TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.] 
“PROGRESS AYR IMPROVEMENT.” 
[SITSTGrLE NO. EOTJFt CEISTTS. 
vol. xm. no. m 
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-F0R THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1862. 
...... , 1 
1 WHOLE NO. 643. 
1 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
THE LEADING AMERICAN WEEKLY 
rural, literary and family newspaper. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors. 
CHAS. D. BRAGUON. Western Corresponding Editor. 
The Rural New-Yorker is designed to be unsurpassed in 
Value. Purity, Usefulness and Variety of Contents, and unique 
and beautiful in Appearance. Its Conductor devotes his per¬ 
sonal attention to the supervision of its various departments, 
and earnestly labors to render the P.ukai, an eminently Reliable 
Guide on all the important Practical, Scientific and other 
Subjects intimately connected with the business of those whose 
interests it jealously advocates Aa a Family Journal it is 
eminently Instructive and Entertaining —being so conducted 
that it can be safely taken to tho 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 Agricultural, Literary and Family Newspaper 
in America. 
KNOWLEDGE AND PKACTICE. 
are planned, and the faithfulness with which these 
plans are carried out. Unless we have learned 
something from our reading and observation the 
past year, that will be profitable in practice, then in 
this respect we have lived in vain. 
EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 
It is an old and true saying that “Knowledge is 
power;” yet many men who are far above their fel¬ 
lows in knowledge are much below them in real 
power. They possess great funds of knowledge, but 
it is not in the proper shape to be used—a mere mass 
of interesting lumber, like the curiosities in a mu¬ 
seum or the furniture in a cabinet shop. The knowl¬ 
edge we possess needs arranging and systematizing, 
like the soldiers in an army: and then, and only then, 
is it DUWerfiil It jo < .ft,." ‘'•"'•r all the 
racism our possession, all the knowledge we can com¬ 
mand, to bear upon a certain point; yet because of 
thiR want of systematic arrangement, or the mar¬ 
shalling of facts to their appropriate work, the man 
of great knowledge is lar more powerless than one 
much his inferior, who understands how to use to 
the best advantage the few facts in his possession. 
A fine chest of tools will not make a man a car¬ 
penter. He must learn how to use them before he 
will be able to do much good; and some men with 
a saw and jackknife will accomplish more than 
others could with the finest and best arrauged set of 
tools in the world. It is not only necessary that we 
shonld possess facts, and have them properly sys¬ 
tematized, but that we shonld have experience in 
their use, or the result will be a failure. Many 
persons engaged through most of their lives in com¬ 
merce. Ac., have a love for rural pursuits. They 
design to spend the latter part of their days in the 
country, and they study books and papers, and in 
fact amass a great amount of useful knowledge; but 
when they come to put this knowledge in practice, 
instead of being wise and skillful, as they expected 
to be—quite shining lights, astonishing the ignorant, 
plodding farmers—they find that their practice 
furnishes a great amount of amusement to their 
neighbors and discomfort to themselves. If they 
have sufficient patience and perseverance to con¬ 
tinue, in spite of discouragements, until they learn to 
practice what they have learned from books, until 
the hand as well as the head becomes skilled, they 
will make the very best of farmers; but without this, 
disgust soon takes the place of disappointment, and 
the discouraged amateur farmer returns to his city 
life, thinking himself a wiser if not a richer man. 
But, how is it with the genuine farmer—he who 
has spent his youth and much ot his manhood in 
tilling the soil. Does he, as a general rule, make 
use of the knowledge he possesses? Does even his 
theory and practice agree? Flow very few can say 
at the end of a season, “ I have done all things w r elL : ‘ 
Is it not a fact well understood by those ot large 
observation, that many of our most intelligent men 
are the worst farmers; and even some who teach 
the right w ith energy and eloquence, pursue the 
course which their words condemn. This seems 
strange to some, but it must be remembered that it 
is hard to overcome early habits, even when we 
know them to be wrt ng. 
