ESTABLISHED IN 1850 
making to procure its removal to a more favor¬ 
able locality. Under present, arrangements it is 
pronounced to be pretty much a failure, being 
open only during the summer months aud then 
with only a very limited attendance. 
In Pennsylvania the prospect is equally cheer¬ 
less. The College grounds, embracing some 
four hundred acres, are badly managed. The 
number of students is rapidly decreasing, and 
so discouraging have matters become as to in¬ 
duce the resignation of the President. 
Massachusetts was the last to embark in the 
business of founding a College for the extension 
of agricultural knowledge and success was 
deemed certain and immediate. But here, too, 
the hopes of the friendB of the institution have 
been disappointed. Mr. French, in bus letter 
of resignation says:—“We stand at this mo¬ 
ment with no systematic plan whatever of the 
estate, working blindly at a single building of 
which the site is not yet fixed, opposing the 
views of the ablest men in the country, after ad¬ 
mitting by employing them our inability to go 
forward without such assistance, Justly cuough 
attacked by the press for inefficiency and want 
of harmony, and growing weaker daily by loss 
of publie confidence and unprofitable expendi¬ 
ture of our fuuds.” 
To say that an Agriculture College cannot be 
successfully established, in a country like this, 
might be to pronounce judgment prematurely, 
but experience, so far, is not auspicious. It is 
much like that which has attended private man¬ 
ual labor schools, .resulting in but indifferent 
scholastic attainments and crude notions of ag¬ 
riculture. In theory, the plan of combining 
study and farm labor seemed all that could be 
desired; but in practice, it produced neither 
good scholarship nor good farming. The prob¬ 
ability is that agricultural improvement, in the 
future as iu the past, will be mainly indebted to 
the experience and study of Isolated farmers and 
to the professional classes whose hours of relax¬ 
ation from regular business are devoted to the 
Boil and to the products it is capable of furnish¬ 
ing for the sustenance of man.— b. 
acid contained in them is injurious to 6heep.” 
When well-saved the leaves of Sorghum are 
considered good fodder. This is an important 
item in the profits of the crop. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
RURAL, LITERARY AND F AMIL Y NEWSPAPER. 
THE BEST FOWLS TO KEEP. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With & Corps of Able Assistants and Contributors. 
There are as many opinions relative to the 
best fowls for profit as there are varieties. Some 
writers think the Cochin China, Brahma, and 
other Asiatic fowls are the best. I have had 
some experience, in a small way, with several 
varieties, and think the Cochin China and Brah¬ 
mas the most unprofitable. The Brahmas par¬ 
take of the Shanghai order—are perfect glut¬ 
tons—and will not pay as layers. The only 
redeeming qualities they have are as marketable 
fowls and being easily raised,— still the meat of 
the Brahma is coarse and does not contain the 
sweetness of our native breeds. I have found 
the Malay variety a good layer, and a home- 
bird, one that would not get over a yard fence 
two boards high. Bnt, they are, however, poor 
for market purposes; hard to fatten, and will 
not set 
My experience has been that the Poland fowls 
are the best breed for lajiug, and easy to keep; 
this is partlculaily the case with the Silver Po¬ 
lands. In the spring of 1864 I observed an 
advertisement in the Rural of “ Eggs of the 
Silver Poland fowls for sale,” ( which took the 
first premium at the N. Y, State Fair the yeur 
before.) I purchased thirteen eggs, and set 
them under a Brahma hen; every egg hatched; 
and of these I hud the good fortune to raise six 
pullets and two cocks. Tlw next year these 
pullets commenced laying In February aud con¬ 
tinued to lay until the latter part of November 
— making themselves almost perpetual layers — 
having had no inclination to set. I bought that 
year, (1805,) early in the spring, a couple of 
Brahma fowls and kept them for setting,— as 
they failed entirely as layers,— they would lay 
about twenty-five or thirty eggs and then want to 
set. I reared that year a brood of 25 or 20 Silver 
Polands and kept over the ori ginal six and eight 
May chickens. These commenced laying early 
in the winter — about the middle of January — 
and still continue to give us, up to this writing, 
(Nov. 6,) six eggs per day; they have laid dur¬ 
ing the season, (From Fbb. to Sept. 1st,) 245 
dozen of eggs. One of tho old hens, in the 
middle of May of this year, showed an inclina¬ 
tion to set, and on the 36th of that month she 
was set upon 15 eggs, from which she brought 
off 14 fine, healthy chicks. She made a good 
mother to her young, far better, to my mind, 
than any other fowl with which 1 am acquainted. 
