[SINGLE NO. TEN CENTS 
ROCHESTER, N. Y-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, NOY. 2,18G7 
mcr time, and then you and your family may 
not eat salt pork altogether. 
Pick Stone from the fields to be mowed next 
year. The ground may he soft in the Bpring 
for teams to travel on. 
Stock .—It is a difficult month for stock. Work 
horses should he stabled; cattle will do well In 
the pasture, hut should bo yarded or stabled 
during stormR, and fed regularly with some hay 
or grain. The point is to keep the animals com¬ 
fortable and thriving. Milch cows, of course, 
need plenty of feed, ilogs should be fattened 
as rapidly as possible. 
Sheds and Hacks should be provided, in all 
localities where they are needed, lor cattle, 
sheep, etc., before severe storms and cold 
weather occur. 
Top Press, with any litter, spots on your wheat 
field that are liable to heave out the grain by 
freezing and thawing, or where it may freeze 
out by severe cold. Open temporary furrows 
also to carry off the stagnant water. 
ESTABLISHED IH 1850, 
— that it iB like the old way of carpentering, 
only a cut and try system —then farmers’ sons 
do right to lice from It and engage in something 
which may be understood, and has Borne positive 
landmarks. 
Says Mr. Meeker, “ Books arc the doctor’s 
tools —plows arc the farmers tools.” Docs the 
doctor nso only books to amputato a limb ? Bat 
is he tit to operate as a surgeon till he lmn 
studied books on anatomy and surgery? After 
he has studied the bookB he must learn the use 
of the instruments, ro also the farmer after ho 
hus studied the philosophy of plowing should 
learn to use tho plow. Mr. Mbhkbb and Dr. 
Trimble seem to forget that there la any thing 
higher in agriculture than the mere manipula¬ 
tion of the implements. If so, then the Irish¬ 
man who uses the shovel to grade the embank¬ 
ment, Is equal iu knowlege to the engineer who 
laid out'.thc work. Tills young man who mado 
the Inquiry of the Club, evidently did not seek 
to know the books that would learn him the 
mere mechanical routine of farming, but ho 
wanted to be posted up in the principles of agri¬ 
culture. There seem to be abroad some wild 
opinions us to what, constitutes a practical farm¬ 
er. Is the man who knows, simply, how to use 
tho tools, a practical farmer? Or does it require 
in addition to this, knowledge of the adaptation 
of crops to soil—ol how to keep up the fertility 
of the soil — of the laws of vegetable growth_ 
of the lawB of animal life and growth — of the 
whole question of the food of animals? It is 
tho man who knows how to manage a farm, in 
all its various branches of activity, intelligently, 
with a full knowledge of the means to be em¬ 
ployed and the object to bo attained, who Is a 
practical farmer. The man who knows, merely, 
how to uset.lm implements, isos near a practical 
farmer as the boy who knows, merely, how to 
write the numerals is a mathematician. A 
practical knowledge of the use of toolB is neces¬ 
sary, hut a knowledge of the principles which 
ought to guide these tools 1 b the first requisite. 
We would udvlse the young farmer to raid, 
most attentively, Johnston’s Chemistry and 
Geology applied to Agriculture, which is tho 
simplest and most practical work on that sub¬ 
ject; Boussinoai i.t’h Rural Economy, Liebig’s 
Natural Laws of Husbandry, and French on 
Drainage. Those works will do to begin with, 
and when read and understood by a man of 
practical ability, will enable him to manage u 
farm more intelligently than a life-time of mere 
routine. 
Let him have the knowledge of principles and 
then If he performs bis own labor, he will soon 
learn the use ot the implements and apply the 
principles. E- w g 
AN ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors, 
Hon. HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. D.. Editor of the De¬ 
partment of Sheep Husbandry. 
Hon. T. C. PETERS, late President N. Y. State Ag’l 
Society, Southern Corresponding Editor. 
6LEZEN F. WILCOX, Associate Editor. 
The Rural Nkw-Yourkii la designed to be unsur¬ 
passed tn Value, Purity, and Variety of Contents. Its 
Conductor earnestly labors to render tho Rural a Reli¬ 
able Guide on all the Important Practical, Scientific and 
other Subjects connected with tho business of those 
whose Interests It zealously advocates. As a Family 
Journal It Is eminently Instructive and Entertaining — 
being so conducted that It can be safely taKen to the 
Homes of people of Intelligence, taste and discrimination. 
It embraces moro Agricultural. Horticultural, Scientific, 
Educational, Literary and News Matter, Interspersed 
with appropriate engravings, than any other Journal,— 
rendering It by far the most complete Aobicultcbal, 
Literary and Family Nkwbi'atkh In America. 