' There is now no necessity, no excuse for igno¬ 
rance, The agricultural papers are found in every 
neighborhood, and in many sections in almost every 
house. They are so cheap us lo be within the reach 
of all; and in no country in the world is agricul¬ 
tural knowledge so generally disseminated as in our 
favored land. The character of our press will not 
suffer in comparison with that of any section of 
Europe; for while we may lack some of the heavy 
scientific papers found in European journals, which 
only one in a thousand reads, nowhere can so great 
an amount of useful information, furnished by prac¬ 
tical working men, be obtained as in the agricultu¬ 
ral papers of America. Our farmers are a reading 
class; and for intelligence, we believe superior to 
those of any other portion of the world. Did we put 
into practice the knowledge we possess, and act 
according to the dictates of our own good judgment, 
we could be in all respects above comparison. 
Another season of labor is about to commence. 
Like the lawyer, who invests all his energies and 
abilities for the preparation of an important case, the 
lamer should summon all his resources for the 
coming straggle. Success or failure depends, in a 
great measure, upon the skill with which operations 
nearly so nutritious. When a horse returns from 
work, perspiring and out ot breath, it- should be 
allowed to rest for a tiq*e, then given a little hay; 
half an hour afterwards, water, and then oats or 
other grain. By this plan water may be given with¬ 
out risk of cold, as the oats act as a stimulant 
Agricultural Schools of Ireland, 
A special correspondent of the London Times 
last year made quite an extensive tour through Ire¬ 
land, for the purpose of visiting and examining the 
Farm Schools of that country. From bis details we 
condense the following brief notices of two or three 
of these valuable agencies now working for the 
advancement of Irish agriculture: 
Several classes of agricultural schools are assisted 
or supported by the Board of National Education. 
First, worklionso school farms, where, on the recom¬ 
mendation of the Agricultural Inspectors, the mas¬ 
ters receive a gratuity averaging about £5 per 
annum, there being at present about 60 such school 
farms oil to 26 acres in 22 counties. Second, ordi¬ 
nary school farms, where a master rents a few acres, 
devotes a part of each day to indoor and outdoor 
agricultural teaching, and is allowed £5 a year in 
addition to his salary. Of such there are now 42 in 
20 counties, having plots of ground from 1 to 27 
acres, and instructing from 5 to Gfi pupils each. 
Third, agricultural schools, under local manage¬ 
ment, where the master bears the expenses, takes 
the receipts, and receives £10 yearly from the Board. 
Fourth, agricultural schools managed exclusively 
by the commissioners. These two classes comprise 
thirty-six considerable farms, with model farm build¬ 
ings and large and handsome establishments for the 
accommodation and instruction of pupils. In 1850 
the number of ‘•agricultural hoardms” at tbeae 
*ehooi« ■»•»*■- ?i«s —»-* or‘ agricultural day pupils” 
1.115; and, as a college to which these establish¬ 
ments are preparatory, there is the Albert National 
Agricultural Training Institution at Glasnevin, near 
Dublin. This was established in 1838 to supply such 
instruction in scientific and practical agriculture as 
will qualify young men tor land stewards, ‘‘agricul¬ 
turists,'’ agricultural teachers, and so on. Of course, 
it is important that a model and instructionary farm 
should pay. At many, but not at all the schools, 
this is the case. 
Munster School Farm, near Cork, under the man¬ 
agement of Mr. Cunningham, leaves a handsome 
balance every year, and is certainly well stocked at 
the present time. The land (127 acres; is rented of 
the Duke of Devonshire; it is worked by four or five 
hired laborers and twelve pupils, (though tho school 
has accommodations for thirty-two,) the husbandry 
combining dairying with tillage. Mangel wurzol, 
manured, is followed by wheat; then comes a stolen 
crop of vetches for soiling milch cows, succeeded by 
Swede and Aberdeen turnips. Barley is the next 
crop, then Italian rye-grass and red clover, cut for 
soiling, and top-dressed with guano and liquid 
manure after each cutting. The artificial grass crop 
is grazed the next year, and plowed up for oats. 
