sms* 
AGRICULTURE- 
ROCHESTER. N. Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY. JANUARY'6. 1866 
WHOLE NO. 833, 
ESTABLISHED IN 1830 
FOREST WORK IN WINTER 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
• AN ORIGINAL WEEKI-T 
RURAL. LITERARY ARC FAMILY NEWSPAPER 
Much of the farmer’s work in the winter, per¬ 
tains to the forest. Fortunate, indeed, is he, if 
he possesses an ample and well stocked wood 
lot. It supplies his fuel, and by jndleions man¬ 
agement can be made to famish the greater part 
of the lumber he requires. To obtain this, the 
farmer should make estimates of the amount and 
kind he desires to tese during the ensuing year; 
and then take advantage of suitable weather, and 
procure it, if possible, from his own possessions. 
Large trees, containing "valuable lumber, should 
be taken to the mill when they have ceased grow¬ 
ing, and if the products are not required for use 
at home, they will briug a handsome sum in 
market. » 
Oak, elm and ash, which are common, make 
suitable planks for stable floors. Beech, maple 
and poplar will furnish good posts' beams, sills, 
plates, juice and studding. Whitewood makes the 
best of siding. Basswood Is next to it, If painted 
as soon jig exposed to the weather. The best 
way to work them into clapboards Is to have the 
logs sawn through one way only at the mill, into 
boards one Inch and a quarter in tluekncsB; take 
them to a planing mill and cut them into strips 
five or six inches wide; plane both sides, and 
slit them beveling through and through. This 
leaves the clapboard in proper Bhape to nail on 
the building. Whitewocal Is also very valuable 
to the wagon and cabinet maker; and both 
the latter varietiea make, excellent pickets for 
fences. One large tree will furnish enough for 
a great many rods of fence. Where the farmer 
has chestnut, oak or cedar for, posts, Mp ma¬ 
terials cost little aside from his labor. Fine 
grained chestnut and oak timber is likewise 
highly, esteemed for finishing purposes in the 
interior of buildings, and for furniture, and will 
command large prices. 
Don’t fail to Secure a quantity of the best oak, 
hickory and ash, and store it where it will sea¬ 
son well and keep dry. You will need it for 
various purposes —for pins, wedges, handles to 
implements, and for repairing various breakages 
that will occur. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With B C’orp* of Able AMbtanU and Contributor*. 
To CoRER»poNX>KNTF.—Mr. Randall's address is Cort¬ 
land X ill age, Cortland Co., N. V, All communications 
intended for tills Department, and all Inquiries relating 
to sheep, should be addressed to lilm as above. 
HENRY S. RANDALL, LL, D., 
Editor of the Department of Sheep Husbandry, 
NATIONAL WOOL GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
V3T For Terms an# other particulars see lost page. 
At a meeting of the several delegations of the 
State Wool Growers’ Association, in attendance 
on the National Wool Growers’ and Manufac¬ 
turers’ Convention, at Syracuse, N. Y., Dec. lath. 
Judge J. W. Coj.bdbn of Vermont, was called to 
the Chair, and W. F, GrIser of Ohio, chosen 
Secretary. . 
lion. Urn nr S. Randall, of New York, was 
requested to state the objeet of the mooting. lie 
said it Was to take iuto consideration the expe¬ 
diency of organizing a National Wool Growers’ 
Association, corresponding with the National 
organization of Manufacturers, which had sent, 
its delegates to meet us in Convention to-mor¬ 
row. He had been opposed to forming a Na¬ 
tional Wool Growers’ Association, and should 
remain so, if it should be. made to consist, of a 
voluntary body aby handful of iuen who chose 
to assemble from tipie to' time under its call— 
whose business was transacted and whose officers 
were elected by such handful of volunteer mem¬ 
bers or persons attending its meetings. Such an 
Association would not possess any proper repre¬ 
sentative character. It could not speak for any 
great interest. It could not represent the .State 
Associations, for it would hold no delegated 
authority lYom them ; but it might stand in their 
way, and ppss^bly render them ridiculous, by 
assuming to act for them. We are now, said Mr. 
