the market justifies this statement. The best 
grades of wheat have advanced most, and are 
now held with the greatest firmness. The yield 
of this year's crop of barley was slightly in 
excess of last year’s. Oats are said to bo the 
largest crop ever raised. Corn is very sound 
and yields most abundantly. There are likewise 
several millions of tuns of hay more than last 
year. Thus it appears that of coarse grain and 
fodder there is an excess over the product of last 
year. But tho number of cattle and hogs has 
decreased. There are not enough of these to 
coneume the vast corn crop of the West, and 
probably not enough to effect a decline in the 
prices of meat for some time to come. Conse¬ 
quently corn U low in comparison witji the 
price of beef and pork, aud there probably 
never has been a season where it was more 
profitable to feed corn to cattle and hogs, than 
the present one. 
FALL PLOWING FOB CORN. 
A correspondent in Erie Co., Ohio, wishes 
to know if we think it a good plan to plow sod 
ground in the fall, with the view of planting com 
on it in the spring. He remarks in his letter that 
“ the cut worms generally bother if sod groutul 
la left until spring before it is plowed.” Tho 
query with us is, would they not likewise work 
at the corn if tho land is plowed in the fall ? Is 
that a remedy in Ohio to prevent the ravages of 
the cutworm? If it is found to be one we should 
by all means fall plow corn land which they 
iufeeted. Wo doubt, however, its efficacy. Cer¬ 
tainly we have knowu the cut worm to work in 
fall plowed laud. Late fall plowing, by expos¬ 
ing the soil to the winter weather, might destroy 
some ol tho grubs, but it could hardly he de¬ 
pended on for a certain remedy. 
Much depends on circumstances, whether it 
it is better to fall plow sod land for corn or not. 
If the turf be very old and thick, fall plowing 
would hasten its decomposition, and it would 
thereby sooner furnish nutriment to the crop 
next year. In this case it should be plowed 
early in the fall, for during cold weather the 
inverted sod will not change at all. If turned 
under now it will remain Inert uutil the frosts 
leave the ground and warm weather comes on 
next spring. Unless the frosts aud snows aud 
exposure lo the weather during the winter, 
would have a beneficial effect on the 6oil, no 
advantage would bo gained by plowing. We 
do not think such exposure for the corn crop 
would be profitable. It would require more 
work to keep down the weeds and till the crop, 
ttis&anilyg. 
-ZZ m tomes rr 
MESSENGER MAKE AND COLT. 
than if plowed just before planting. Generally 
we like best to plant as soon as possible after 
the plowing is finished. Plow well. Make no 
balks. Turn every green thing under. Harrow 
thoroughly and mark btnxAUit, and your tilling 
for the rest of the ses.u- .half du-ie. It is 
also no detriment to let thegrass shoot a little 
to turn under. It will ferment quicker, and 
furnish better nutriment, to the eorn than dry 
stubble. Corn likes fresh, mellow aud moder¬ 
ately dry earth, frequently stirred. 
THE MESSENGER HORSE. 
Our engraving represents two fine specimens 
of the celebrated Messenger breed of horses — 
“ Lady Messenger, ” and her colt “ Morgan 
Messenger,” bred by 8. W. Jewett of Vermont. 
Tho colt was sired by the famous Morgan horse 
Black Hawk. 
The Messenger horse from which the Ameri¬ 
can stock of that name is derived was foaled in 
England in 17S0. He ran several successful 
races, and won the King's plate in 1785. Mes¬ 
senger was imported into New York by a Mr. 
Bbngkr— was kept tho first two seasons near 
Bristol, Pa., then two years on Long Island, and 
for most of the remainder of his life (he died 
Jan. 28, ISOS,) in various parts of this State, 
with the exception of one year at Cooper’s 
Ferry, opposite Philadelphia, llis stock were 
distinguished as roadsters rather than racers or 
fast trotters, though he was tho sire of Miller's 
Dainsal aud some oth^r noted fast horses. 
The Messenger stallion imported by Mr. Ben- 
ger, as above stated, wax a gray, dftcen and 
three-quarters hands high, and stoutly built. 
