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MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
THK LEADING AMERICAN WEEKLY 
RURAL. LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors. 
CHAS. D. BB.AGDON. Western Corresponding Editor. 
Tuk Rpkal New-Yorker is designed to be unsurpassed in 
Value, Parity, Usefulness and Variety of Contents, and 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 Kcral an eminently Reliable 
Guide on all the important Practical, Sojentiftc and other 
Subjects ultimately connected with t^e business of those whose 
interests it zealously advocates. As a Family Journal it is 
eminently Instructive and Entertaining —being so conducted 
that it can be safely taken to the Hearts and Homes of people of 
intelligence, taste and discrimination It embraces more Agri¬ 
cultural. Horticultural, Scientific. Educational, Literary and 
News Matter, interspersed with appropriate and beautiful 
Engravings, than any other journal,—rendering it the most 
complete Acriotltpral, Literary and Family Newspaper 
in America. 1 _ 
For Terms and other particulars, gee last .page. 
LOSS OF MANURE-FILTRATION. 
A correspondent who has read with great 
attention and interest our articles on Improvement, 
in Farming, asks, “ If the soil is well pulverized to 
the depth of two feet, so that water can pass freely 
through, and below this there are drains ready to 
carry off all the water not held by the soil, will not 
the soluble parts of the manure applied near the 
surface, and the soluble and the richest portions of 
the soil, he carried off by these drains and lost to 
the farmer and the crops?” This is a very natural 
and sensible Inquiry, and shows that the inquirer is 
one of those thinking men who is not willing to 
adopt any plan without a full understanding of its 
effects. On this point, however, there is no danger, 
lor the water running from pipes will he found 
clear and pure, no matter how much or what may 
bo the nature of the manure applied. Even liquid 
manure may he given in large quantities, and the 
water that lilters ihrotigh will be found clear and 
pure. Soak the soil with the dark brown drainings 
of the barn-yard, and that which passes through to 
the drains will be as clear as though just taken 
from the spring. Any one can test this matter for 
himself in a small way, so that the question maybe 
settled in his own mind beyond question. 
Among a series of experiments instituted by Pro¬ 
fessor Way and II. S. Thompson, for the purpose of 
ascertaining the power of Foil to retain, unim¬ 
paired in value, manures applied iu winter, and 
also its power to hold in suspension the fixed ammo¬ 
nia in barn-yard tanks and manure heaps, we learn 
that Mr. Thompson filtered through sandy loam, six 
inches in depth, ten grains of sulphate of ammonia 
and ten grains of Fesqui-earbonate ot ammonia, 
both dissolved in distilled water, — tho one repre¬ 
senting the anuuoniacal matter of the tank fixed by 
gypsum or sulphuric acid, and the other tho free 
ammonical solutions of the decomposed vegetable 
matter of the barn-yard — and he found that after 
passing through this thin stratum of soil, only 2.4 
grains of tin 1 sulphate of ammonia resulted in the 
one case, and only 1.3 grains in the other. When 
an eight inch stratum of the soil was used , the whole 
of the amnojvhx was retained. 
Professor Way subjected stinking tank water to 
filtration through twenty-four inches of a light 
loam, and the moisture at the foot of the tube was 
perfectly free from smell, and a mixture of this soil 
and while sand allowed the precolation of water 
through it quite clear and free Irom ammonia. 
With the drainage of a London sewer, Professor W. 
found that the ammonia is separated from the rest 
of the organic matter to the last t ract ion; the phos¬ 
phoric acid is separated from its base, and so is part 
of the sulphuric acid and all the potash; so that in 
fact the soil had selected and retained those very 
principles of the sewer water which science has 
decided to be the most valuable for the purposes of 
manure. 
Professor Mapes, in an article on this subject, 
says—“ It is impossible for manures in a fluid form 
to filter downward through any fertile soil. Even 
the brown liquor of the barn-yard will have all its 
available constituents abstracted by the soil, before 
it descends into the earth thirty-four inches. If 
this wore not true, our well3 would long since have 
become useless, the earth's surface would have 
become barren, and the raw materials of which 
plants are made, which come from the earth’s sur¬ 
face and surrounding atmosphere, would have 
passed towards the earth's center; but the carbon 
and alumina of the Hoi], each of which has the 
power of absorbing and retaining the necessary 
food of plants, are agents for carrying into effect 
the laws of nature for the protection of vegetable 
growth.’’ 
