ESTABLISHED IN 1850, 
as well to sow the seed broadcast,; otherwise it 
is better to plant very thick in drills, just wide 
enough apart to admit of passing a horse and 
cultivator through. It pays to grow corn fodder 
to feed the cows in midsummer when grass is 
scant. Managed in this way the labor is not 
great. It is the curing of the fodder which is 
costly. If the cows are pastured a long way 
from the bam where they are milked, 60 tliaf 
they have to remain in the yards over night, 
then it Is good management to have ft patch Of 
corn fodder near the barn and feed them some 
every night. Such a course will helpout a short 
pasture wonderfully. We have heretofore ad¬ 
vised Betting out cabbages for use in fall and 
early winter. A large amount of the very best 
kind of feed for milch cows may be produced on 
a small area of land by growing cabbages. 
Hoots .—Sugar beets and mangolds may yet be 
sown for winter and spring use, il (he soil is very 
rich and in tine order. Swede tnrnips may also 
be sown, but there is no hurry about the com¬ 
mon English turnip. 
Fcmn Machinery .—There will be a great de¬ 
mand for this on the farm during the next three 
months. Everything should be in order for Im¬ 
mediate use. Especially overhaul the reaping 
and mowing machines. It may require some 
time to get tkt^ necessary repairs, and that time 
could be ill spared when they are wanted for im¬ 
mediate use. Bee that the bay rack and other 
haying tools arc in readiness —the first load ot 
hay may have to he hauled in just before a 
shower when every minute is precious. Provide 
some barley forks for the handling ot loose 
barley. They are indispensable. 
pounds of hay to the square rod. In round 
numbers wo will call it ten tons per acre. (I will 
let my guesses stand, just to show how little 
reliance is to be placed on that method of esti¬ 
mating.) • 
When I made the discovery of what might be 
if the spots were only thick enough on the mea¬ 
dow, I naturally set about investigating the 
cause of the runk growth of grass. First, I 
attributed it to the solid excrements of the cat¬ 
tle pastured on the field the last autumn; but 
on looking about I discovered many of them 
lying about weather-beaten and dried, and they 
seemed to affect the herbage in proximity to 
them but a trifle. Besides, on parting the thick 
grass on the spots, and examining the bottom, 
there was no trace of the solid excrements of 
cattle there, nor of any other manure. “ Well,” 
thought I, “this is curious. Perhaps some of 
the 1 fellers ’ who sell bone dust, guano, or some 
patent concentrated fertilizers, have found out 
that I write now and then to the Rural, and 
want to get a certificate from me. Bo they have 
been round here in the night dropping a pinch 
here and ft pinch there of their wonderful ma¬ 
nure, keeping dark about the matter until they 
see it turns out well when they will be after me 
to certify.” 
With the evidence before my eyes I concluded 
that the manure, whatever It might be, was cer¬ 
tainly worth applying to the laud. The differ¬ 
ence between a quarter or half a ton without 
manure and ten tons with the manure. Is enough 
to satify any reasonable man that it will pay to 
use the fertilizer. I am anxious to ace the man 
who sells it. He can get a good trade out of me, 
and I will certify besides on a blank and let him 
fill it np. 
P. S. — Upon thinking over the matter I am 
inclined to believe that it was the liquid manure 
from the cattle, deposited the previous autumn 
on these spots, which caused the wonderful 
growth of grass. If so, will some observant 
farmer inform me whether it will pay to save 
the liquid manure from the stables through the 
winter, and apply it to the meadow—on the sup¬ 
position that it will increase the yield os above 
estimated ? Also, what are the chief Ingredients 
of the liquid manure which most promote the 
growth of grass? 
Signs of Rain. 
Tub earth was very dry. No rain had fallen 
in a long time, and all were looking anxiously 
for “signs” of a coming storm. The direction 
of the wind, the color of the sky, the shape of 
the clouds, and their varied hues at sunrise and 
sunset, were all prophesied by; and many 
thought the rain at hand when the swallows 
Hew low, or they heard the cocks crow before 
midnight, or the dog and cat ate grass, ortho new 
moon took a shape so that she would not hold 
water between her horns. The barometer even, 
was vacillating and cunld not be relied on. But 
one afternoon the cellar bottom grew moist and 
even wet. At night, Patrick said that the out¬ 
let of the long tile drain, which had been almost 
dusty for days was wet with water coming down 
the drain. I strolled down the road at sundown 
and met the Deacon. “We shall have rain 
shortly,” said he, “the brook back of the barn 
is rising, and I never knew that sign to fail. If 
the brook rises in a dry time It is sure to rain in 
a few hours. At noon the water did not run in 
many placc-s in its bed, but to-night there is 
quite a stream.” 
