MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AH OKXOINAL WEHKLY 
AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors 
Hon. HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. lb, Editor of the.De- 
partment of Sheep Husbandry. 
Horr. T. C. PETERS, late President N. Y. State AgT 
Society, Southern Corresponding Editor. 
GLEZEN F. WILCOX, Associate Editor. 
COWS FOR DRAFT 
Often a good thing la opposed and neglected 
because it has not the sanction of custom, and 
as often a bad thing is retained because it has 
Tint Bubal New-Yobs*r is designed to be unsur¬ 
passed In Value, Purity, and Variety of Contcuts. Its 
YOL. XYIII, NO, 32.1 ROCHESTER, N. Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, AUGUST 10,1307. i WHOLE NO. 910. 
Besides the loss weeds occasion the cultivator 
by diminishing the yield of his crops, they im¬ 
pose on him a large amount of unremunerative 
labor. In fitting the ground for sowing the 
seed, in cultivating, harvesting and cleaning 
the grain, the presence of weeds in the soil 
and crop causes much extra work to be per¬ 
formed. Loss also occurs through the deterio¬ 
ration of crops in value, when weedB or other 
seeds are mixed freely with them. 
ESTABLISHED IN 1850. 
TERMS, $3.00 PER YEAR.] 
M PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT." 
[SINGLE NO. TEN CENTS 
LVUUUGbVJi UVPVIJ iouvi o ‘V *’«««« -- 
able Guide on all the Important Practical, Scientific and 
other Subjects connected with the hQHtncaa of those 
whose Interests It zealously advocates. As a Family 
Journal it is eminently ln-troctlve and Entertaining— 
being «o conducted that It can be safely taken to the 
Hotnesof people of Intetligoncn.tnstcaud 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 Agricultural, 
Literary and Family Nkwm'apkb In America. 
XW For Terms and other particulars see last page. 
ABOUT WEEDS.-No. 
HARBORING PLAGES. 
The bye-places of the farm wherein weeds i 
harbor comparatively unnoticed and unharmed, 
are prolific sources whence they spread, and 
strongholds last taken by the aggressive farmer. 
To the easy, slothful farmer they are impregna¬ 
ble, and from their commanding position hold 
his possions forever under dominion. Promi¬ 
nent among these harboring places are the fence 
corners, and they are. especially favorable to the 
weeds when partly filled with rubbish or stone 
from the fields. There new varieties are often 
first introduced by means of birds, or from the 
fence opposing a barrier to those downy Beeds 
that float in the air. There, too, the seed finds 
a congenial place to grow; there is shade, a rich 
soil, and they are undisturbed by machinery. 
Often the rubbish or stone piles are so dense a8 
to protect the weeds against the farmer's efforts 
to uproot them. Consequently they mature 
their seed and it is scattered. A patch of couch 
grass may exist for years in a fence corner unno¬ 
ticed ; hut when its creeping roots strike out far 
enough for the plow to tear them they are dis¬ 
tributed far and rapidly over the field, and every 
joint becomes a new plant wherever it perma¬ 
nently lodges. Eradication, then, is nearly im¬ 
possible. The roadsides, which ought to be 
scrupulously kept clean are too often safe har¬ 
boring places for weeds. Manure heaps contain¬ 
ing the seeds are frequently neglected until the 
vigorous growth induced has brought the plants 
to maturity; and many spots arouud farm build¬ 
ings and yards are unsightly from a dense annual 
growth of weeds. In short, the farmer may set 
it down as an axiom, that wherever ou his soil a 
useful plant does not grow a weed will flourish 
and occupy the room. Nature nbbhors an un- 
prolifie soil. It is the farmer's business to see 
that all plants which grow on bis premises are 
beneficial to his interests. 
HOW WEEDS WORK INJURY. 
If farmers would more closely consider the 
detriment to their interests which arises from 
the presence and growth of weeds in the soil, 
they would he incited to greater and more 
united effort to accomplish their extradition. 
Fertility of the soil is diminished mainly by the I 
crops grown on and removed from it. 'Weeds 
rob it oi much plant food without returning any 
equivalent to the farmer, and in most soils avail¬ 
able plant food is uot so abundant but that the 
growth of weeds diminishes the yield of the cul¬ 
tivated crop exactly in proportion to the amount 
of the elements of that crop thus abstracted. 
