TERMS, $3.00 PER YEAR.] 
“PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT.” 
[SnSTG-I-E ISTO. TEN CENTS 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 1866. 
{WHOLE NO. 854. 
ESTABLISHED IN 1850. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AS 0RI8INAL WMKXY 
RURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T, MOORE, 
With m Corp* of Able Ajwl»t«uit* and Contrlbnlor*. 
HENRY 8. RANDALL, LL, D., 
EkJltor of the Department of 8heep Husbandry, 
H'DN. T. C. PETERS, 
Late Pres’t N. Y. State Ag.Soo’y. Southern Cor. Editor, 
t3T Fob Tbkms and other particulars see last page. 
MlimiTOikL 
THE TURNIP CROP. 
SOUTHERN EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE. 
It is time to prepare for sowing the turnip , 
crop. So long as we can produce Indian corn 
as cheaply as at present, it is not probable that ] 
roots will be as extensively grown in this coun- , 
try for cattle food, as in England. Wc do not 
believe it will pay. In this country, to grow and 
feed turnips as liberally as the English do. 
Neither the price of labor, the climate, nor the 
comparative cost of other food will Justify such 
a course. There, Indian corn will not mature— 
on our Western prairies It costs but ten cents 
per bushel; there, sheep maybe folded all the 
winter in the open field, and thus eat the turnips 
without being gathered —here, we must put the 
roots into cellars and feed them in troughs and 
mangers, all of which results iu great expense. 
But if we may not raise as many acres of tur¬ 
nips, yearly, as we do of grain, it is yet no rea¬ 
son why every farmer should not supply his 
stock with enough to keep them healthy, 
sharpen their appetites, render them more able 
and willing to consume dry fodder, and in every 
way increase their thrift, and thereby the profit 
of keeping them. Bo we advise every farmer to 
grow Eome roots. From twenty-five to fifty 
bushels per head, if no more, will make a great 
difference with the cows in the spring. Carrots 
are healthy and nutritious for the horse; turnips 
for the sheep; and the pigs will he very con¬ 
tented if you give them pltnty of sugar beets. 
The luttcr root may yet be sown and a good 
crop gathered for winter and spring use. Let 
us not be misunderstood; while we would not 
grow roots iu sufficient quantity to be the main 
food of our 6tock in the winter, .yet we would 
supply each animal with a daily allowance, if not 
through the whole season, at least during the 
last Bixty or ninety days of foddering. 
Turnips may be sown on sod well turned over, 
but it is better to use land that has been previ¬ 
ously cultivated with some crop. The common 
English turnip may be sowu from the middle of 
June to the first of August, but the Kuta Baga 
or Swedes should now be started as eoouas pos¬ 
sible. This lattc-r is commonly sown in drills 
about two feet apart, and on heavy laud these 
are slightly ridged. They are sown rapidly by 
using a proper drill. When they are up aud well 
started they must be thinned eo as to stand 
about six inches apart. This work can he per¬ 
formed rapidly with a hoe, by going across the 
rows aud striking out the plants just the width 
of the blade. This operation leaves them in 
hills, and further thinning may be done by hand. 
The best manures are bone dust, drilled in with 
the seed, aud lime, ashes, plaster and salt, sown 
broadcast on the leaves. Fresh, unfermented 
barn-yard manure is thought to facilitate the 
multiplication of insect euemies. 
The turnip is exposed to numerous depreda¬ 
tors, of which the turnip flea-beetle is the most 
inveterate. It attacks the plant as soon as the 
first leuveA expand, aud often destroys two or 
three successive sowings. Hence an early sow¬ 
ing is judicious. It is said that by steeping the 
Eeea in salt water their attacks may be prevent- 
Season Contrasts — Corn-planting — Ease of Labor— c ] 
Vegetation — Condition — Farm Labor—Labor Sys- j(. 
(cm of the South — The Duty of Christians. 
I see by the papers, and hear from friends, p 
that you aro having rather a rough spring up 
North. They say wo are having a later spring 
here than for many years,— yet they have been 
corn planting for the last two weeks, and I am 
told people continue to plant as late as to the 
10th of June. I think there is more ground 
planted from here to the “ Mills,” as Ellicott’b 
Mills are called, (a distance of about nine miles,) 
than there will be in any one of the wheat coun¬ 
ties in New York. 