Well, It did rain copiously the next day, and I 
remembered that the sign which most surely 
foretold the storm, was the rising of water to 
the surface of the ground. The springs increased 
and the brook flowed more. Water rose into the 
drains and made its appearance at their outlets. 
Why should the water rL-n to the surface before 
a storm? Because, when a storm approaches, 
the atmosphere becomes less dense, or lighter. 
Its pressure on the earth is not so great, hence 
water rises to the surface more freely. Chiel. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WBBBLT 
RURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With a Corp» of Able AKPlutantn and Contributor*. 
Editor of the Department of Sheep Husbandry, 
HON. T. C. PETERS, 
Late Pres’t N. V. State Ag. Soe’y. Southern Cor. Editor, 
Fob Tbbmb and other particulars see last page. 
SEASONABLE SUGGESTIONS, 
THE planting season is nearly ended, and that 
of cultivating and harvesting is at hand. Of all 
times in the year there is no one that calls for 
more activity and vigilance from the farmer 
than tljis. He should therefore be ready. Like 
a good general going forth to fight a battle, 
he should have bis forces well in hand, his 
implements shining and in order, and his plans 
matured. 
The Grain Field .—If there is any rye mixed 
with the wheat it is time to cut it out. After 
the rye has headed, but before the ear of the 
wheat makes its appearance, is the best time. 
If there he only a little it will take hut. little 
time, ami you will have a clean crop and good 
seed; if there be much it should certainly be cut 
or it will depreciate the price ot the wheat. Rye 
increases wonderfully fast In wheat. Suppose 
there is only one head to a square rod — you 
would hardly notice that —it will produce 
twenty grains. In Selecting seed wheat, from 
the crop you will get at least five of these. 
Every grain will tiller so us to produce, ou an 
average, ten heads. Thus where there is one 
head of rye this year hi the wheat, if you do 
not cut it out, and take your seed from t he crop, 
you may expect, to eee fifty growing next year. 
It possible the grain fields should be weeded. 
Canada thistles can be rapidly pulled out with 
properly 6bapcd tongs. Although It. is much 
work to keep every crop absolutely free from 
weeds, yet it is the ouly plan that will produce a 
clean farm ; and there is this encouragement, 
that if the work is faithfully done it is growing 
less every year. 
The Com Field. 
The Rural lately gave a fine picture of a Clydes¬ 
dale horse. As this Is the season to talk about, use 
and breed “fast nags,” as well as heavy work horses, 
will the IimAi. give us the portrait of a model road¬ 
ster or “ e/oe.r.f **' If thorough-bred, with a lengthy 
pedigree, the better, though that docs not always 
Insure the desirable combination of “Stylo and 
Speed.''— Avon. 
In response to the above we give the portrait 
of the thorough-bred stallion, “Tom Wonder,” 
sired by Tom Crowder, dam by Woodpecker. 
Tom was raised by Col. Murphy of Lexington, 
Ky., and was for many years, (say from 1853 to 
18(12,) celebrated for his great Bpced, both as a 
trotter and a racer, and also for beauty of pro¬ 
portion and development of bone aud muscle, 
lie was kept ou Long Island in 1862, and was 
then described a3over 15 hands'high, and weigh¬ 
ing about 1,000 lbs. Color, dapple-gray; legs 
and feet black, and mane and tail black with 
silvered ends; head and general form strongly 
Arabian; gait, a fine, square trot, until strongly 
urged, when he paces. “ He can show a 2.20 
gait on a trot, aud can pace a mile in less than 
2.20 to a wagon, when conditioned; has shown 
a half mile, in private, inside of one minute. 
When four years old he won a race in Cincinnati, 
(beating Frank Fierce and .Joe Wilson,) making 
2d heat in 2.28, the fastest 4-year old time ever 
made In a public race.” Tom subsequently won 
at several noted races. In October, 1S56, he 
beat Tecumseb. and Reiner (pacers) at the great 
National Fair at Boston, taking the premium. 