Let any farmer observe his fields closely at har¬ 
vest time, noting the great variety and mas3 of 
plants which the soil supports besides the crop 
he cultivates, then estimate the increased yield 
which would have resulted had the elements 
which formed these been given to the crop and 
he will feel in his pocket how detrimental to 
his interests are the weeds. The hoed crops 
yield most abundantly, and to their comparative 
1 freedom from weeds this result may he chiefly 
ascribed. And here we will suggest that good 
farming demands that all grain crops he culti- 
t vated at different stages of their growth. 
the sanction of custom. An Irishman, writing 
home his impressions of America, said it was an 
Aisy country for women and cows, but death 
on men and horses." Baling his want oi gal¬ 
lantry, he evidently thought cows might be use¬ 
ful j for something more than giving milk. We 
raise this question expressly for the benefit of 
small farmers. The tendency now is to small I 
farms; aud the question bow draft animals, with v 
the other necessaiy 6tock, are to he kept on a j 
small farm, iB a pressing one. A team will con- t 
same too large a proportion of the productions 
of a small farm. To keep a pair of homes in i 
proper condition costs as much, as the keeping i 
of four cows. This on a ten to twenty-five-acre 
farm is ruinous economy. It will consume one- t 
Lxiu a i,u oue-uifirt roF'JLO pTOtTOLviutr, no .... ,*»«. * 
ordinarily managed. A pair of oxen will eon- £ 
sume as much ns three cows; aud in either case 1 
thiB expense is encountered for the small re¬ 
turn of the team work on the farm. It would, ‘ 
no doubt, he cheaper to hire the teamwork than 
to keep one; but, unfortunately, teams are uot 
to be had iu times of greatest need. Aud, there¬ 
fore, every farmer who would perform ids labor . 
in season must keep his own team. Auil us we 
have seen, the expense of keeping a team, aside 
from the capital invested, is too great for a small 
farm, unless it is useful for other purposes. 
Let us inquire, then, is it practicable to per¬ 
form the labor cm a farm with cows? To the 
American, perhaps, this is a novel question, and 
his first impressions are decidedly in the nega¬ 
tive. He will probably think it barbarous to 
subject the cow to the yoke. This arises from 
his habit, and not from the nature of the case. 
Why canuot the cow bear labor as well as the 
mare? The cow has a power of endurance little 
inferior to the ox, and is more gentle and docile. 
Taken young, they break to the yoke easily. 
The work upon a email farm may be done with 
cows without overtaxing their strength, besides, 
as cows are kept for jirofit of their milk, a far¬ 
mer need not he limited to one pair, bat may 
use two or three pairs, and thus make the work 
easy for the team. They are quicker than oxen, 
and stand moderate labor as well. This is not 
theory. It is a common practice with Bmall far¬ 
mers in Germany and France. There they work 
their iamis and send their products to market 
with coW9. And there can, certainly, be no rea¬ 
son why American cow cannot work, that docs 
not apply to the European. 
The next question will be, how does labor af¬ 
fect the quantity of milk? There is no doubt 
but hard labor will diminish the quantity of 
milk; hut moderate labor with an increase of 
food will not materially affect the milk. We 
have no doubt that cows Boiled, with the addi¬ 
tion of three to five pounds of pea meal or bran, 
per day, would keep in as good condition and 
give as much milk with moderate labor as cows 
running in ordinary pasture. 
This then is a question of the highest impor¬ 
tance to thg farmer of twenty-five acres or less. 
To him it makes all the difference between prof¬ 
itable and unprofitable farming. II the cow 
gives a little less milk, still the expense of a 
team will be but a trifle. This will also furnish 
the advantage of a team as powerful as required, 
’ for the capital Invested in cows will be paying, 
aside from the labor, and the fanner can afford 
to use it liberally. He can plow his few acres 
deep, aud sub-soil, so as to bring out all its pro- 
1 ductiveness. This is seldom done; and by lay- 
^ Ing out sufficient labor on his few acres, he 
1 might find the amount of his productions not 
1 far behind his prosperous neighbors with more 
* land. 
* Now don’t elevate your noses in disgust at the 
5 mention of this cow team! A pair of fine 
’ rouuded Devon heifers would not look had 
* coupled together with a well-formed yoke. 
FLAN OF FARM HOUSE — ELEVATION. 
would look every way more beautiful and appro- 1 
priate than a pair of old plugs, such as many e 
drive. No! you bad better consult your own 1 
Interest rather than your prejudice, and com- i 
me.nce at once to lull into line with a pair of fine 1 
heifers. a 
And you, large farmers *, ,1.4 turn in and help i 
make this fiishiouuble. It would be , 
- - - to USC 4A 
ample to those to wliot.- T is a necessity, uud 
who now feel a delicacy V commencing the 
practice. To those who have counted the cost 
of keeping a good team, even ou a farm of one 
hundred acres, the Importance of saving the ex¬ 
pense of one will appear no Insignificant item. 