They have quite a novel way of planting here, 
which I rather like. The ground is prepared In 
the usual way, though plowed in the full, if a sod, 
as that gets rid of the worm. It is well harrowed 
and then laid off wltlx a shovel-plow run lightly 
one way for the row. Some use a marker the 
other way and drop the corn In the angles. It 
is usually covered by a corn covcrcr , which Is a 
rather simple machine, but on their light lands a 
very efBcicnt one. As it would not answer iu 
heavy land I will not attempt a description. I 
can very well understand why such large quanti¬ 
ties of corn are raised, for the labor is mostly 
performed by horse-power, though man has to 
guide it. 
Vegetation would seem forward to a Northern 
man. Apple trees are iu full bloom. Peaches 
aro out of blossom and begin to bIiow quite 
plainly. The forests are looking quite green, 
though they have not put on their full livery. 
Grass In pastures furnishes a full bite to cattle. 
Wheat and rye are shooting up the stalk rapidly. 
Garden corn is up, and all but the teriderest of 
garden plants are growing rapidly. Peas begin 
to climb the bushes. In many meadows the 
grass is nearly or quite “ half-leg high.” The 
long season enables farmers to plaut until quite 
late, and they are not compelled to hurry their 
operations lest they be too late in the autumn. 
Much interest is felt in the North on the sub¬ 
ject of farm labor. Thus far wc have had no 
trouble in getting ft full supply front the colored 
population. Wc furnish house, gulden and fire¬ 
wood—give BOO pounds bacon, and three barrels 
of corn, (which is equal to 15 bushels,) and $13 
per month—retaining one-1 bird of the monthly 
wages as security lor faithful performance till 
the end of the year. We have now as faithful 
and intelligent (in managing the labor of the 
farm) set of laborers as I ever had at. the North. 
They are Infinitely superior in the detail of farm 
labor to any Irish or German emigrant we ever 
had, “fresh over.” Of course it’s too soon to 
speak confidently of results, but thus far we 
have been agreeably disappointed. There is 
more trouble in the female department, but no 
worse, nor as bad, as we had before we came here. 
Judging from what we have seen, thus far, the 
South has the germ for a most magnificent sys¬ 
tem of farm labor, by property utilizing Ub col- 
’ ored population. The negro is docile, and if he 
has good wages and a good home, he will stay 
upon the same farm or plantation for a genera- 
! tion. He is not a migrating animal. If the 
negroes can have schools and churches of their 
1 own, their attachments soon become local, and 
[ no Inducement will draw them away. I am fully 
' satisfied that the true interests of the planters 
5 and farmers of the South will soon teach them 
1 the best mode of solving all difficulties in regard 
1 to the colored people. There is much prejudice 
• among the. lower class of poor whites. A rowdy 
1 element has been fostered, which cannot readily 
1 be brought into order. It is found in the killing 
1 of the negroes and burning their school houses 
a and churches, but the North is not free from the 
same element. Tbo burning of Convents and 
- Roman Catholic Churches, and riots in various 
t places, shows that the spirit of rowdyism is 
e fouud smouldering in all civilized society. 
here at home. Charity is said to begin at home. 
In the present Instance every man, woman and 
child should contribute to the beRt of their abil¬ 
ity to the cause of Southern evangelization. 
Tbo spirit is active at the South, but the harvest 
is ripe and the laborers are few indeed.— 1 T. c. n. 
W. Friendship, Aid., Afny 8,1S6G. 
AN OCTAGON POULTRY HOUSE. 
From the number of inquiries we have re¬ 
ceived, wc judge that many people arc designing 
to give particular attention to poultry, aud, in¬ 
deed, from the prices which its products bring, 
It may be made a profitable department of the 
farm. We submit to our readers ft plan of an 
Octagon Poultry House which is selected from 
“Bkmsnt’h Poulterer’s Companion.” It. will 
be noticed that tho building is placed on piles, 
the object of which is to prevent the depreda¬ 
tions of rats, skunks, ancl other vermin. It is 
questionable, however, If this arrangement is 
better than to build a tight wull underneath aud 
admit tho fowls to the ground. The 6oil is the 
best floor. 