The milk of twenty-nine cows yields butter, chiefly 
salted in firkins, and partly sold fresh; eight or ten 
cows are fattened off in loose boxes in winter upon 
mangels, turnips, straw, and oil cake; and young 
breeding sows are sold out of the piggeries. The 
farmstead is exceedingly well arranged, and fitted 
with every moderate requisite. At present there 
are four horses, fifty-four cattle, and fourteen pigs 
upon the farm; the valuation (made in March by 
the inspector and a practical farmer in the neigh¬ 
borhood) of lire stock, farm produce in hand, crops 
sown, implements, and manures, came to £1,558; 
and last year the farm yielded a nett profit of £1114. 
Ulster School Farm, near Belfast, is in less favora¬ 
ble circumstances. The laud, one hundred and six 
acres, is a clay, lately taken in a wet and miserably 
poor condition. The fences were thrown down, so 
as to bring the whole into large incloaura?; draining 
partly done, four feet deep, and at eight yards dis¬ 
tance, and only part of the farm has yet been 
brought into good order for lbur-eourse husbandry. 
Thera are some fine Swedes growing, a good crop of 
beans in stock, and a fair crop of oats just harvested. 
The institution is chiefly for training school teach¬ 
ers, but has accommodation for ten agricultural 
pupils, there being at present six. Twelve milch 
cows are kept, and some young stock; but the busi¬ 
ness is, so to speak, all outlay until the poverty and 
wetness of the ground have been expensively over¬ 
come by draining, manuring, and good tillage. 
Feeding and Watering Ilorses. 
The following abridged observations of a 
French writer in the Journal d' Agriculture Pra¬ 
tique, are deserving the attention of all who have 
horses under their care: 
The same quantity of oats given to a horse pro¬ 
duces different effects according to the time they are 
administered. I have made the experiment on my 
own horses, and always observed there is a quantity 
of matter not digested, when I purposely gave them 
water immediately after a feed of oats. There is 
decidedly, then, a great advantage in giving horses 
water before grain is fed to them. There is another 
bad practice, I observe; that of giving grain and hay 
on their return to the stable immediately after hard 
work. Being very hungry, they devour much food 
eagerly, and do not properly masticate it; the con¬ 
sequence is that it is not so well digested, and not 
Italian Pigs. 
From a letter describing the animals at a recent 
agricultural exhibition in Italy, we copy as follows: 
A few of the pigs seen here were small, rather 
fat, pig-like creatures; but the greater part of them 
were enormous, boar-like monsters, some white, 
some black, some very hairy, some with tusks, 
some without; all of them the most guant, long- 
legged, diabolical looking brutes imaginable. The 
little round fellows were of the Cineso breed; the 
hairless frights were from the lovely Val d’ Arno; 
the most formidable tusks were from Contcntino 
and Sardinia; the most highly prized appeared to 
be the Tuscan Gentdl, and Forestieri. black giants, 
almost wild, living in the woods, weighing from 000 
to 700 Tuscan pounds, with long, boar-like, black 
bristles, long tusks, and legs like stilts; bold enough 
to attack a traveler, and ferocious enough to give 
him a good deal of trouble, but furnishing pork of a 
superior flavor, and hams which appear to occupy a 
high place in the affections of Italian gourmets. 
Some of these brutes were seven feet long, without 
counting their long snouts and longer tufted tails. 