He was got by Mambrino, he by Engineer, and 
ho by Sampson, dam by Turf, his grand-dam by 
Regulus, Mr. Ciiaeles L. Flint, the well- 
informed Secretary of the Massachusetts Board 
of Agriculture, says of him: —“Ho was the 
most excellent stock-getter, probably, of all the 
thorough-breds that ever left their mark upon 
tho common stock of the country. Take away 
the improvements which Hambletouian, a son 
of imported Messenger, left on the stock of Ver¬ 
mont, aud indeed, on that of all parts of New 
Euglaud, and It would be difficult to see how 
Urn loss could bo made good. His stock, and 
also that of the many other descendants of old 
Messenger, are to this day held in the highest 
esteem, and most deservedly so, for their speed, 
their great powers of endurance, and for their 
large size aud excellent style as carriage aud 
draught horses, or horses for general utility. 
Satisfactory evidence that a horse is a Messen¬ 
ger — that is, a direct descendant of the old 
Messenger—is generally regarded as a sufficient 
certificate of his goodness.” 
Tho Messenger horses have been reared 
somewhat extensively in this State and New 
Eugland. Compared with the Morgan, the 
Messenger horse Is much larger in size—more 
rangy, but does not mature as young; yet when 
matured, capable of great euduranee and usualy 
ot good disposition — an important matter in 
the opinion of many sensible people. 
The New England Farmer states that the Mes¬ 
senger horses have been reared quite extensively 
in Maine, with great profit to many farmers. 
DON’T SELL LEAN STOCK. 
In an article elsewhere given we have remarked 
that there never has been a more favorable sea¬ 
son for feeding grain to fattening animals than 
the present one. With corn at ninety cents per 
bushel and beef and pork sixteen to seventeen 
cents per pound in New ’fork, it is easy to see 
that, with skillful feeding and good care, the 
grain will bring more when turned into meat 
than if sold in the bushel. We need not look to 
the manure heap to make the balance torn to 
the side of profit in this year’s operations. 
There is evidently an abundance of coarse grain, 
and a scarcity of fattening stock in the country. 
But the high price of meat, we are sorry to see, 
has brought a rush of coarse, half-fed cattle and 
“scaUawags” to the Eastern markets. Under 
the pressure of numbers, prices have given way 
somewhat on this class of stock, while those of 
first rate, well fattened animals are firmly main¬ 
tained. As the case now stands it is very bad 
management for a farmer to dispose of his stock 
until it is thoroughly fat. Our Western friends 
especially should perceive that they are only 
putting money in the pockets of Eastern feeders 
who buy up this half fed stock and finish them 
off with a round profit. In another point of 
view this premature selling seems worse, for it 
will shorten the supply and tend to force up the 
price of meat later in the season, and speculators 
will have a better opportunity to control the 
markets and fill their pockets. By all means 
keep the stock you lutend for the batcher until 
it is well fattened. You will thn3 sell your 
grain and fodder for high prices, without draw¬ 
ing them to a distant market; you will make 
manure to grow large crops with another year, 
and you will pocket that advance in the price of 
meat, in addition to the increased weight, which 
may confidently be expected before the first of 
March. 
-- 
CHARRING FENCE POSTS. 
E. 8., Coldwater, Mich., writes us that when 
constructing a fence some years since, iu which 
tho posts were oak, he charred several of them 
thoroughly iu order to test their durability. 
The result was they decayed as soou as those set 
without any means used to preserve them. 
Without doubt they rotted as soon as the 
others, and here is the reason. Charcoal is, 
practically, indestructible when buried iu the 
earth. If we can envelop a post perfectly in 
this material its durability will be very great. 
But burning the posts in a fire ordinarily will 
not have this desired effect. Tho wood shrinks 
and dies while it burns, and consequently gaps 
and seams are made on the surface. Through 
these the water finds its way to the wood inside, 
which from being overheated is more liable to 
bad effects from it. If tho post was plunged 
into a bath of coal tar when taken from the tire, 
it would penetrate and fill these interstices, and 
probably secure the end desired. 