This building is ten feet in diameter ancl six 
feet and a half high. Tho sills are 4 by 4, and 
the plates 3 by 4 joists, halved and nailed at the 
joints. It is sided with inch and a quarter 
spruce plank, tongued aud grooved. No upright 
timbers were used. The floor and roofing are 
of the same kind of plank. To guard against 
leakage by shrinking, the joints may he battened 
with lath, or strips of thin boards. An elght- 
squaro frame supports the top of the rafters, 
leaving an opening of ten inches in diameter, 
on which is placed on octagon chimney, for a 
ventilator, which makes a very pretty finish. 
The piers should be either cedar, chestnut or 
locust, two feet high, and set ou flat stones. 
GROUND PLAN. 
FARMING IN THE HELDERBERG REGION. 
Tub Hclderberg mountains, some of the tl 
highest summits being twelve hundred feet w 
above tide water, lie partly In Albany Co., this (< 
State. From thence Mr. G. W. Durant sends fl 
us the following notes: —“It hna become a n 
general remark, not ouly in reference to tho 0 
Rural, but also to all oilier agricultural jour- g 
nals, that the system of husbandry you advo- a 
cate is not adapted to this Hclderberg country, t 
but 6ecms to start on the basis, that the land is u 
already iu a condition to admit of that close and a 
refined husbandry that it Is so desirable should t 
be pursued. This is not the case with us. Our t 
seasons arc from two to four weeks shorter than 
in the river towns or your Genesee Valley; our . 
soil hard, and filled with rocks and stones in , 
such great abundance thut it' the crops ore not | 
materially lessened thereby the cultivation and , 
harvesting are very much impeded. Uilder suits- ( 
bio management we can obtain nearly as good a t 
yield per aero as any part of the State for most ( 
| kinds of spring crops, Although much good j 
corn Is grown with us, yet from the shortness 
of the seasons, It is not. always reliable. "Winter 
rye Is considerably cultivated, and occasionally, 
winter wheat; and spring wheat, under proper 
culture, is always remunerative. But the great , 
staple is buckwheat,, which 1 b, perhaps, as re¬ 
munerative as wheat would be, provided we 
could grow it os good as It is produced in our 
best wheat, growing regions. The reason 1 b, 
that, allowing the price of buckwheat to be ouly 
half that of wheat per bushel, we can raise two 
bushels of buckwheat, to one of wheat—or double 
the number of bushels per acre—on a much 
poorer quality of land, and with very much less 
culture, and can realize a full return, as a gen¬ 
eral thing, In about 73 days; whereas in the ease 
of winter wheat, we cannot get a return in Iceb 
than nine months or a year. 
But I digress from the object I had in view in 
writing. It is essential that, the first tiling to be 
done with us toward practicing a refined system 
of husbandry, is to clear the land of stone. Tho 
principle 1 have adopted on llie small place I 
occupy, is never to plow under any stone - or 
first, to clear land of the surface stone, aud after 
seeding, whether with grass or grain, the last 
tiling to be done before rolling is again to clear 
oil' all such as may have been turned up by the 
plow or harrow—the sizeable ones to be used in 
feueing, and the smaller ones reserved for un- 
derdrainiug. (As to tho mode of thus using 
them I may sometime write you again.) 
In Seeding for mowing or pasture, my man¬ 
agement has been to sow a half bushel of timothy 
to 10 pounds clover seed to the acre. I hope 
j. soon to be able to double, or more than double, 
the amount of timothy to the acre. This gives 
me a sod the first year so thick and heavy that 
after a good start in the spring, no drouth can 
very materially injure It; it will retain tho 
moisture through a long period of dry weather. 
Next I mow early, so that the new grass will get 
a fair start, before It shall he burnt by the heat of 
July and August. I consider grass raising the 
foundation of all good farming. I will say fur¬ 
ther in reference to buckwheat, that from the 
Patent Office Report it will appeifr that the 
State of New York produces the most buck¬ 
wheat, and that the county of Albany exceeds 
that of any other in the State, and that the town 
of Rensselaerville is the Banner Town.” 