When this is once put in practice, the great ob¬ 
jection that small farms cannot he worked with¬ 
out grenter proportional expense will fall, and 
the small farmer will he as independent as any in 
the land. e. w. s. 
RURAL ARCHITECTURE. 
The object of devoting so much space in the 
“ Rural " to country homes is, doubtless, to 
diffuse a knowloge of the principles of Rural 
Architecture. To divide up a (square, parallello- 
gram or octagon into a number of rooms, closets, 
hulls and stairways, will afford scarcely amuse¬ 
ment, much less improvement, in taste. The 
plans, elevations and perspective views of houses 
are useful, mainly, as they serve to illustrate 
some principle of Architectural Art. In sub¬ 
mitting his plans to your hundred thousand and 
more of readers, the Architect should have a 
problem to solve, which he can make clearer by 
his diagrams. Even, if they are somewhat de¬ 
fective, be may do something to awaken interest 
and render the public taste discriminating, by 
showing that Buch a problem actually exists and 
demands solution. 
ance aB possible. 
architectural effect, the exclusion of proper fur¬ 
niture and the discomfort of family and friends. 
In accordance with custom a dining-room, sepa¬ 
rate from sitting-romn, lias been designated; 
but most country families will find it convenient 
to convert it, especially in winter, into a family 
bed-room, as two fires are os many as they will 
wish to keep up all day. The back hall shuts 
off the sitting and dining-rooms from unpleasant 
odors of the kitchen. In tire kitchen next to 
the bath-room is a small cistern having a lid to 
cover It, and a lead or iron pipe in the bottom 
leading to the bath tub, which can thus be sup¬ 
plied with warm or cold water conveniently. 
This cistern is marked C. Thu number and loca¬ 
tion of the water closets, which are to be fur- 
^—. 5 : 7 r r _ -_nished with ventilating flues, and a deep vault 
1 ' r ~t I SI' l|Wf 'with drain, will he approved. 
;flfl ya' j From the hall on the second floor three closets 
t J™" , . iBiBal . j j BRil are taken, leaving it still sufficiently spacious. 
.. Hr i.-- - -L|--- The closet opening Into the hall is designed for 
• • - --- a common depository of linen aud bed-clothes 
se — elevation. and furs in summer. Stairs lead to a pleasant 
_ • ~ . ~ -- room in the third story, which can be used for 
for it. In this case, an extensive plot of ground, ?» observatory or 0 & 0 r puFpogfl. Stairs, partly 
shaded by a number of large trees, was bounded iu W1U £ 011,1 l ,ar Uy the mala building, 
by two rouds, which by their intersection formed to the attic. The woodhousc chamber is 
an angle of about 100°. This necessitated at designed for a store room lor sacks of wool, sage, 
least two fronts and a cheerful out-look from a h°Pa tobitcco ’ and is designedly mtim sasfi 
third side. As the trees were large ap4Afff?e*{o filing on hinge butts and fastened inside to a 
and the nO^Ji^Sucb magnitude in appear- '<">vuble standard, so that they may be opened 
, for the’ reception of these or other products. 
The olher t rooms, as their size and location are 
™Tj indicated on the plan, do not need special meR- 
1 I tiou. E. M. R. 
1 _ hl | the crops of the:.south last season. 
I | B The .July Southern Cultivator overflows with 
| I correspondence from the now wide-awake plant- 
G II ers in the cotton States, They are very well- 
read, practical farmers. Although some of them 
I J_ evidently sigh after the leeks and onions of 
F | // Egypt, yet the majority say they would not 
a '— 77 il I / ./ have slavery reinstated on any account. It is 
■ m\ 1 / / refreshing to read the painstaking experiments 
™*T going bravely ou in spite of the trials of trans- 
■ a ition from the old to the new regime. The best 
I E J thing of all Is to see the planter bis own over- 
L [ j‘a Beer, and his sous bravely learning the use of 
_ - - - _ L V J- >i —their own hands; then the substitution of labor- 
C p|l saving farm implements and machinery for the 
|K I i "T“ ”1"N L J old system of one-mule scratching plows, sevea- 
M* J 1 1 | teen of which, with seventeen uegvoes to drive 
J a B 1* -* 1 - - * them, were so often seen 1» one field. It would 
./ I ] \ seem that necessity, inducing enterprise and a 
’/ j I \ close attention to business, is now working 
*— --wonders for the permanent agricultural pros- 
\T / \ / perity of the South. 