R., courteously Invited by the officers of the Na¬ 
tional Association of Wool Manufacturers, to 
form a National organization which will confer 
and act with their own on subjects of common 
concern, without the .trouble and delay ol' sepa¬ 
rately consulting all the different State organiza¬ 
tions now or hereafter to be formed. The United 
States Revenue Commission bud virtually, lie 
thought, pointed in the same direction, by ex¬ 
pressing its preference for receiving a statement 
of the “main views” of the wool growers of the 
country, on the subjects embraced in its interro¬ 
gatories, from an authorized committee. Matters 
of great Importance were now before us, and 
others would probably arise, us soon as the 
subject of the woolen tariff was launched lu 
Congress, which would require united and 
prompt action. The occasion was a propitious 
one to organize a National Association, when 
live State Associations—all that are known to us 
but one (the Illinois delegates had not then 
arrived)—are present by their representatives and 
leading officers. Under all these circumstances, 
VOLUME XVII.- INTRODUCTORY, 
For the seventeenth time it is our duty to 
indite a prefatory article for a New Year and 
Volume of the Rura r, New-Yorker, — and 
though penned amid the cares, labors and 
interruption* of the busiest season we have 
experienced in over twenty-live years of jour¬ 
nalism, onr greeting shall at least possess the 
merit of cordiality. For the very favorable 
auspices under which wc enter upon the labors 
of the year inspire cordiality and gratitude 
toward the tens of thousands who have already 
invited our visits during the ensuing twelve- 
month. Assured of a large and appreciative 
audience, we are naturally gratified and desirous 
of pleasing and instructing, and shall therefore 
endeavor to render each one of our course of 
fifty-two addresses both interesting and valuable 
to the representative men and women, and those 
who are soon to become such, whose welfare it 
is our earnest desire to enhance. Large and 
widely diffused as is our audience —extending 
not only over most of the American, but even 
reaching the European Continent—we hope that 
each reader of “the Rural for 1806 will receive 
benefit from its pages. And though its mission 
i* more especially to promote the best interests 
of the Rural Population, we trust this journal 
will in the future, as it lias in the past, prove 
acceptable to the intelligent and discriminating 
of other progressive classes and professions. 
The Character and Objects of the Rural New- 
Yorker are so familiar to its former readers, 
whose acquaintance we now renew, that (as we 
said a year ago) it would be quite superfluous to 
get upon stilts, or attempt any fine waiting for 
their edification. They know it to be the con¬ 
sistent, independent and unpwrchusable friend of 
the Producing Classes —that it always speaks 
plainly and truthfully touching nfattcre pertain¬ 
ing to the interests and rights of its readers, 
regardless of the inducements or threats of 
those who wo did suborn or muzzle the Press 
in order to del rand individuals and community. 
What the Rural has been in this regard hitherto, 
it will be in future. It will aim to sustain the 
Right and condemn the Wrong, in all matters 
appropriate for discussion in its pages, and 
which involve the pecuniary interests and per¬ 
manent welfare of Individuals, Communities 
and the Country. 
Thus much for the information of both old 
and new readers, but lor the large number 
whom we now address (as nubecribers) for the 
first time, we will here reiterate that “ Our 
object from the commencement of the Rural 
New-Yorker has not been to furnish either an 
Agricultural, Horticultural, Scientific, Mechan¬ 
ical, Educational, Literary, or News Journal,— 
but rather to combine all these, and thus present 
a paper unequaled in Value, Variety and Useful- 
ness of Contents. Our earnest desire fias been 
to make it an honest, independent, reliable and 
eminently useful Rural, Literary and Family 
Newspaper —correct In its teachings on Prac¬ 
tical Subjects, instructive and entertaining to 
members of the Family Circle, of high moral 
tone, and entirely free from deception and 
quackery, even in its advertising department.” 