MANURING CORN WITH SALT 
In analyzing the ash of corn stalks, Prof. 
Johnson found it to contain of soda two hun¬ 
dred and eighty-six parts in one thousand, or 
more than one-quarter of the mineral elements 
of the stalk. The ash of wheat straw contains 
only two parts o( soda In one thousand; barley 
and rye three each, and oats ninety-seven. Thus 
it. appears that soda is an important element in 
the corn stalk, and the beat way of supplying It 
directly to the plant that we know Of, is to apply 
a top dressing of common salt (chloride of 
sodium.) Salt aud ashes mixed and dropped by 
hand in su all quantities on each hill, will often 
have a wonderful effect, in improving the ap¬ 
pearance of the corn. Especially Is that, the 
cuse when the plants look yellow, and are back¬ 
ward and unthrifty. And anything which in¬ 
vigorates the young corn, and creates a rank 
stalk, is apt to induce an abundant yield of grain. 
This application is likewise as good as any rem¬ 
edy known to prevent the depredations of the 
cut-worm. We hope some of our readers will 
try some experiments in this line during the 
coming season, and report them to the Rural. 
Try some rows across the corn field with salt, 
some with ashes, some with plaster, Ac., and 
observe which gives the best results. 
raise a really valuable colt, I should prefer to let 
the dam run without a collar or saddle until 
weaning time in the fall. At this time, the 
marc should be put on short grass or feed for a 
few days and milked, But this all fartners’ boys, 
even, understand, and consequently need not 
bo told. After the colt is taken from its mother 
it should lie kept out of sight and hearing for a 
considerable time, and with other feed should 
have daily an allowance of bruised oats. Proper 
care at this time should be understood as an im¬ 
portant aid in the making of the future horse. 
Now he Bhould have every care aud attention. 
If neglected, he will be very apt to show It after¬ 
wards, not only in eize but in vigorous health. 
Farmers should bear this in mind, and not leave 
their colts at this period to take care of them¬ 
selves as Is frequently the case. 
After the colt has been weaned, the breaking, 
or more properly the training for future use, 
should at once be commenced. I do not believe, 
as many of our farmers do, In letting the colt 
run until he is three years old before the work 
of educating is commenced. When the colt is 
early handled and taught to believe by kindness 
that his keeper is bis best friend, he soon grows 
fond aud tractable, aDd when the proper time 
arrives is broken to harness with the greatest 
Mr. Gno. ErfNKK of this city, who has for 
has now passed away aud the cold air of old 
hoary-headed Winter still lingers in the lap of 
young Spring. We know not how such soft, 
musical poets as Spencer and Tcpper would 
attune their lyres to these cold and unpleasant 
days of a week or two past; but should any dar¬ 
ing minstrel attempt it. we imagine there would 
he a shiver toy among the strings very much like 
the caderuax of one of our operatic prima 
donnas at. the finish of some difficult Italian air. 
But no matter; here I am sitting at the win¬ 
dow, looking out upon the hurrying crowds of 
the (street as they sweep along in their various 
business pursuits—and while thus looking, there 
goes by a mother with its young foal by its side 
looking pinched and drawn np as if the poor 
“ wee thing” had been almost entirely left to it¬ 
self in these cold and 6tormy days of a week 
past, its suffering appearance at once brought 
to rny mind the existence of the Rural, with its 
great circulation, and Iconldnot help but think 
that at this time a word might not be out of 
place in it about 
COLTS. 
It is a truth, at lerst in these part3, that our 
farmers, with here and there an exception, pay 
but very little attention to their mares with 
young foafr, especially those that come early in 
the season. This neglect often results in a 
great injury, both to coit and dam. A near 
friend of mine lost, two years ago, a young 
Royal George foal, from a valuable marc, simply 
from neglect. It was left out in a cold storm 
soon after it came into this “ breathing world,” 
and becoming chilled the young thing was found 
the next day, dead. 
In this climate, our fanners and stock breed¬ 
ers cannot be too careful of their early-born 
colts;—not a day should be allowed to pass but 
what they are looked alter, until they have not 
only gained strength, but the weather has be¬ 
come warm and settled. During the cold sprlDg 
storms they, with their mothers, should always 
be sheltered. There are several gentlemen here 
who take great pride in breeding fine colts, and 
raising them; and this one particular which I 
•The wood-ashes made on u 
farm cannot be put to a better use than to ma¬ 
nure the corn. A large tablespoonful to a hill 
will answer, and they should be applied as soon 
as the corn comes above the ground. Blaster 
sometimes lias a remarkable effect. In the large 
corn fields of the West these fertilizers may be 
sown broadcast by baud or a machine, yet where 
the Jabor can be readily had to apply them by 
hand directly to the hill, it is the best way. 