Prince Orsini, Prince Demidolf, and a numerous 
company of dukes, marquises, counts, and barons, 
seem to have devoted their energies with especial 
zeal to the development of the procine genus. 
bestowed that afford positions of influence or prom¬ 
inence before the public, whether it be an office in a 
Farmer’s Club, a County Society, or even the Presi¬ 
dency of a State Sociaty, there is suddenly a growth 
of agricultural fungi, covering the carcasses of 
defunct politicians, old party hacks, dilapidated 
professionals, bankrupt merchants, spoiled specula¬ 
tors, Ac., Ac., which gives them an entirely new 
character! What a wonderful interest they take in 
agriculture! llow complacently they assert that 
they were “raised on a farm!” How proudly they 
rake up reminiscences of the times when they drove 
team, held the plow, and picked up the stoue! How 
sapiently they deliver themselves of profound theo¬ 
ries concerning deep plowing, draining, and agri¬ 
culture generally! Of these two characters in one 
I say, with the immortal Falstatt - :—“ The devil take 
one party, and his dam the other, ami so shall they 
both be bestowed.” Agriculture (to paraphrase the 
Bamo eminent authority) has “suffered more for 
their sakes, more than the villainous inconstancy of 
man’s disposition is able to bear.” Let the Rural 
reader write his Member of Congress and the Sen¬ 
ators from his State, urging that no one but an emi¬ 
nently scientific and practical agriculturist and 
horticulturist, who is at the same time a business 
man, bu placed in any such position; and demand 
that such a position shall be created for such a man. 
A NEW MOWER AND REAPER. 
Abortion in Cows produced by Smut on Corn. 
Tub Belgian ,17tha/s of Veterinary Medicine 
publishes a statement that the UstilagO Mad is , or 
parasitic mushroom, vhieh occurs on maize or 
Indian corn, as ergot docs on rye, produces abortion 
in cows fed with it. The article says, that in a 
stable where cows were given maize infested with 
this parasite, eleven abortions occurred within eight 
days, when, the cause being suspected and the food 
changed, no further case happened. The author ot 
"the discovery then, to assure himself of the supposed 
iaet, dried and pulverized some of the fungi, and 
administered six drachms of the powder to two hitch 
dogs heavy with pup, and abortion was produced 
in each. This statement should be studied and 
carefully investigated by stock keepers in the 
United States, and more attention be bestowed by 
them upon the feed of breeding animals, as it is 
very possible that many otherwise unaccountable 
cases of slunk calves can be attributed to diseased 
corn. Whether the ripeness of the fungus, or its 
occurrence on green or dry fodder makes any differ¬ 
ence, are points to be settled. 
Russell’s Screw-Power Combined Reaper 
and Mower is a new competitor among the har¬ 
vesting machines. We believe it was first fairly 
introduced last season, and then used and com¬ 
mended by many practical farmers, especially in 
Central New York, where it originated. As we 
have never seen this machine iu operation, we 
cannot speak of its capacity from personal knowl¬ 
edge, but judging from the testimony of reputa¬ 
ble farmers, consider it a valuable invention. To 
enable our readers to understand its construction 
and operation, we give the annexed illustration of 
a section of the screw-power machine, together with 
the inventor’s description of its working, and the 
advantages claimud: 
llovcn in Cattle. 
This disease is usually brought on by cattle 
being removed from confinement and winter feed¬ 
ing to the luxuriance of the clover field, In the 
article on Veterinary Science in the new Encyclo¬ 
paedia Britannica , the oils of liuseed and turpen¬ 
tine are stated to be nearly a specific. For a large 
animal take linseed oil raw, one pound; oil of tur¬ 
pentine, from one to three ounces; laudanum from 
one to two ounces—and after mixing, administer tho 
whole at a dose. 
WESTERN EDITORIAL NOTES. 
WHAT WESTERN MEN WANT. 
Just now, there is a want which has long enough 
been withheld. The men of the West—the Agri¬ 
culturists of the West—whose sons and brethren 
have fought and fallen at Belmont, Henry, Donel- 
son, Lexington, Pea Ridge, Spring Creek, and Shi¬ 
loh, want Congress to promptly pass a law estab¬ 
lishing an Agricultural Bureau. 
The burthen of taxation which is to fall upon the 
agriculturists of the country renders this action on 
the part of Congress very important, because it is 
believed that, if properly organized, this department 
of the Government will prove an economical invest¬ 
ment. Whatever step shall aid in developing the 
resources of our soils, in increasing the diverse pro¬ 
duction, and in lurnishing reliable data upon which 
to base both productive and commercial operations, 
should be taken by Congress. And it. is firmly 
believed that the establishment of such a depart¬ 
ment at this time, placing it under the direction of 
a practical, patriotic man, having a clear conception 
of its importance, duties, and responsibilities, will 
be such a step. 