Such was, is, and will continue to be, our “ plat 
UWELUIrNTG- HOUSE - ELEVATION. 
FOR ARCHITECT S DESCRIPTION. PLANS OF STORIES, FRONT DOOR, ETC., SEE NI^TH PAGE, THIS NUMBER, 
nothing then, and be compelled to no extra 
labor. Pile your manure where the water will 
run to it, not from it. Conduct the rain that 
falls on the roofs away, by cave-troughs and 
spouts, and wliat falls in. the yard will not be 
too much. A model barn-yard is surrounded by 
the various farm buildings devoted to stock, so 
that all cun have access to, and shelter from it, 
at the pleasure of the farmer. 
One day in September 1 observed him plowing 
in the clover field which he intends to plant 
with corn next year. “ Now,” thought I, “ what 
does neighbor A. mean V Some ^periment I’ll 
warrant, for he Is a man much gi\uu to such.” 
He readily satisfied my curiosity when I asked 
him about the matter. 
Another year said he, “ J am going to raise 
a suitable supply of food for my,cows. They pay 
as well as any other thing on my farm, but I in¬ 
tend to make them pay boiler yet.. 1 have 
plowed two acres in my next year’s corn field. 
One acre I shall plant to cabbages and the other 
to sugar beets, Plowing tlie land again in the 
spring will fit it, with some manure, for these 
crops. The cabbages I want to feed, during the 
months of October, November and December; 
the sugar beets mostly from the middle of Feb 
ruary till grass comes.” 
Here was a good, practical idea. A*t two foot 
distance each way, nearly eleven thousand plants 
of cabbage will stand cm an acre. Suppose he 
raised six thousand heads. The first of October 
he commences feedirtg, tying the cows in the 
stable during the night. Through the first 
month we will allow Ills *Lx cows each five heads 
of cabbage daily, and a sufficient portion of those 
which did not mature, to consume them all, at 
that rate, within the month. The first of No¬ 
vember lie would have over five thousand heads 
of cabbages still on hand. To feed them all by 
the first of January would require his Cows to 
eat fourteen heads each daily. Of course lie will 
feed straw with the cabbages, when the pasture 
gross is gone. By this method he will not only 
save a great deal of other fodder, but he will 
make enough more butter also, to give him a 
great profit on the acre of cabbages. 
What profit will neighbor A. get from the acre 
of sugar beets? Lotus see. It will be a poor 
crop if it does not measure six hundred bushels. 
Doubtless it will yield more, but wc will take 
this amount as the basis of our calculation. 
Suppose ho commences feeding them by the 
middle of February. One hunched days will 
take him to flush pasture, when anything but 
grass will be unnecessary. He- can feed each 
cow one bushel of roots per day through all this 
VARIOUS TOPICS DISCUSSED 
White Willow. 
A Subscriber from Alleghany Co,, this 
State, desires onr opinion of the White Willow 
for fencing and wind-break*; and further, how 
it would do planted on hills and hard-pan land. 
Our advice is, let the White Willow alone. Do 
not. be deceived or induced to buy it, by any oily 
representations its venders may make. Wc have 
seen many mlies of it growing, but have never 
beheld a good fence made with it yet. Those in¬ 
terested in it* sale, will tell you that noini'wfwrc, a 
long distance away, ,-uch a thing may exist. 
For wind-breaks other varieties of timber arc in¬ 
finitely more valuable, and readily grown. Plaut. 
evergreen, chestnut., or locust. On such land as 
our correspondent describes, the willow will not 
succeed. It naturally wants a moist, rich soil, 
and it will not do well in any other. It is absurd 
to Hi ink of making a fence by planting a row of 
large growing trees close enough for that pur¬ 
pose. 
Farm Wagons. 