This Is the only one of my brood which has 
shown any inclination to set, and this is the 
third year of my experience with them. I now 
have 20 of the fiue.st birds in this section. 
The Silver Poland is an easy keeper. The 
chicks are hardy and can be reared with 
very little trouble—aud for beauty of plumage I 
know of no fowls which can compare with them. 
To a person wishing to keep fowls In city, vil¬ 
lage, or on the farm, I recommend the Silver 
Poland as the best and most economical variety. 
My fowls arc fed regularly three times a day— 
morning, noon and night—with corn and screen¬ 
ings mixed, and have plenty of fresh water. 
I believo in keeping a few fowls and keeping 
them well. Those who have them for sale 
should make the fact known through the adver¬ 
tising columns of the Rural. I have none for 
sale, therefore don’t advertise. When I have a 
surplus on hand I shall certainly make it known 
through the Rural. Senex. 
Rochester, N. Y., Nov., 1866 
HENRY S. RANDALL, LL, D., 
Editor of tho Department of Sheep Husbandry, 
HON. T. C. PETERS, 
Late Prea’t N. Y. State Ag. Soe’y, Southern Cor. Editor, 
Tub Kvbal Nkw-Vorkkr In designed to ho unsur¬ 
passed In Value, Purity, and Variety ot Contents. Its 
Conductor earnestly labors to render the Rural a Bell, 
able Guide on all the Important Practical, Scientific and 
other Subjects connected with the business or those 
■whose Interests It sealously advocates. As a Family 
Journal It Is eminently Instructive aud Entertaining— 
being io conducted that It can be solely taken to the 
Homes o£ people Ot Intelligence, taste and discrimination. 
It embraces more Agricultural, Horticultural, Scientific, 
Educational, Literary and News Matter, Interspersed 
with appropriate engravings, than any other Journal,— 
rendering it by far the most complete Agbioultukal, 
Litkraky asd Family Nbwbfapxb In America. 
P5 r Fob Terms and other particulars see last page.7 
In giving the above portrait of a model 
Morgan horse, we have no desire to augment 
the mania tor “fust horses” so generally preva¬ 
lent, and against which we argued in the Rural 
of Oct. 27, under tho heading of “ Fast Horses 
not for Farmers,” We have long admired the 
Morgan breed of horses for style, speed and 
” bottom,” or endurance. For the road and car¬ 
riage they are especially superior, ns nil will 
admit who have had experience with horses of 
different breeds. For light work, and particu¬ 
larly for the saddle and carriage, the Morgans 
have had the preference in this region for many 
years, and still “hold their own,” we believe, 
in several localities of this and other States 
of the Union. 4 
We have what is styled a Morgan horse, weigh¬ 
ing only about 1,100 lbs., which wo have used 
over seven years on a heavy, double-seated, 
coach - backed and topped family carriage, and 
he has never failed or “given out,” though 
usually carrying a load heavy enough for two 
horses. 'Though not remarkable for speed he 
possesses both stylo and endurance, and is 
known as a remarkable horse for his age, weight 
and size. Indeed, (having just returned from 
a drive with the wife and four good-sized 
“childer,”) we regard “Pomjiey” as a model 
carriage horse, and would not exchange him for 
any “family horse” in tho city —albeit he is 
nearly 15 years old, uud was regarded as “too 
light" for our purposo when we first purchased 
him. Our experience has convinced us that 
light, compact horses are the best adapted to the 
road and carriage, especially on city pavements 
— for “Potnpey” has scarcely been unable for 
service a single day in seven years, and has sur¬ 
vived many heavy horses. 
Gilford Morgan, Jr., whose portrait we copy 
from Linsley’u work on Morgan Horses, was 
fouled In Connecticut, May 23d, 1850, and prob¬ 
ably “still lives.” Ho was sired by Gifford, 
g. sire Woodbury, g. g. sire, Justin Morgan. 