Take notice. I would not write one word in favor 
of this measure, if I supposed or feared that the 
organization of such a department would prove 
simply a haven for place-hunters—adventurers with 
nothing to lose, either of reputation or conscience. 
Not a word would I write if there were reason to 
distrust the patriotic singleness of purpose of the 
appointing power, or his thorough appreciation of 
the character and importance of a measure ho has 
recommended. I do not distrust it; and yet I am 
informed from a high source, that men are already 
“laying pipe” for the control of this department, in 
case it is established, whose qualifications for the 
positions they apply for are very far removed from 
what it is supposed is essential to a proper discharge 
of the duties that will follow. 
Agriculture and agriculturists have a great many 
friends; and it is found that when places are to be 
ANOTHER WANT. 
It is well known to most Western readers, and to # 
many iu the East, that Dr. Warder, of Cincinnati, 
has long been preparing a fruit book, to be adapted 
more particularly to the wants of the West Scarce 
a week passes in which something is not said or 
written to me concerning this book. From year to 
year it has been announced that he hoped to issue 
it in a short space. Wliat the reason is that, it has 
not been issued, I am unable to say; but it may be 
surmised that “the times'’ have had much to do 
with it. No one—at least few—doubts the qualifica¬ 
tions of Dr. W. to prepare such a work. And from 
some remarks that have been dropped in my hear¬ 
ing by my respected friend. I have been led to sup¬ 
pose that he desires to make it as complete as pos¬ 
sible. But. there is a difficulty against which he 
must constantly contend. Each recurring year 
brings to notice some new fruit or some new quality 
or peculiarity in old varieties; some phenomenon 
resulting from climate, locality, or other conditions, 
not heretofore discovered. The positive knowledge 
of last year becomes modified this year by these 
new facts. We fiud our positive utterances of last 
year vulnerable, and we contradict them this year. 
It is plain, therefore, that unless time ends, and 
our experiences and observations end. we must 
continue to revise with each returning season. The 
proposition is, amt I have consulted with Western 
horticultural friends sufficiently to be convinced 
that it will he popular with them, that some one 
well qualified,—Dr. Warder, if he will,—prepare 
and publish an Annual Fruit Book, to cost a dollar, 
or a dollar and a quarter. Let it. be carefully pre¬ 
pared, and describe mainly current popular varie¬ 
ties, at the same time giving in compendious form 
new discoveries, the results of experiments, Ac. 
A book such as it is supposed Dr. Warder 
intends publishing, will bo costly. Of course it 
will be purchased by most horticulturists at any 
price; but there are thousands who would not buy 
it who would buy such an annual. F need not dis¬ 
cuss the advantages to orchardista and horticultur¬ 
ists generally, to result from the publication of such 
a work. Nor need F urge its necessity. Neither is 
it necessary to assure its popularity. If the right, 
talent were placed upon it, it would be successful, 
useful, indispensable; it would supply a want which 
is felt in the West, It would become standard 
authority, as it should be. 
ESSEX BIOS FOR BACON. 
I met my good friend Carpenter when 1 was 
down in Egypt. When be removed hither from 
Wisconsin, he took with him a lot of Essex swine. 
1 inquired as to his success, and their adaptability 
to that climate, lie answered that they had suc¬ 
ceeded admirably. He says the further South they 
go the better they become, and the less prejudice 
against them because of their coh9>! Crossed with 
the native Southern swine, the result is a most 
excellent quality of bacon. 
TOBACCO. 
The season is iate, and comparatively little grain 
has been sown. The soil has hardly been in condi¬ 
tion to work. Something must be substituted for 
wheat and oats on large areas of Western lands. If 
the plants can be secured, tobacco may be found 
profitable. The samples oi Illinois grown tobacco 
I have seen the past year, and the success of the 
Germans in its culture, warrant the recommenda¬ 
tion of further experiments. A most excellent 
quality has been produced in this (Cook) county. 