It is only iu the most porous soils, containing a 
good deal of gravel, that the manure will be washed 
down out of the reach of the roots of plants, 
and we venture the assertion that in no fertile, and 
in fact in no soil that the farmer is expected 
to cultivate, may loss be apprehended from this 
cause. 
ECONOMY AND PATRIOTISM. 
Economy is prodigality when it dries up a cow 
to save three cents a day in wheat bran. 
Economy is prodigality when it exhausts tho soil 
to save the expense of enriching it. 
Economy is prodigality when it scrimps the flock 
to save hay. 
Economy is prodigality when it buys a poor arti¬ 
cle because it is cheap. 
Economy i3 prodigality when it slights “the job” 
to save time. 
Economy is prodigality when it sticks to a poor 
tool to save buying a good ono. 
Economy is prodigality when it spends as much 
in borrowing articles as it would cost to buy them. 
Economy would he the worst prodigality , if it 
should hazard our “Union and Constitution ” to save 
the blood and treasure required to defend them. 
Economy is the highest style of patriotism when 
it guards tho public treasures from pluMer and 
peculation. Whoever, in times like these, dampens 
the ardor of a generous people by the abuse of their 
confidence, and the misuse cf their means, adds 
treason to ireadiery. To lilcli from another’s purse 
is theft; lint to take the .last plank from the ship¬ 
wrecked mariner, or the last loaf from a starving 
family, is murder. He strikes at the life of the 
nation, who wastes its means of defence. Whether 
in office or oul, whoever commits a fraud upon our 
Government, in its life and death struggle, is guilty 
of a crime of unusual magnitude. 
But there is this further consideration. Constitu¬ 
tional liberty is committed to our keeping, and if we 
would avoid anarchy on one side, and despotism on 
the other, we must hold ourselves, and all, ready 
for any sacrifice our country may demand. Should 
a whole generation perish in the struggle, it is 
nothing compared with tho priceless boon of a gov¬ 
ernment founded Upon inalienable human rights. 
What wo have, then, as well as what we are, 
belongs not to ourselves, but to God and our Coun¬ 
try; and while we nerve Ourselves for the conflict, 
let us not forget that wo should husband all our 
resources and adopt a rigid economy to provide for 
the exigencies of the state. How large a draft may 
yet be made upon us none can tell. 
Fashion, brainless and soulless as it i3 known to 
be, if it shall not take sober hues from our-country’s 
woes, and coarser fare in sympathy with our 
brothers of the touted fields, shall hereafter be 
branded as an outlaw ! 
Let wealth and social position honor themselves 
by simplicity in dress, frugality iu diet, and general 
economy/ A well worn coat and a faded bonnet 
are now badges of honor in sensible and patriotic 
eyes. Let the needle be faithfully applied to the 
rents in upper and nether garments, and millions 
upon millions may be saved for public detence. Let 
us forego our intended journey, our contemplated 
improvements of the family mansion, and all out¬ 
lays that have more reference toFhow than neces¬ 
sity; all the while remembering that economy in the 
use of our time is a most productive.economy. 
And may Heaven bless the right.—u. t. b. 
WESTERN EDITORIAL NOTES. 
COTTON CUXTUKE — FACTS AND NOTES. 
In a previous article 1 have shown that a large 
area of South Illinois is adapted to the growth ot 
cotton—that cotton has been grown there since the 
year 171)0 — twenty years after the first export of 
cotton was made from the United States to England. 
Since writing the article referred to, I have had 
opportunity to extend my researches relative to 
this subject of Cotton Culture, and have determined 
to give such facts as may ho of value and interest 
to those preparing to experiment in this branch of 
husbandry. 
VARIETIES. 
According to Ltnnaius, there are five species of 
this plant: Oossypium hvrbaceum, G. arboreum, G. 
hirsutum , G. religiosum , and G. Barbadense. Other 
writers vary the number of species, some giving as 
many as ten distinct species. But these species are 
are divided into three classes, and may be distin¬ 
guished as: 1. The Herbaceous Cotton; 2. The 
Shrub Cotton; 3. The Tree Cotton. 