The soil, by its weight, is constantly tryiDg to 
form rock under it in the subsoil. It is the 
farmer's business to 6ee that it don't do it. His 
plow and spade are the means to prevent it, but 
especially the subsoil plow. 
EDITED BY HSNSY 8. RANDALL LL. D. 
To Correspondents.—M r. Randall’s address is 
Cortland Village, Cortland Co., N. Y. All communi¬ 
cations intended for this Department, and all inquiries 
relating to sheep, should be addressed to him as above. 
{UNITED STATES WOOL GROWERS’ AND 
MANUFACTURERS’ CONTENTION. 
We published, last week, a resolution passed 
by the “ Government of tho National Associa¬ 
tion of Wool Manufacturers,” at a meeting held 
at the St. Nicholas Hotel, in New York City, 
Nov. 8, inviting the different State Wool Grow¬ 
ers’ Associations to meet them in a convention 
or conference to be held at Syracuse, N. Y., on 
the second Wednesday of December, for the 
purpose of conferring in regard to the represen¬ 
tations which should he mutually made to the 
“U. S. Revenue Commission” concerning the 
effect of the present tariff on the wool growing 
and manufacturing interests of the country. 
Such at least is the intent and spirit of the reso¬ 
lution —we write without a copy of it before ua. 
As we have before stated, the understanding 
at the above meeting was that the convention 
should he composed of accredited delegates from 
the several represented bodies. The number of 
delegates was not prescribed, as the important 
questions to come before the body could not be 
settled by a general per capita vote. The wish 
was informally expressed that each of the State 
Wool Growers’ Associations should be repre¬ 
sented by as many as three delegates. There 
are, however, so many such organizations that a 
large delegation from each would embarass, 
without giving any additional effectiveness to 
the proceedings of a meeting called purely for 
business purposes. 
We were present at the 8t. Nicholas Hotel 
meeting, and may be expected therefore, by our 
brother wool growers, whose interests we there 
’ attempted to represent, to give some account of 
the proceedings and state our impressions of the 
spirit winch actuated them. We took no notes 
and may not give things in their order, or pre¬ 
cise form, but we cannot be mistaken in any es¬ 
sential fact. 
The principal object of this meeting was 
to take tue necessary steps to place before 
the “United States Revenue Commission” 
the information called for, aud to be called 
for, concerning the woolen interests of tho 
country. This Commission, most of our read¬ 
ers probably understand, is an official body 
acting under the authority of Congress to col¬ 
lect the facts and statistics which illustrate the 
workings of our revenue laws, to the end that 
they may be revised where they are found 
defective. 
When this business was reached, in the St. 
Nicholas Hotel meeting, we were requested by 
the presiding officer to express the views of the 
wool producers on this and any other subjects 
of common interest. Believing that no perma¬ 
nent good understanding can subsist between 
the producers and manufacturers without frank 
explanations and the mutual removal of causes 
of complaint, and believing that such good un¬ 
derstanding is highly desirable for the interests 
of both parties, we resolved to speak plainly. 
We were the more encouraged to take this 
course by finding ourselves surrounded by a 
body of experienced aud very able men — many 
of them, the chiefs and leaders of the wool 
manufacturing interests in the United States_ 
instead ol a tribe of petty debaters. 
We stated that a very considerable portion of 
the wool grow era believe that the manufacturers 
as a body habitually and systematically labored 
to depress their (the growers’) interests In order 
unduly to advance their own; that they had 
been accustomed to enter into combinations to 
affect the tariff legislation of the country and 
control tho prices of wool; that their small 
numbers and command of great capital, had en¬ 
abled them to act with unity aud success in 
these directions; and that now the organization 
wc were addressing had been established mainly 
for tho purpose of accomplishing the same ob¬ 
jects more readily aud t horoughly. We declared 
that any basis' of future co-operation between 
the manufacturing and producing interests, must 
include a distinct recognition of the idea that so 
long as the revenues of the government are 
raised in part by duties on foreign products, the 
wool grower shall receive his full share of the 