Dam, Ribbon Back, by Young Black Hawk; 
g. dam was taken from Vermont to Connecticut 
in 1825, and was said to have been sired by ttv 
Justin Morgan. Gifford Morgan, Jr., is (or was/ 
of a Jet black color, a little under 15 hands high, 
and weighs about 1,100 pounds. Is described as 
a free, pleasant traveler, moving in good bold 
style. Very pleasant in his temper, perfectly 
tractable, and a very fine horse. The last we 
heard of him he was owned by Mr. II. B. Mun¬ 
son, and kept in Lee county, Iowa. 
WORK FOR THE SEASON 
Novumukr la the month in which a good 
many things on a farm require attention, though 
the active duties of tho season arc supposed to 
he over. It is peculiarly the plcking-up and 
saving mouth. In the hurry of summer and the 
earlier portions of autumn farm implements are 
liable to get scattered about and should be 
gathered in and liouBCd. This should be the 
rule during all seasons, but it is oftener trans¬ 
gressed than observed, hence the necessity of 
attending to the duty before autumnal snows 
render its performance impossible. 
In repairing fences in the spring refuse rails 
are frequently left along the fence line. These 
should be gathered and taken to the wood-shed 
for fuel. If left out over winter, they are less 
useful lor fuel, and, though of comparatively 
small consequence, still the matter iB worth 
attending to. 
Implements of farming, not necessary to fall 
operations, should be gathered under shelter — 
one that will 6bed rain and thus prevent the cor¬ 
rosion by rust of such as have iron or steel in 
their composition. By proper and timely pre¬ 
cautions in this respect, the farmer, will save 
both expense and annoyance. 
If the bfttn roof is leaky repair it at once, else 
damage may accrue to the hay and grain mows 
during the stormy season. Stable floors should 
TALKS WITH OUR CORRESPONDENTS 
Ringbone in Horses. 
Mr. John O. Owen asks what will care ring¬ 
bone, especially In colts. This is a 6erious 
disease, and, although there are plenty of quacks 
who will assert the contrary, it la usually incu¬ 
rable on old horses. The affection consists of 
a circle of bone thrown out from the underlying 
bone, and sometimes the cartilegea of tho foot 
are converted into bone. A predisposition to 
ringbone may be hereditary from a peculiar 
formation of the pastern joints. If the horse is 
young much may be done in the way of cure. 
First remove all heat and inflammation by cold 
water cloths applied for three days. Then mix 
one drachm of bin-iodidu of mercury with one- 
ounce of lard and apply one-half of the salve by 
rubbing it on for ten minutes. Tie up the 
horse’s head for a few hours and the next 
day wash off with soap and water. Annoint 
with oil for a week, aud then apply the remain¬ 
der of the salve and proceed as before. 
pieces I have noticed belonging to many farms 
which at present yield little or no profit to the 
owner, would be first rate. Have the yard shel¬ 
tered, if possible, from the cold winds, but recol¬ 
lect if you select a swamp, before you plant you 
must thoroughly underdrain it to get the surface 
dry. Plow deep aud subsoil in the fall, aud let 
it lay through the winter that the frost may 
help you iu deStraoylng the insect and grub gen¬ 
erally so destructive to young plants on fresh 
laud. If the land selected is under cultivation, 
It may be plowed any time in the spring before 
planting. Be careful and make a good selection 
of seeds; do not, for the sake of getting some¬ 
thing cheap, plant an inferior, course, mixed up 
kind that is not worthy of aname, and wilt never 
malco a sample of good quality, at the same time 
just us expensive to cultivate as a better sort. 
If you intend planting a number of acres—say 
for instance six—it would be best to get three 
sorts of about two acres each. Early Prolific, 
Williams, Jones, Chester Grape and Colgate, are 
among tho best; the first named are early, the 
Grape next, and the Colgate late. If you plant 
all of one kind you will find it necessary to begin 
picking them before they arc ready, at a sacrifice 
of weight and quality, and before you have 
finished many will become “Flyers.” Get 
your sets not later than April; drag the ground 
and mark it out iu six feet squares, which will 
give you about 1,200 hills to the acre; if you 
prefer to have them seven or eight feet apart, do J 
so, but by no means less than six. If the sets are 
good and strong, four to a bill are sufficient; put 
than in by means of a dibble, oue at a time, the 
first perpendicular, lhe others running closely to 
it, and cover with about one inch ®f fine earth. 