1. The Herbaceous Cotton. — This plant grows to 
the height of two to six feet. The leaves are dark 
green, blue veined, and five lobed. The flower is 
pale yellow, one pistil, five petals, purple spotted 
at the bottom. The pod, when ripening, bursts, 
aud discloses a snow-white or yellowish ball of 
down or staple in three locks, inclosing and lightly 
adheriug to the seeds, which resemble — though 
much larger — those of thu grape in form. The 
seed is green. It is the species mostly cultivated in 
the South —more generally cultivated throughout 
the world than any other kind. There are many 
varieties of this kind; but the difference is only 
marked by au experienced cultivator. This is, 
doubtless, the variety that should be planted in 
Illinois. It is biennial in the West Indies, but 
would become an annual here. It produces a short 
staple. It must be planted as early in the spring as 
possible, without risk from late frosts. 
2. The Shrub Cotton,— It is said to be annual, 
biennial, triennial, or perennial, depending upon 
the climate; and it will grow anywhere where the 
herbaceous species grow. The species known as 
G. Barbadense is, by some writers, classed under 
this head; and Wood gives this as the specific name 
of the lamed and highly valued Sea Island Cotton. 
If if really is, it is an important matter determined. 
Other writers confirm this by saying that the Sea 
Island is derived from the G. arboreum , or Tree 
Cotton. And yet there is confusion; lor one writer 
asserts that the Herbaceous and Shrub Cottons pro¬ 
duce black seed. The Sea Island Cotton is known 
as the black seeded variety, therefore it would he 
classed as belonging to the Tree Cotton family. But. 
here is auothev important fact to consider. It is as¬ 
serted that the color of the seed depends upon cli¬ 
mate and soil—that the Sea Island Cotton, as culti¬ 
vated in the East Indies, when taken back into the 
upland districts, produces green seed and a short- 
shorter staple. Hence it may be that Wood is cor¬ 
rect in his classification ; and it may be equally true 
that this species is derived lrom, though not identical 
with, the Tree Cotton. A writer in a Central Illi¬ 
nois paper talks of having seen samples of Sea Island 
Cotton grown in several parts of Middle Illinois, 
and he avers that while the staple is shorter than 
that produced in the extreme South, the bolls are as 
large and the quality as tineas the Southern grown. 
I do not believe the Sea Island Cotton, if it can be 
grown at all hero, can be grown to produce as fine 
a staple as on the sandy islands of the South, How¬ 
ever, ati excellent staple may be produced : and it 
may be that we may produce it from Gossypiwn Bar¬ 
badense , and which Government agents may obtain 
atJHtlton Head or Port Royal. 
I)B Bow, in one of his essays, says: “ The section 
of country capable of producing this (Sea Island 
Cotton,) staple is very limited, being confined to the 
low sandy islands along the coast of South Carolina 
and Georgia, from Charleston to Savannah. I sup¬ 
pose he Bpeaks of the long staple. 
The Hon. Wiutemarsh Sbabrook, in a paper on 
this subject, limits the district in which the long 
staple or black seeded cotton can profitably be 
grown, In South Carolina, to the distance of about 
30 miles from the ocean. And yet if the change in 
soil and climate shortens tho staple and changes the 
color ot the seed without affecting the fine quality of 
the staple, why may it not be growu iu Illinois ? 
In a paper on Cotton Culture in the East Indies, 
Db Bow, referring to the Sea Islaud Cotton, says : 
“ In mentioning this very superior variety as suita¬ 
ble to maritime districts, 1 by uo means intend to 
express an opinion that it must be confined to Ruch 
localities; for although it delights in and requires to 
have common salt, within reach ot its roots, yet this 
might be supplied By adding that saline manure to 
soils situated far from the sea.” 
3. The Tree Cotton.—W ith this species we have 
little to do. It is not much cultivated any where. 
Its chief peculiarity, of any value, is the fineness and 
silky nature of its sthplo. But this peculiarity is re¬ 
tained in the Sea Island Cotton, which is said to be 
derived from it—as grown on the Sea Islands of 
Georgia and South Carolina. 
the son,. 
