£TURE 
ffiSUcyir 
TgRICUlTURF' 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1862, 
S WHOLE NO. 630, 
prevailing and fashionable color is black—a few are 
of a dark brindle brown, and still fewer speckled 
with while spots, and some of them are of a dun or 
drab color. Dark colors arc uniformly preferred, 
from the belief that they 
indicate hardiness of con- 
stitution.” 
The reputation of the 
Galloway cows, as milk- 
ers > j s not w ^at may be 
although the quantity is 
At the last show of the Association, (held in Lon¬ 
don, Sept., 1861,) the display was such as to prove 
there is no diminution in the growing popularity of 
this excellent-breed. As stated in our report of the 
and sow seed broadcast: another of the same depth, 
sow in drills; in another dibble in the seed three 01 - 
four inches apart each way; and in another dibble 
in the seed in rows three or four inches apart iu the 
rows, and the rows wide enough apart to allow the 
use of the boe In another set of beds dig the soil 
eighteen inches deep, and plant the same number of 
beds, and in the same manner, as before. Harvest 
the grain carefully and note the result. Such an 
experiment, conducted carefully, will furnish a vast 
amount of useful information, and give many hints 
of great value, that will he remembered by the cul¬ 
tivator in all his fulure operations. If every farmer, 
or one in a thousand, had a little experimental patch 
of even a few rods, (he knowledge thus accumulated 
would be of more real advantage than a host of 
theories, and teach important truths in a way not to 
be misunderstood. Who can tell what would be the 
result, if one farmer in every county would devote 
even twenty feet square to the work of improving 
wheat, or any uther grain, by selecting and sowing 
the finest ears for a succession of years? 
Many of our readers will remember the facts we 
published in the Rural last year, of the great im¬ 
provement of wheat made in England, by Air. Hal- 
lkt, who in four years, by taking pains to select 
and sow the best, had increased the head from the 
ordinary size to more than one foot iu length, bear¬ 
ing over one hundred large kernels, and averaging 
about twenty-five heads to each plant or stool. Hero 
is a field of improvement open to every one. 
The good effects of deep tillage are numerous and 
important. In addition to the first and great advan¬ 
tage of giving suflicient space for the roots, plants 
growing in a deep soil will not usually suffer from 
moisture during the dry spells of summer. The 
rains have an opportunity to moisten well down, 
and in dry seasons, though the surface may be as 
dry as powder, the roots are where they can obtain 
sufficient moisture to endure any ordinary drouth 
without injury. Corn shows want of moisture by 
the rolling of the leaf, but this effect is rarely seen 
when corn is grown in a soil pulveriz.ed to the depth 
of eighteen or twenty inches. The surface is often 
exhausted of some of the important constituents of 
plants, and while there may exist in the subsoil a 
sufficiency of these for a number of years, they are 
useless until mixed with the surface soil, or so 
broken up as to permit the roots to descend in quest 
of needed food. We have already said enough to 
direct attention to this manner of improvement, and 
all we ask is a thorough trial. Plows are now manu¬ 
factured so that they will break up the soil eighteen 
inches deep, and therefore the work is not expen¬ 
sive. In our next we will speak of the advantages 
of thorough pulverization and liberal manuring. 
be employed in the production of staples of manu¬ 
facture. The low price of food, and the present, 
high prices of cotton, wool, sugar, <fcc., arc going to 
revolutionize our husbandry. Free labor is going 
to be invested in the production of these staples, 
aided by the influence of manufacturing capital, 
which has hitherto discouraged any inovations upon 
old practices, because said capital was doing well 
enough where it was employed. Now, however, 
our sugar refineries, that were dependent for stock 
upon the New Orleans supply, are out of employ¬ 
ment; capital is idle; machinery is standing still. 
This, it, is found, does not pay. Hence there is 
time, and it is found profitable, to experiment with 
our Sorghum sirups. It is found they can be 
refined so as to make a superior merchantable arti¬ 
cle. A great demand springs up for these sirups. 