The letter D designates the door; W, W, win¬ 
dows ; L, latticed window to admit air, with a 
shutter to exclude it when necessary; E, en¬ 
trance for the fowls with a sliding door; P, 
platform for the fowls to alight on when going 
in; It, R, are roosts placed spirally, one end at¬ 
tached to a post uear the center of the room, 
and the other end to the wall; the first or lower¬ 
most one two feet from the floor, and the others 
eighteen inches apart, aud rising gradually to 
AMONG THE STONES-NO. I. 
But tyhen we kuow that the better spirit of the top, six feet from tho floor. These roosts 
ChriatihrfLty is evoked in favor of the negro, and 
is working slowly though surely in his behalf, 
we may well hope for an entire change for his 
will accommodate forty ordinary sized fowls. 
F, F, is a board lloor, on au angle of about forty- 
five degrees, to catch and carry down the drop- 
Wb are taught in Divine P.evelntlou that 
nothing is made In vain—that when the Creator 
had finished His work He pronounced it good, 
and as perfection is admitted by all as one of 
His attributes, It follows, of course, that what¬ 
ever exists in accordance with His laws, as ex¬ 
hibited iu the productions of nature, is useful 
and necessary. But here in Northern New 
York, somewhat nearer the North Pole than tho 
“ sanctum” of the Rural is situated, either the 
upheavinga of uature, the action of water, or 
grain has come, the mowers have needed to let 
their “ patience he known” as the fipe edge of 
their scythes have come in contact with a — 
well, not a grindstone—thereby Increasing the 
toil and adding to the sweat of the brow, as the 
fine, heavy swaths or timothy and clover are 
rolled up in regular succession) like the waves 
ou the bosom of Old Ontario. But, although 
so much is said against stone and so many hard 
and thoughtless wishes are made In regard to 
them, I propose to show, iu this and some future 
numbers of the Rural, that, so far from being 
a source of expense and perplexity, they are, ou 
tlie contrary, and can bo made, tho source of 
much benefit and profit. 
In tho first place, the soil that contains stone 
is usually productive and retains its fertility 
much longer than that of a different character. 
It also can he worked much earlier in the spring, 
because the stone serve to lighten tip the soil 
and thus enable tire water to drain off, and then 
the attraction of heat by the stone warms and 
dries the earth, making it sooner fit to receive 
the seed; and I believe most farmers of the pro- . 
grcsslvo sort at this time udvocato the plan of 
getting in all spring crops as soon as possible 
after tho ground is in order. Again, my obser¬ 
vation Induces me to believe that more benefit 
arises Iroiu the expenditure of means in drain¬ 
ing than in my other mode. In fact, after 
giving tho subject much thought and observa¬ 
tion, both in this State and in several of tho 
Western States, I have come to the decided 
conclusion that scarce an acre of land, whether 
origiuiftlly prairie openings or timber, produces 
near the amount of crop it would do if the 
proper amount ol drainage was done upon it. 
Not. an acre is seen in a whole township but 
what the presence of some kinds of vegetation 
denotes that water is on or near the surface, to 
the damage of the crop vainly expected to bo 
taken from it. Now, what Is so well calculated, 
1 all things considered, to drain off this vast 
’ amount, of water as stone ? What material can 
bo used 60 cheaply and so effectually? What 
! more lusting, if rightly constructed, thau drains 
^ made of stone ? I would my nothing to dls- 
r courage tho use of tile drains. In some places 
tile may be best adapted to draining; but when 
stone aro abundant and the soil is compact, they 
r are quite as good and much cheaper than tho 
e tile ; and if, alter the sluice is laid, the draiu is 
1 filled up within a foot of the surface with small 
' stone, the water must necessarily be carried from 
? the surface much sooner thau by any other 
mode. 
l ' While on the subject, let me observe that not 
7 every one that can handle a spade or excavate a 
u ditch, should be trusted to lay drains. Do not 
J . leave them to be done by Patrick or Hans, 
but be present yourself and take the oversight 
of them. Bee that the sluices are made firm and 
n tight, and after the loose stone are filled iu, 
10 cover them with straw, coarse hay, shavings or 
r - sods, before covering with earth. Tread down 
:t the earth firmly while throwing it iu, that the 
)l rain may not find its way through It in channels, 
10 or molcB make their way through to the stone. 