Above we portray a pig which received the 
first prize at Paifly, France, in 186«. Tho Jour¬ 
nal D’ Agriculture, at Longues, alluding to the 
exhibition says ;—“The hog was 11 months and 
,10 days old and weighed 514 lbs. Ttis a cross be¬ 
tween the Norman and New Leicester. The Nor¬ 
man race was taken lor the stromr frnins nml the 
New Leicester for the tilling up. Tho result is 
considered very profitable, not only on account 
Of early maturity but also for increased weight.” 
VVe give the portrait and description of tills 
foreign specimen of the genus Sun for the bene¬ 
fit of those of our readers interested in the 
breeding, improvement and fattening of Swine. 
WEIGHT OF CATTLE-MEASUREMENT 
E. J. E., Grafton, Iowa, asks for a rule for 
ascertaining the weight of eattle — the calcula¬ 
tion being based on the measurement of the 
animals. Many experiments have been made by 
graziers and dealers in cattle to ascertain the 
net weight of eattle by measurement. Rules 
have been given and tables constructed of the 
results obtained. At best, these are but approxi¬ 
mations, and the measure of correctness will 
depend ulueh upon a practical acquaintance with 
the form and prominent points of the animals to 
be measured. Something will depend, too, on 
the breed, size, mode of fattening, the t ime the 
process has been going on and the character of 
the feed supplied. The following method comes 
as near a correct result as any known : 
Measure carefully with a tape line from the 
top of tho shoulder to where the tail is attached 
to the buck; this will give the length. For the 
girth measure immediately behind the shoulder 
and fore legs. Multiply half the girth by itself 
in feet, and the sum by the length iu feet, and 
the product will give the net weight in stones of 
eight pouudB each. For example, with an ox or 
cow five feet in length and seven feet in girth, 
the calculation will be as follows: 
Multiply half the girth by itself in feet. 3.5 
DT For Terms and other particulars see last page 
the following sketch and description of a husk 
lug table, which enables the workmen to lnboi 
with greater ease and rapidit >. He says“ VV< 
have used it, for several yci.(V and find it verj 
convenient in husking corn. Its construction 
HINTS FOE THE MONTH, 
November is the month wherein most of the 
farmers, horticulturist!! and gardeners of the 
United States and Dominion of Canada must 
make final preparation for the iueomiug and 
reign of Winter. Though many of onr readers, 
especially in theSouth and Southwest, have little 
canse to fear the sway of the ley monarch, the 
great mass of those herein addressed reside in 
localities where his presence will soon be felt in 
a greater or less degree—where It will not be 
necessary to consult the almanac to decide as to 
the arrival of the season of hybernation. And 
all such (in the Eastern, Northern, Middle and 
Western States, Canada, etc.,) guided by the 
experience of former years, should not delny 
timely provision for the season of frigidity, for 
it is as sure us that of the promised seed time 
and harvest. Balmy and beautiful as has been 
the past month over the greater portion of our 
country, both men and beasts rnnst soon expe¬ 
rience the discomforts of sleet, snow and Boreal 
blasts — a change which will be donbly uncom¬ 
fortable if not provided for in advance of Its 
occurrence. It therefore behooves every one 
having charge of a family, and the care of do¬ 
mestic animals, to provide proper fuel, food und 
fodder, as well as raiment and shelter, without 
delay, lest inconvenience and suilcring may 
result. 
But In most sections there is yet time for anti 
need of out-door farm work. Let us enumerate 
a few of the most important matters requiring 
attention overa wide extent of country—matters 
by no means confined to the latitude of Western 
New York: 
Ungathered Fall Crops should now be secured 
—potatoes and roots dug, and corn and fodder 
housed and stacked—not because the weather 
will no longer prove favorable for this work, 
but that the farmer may have time for the doing 
of odd jobs before winter sets in earnestly, and 
experience that feeling of satisfaction which 
comes from knowing that the farm work is 
ahead. But if the crops are not. secured, as the 
case is with perhaps the majority, all other work 
must give way to this. 
Fall Plowing is iu order. Remember how hur¬ 
ried you were last spring to sow your hurley, 
wheat aud oats in season, aud how much quicker 
you could have done it hud the ground been fall- 
plowed. Flow the garden, the ground for spring 
sowing, and perhaps the old sod for planting. 
The Buildings .—Look to these at this season. 
Many little repairs will be needed, boards nailed 
on, a little shingling done, windows made or 
repaired, stables refitted, yard fences and gates 
strengthened, In that you will find enough to 
keep your jack-at-ull-trades busy. 