The culture next year will be largely extended. 
The mode of clarifying will he perfected by culti¬ 
vators,—at least by local establishments,—and we 
will make our own sirups at home, and export 
largely. 
But where are we to get the sugar? The best 
informed are still skeptical as to the fact that it 
exists in the Sorghum in such quantities as to ren¬ 
der its manufacture profitable. Unlike the Southern 
cane, it is believed that the sugar once extracted or 
precipitated, the remaining and resulting sirup of 
the Sorghum would he an inferior article. It is 
believed there is sufficient sugar in the Sorghum, as 
grown here, to make a first, class sirup; and that the 
sirup product is and will he of more value to the 
country, than the sugar which might be extracted 
from the same juice. This question, however, is not 
settled; but measures will be taken, and prepara¬ 
tions are being made to settle It the coming season, 
beyond a peradventure. 
Meantime, men, acting upon this belief, are look¬ 
ing to the sugar-beet as the only—at least the most 
feasible—source for a supply of sugar, Iks culture 
and manufacture for this purpose in the German 
States, is wonderfully profitable, notwithstanding 
the enormous taxes imposed upon it. by government. 
With our system of culture, favorable soil and cli¬ 
mate, and comparatively light taxes, it is believed it 
will be found very profitable here, to both the culti¬ 
vator and manufacturer. 
The only question to be determined, is whether 
the beet grown in our soil and climate will contain 
a sufficient per centum of sugar to render its manu¬ 
facture profitable. To determine this question, par¬ 
ties in this city are importing seed to place in the 
hands of cultivators in different parts of the State, 
for the purpose of procuring the root, with which 
to make experiments. If the sugar is found in the 
beet as grown here, the means ami processeswill he 
provided wherewith to extract it. If auy sugar is 
found, it will be cane sugar; hence the quantity 
found will determine the utility of its culture. 
It would save a year’s waiting if the pure sugar beet 
could be found in a sufficient quantity with which 
to experiment. • It has been grown here. Perhaps 
some of the Western Rural readers have cultivated 
it the past season; or know parties who have done 
so. If so. and they will address the writer, at Chi¬ 
cago. giving the information, they will be doing the 
country a service. 
To indicate the importance of this movement to 
tile people of the West, who import and use sugar 
largely, It will be only necessary to give a single 
Item. From the annual report of the sugar trade of 
the country, I learn that the amount of sugar 
imported irorn foreign countries iu I860, was GG5.- 
168,000 pounds; and in 1861, it was 510,780,000 
pounds.— mark) this is exclusive, of that grown in 
the Southern States! The reader may easily com¬ 
prehend (he importance of any movement at home 
which will retain the money paid lor this sugar by 
the people of the West,—a movement which, in 
addition, will tend to appreciate the prices of such 
grain and other provisions as we may produce. 
We can grow our own sirups; let us know 
whether we cannot, with equal profit, grow our 
own sugar. 
One more item occurs to me:—That if the sugar 
beet, as grown here, contains the sugar, it is a surer 
and an easier crop to cultivate than the Sorghum. 
Our climate and soil is eminently adapted to root 
culture. Let farmers think on this subject. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
THK LKADING AMERICAN WRBKLY 
RURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOOBE, 
With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors. 
CHA3. D. BRAGDON. Western Corresponding Editor. 
THE Rorat. New-Yorker is drsigned to be unsurpassed in 
Value, Purity. Usefulness and Variety of Contents, nnd unique 
and beautiful in Appearance. Its Conductor devotes bis per¬ 
sonal attention to the supervision of its various departments, 
and earnestly labors to render the Rcral an eminently Reliable 
Guide on all the important Practical, Scientific and other 
Subjects intimately connected with the business of those whose 
interests it zealously advocates. As a Family Jocrnai, it is 
eminently Instructive and Entertaining — being so conducted 
that it can be safely taken to the Hearth and Homes of people of 
intelligence, taste and discrimination, ft embraces more Agri¬ 
cultural, Horticultural, PcIenttHc, Educational, Literary and 
News Matter, interspersed with appropriate and beautiful 
Etnfravintts, than any other Journal,—rendering it the most 
complete Agricci.tiik u., Literary and Family Newspaper 
in America. 