In answer to the question, “ What kind of soil is 
required ?” but little need be said beyond this. In 
order to grow cotton well, a rich, light, porous, well- 
drained soil isrequired. Vegetable carbon,carbonate 
of lime, silcx, and, in the production of the long sta¬ 
ple, saline matter seems to he essential. The rich 
light loams of our prairies, and especially of South 
Illinois, will be found well adapted to the growth ot 
this plant. The species G. herbneeum docs not re¬ 
quire so ligut u soil as G. Barbadense ; butthelight¬ 
er the soil the better the quality and greater the 
quantity of staple. If the soil is rich and moist, foil- 
age is produced ; fructification is weak. 
preparation of soil. 
The cotton plant has a long, delicate tap-root, and 
the soil should be well and deeply pulverized—say 
18 to 24 inches. The more thorough the pulveriza¬ 
tion the better the preparation of the soil. Some 
writers have recommended trench plowing on Our 
Illinois lands. On old lands this may be a good 
practice ; but on the new soils, the sub-soil plow 
should be used instead. All the testimony I have 
found on this subject is emphatic iu regard to the 
importance of thoroughly pulverizing the soil. It 
would be well to throw the soil up in narrow beds 
when plowing, by back-furrowing the same. In 
the extreme northern limits of the cotton growing 
region it will be found profitable to fall plow and let 
the frost aid in the process of pulverization. I am 
not convinced that this will not bo the best policy 
anywhere in this State.* The width of the beds 
should depend upon the distance the rows or drills 
are made apart. This distance is usually five to 
eight feet; and it will be good practice to plant the 
row or drill in the center of the bed or land. 
CHOICE AND PREPARATION OF SEED.—QUANTITY. 
Good seed can easily be distinguished from poor 
by putting it in water. The good seed will sink. If 
seed is over a year old the above test will be relia¬ 
ble ; for the imperfect seed will have perished. 
A western contemporary says a bushel properly 
planted will he ample for live or six acres. Doubt- 
* A Southern writer says: " Lair) intended to bo planted in 
cotton should be bedded up as early in the winter as possible, to 
allow the freezes to pulverize the still thoroughly and the land 
to settle Immediately under the tap root. The plowing should 
be done with tho best turning plows as deeply as the nature aud 
depth of the soil will admit, and iu the most thorough manner. 1 
Especial care should be taken to leave no land unbroken be¬ 
tween the furrows.’’ 
WB 
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SMALL IlTTIi.'VTj DOTJ1HL.E COTfAUK. 
It is notbften we see a double cottage, or a double 
house of any kind, with any pretensions to taste, or 
even convenience or economy of arrangement. The 
accompanying plan, by Calvert Vapx, is one of 
the best, we have ever noticed* and we therefore 
give it to our readers. Not many, perhaps, will ■ 
want to build such a house, though where two small 
tenements are needed there is great economy in 
building both under one roof. The accompanying 
design shows two very neat fronts, and one favora¬ 
ble feature of the plan is, that the entrances are 
entirely independent of each other, and on differ¬ 
ent sides ot the building. This plan may be modi¬ 
fied so as to make one very convenient residence. 
“ The engravings and ground plan show a design 
for a cottage for two small families. Under the 
farmer’s living room is a basement-kitchen, with the 
windows considerably out of ground, and under the 
coachman’s kitchen is a cellar—the entrances are, 
as will he perceived, quite distinct. Up stairs the 
farmer has three bed-rooms; the coachman but one, 
according to instructions. Such a cottage would 
cost about $1,800, neatly finished. 
“ Such a plan would not be unsuitable for a lodge, 
iu which the families of a gardener and gate-keeper 
could live, or it might be fitted up a little more 
completely, and offer convenient accommodation to 
two Mends who felt inclined to build it on some 
agreeable rural lot for a few months’ quiet residence 
in the summer. 
“It seems strange that thiB*idea should not be 
more frequently acted on than is the case at present. 
Far away from the fashionable watering-places, but 
easily accessible from the cities—in the heart'd 
Vermont, for instance—may be found bold, beauti¬ 
ful scenery, pure air, and a pleasant neighborhood. 