As you cannot expect to grow any hops the 
first year, if the land is clean you might plant a 
row between the bills, of cabbage, potatoes, tur¬ 
nips, wurtzei or anything that would not shade 
the hops too much. If it is fresh land and you 
are likely to be troubled with worms, plant 
potatoes; if the land is foul, do not attempt to 
grow anything between, but use the scarifier and 
the hoe as freely as you can during tho summer, 
ut times carefully twisting the vines into a knot. 
In September plow about four furrows In each 
alley, throwing two each way, and then rake 
them up with an iron rake and they will lay 
round uml dry for the winter, 
See that your 
ditches on the outside are properly made to 
effectually carry away all water. In the spring 
plow hack again the four furrows, and dig up 
the remaining strip, cut away the dead vine, and 
replant any hills that may be missing. 
The poling, the first year, depends much upon 
the strength of the land and the plants, wheth¬ 
er strong or weakly; if storug, put two poles, 
10 ft. long, to each hill, bnt see that they arc not 
too stout. I must here remark It is my opinion 
that there are more hops ruined in this country 
by bad poling than from any other cause. Pay 
more attention to that, even at a little more 
cost, and you will be amply repaid. The second 
year of poling will require longer ones; to the 
Prolific, Jones, Williams, Grape and Golding 
varieties, put three poles, 13 feet long, to each 
hill; to Colgates, three, 14 feet long. Put about 
three vines to each pole, and when all are fur¬ 
nished with good healthy oqcb, pull the remain¬ 
der clean out. Cultivate much, but not too 
deep, and keep the yard and hills free from 
weeds. When the vines have got well up the 
poles, say in July, put about three shovelsful of 
dirt iu each hill, which will form sets to be cut 
off the following spring. This should be done 
carefully with a sharp knife. 
The manuring of hops in this country is a 
question to be left with the Planter; it is my 
opinion that most of the land adapted to grow¬ 
ing hops does not require manure; the use of it, 
Gate Fastening!*. 
“Yorick” says that on fifteen hundred 
gates which he bus opened and closed in canvas- 
ing in thi6 city there are not twenty good, sub¬ 
stantial and convenient fastenings to be found. 
The old rope over two pickets is in the major¬ 
ity; next comes the old-fashioned hook and 
staple, and then the hundred and one comical 
devices, none of which answer the purpose only 
as they are made to do 60 by the want of some¬ 
thing else. Here is a chance for some inventor to 
make a “strike.” 
Warts on Horses. 
H. H. Howe, Nebraska Territory, wishes to 
inform our Kansas inquirer through the Rural 
how to core warts on horses:—“Mix equal 
quantities of spirits of turpentine aud suiphu- 
H0P CULTURE. 
I find the “ Rural ” iB a very popular sheet 
with farmers, and many of them owe their suc¬ 
cess iu the varied improvements of late years to 
the valuable hints and C69ays given in its col¬ 
umns ; in fact they quote the “ Rural” in sup¬ 
port of their arguments as a member of the Bar 
would Blackstoue. But you do not give much 
space to discussing the cultivation of hops. 
I was raised in the hop-growing district of 
Kent, England, and with many years’ experi¬ 
ence as a grower of hops there, I flatter myself 
that I thoroughly and practically understand 
their cultivation, and perhaps 1 may be able to 
give some hints to Rural readers on the subject 
which might be interesting to them. 
The planting is the first consideration. Select 
a piece of land in a flat., cool situation, of a deep, 
loamy soil, but not sandy. Some of the swampy 
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. 
The New England Farmer, in publishing the 
letter of Hon. Henry F. French, resigning the 
Presidency of the Massachusetts Agricultural 
College, makes it the text of a brief history of 
the several Colleges established, or attempted to 
be so, on an agricultural basis. The results, so 
far, have been anything but flattering. A Col- 
leges opened at Ovid, in this 8tate, in 1860, with 
twenty-seven students, did not prosper much 
till the liberality of Mr. Cornell and a Con¬ 
gressional appropriation brought it afresh be¬ 
fore the public. What the promise of the future 
is we are not advised. 
The College located at Lansing, Michigan, has 
not met public expectation, and an effort is 
Fodder from Sorghum. 
“A Subscriber,” from Ohio, asks if the 
leaves of sugar cane (Sorghum,) are worth any 
thing for fodder if well cured, or whether the 
jiff 
mm* 
t ■ Mr \ 
■'J, . rO i ' 1 