^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ Uoh ia 
—- -C .'*-- next lour months, half 
this quantify is about all 
galloway ox in good condition. that will be obtained, and 
for two or three mopth3 
Galloways appeared in goodly she will be dry. The docility of the Galloways is 
tad. This breed waft introduced remarkable, constituting a most valuable point It 
lew years ago. by Mr. Roddick is very rare that even a bull is furious or trouble- 
ms to have made rapid progress some. 
In the last number we endeavored to give to 
young fanners a little insight into the philosophy of 
drainage, its necessity, and the evils resulting from 
its neglect. Wo do not of course design, in this 
place, to furnish an essay on drainage, but it may be 
well to mention a few of the advantages apparent 
to the most casual observer. A good underground 
drain, across a lot, is just about as good as afoot- 
path, and in the spring its course is marked very 
plainly, by both the color and texture of the soil. 
Above this drain it is dry, friable, fit to work, and 
will not adhere to the tools or the boots; while on 
each side it is a cold, heavy, pasty mass. Later in 
the season, over and about the drain the soil is found 
light and mellow, while that which lias not.received 
the benefit of drainage is hard, and turns up in 
calces, that are pulverized with great difficulty. It 
will not take very great wisdom to understand what 
would he the effect of thorough and complete drain¬ 
age, which would allow the water to pass through 
the soil as though it were held in a basket or seive. 
which would be nothing less than early plowing 
and planting, and early and abundant harvests, to 
say nothing of some incidental, though important 
advantages, in the way of improved health and com¬ 
fort, for standing water and nndrained land have 
slain more than Avar. 
Next in importance to drainage, and intimately 
connected with it, is deep culture. He who pre¬ 
pares the soil six inches deep says, in effect, to all 
his plants, thus far shalt thou go and no further. 
Every observing farmer knows that the roots of 
nearly all our cultivated plants will go down at 
least three times the depth, if they have a chance, 
in search of food, and that this size and productive¬ 
ness of the plant is in proportion to its root. 
The gardener, by grafting the apple upon the root 
of a small variety, reduces the tree from its natural 
and gigantic proportions,—twenty or thirty feet in 
height, and bearing ten or twenty barrels of fruit,— 
to a miniature tree, five or six feet in height, which 
could be carried in the hand, and from which he is 
well pleased to obtain a bushel of apples. If by 
providing a too shallow soil the lamer prevents a 
natural growth of roots, the plant becomes dwarfed 
and bears but little seed. To thus it may perhaps 
be said, if the gardener by dwarfing his apples and 
pears can obtain a fair crop by planting thicker, 
and thus having more plants lo the acre, why may 
not the farmer pursue the same course? In the first 
place, the dwarfing of the tree is not accomplished 
by cramping and injuring its natural roots. This 
process has been tried and abandoned, for the same 
reason that should cause every fanner to abandon 
the growing of dwarf plants in his field: it produces 
disease and unfruitfulucss. The dwarf tree is pro¬ 
duced by putting it upon roots of a very small 
growth naturally, uml every means must he taken to 
give these dwarf roots all the" depth and fertility of 
soil that they require for a fine healthy growth, and 
for their full development, or failure is certain. The 
fntit on these dwarf trees, it the requirements of the 
roots are met, and they have in other respects 
received good treatment, is as fine as that on the 
largest tree; but it will be found as a general rule 
that the seed, or fruit of a stunted plant, is in pro¬ 
portion to its size. Good, plump grain, fit for exhi¬ 
bition, is not expected from a starved plant. It 
must he understood that we are speaking of the 
general rule, for there are soils and manures that 
tend to a development of straw and others of grain. 