Land is cheap, timber cheap, living cheap, and 
all of the best. These are the spots that should 
attract the attention of heads of families who wish 
to give their young people the benefit of country 
life in the summer. A long trip of three months 
may, in this way, be taken at a less cost than 
will be Incurred tbr a brief, glittering three weeks 
at Saratoga or Newport, and with real, instead 
of nominal, advantage to the health of the juniors 
who join in it 
PLAN OF 
PRINCIPAL.fLOOR, 
“ This cottage is proposed to be constructed of 
wood, filled in with brick, and covered with clap¬ 
boards. The upper view shows a rear addition to 
the coachman’s part of the house, which is not 
indicated on the plan, and which might be included 
iu the design, if thought worth while, although the 
house is complete without it. The verge-boards 
and porch are proposed to be slightly ornamented.” 
SMALL RURAL DOUBLE COTTAGE. 
ful. Of course the quantity must depend on the 
manner it is planted, distance of rows apart, and 
whether in hills or drills. Nowhere have 1 found 
less than a bushel per acre recommended, and more 
frequently one and a half and t wo bushels'are given 
as the quantity required to plant au acre. 
Sometimes the seed is sprouted before planting. 
In Northern latitudes this may be important. In 
the South, where the season is long, it is not so 
necessary. 
MODE OK PLANTING. 
All testimony goes to shows that it is not profita¬ 
ble to crowd this plant. The distance of the rows 
apart must depend upon the character and strength 
of the soil and the variety of the seed planted. If the 
soil is stiff, more seed should be planted than if 
light and porous. As I have belore intimated, it is 
regarded the best practice to plaut in drills or rows 
in tho center of narrow beds or lands—the rows 
lrom four to six feet apart, and the plants three inch¬ 
es apart, if in drills, or the hills one to two feet 
apart The herbaceous species requires less room 
than the shrub or Sea Island species. The quality 
of the staple will depend much upon tho distance 
the plants stand apart A greater quantity is ob¬ 
tained l»y thick planting, but at an expensq of the 
quality of the staple and the strength of the land, 
with no corresponding increase in the value of the 
crop. 
The best mode of sowing, as gi^en in West India 
and the Southern culture, is to open a drill of uni¬ 
form depth down the center of the bed, drop the seed, 
and cover with a harrow or by dragging a heavy 
board or plank lengthwise of it- If the seed is plant¬ 
ed in hills it may possibly be dropped by some of 
our corn planters and covered with a hoe. In such 
case the usual distance of planting corn in checkrow 
—three and a half or four feet each way—might 
answer.* The writer cun see no reason why the seed 
may not be successfully put in with Emery’s Seed 
Drill, it will plant almost any kind of seed, large 
or small : and if the cottonseed is any where near 
cleau. it must be brushed out of the hopper of this 
drill. One to one and a half inches is the usual 
depth— not deeper . 
CULTURE. 
The ground must be kept clean and the surface 
well stirred. This is done with the board drag, be¬ 
fore spoken of, or a one-horse harrow, or a scraper, 
in the early stages of its growth. In this early cul¬ 
ture care should be taken not to disturb the young 
roots. Later, a small plow is used to throw dirt to 
the plant. Surface culture is generally recommend¬ 
ed. The laying by is done with a turning plow, by 
which the beds are preserved intact or dressed up, 
the ditches or dead furrows being cleaned out. We 
have implements in Illinois admirably adapted to 
this culture. Especially is Tuunku’h Cultivator 
adapted to this work, if the operator is properly 
posted in its use. 
The hoe is used not only to take care of the weeds 
and dress about the plant, but to “ chop” or eut out 
the plants, leaving the required number in the liili. 
* Since writing the above an essay by a prominent Southern 
cotton eulturist has come to my notice, in which he says’ 
•• Thick planting in moderation on ail soils—say six feet by 
eighteen inches on bottom land, and four feet by twelve inches 
on good upland—will be found tho most productive in an aver¬ 
age of years.” 
TWO DOLLARS A. YEAR.] 
PROGRESS _A.NL> IIMTPXiO YEIMENT.’ 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.,—FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1862. 
S WHOLE NO. 631. 
VOL. Xm. NO. 7.! 
[SINGLE NO. I’OUR CENTS. 