First we advise their ownere to shelter them 
from the weather always when not in use. It 
seems more convenient to have a shed, or other 
place, purposely for the lumber wagon, as the 
carriage house is rarely sufficiently commodious 
or handy. It is better for all wheeled vehicles to 
stand on.the ground, than on a floor of wood. 
Next, would it not be good economy to have 
an entire extra set of wheels—broad rimmed 
truck wheels—that could be slipped ou any time 
for farm use? For handling manure, picking 
stone, and other uses in which toads are to be 
pitched oo and oil', the lowness of the body of the 
wagon would render the worl. more easy. For 
traversing wet ground in the spring or fall, 
such wheels would be very ^vantageoua to the 
soil and team. The expense would be trifling, 
compared wit h that of an extra wagon. 
Third, use a long reach and kmg, low, wagon 
box, as it is easier to load and unload from it. 
The best style of hay rack we ever saw, was one 
that could be rigged and bolted to such a box. 
CUTTING POST AND RAIL TIMBER, 
This work should be done before the sap 
begins to circulate. It is a pretty well estab¬ 
lished fact that timber is more durable, cut in 
the autumn and early pftrt of winter, than if 
taken from the stump in the spring, when every 
pore is full of sap. 
Posts intended for setting next spring should 
be cut immediately, without fail. Then strip 
off the bark, and pile them in such manner as 
to promote their seasoning as much as possible. 
To have a post last well in the ground, the juices 
in it ought to be thoroughly dried up before it 
is set. • It is frequently impossible to split rails 
from large logs, in frosty weather, and it is, like¬ 
wise, disagreeable work to do when there is deep 
snow in the forest, Hence the getting out of 
rails is commonly deferred till spring. But the 
timber may be cut before that season. We 
would cut it in the fall; it is better to cut it 
now than to wait longer. The rail cuts may be 
sawn off, and left till suitable weather for split¬ 
ting, and the tree tops worked into fire-wood. 
Neither po&ts nor any timber that it is desi¬ 
rable to season should be set up endwise on the 
ground. If placed thus, the moisture from the 
earth will ascend the pores of the wood to a con¬ 
siderable distance; hence it will not season well 
and rapidly. 
BEST WAY TO SAVE MANURE 
The most common way is to let it take care 
of its-If; or, in other words, leave it in the 
yards, a-: made, until drawn on to the land. 
The rain ttiat falls on it, dissolves much of the 
most valuable portions, and they are carried 
away and wasted, when the superabundance of 
water flows off. 
This is extremel} wasteful, hence it is fre¬ 
quently recommended to store it in cellars con¬ 
structed lor the purpose, or under sheds. This 
necessitates the additional labor of frequently 
forking It over, and pumpin’ water on it, or 
it will heat, and from the want of sufficient 
moisture, fire fang. This latter result renders 
it nearly worthless. 
The beat way to preserve’ it properly is to 
make the right kind of a barn-yard. Let all the 
leachings settle into a basin—keep that supplied 
with muck or straw, to absorb the liquid. Have 
the outside of the yard highest. You will lose 
condition for the summer. Of course the roots 
will also save an equivalent amount of other 
fodder. I think neighbor A, will be so well satis¬ 
fied with this experiment as to follow the course 
hereal’ten It seems to me that carrots for 
horses as a substitute mainly for oats would be 
equally profitable. As an item of interest in 
this connection 1 will mention that an experi¬ 
enced English farmer asserts that im acre of 
carrots supplies a quantity of food for working 
houses equal to lfi or 20 acres of oats. Chiel. 
Cabbages and Beets for Cows, 
Neighbor A. keeps a smaljl dairy of six cows. 
Dairying Is not by any means his principal busi¬ 
ness. He keeps sheep, raises a great deal of 
grain, fattens some hogs for market, has a fine 
orchard; but of horned cattle he commonly 
only keeps six cows. He has an ample barn, 
with a good basement, cellar and cisterns at¬ 
tached, an^l a snug cow stable with just sLx stalls. 