Again, the gardener has a particular object in plac¬ 
ing his tree upon small roots, such as early fruiting 
and beauty, none of which affect the former. 
A very pretty experiment, teaching the effects of 
deep tillage and various other useful lessons in agri¬ 
culture, and pointing out the proper road for im¬ 
provement, may be tried by any one who has a little 
patience. Select a piece of ground, un eighth of mi 
acre or so, as near of a quality as possible in all 
respects. Divide into beds, each containing one- 
hundredth of an acre. Select some plant or grain , 
for experiment. Me will suppose wheat is the one 
chosen. Dig one bed the usual death of nlmvlmz 
THE WAR AND AGRICULTURE. 
This war should be looked upon as a process of 
development — as an era of preparation for greater 
progress than we have yet made in civilization and 
enlightenment. The heart is made better by suffer¬ 
ing. Why may not a people he purified by a similar 
process. We were getting rich and effeminate in 
our habits—thoughtless and extravagant—reckless 
of our privileges and prodigal of the power a free 
representative government bestows upon its citi¬ 
zens. Individual interests were dividing and alien¬ 
ating each from the other, and destroying our 
strength and character as a people. 
The war has united us; hus shown us our weakness 
and the causes contributing to our degeneration. It 
is teaching us the value of our system of govern¬ 
ment and the character and motives of the men 
we have elevated to office. It is cooling the parti¬ 
san heat that so nearly consumed us; it is develop¬ 
ing the patriotism of pure men, and discovering 
the value and beauty of honesty in high places. 
The lesson being taught farmers is an important 
one. The Editor says, what is true, when he asserts 
that the taxes are to come out of the soil — that the 
burthen ultimately falls Upon the fanner. And it 
ought to teach us the importance of using all the 
power vested in us as citizens to place righteous 
men iu high places. 11 caucuses and conventions 
are to determine who shall be our rulers, it is our duty 
to control those caucuses and 
conventions and speak thro’ 
them. Wo must pay some 
attention to public affairs per- 
sonally, if we would have 
vlV' r our interests tegarded. We 
must use the talents and 
powers given us to secure 
and perpetuate our rights and 
~ our government Who shall 
■ v 8^ - sav that this war could not, 
would not. have been avoided 
had the people used their 
sovereignty to express their 
1 vk " own w iH — if they had not 
V^\\ allowed political demagogues 
Fy to use them to secure an 
endorsement of their own cor- 
rupt schemes. 
WESTERN EDITORIAL NOTES 
WHAT IS NEEDED IN THE WEST. 
It needs, above all things else human, perhaps, 
really skillful Veterinarians. It may he said the whole 
country, irom the Atlantic to the Pacific, needs the 
same. Granted. But there is no part of that 
country that needs it more than that portion of it 
lying west and north-west of Ohio. 
I have before written of this matter; hut its 
importance, not only to the country and the classes 
who suffer, but to the enterprising young men who 
will qualify themselves to occupy this field of use¬ 
fulness, impels me to recur to it again. I know of 
no broader professional field than this; and cer¬ 
tainly none that will prove more lucrative to the 
man who enters it with intelligence and skill. I do 
not desire to induce a growth of Charlatans. Such a 
remedy for the ills to be cured would be worse than 
the disease which now preys upon the prosperity of 
Western Agriculturists. There are too many moun¬ 
tebanks now this side the Alleghauies. Let me 
make an assertion, and let it be thought of both by 
the young men who are to-day determining what 
profession they w ill adopt, and by the farmers of 
the West. It is this: That the cash value of the 
swine lost by disease in Illinois alone, during the 
year 1861, would build and put in’ operation an 
Agricultural College and endow it with at least one 
million dollars t Mark, l say the loss of swine alone, 
at present prices, if you please. Add to this the 
loss of cattle, horses, and sheep, and it will almost 
and perhaps quite pay for a homestead for every 
poor citizen iu the State. 