r * dnring the first yeur, keep watch of your 
10 drains, and thus be ready to make any needed 
ie repairs. Every spring, ut least, with a long- 
handled hoe, remove the sand that collects at 
18 the outlets of them, aud they will not clog up 
u aud become useless. In fact, like all matters 
pertaining to the farm, they need frequent at¬ 
tention to be made available. Let all put, their 
surface stone to this use and they will soon dis¬ 
cover that they have a value attached to them 
not. before known. Farmers, cease your mur- 
jr minings in regard to the trouble you have from 
,1 stone on your farms. Go to work with a will 
0 ' f these mild spring days; drain your soil, prepare 
t . it to withstand either ilood or drouth by that 
x . tneuus, and lasting improvements and increased 
u ] crops will be the result of your labors. 
m Minetto, N. Y. °- 
CATTLE EATING HAIR. 
Great care must be exercised in the use of spiritual as well as physical welfare. In South piugs of the fowls. This arrangement renders other geological agents, have distributed to us 
this specific, however, or the vitality of the seed Carolina efforts are bbing made, with every pros- it much more convenient in cleaning out tho almost “ too much ot a good wing." .Many a -- 
will be injured and total failure result. Five pect of success, by the Episcopal Bishop, to put manure, which should be frequently done. barefooted urchin has often been forced to close a ^ 
minutes is sufficient time for the seed to remain in operation a high grade school or college, The space beneath this floor is appropriated to his l'rps with a will to prevenj; the escape ot ex- ^o^id'trim 
in the brine, ami it should then be dried previ- where colored ministers may be educated to nests, twelve in number, fifteen inches wide, plctivvij^ts his toes have unluckily come in con- am v<> ^ 1 ^ 
ous to sowing. A solution of nitrate of soda, supply a very urgent demand for this class of eighteen inches deep, and eighteen inches high, tact with ft miniature boulder or “ hard head Wc b.ice seen 
dissolved bones, and Peruvian guauo, is a very men. Nearly alJ classes of Christians seem to In order to give ftu appearance of seerctiveness, —the effects of which were long apparent in chant oi aii^ ea 
good steep for the 6eeU. A vigorous growth be vying with each other in their exertions for which it is well known the hen is BO partial to, | stone-bruises aud discolored nails. The. plow- by a *w app e 
of the x>lant will result from this treatment. It the improvement ot the general condition of the Irout is latticed with strips of lath. By this boy also lias had hia “memory joggod,” and tot e * na “° ar ^ 
is possible that a slight dre-SBing of salt sown on the freedmen. It Is high time the Church every- arrangement a free circulation of air is admit- his short ribs lamed, an he was turning up the this at », 
the young turnips would drive off the fly; at where turned its attention to the poor of every ted, which adds much to the comfort of the soil preparatory to the expected harvest; and ax and the kmle 
least it would be a good manure for the crop. color who are laying destitute at its very doors hens while sitting. when the time of securing the crop of hay and all events. 
Carolina efforts are being made, with every pros¬ 
pect of success, by the Episcopal Bishop, to put 
in operation a high grade school or college, 
where colored ministers may be educated to 
almost “ too much of a good thing.” Many a 
barefooted urchin has Often been forced to dose 
his lips with a will to prevenj: the escape of ex- 
plctiYCiJ^s his toes have unluckily come in con¬ 
tact with ft miniature boulder or “ hard-head” 
—the effects of which were long apparent in 
Wb observe a complaint, in one of oar ex¬ 
changes of a heiler which, the owner says, has 
a confirmed propensity for eating hair. She 
docks hi* horses tails, nibbles at their manes 
and would trim tbcm clean if not prevented. 
We have seen occasional exhibitions of this pen¬ 
chant for hair eating, and think it. may he cured 
-LUC VUKVJwO a ttuivu ttwv. Te’—-— „ ^ /.. 
stone-bruises aud discolored nails. The plow- by a few applications of some nauseous mixtuiu 
boy also has had his “ memory joggod,” and to the mane and tail Of the annnal It 
his short ribs lamed, as he was turning up the this fails, there remains the ultima-rat.a of the 
-tr. /.min ted harvest: and ax and the knife. These will prove effective at 
VOL, XVII, NO. 22.} 