v._A/ One planter, as an apology for.tho short crops 
Upper Floor.-N. Hall. M, M, M, M. Closets. A, of I860, recites the causes of failure thus:—" The 
B. D, I, Chambers. F, G, Servants’ Chambers. II, ^ eaiD3 were ruined by hard usage and the con- 
Woodhottee-Chatnber. , a cony. stunt military impressment system of the war, 
An attempt is made, secondly, to reconcile |)y day and by night> both 0 flieially and without 
simplicity and variety—a difficult problem al- ftutb0rityj _ bcuCli the land was badly plowed, 
ways - and especially in a building of moderate kfl foul> ult( . Leg fiUed cp? and th(i banks grown 
dimensions, and at a cost within the reach of wUh pushes and briars. Of course we could 
Upper Floor. — N, Hall. M, M, M, M, Closets. A, 
B D I Chambers. F, G, Servants’ Chambers. U, 
Woo’dbonae-Chaiuber. K, Balcony. 
a well-to-do farmer. This house is not designed 
for a gentleman’s mansion, nor for a village resi¬ 
dence, but for a farm house, located at some 
distance from village or city. It supposes the 
existence of a numerous household of children 
and help; and may, without offensive pretension, 
be called a “ Farm Wlla." The exterior is plain 
and comparatively inexpensive, though very 
irregular. It will he noticed that verandas nrc 
introduced, uot for show,hut for their legitimate many damaged seeds were sown, and eome 
objects, viz., to furnish shade and to give unity gown bjo sparingly to get a good stand ; many 
to the whole building by connecting its different pj an ^ trs t jj d g e p gec( j until May when, the 
parts. The French windows, serving the double nd[i(j bav 5 n „ 6c t i n they were sown on wet laud. 
** a » .v - _ .. 1! ,-A. i .1 *,fta^nn«n-Tir«i t/ - . 
purpose of furnishing light and passage-way, 
lead to the verandas, and in uo ease are made as 
if designed to give the unwary visitor a tumble 
of several feet to the grouud, and to the outsider 
an uncomfortable sense of the perils of snch out¬ 
side trap doors. Iu this bleak climate they 
should be used sparingly iu any room that Is to 
be constantly used in winter. The woodhouse 
is an essential part oi the plan, aud should he ^ shin, cut and boll worms, rot and catterpil 
finished in the same style as the rest of the j erg ^ ro»t, wind and rain decimated the cotton 
building on the outside. # tTO p » * 
The front entrance is in the w ing, which--. 
Lower Floor.— V, V, V, Verandas. R. Front Hal), 
11+14. P. Parlor, 15 + 25. B, Bitting Room, 15+21. 
T. Library, 14+14, O, China or Clothes Closet. IJ, 
Dining-Room, 11 + 10 6. N, kitchen, 15 + 17. O, 
Pantry. 10,6 + k Z. Store-Room, 10.8+8.6. X, 
Wash-Room. Y. Wood-House, c, Water-Closet. 
W, Bath-Room, 6 111. 
In the above plan two important elements 
were especially taken into consideration. First, 
forms a hall fur stairs. These are wide, and 
with two platforms are easy oi ascent; and on 
ibis account, as well as cm account of compara- 
tive mexpenslvcness aud really grand appear- lry wa3 because the attempts had all been with 
ance, are to be preferred to a circular stairway, locoruot q ve i ns u*. a d of stationary traction engines] 
so much in fashion jar.t now. 1 he parlor and , pberft - s a i wuye g rf . a t difficulty in starting a rail¬ 
sitting-room are spacious, but will not be found tra - Q by an cng j ne w bieh may he fully suf- 
too large for a family at all numerous. The ten- g f ,: en ^ a fter it has obtained momentum. That 
not be prepared to commence the operations of 
the plantation the beginning of last year. The 
laboring population were disorganized, and we 
were troubled for both hands and good teams, 
and were late preparing to plant. The laud, 
owing to slovenly farming during the war, was 
rough and foul, and it plowed badly, so that 
crops were poorly put in to begin with. Then 
there was a great scarcity of good cotton seed, 
Hence, the common complaint of bad stands to 
start with; the demon grass came up, and the 
wet season soon covered them with grass. The 
rains continued, the white men complained, and 
the l’reedmen despaired,— they ‘ neber seed de 
like afore.’ Replanting was done until June. 
Some lost the entire crop by trying to save all, 
instead of turning out a portion. Besides grass, 
Steam Plowing.— It was stated at the New 
York Farmers’ Club that the reason why steam 
plowing had not proved successful in this coun- 
Many of you, with a sly leer upon your faces, the site, which generaUy requires careful atten* [ dency of late has been to cu up coun r\ io\i ..e ^ g^uds in the way of steam plowing 
would be very glad to have such a pair, and they tion before the artist can develop a proper plan i into small apartments, to t ie c cs rue ion o a 