We submit to be taxed directly to feed and pam¬ 
per political plunderers, but wo overlook the equal ly 
direct and yet involuntary tax upon our ignorance. 
The tax of neglect to which 1 referred in a former arti¬ 
cle, large and onerous as it is, does not compare with 
that we actually pay because we do uot know what 
we ought and might know; or at least, what we 
might provide should be taught to our children. 
Since writing the foregoing 1 have seen in a daily 
paper an extract from the Tazewell (1 llinois) Repub¬ 
lican. in which it is asserted that “a disease resem¬ 
bling the Hog Cholera has broken out. and is mak¬ 
ing sad havoc among the cattle in the southern part 
of the (Tazewell) County.” 
Here is the need spoken of, located. Who will 
supply it? 
SWEET ITEMS—BEET SUGAR. 
The revolution is extending in its influence daily. 
It has turned Iho channel of capital,—or rather has 
blocked up old channels,—and now Northern capital 
is seeking new employment. In the West, it is to 
A CHAPTER ON POULTRY. 
— Although much has been 
said of Poultry, and although 
the article uuder the above 
head give6 much of interest concerning the different 
families of fowls, much more needs to be said of the 
economy of this branch Of husbandry and of (he modes 
of managem ent which obtain among those who regard 
this husbandry profitable. Detail the mode. Ab¬ 
stract residts arc of little value. It is an easy 
matter to say—- There, sir, is a barrel of eggs, laid 
by a half dozen yellow hens, in a half dozen weeks.” 
But the novice in this kind of husbandry asks, How 
do you keep your hens; and Where? What do 
you feed them? *fcc., Ac. There are men who assert 
that poultry-raising is as profitable as sheep-raising. 
But who believes it? 'Who will believe it without a 
logical demonstration? 
A HINT TO SORGHUM MANUFACTURERS. 
Talking with an experienced sugar refiner the 
other day, he said it was a great mistake that the 
entire process of evaporation could be successfully 
prosecuted at a siuglo operation. The process of 
defecation is not done by the refiner, by boiling the 
juice or sirup. It is is heated slowly, but is not 
allowed to boil until it is purified. A single vessel 
or evaporator, for the manufacture of good refined 
sirup, will not answer. It must he clarified before 
it is boiled. This hint will be elaborated hereafter. 
FAT GALLOWAY COW. 
- The Galloway is short in the leg, and mode¬ 
rately fine in the shank bonoB—the happy medium 
preserved in the leg, which secures hardihood and 
disposition to fatten. With the same cleanness and 
shortness of shank, there is no breed so large and 
muscular above the knee, while there is more room 
for the deep, broad and capacious chest. He is 
clean, not fine and slender, but well proportioned, 
in the neck and chaps; a thin and delicate neck 
would not correspond with the broad shoulders, 
deep chest, and close, compact form of the breed. 
The neck of the Galloway bull is thick almost to a 
fault. The head is rather heavy; the eyes are not 
prominent, and the ears are large, rough, and ftill of 
long hairs on the inside. 
“ The Galloway is covered with a loose mellow 
skin of medium thickness, which is clothed with 
long, soft, silky hair. The skin is thinner than that 
of the Leicestershire, but not so fine as the hide of 
the Short-horn, yet it handles soft and kindly. The 
Though of comparatively recent introduction in 
this country, the Galloway breed of cattle is attract¬ 
ing considerable attention. Some line herds have 
been established, within the past six or eight years, 
mostly in Canada, where the breed is increasing in 
numbers and popularity. The Galloways have been 
well represented at the shows of the L’rovinciul 
Association of Canada West, for several years past. 
SWEET POTATO CULTURE. 
There is one or two points in the article by your 
•* Western Aid,” to which I wish to call the attention 
of your readers. 1st. The mode of keeping them. 
* Of Rural Nkw-Yorkkr, No. H, VuL XIIL 