Fences .—It is also a good time for repairing 
the farm fences, and building stone walls when 
the weather is lair. Protect the foundations of 
the latter from frost. 
Ice House .—Build an ice house if yon have not 
one already. You will find plana in this and 
lormer volumes of the Rural. You want it so 
constructed as to preserve fresh meats in sum- 
is very simple, being nothing more than any boy 
cun build who is at all handy with tools. It is 
made of two jiieces of timber 2 by 4, and six feet 
long, joined together at either cml by u board 
fifteen inches wide and two and a half feet long. 
The whole is set on four legs fifteen inches long. 
It is designed for use in the bam; tho shock is 
thrown across the middle of the table and two 
persons can sit on the two seats and work.” 
Mnltiply by length in feet. 5 
Weight in stones. 61.25 
This multiplied by eight, the pounds in a 
stone, or rather a half stone, and the result will 
be 400 pounds net. 
election. Ilere we find a majority of the “ wise 
men of Gotham,” whose business it has been, 
for years, to fill books and papers with disqui¬ 
sitions, advice and instructions to the agricul¬ 
turists of the whole country, advising this un¬ 
lucky young man, who, in a moment of rural 
enthusiasm, ventures on the purchase of thirty 
acres — that ho can rely upon nothing that has 
been done or recorded In the great business of 
Agriculture since the. days of Cato to the pres¬ 
ent time. That he is to rely solely upon oeeu- 
lar demonstration aud experience under the tui¬ 
tion of some farmer, who has not had the audac¬ 
ity to reduce the mysteries of his calling to the 
unreliable form of book - knowledge ; that in 
Agriculture, unlike every other business, the 
moment an experiment is reduced to a writ¬ 
ten formula it becomes totally unreliable, and 
proves only u snare to entrap tho unwary. Ac¬ 
cording to the opinion of these members of the 
Club, evidently, Agriculture can flourish iu per¬ 
fection only under that state of civilization de¬ 
scribed by Henry A. Wise, when he “ thanked 
God ! that there was neither a school-house nor 
a newspaper In ills district.” 
Seriously, whut do these men meet for every 
week? What are their proceedings published 
lor, il book-knowledge, written information, is 
worthless? il" farming is only to be learned by 
experiment and routine in the field ? Have they, 
alone, discovered the true secret of conveying 
reliable Information? If there are no hooks 
worthy of being read by the young farmer—if 
all the knowledge attempted to bo conveyed by 
all the earnest and devoted agriculturists since 
the days of the noble Cato to the present era of 
a Johnston, a Laws, a Boiissingault, a Liebig, 
aud a host of other distinguished names, is an 
illusion, a distraction to the young farmer, then 
had we not better close up tbe American Insti¬ 
tute, the New York Agricultural Noddy, and 
all kindred associations ? If young farmers are 
to be told that there is no science of Agriculture, 
that there. Is no light to shine on their path in life 
farm work, and exeept the light of experience—that their lilgh- 
RURAL FARMERS’ CLUB 
Cheap Shelter lor Stock. 
A contributor to our Farmer’s Club writing 
from Wisconsin, remarks that shelter for stock 
is one of the great needs of western farmers. In 
the Prairie States It is costly to build barns and 
sheds In the style we see them East, but for 
simple purposes of shelter, Western farmers 
might make greuter use of their abundance of 
HONEY COMB, 
i sac, qune generally in me various jour¬ 
nals, like the Rural, an article to Iho Import 
that “comb grows, ” — la not made by tho 
bees. I once knew two neighbors have a fight 
over the phrase “atones grow in the earth.” 
On tlie trial before tho Justice of tho Peace lor 
assault, the questions were asked, “ if pebbles 
and stones grow, what do they grow out of?” 
“Did you ever see a stone grow?” 
These puerile statements do no one good; for 
they are false, and no dignified editor will admit 
them, unless he is scarce of copy to send to his 
type setters. Who ever saw houcy comb grow ? 
What is It to grow out of? These solve the whole 
matter. 
Any one can make a glass honey box; and then 
by watching tho bees, when they build the combs 
next to the glass, they will see that the underside 
of some of the bees have white spots when 
comb is forming. W hen these get large euough, 
the hec begins to wriggle and shake itself more 
and more violently, until the little white spot 
becomes detutched, aud is a small scale of thin, 
clear beeswax. Then the same, or oftener 
another bee, takes the little scale of wax in its 
DIRECTIONS FOE A YOUNG FARMER.” 