Dr. ScintacnER, of McLean county, bad a quarter 
of an acre in cultivation on his little farm. He 
says he finds it profitable; he finds no difficulty iri 
growing what tobacconists call a very tine quality, 
and estimates his profits at from t?80 to $100 per 
acre. In 1860 he grew an acre of it He plants on 
the black alluvial bottom lands. Among your 
readers are men who have had much practical 
experience, who may do much service by giving it 
in detail now. 
SECTION OF RUSSELL’S MOWER AND REAPER. 
“ The groat peculiarity of this mower and reaper 
is the manner in which the necessary motion is 
given to the knives, without the aid of cog-gearing. 
In the above cut, A represents a section of the 
frame of the machine. As the drive-wheel, B, 
revolves upon its shaft, the conical friction rollers, 
C, C, twenty-one in number, follow each other up 
the flange of the screw, D. the passage of each roller 
giving the screw one revolution. At the foot of the 
screw-shaft is attached the pitman crank, E, The 
advantages of the Screw-Power over all cog-geared 
machines, are. first, Us light draft, operating with 
thirty per cent. less power than the average of all 
other machines of the same length of bar; this is 
shown by the dynamometer. Second —Its perfect 
simplicity and durability. The great friction and 
* wear and tear' of cog-gearing is obviated. Third— 
The general arrangements for raking off, raising 
and dropping the cutter-bar, throwing out of gear; 
in fact all the various points that are necessary for 
a perfect working mower or reaper, are found in 
this machine, as all who have used it will testily.” 
Further information relative to this improvement 
may he obtained by addressing Russell & Tre- 
main. Manufacturers, Manlius, N. Y., whose adver¬ 
tisement is given in this paper. 
CULTURE OF SEEDLING POTATOES. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker: — Reading over the 
list of inquiries and answers in the New-Yorker 
of April 5lh, I noticed the inquiry of Samuel A. 
Purdie, Columbus, N. Y., concerning seedling 
potatoes, lie wishes to know the best way of rais¬ 
ing them from the seed. My mode is as follows: 
I gather the balls irum the potatoes in the fall, 
then squeeze out the seed from the ball on brown 
paper or cloth, and let them dry in tho sun until all 
the starch, is dried out. Then rub them through the 
hands until they are separated from the cloth or 
paper, and do them up in small paper bags and 
label, so that I can tell them from the rest of my 
seed. In the spring I take a box or an old tin pan, 
till it up with good rich soil, anil sow the seed the 
same as 1 do tomatoes. Keep them thus until the 
plants are big enough to set out in the garden, or 
a good, mellow soil, prepared for them. Set them 
out one foot apart one way, and about thirty inches 
the other way, putting two plants into the hills. 
Keep them well hoed out, and apply ashes and 
plaster two or three times during the season. In this 
way I have raised them as large as a hen’s egg the 
first season from the seed. The next year I plant 
them the same as 1 would the rest of my potatoes in 
the field. 
In this manner I have raised some new potatoes 
from what is here, called the English Flukes. I 
have obtained but one variety from them. I sup¬ 
pose the cause of there being only one kind arises 
from the fact that there were only two kinds of 
potatoes planted — the Flukes and the Hemlock. 
These were planted side by side, but not in the 
same bills, and they germinated from the Hemlock 
with the blossoms of the Flukes. The new kiud is 
white, shaped like the Hemlock, eyes sunk pretty 
deep, with light red pink around the eyes. The 
Fluke is an oblong potato, rather small. The rest 
did not vary from the original one from which I 
procured the ball. I have several times tried, but 
could get only aa many new kinds as (here were 
different sorts planted. If there was oply one kind 
planted then I never could get a new variety. It 
would be like the original. I have got some three 
IRVING Chant Co N Y 