Ashes, doubtless, in some measure prevents the 
ravages of the cut-worm; aud any application 
to the hill is an effective scare-crow, if any 
hills have failed to come, or worms have de¬ 
stroyed the corn, do not omit planting again. 
You will get corn fodder if not corn, Begin 
early to cultivate; it is easy to kill the weeds 
when they are small, and you will get your field 
in proper order and condition to be neglected 
when the haying arrives. 
potatoes .— These, if planted in furrows and 
deep enough, may be harrowed as soon as they 
began to break through the crust. A light har¬ 
row should be used. If this work can be thor¬ 
oughly performed it will save once hoeing. If 
the potatoes were planted on the surface, so that 
the harrow would tear out the seed, a heavy 
brush drug may be used. This work should be 
boldly undertaken ; if the seed is not misplaced 
and uprooted there is little danger of harming 
the tops. The cultivator may be used at an 
n earlier stage ol' the potato crop than would be 
Aj advisable in corn. Dirt thrown on the young 
^ potato tops is not hurtful, but It is ruinous to 
t the tender corn. With this advantage of early 
tilling potatoes should not reonire the use. of 
FARM NOTES, 
A New Discovery. 
I went down to the old meadow to-day and 
saw there something noteworthy. I suppose it 
was nothing new, however, and that I might 
have seen it many tions before if I had only 
opened rny eyes. May be you can explain the 
“ why and the wherefore, ” most observant 
reader. So l will describe what I saw. 
The meadow is principally in herdsgrass. It 
has been mown some six years. The after- 
math is pastured off in the autumn. One end 
of the field, comprising about three acres, is dry 
and a gravelly soil. Ou this piece the Timothy 
has “run out” and June grass taken its place. 
The result is but little hay on the three acres,— 
scarcely two loads last season. But in walking 
over it to day to examine the cnnditiou of the 
grass, I saw several spots, two or three feet In 
diameter, sending lip a very rank growth, while 
the rest of the piece had no better appearance 
than it bad last year. The growth of these 
spots was absolutely aston'ii-iiing it wa s June 
grass, like the rest about it, but very dark in 
color, fully twenty inches in height, and ex¬ 
tremely thick. If the whole field was like those 
spots, it would require cutting in ten days as It 
would lie flat on the ground, ami it would yield 
fully three tons per acre—I think I might, safely 
say four tons. But I will quit guessing and 
appeal to figures. There were three pounds of 
grass on ono square foot. That would give at 
least one - half pound of hay; or about 136 
ease. 
years paid considerable attention to colt raising 
aud breeding, assures me that a colt should 
always be learned to go In harness when two 
j years old. At that ago he finds no difficulty in 
managing them if they have been previously 
bitted. He has now some, three or four Royal 
Georges at that age, which go in harness as well 
I as any old stager. 
But the subject, of the management of colts 
haB often been discussed by eminent breeders, 
as well as trainers, and ought to he much better 
understood than it generally is. Old ways are 
clung lo by most of our farmers with a perti¬ 
nacity that appears to me almost censurable. 
Almost every thing which looks like innovation 
upon the customs of our fathers in relation to 
the farm is distrusted, but not so much ao as 
formerly. This prejudice, however, toward what 
is called “book farming” is, I believe, slowly 
giving away nnder the influence of such journals 
as the Rural, and I think as much In the matter 
of breediug and raising colts as any other part of 
the business of the farm. II. Millard. 
Buffalo, N. Y., May, 18(56. 
RAISING AND TRAINING COLTS, 
After a cold, drizzling rain of two days, the 
sun shines out this morning clear and beautiful, 
as it should In this sweet month of bursting 
buds and unfolding leaves. The air is chilly, 
however, and fires in the drawing room and 
office are quite comfortable. 
But how lingers that out break of young life 
which Nature is ever supposed to make in this 
May month ? The green grass is grown but 
little, aud the trees have sc ireelyas yet begun to 
show their early leaves. The season thus far 
has been very backward. Half of the month 
