MOORE’S RURAL NEW YORKER 
AN ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Literary and Family Newspaper. 
The writer of u Walks and Talks,” in the Ameri¬ 
can Agriculturist for April, says: — “ It will not be 
long before every State has its Agricultural College. 
We ought not to expect too much of them, or we 
shall be disappointed. The farms connected with 
them cannot and will not pay.” 
This article was referred to by a writer in the 
Rural a few weeks ago, very properly dissenting 
from such a broad statement, by one who is Boon to 
assume the most important chair in the Agricultural 
department of the Cornell University. We might 
suppose that he referred to single costly experi¬ 
ments, did not other statements in the same article 
prednde such interpretation. It may he of very 
little consequence to the exchequer of a college, 
magnificently endowed, whether its experimental 
farm pays or not; but to the farmers who hope to 
derive lasting benefit from the improvements thus 
introduced, it is of the first importance that they 
shall he shown to pay. The object of these farms 
is to teach a better system of agriculture; but if it 
is to be understood beforehand, that the system 
of culture is to be such, on these farms, that they 
11 cannot and will not pay,” then farmers will not 
pay any attention to these experiments. There will 
be many items of expense in the preparation for 
trying single experiments, which no one will expect 
to be repaid on the first trial; but it will be easy to 
determine whether these will pay or not, and if they 
will not pay, they are not improvements. 
All sensible farmers will be liberal in judging an 
institution established to promote a higher system 
of culture, to teach by example the best method of 
breeding animals, the greatest economy in rearing 
and fattening them, giving a clear Insight into the 
composition and feeding value of the different foods 
of animals, showing how these should be prepared 
to produce the greatest result, and illustrating all 
the best methods of farm management. 
We can see how experiments, which, economi¬ 
cally, prove failures, may yet be beneficial to agri¬ 
culture, iu showing what to shun as well as what to 
adopt. Farmers will be grateful for all such efforts 
in their behalf, and they will not be unreasonable or 
“expect too much.” Will it be “expecting too 
much,” that this college farm, under the manage¬ 
ment of a scientific and practical man, with practical 
assistants and adequate means, should make general 
farming as profitable as a mere practical man with¬ 
out scientific knowledgeV Is agricultural science 
worse than useless that it should render farming 
unprofitable ? If such be the fact, what is this col¬ 
lege established for? What does Mr. IIarhis mean ? 
Shall we lay it to some blunder of the compositor 
of his article? No, for he says young men should 
not engage in farming “with a determination to 
make it pay," but determine to “adopt it as the 
business of tbeir lives,” and to “ follow it with all 
the skill and science and energy they can command,” 
—clearly intimating that the more educated, intelli¬ 
gent, energetic, scientific and honest they are, the 
less likely are they to make farming pay. This is a 
bad lookout for the young men who propose to 
learn agriculture In this college! What abstract 
utopian revery was floating through the Professor’s 
brain during this “ Walk and Talk ? ” 
He seems to have imagined the earth suddenly 
peopled with noble young men, who, without any 
motive of feeding or clothing their preciouB bodies ) 
or furnishing the necessaries and comforts of exist¬ 
ence to their wives and children, should study with 
the eye of the philosopher and the unflagging energy 
of the enthusiast into the secrets of the earth, lay¬ 
ing bare her mysteries of germ, growth, plant, flower 
and fruit, and all her infinite series of vegetable and 
animal production, bolding themselves superior to 
all mere questions of utility and human wants ! The 
poetical side of agriculture is too seldom dwelt 
upon, and the Professor, filled with that glowing 
picture of its future glory, must be paidoned for 
having forgotten the present with its vulgar waats 
and necessities. But we trust that, iu starting this 
college farm, he will deem it necessary to commence 
on the present plan of thought and knowledge, aud, 
however unpleasant it may be, give ns practical 
demonstrations of the utility, money value, or food 
value of his experiments. 
Aud now, as our population is increasing so rapid¬ 
ly, and our animals decreasing relatively to popula¬ 
tion,— perhaps the most important problem, at 
present, in the older States, is, how to increase and 
economize the food of our animals. As Mr. Geo. 
Gkddes suggested in the discussion at our State 
Fair last year, this college farm will be the place to 
try a series of exact experiments in cooking the 
winter food of animals, shewing the gain in each 
kind of food used by feeding it to the same animals, 
cooked aud uncooked, with a careful weighing of 
food and animals. And who does not see that it will 
be easy to determine whether cooking food will 
pay? 
Then in the summer management of animals —a 
comparative trial of soiling and pasturing cows 
aud other animals can be made with such accurate 
observations as will render it easy to determine the 
comparative economy of the two systems. Drain¬ 
ing, deep and shallow plowing, sub-soiling, the 
various kinds of manures, will all be tested in due 
time, aud the method of culture theo adopted and 
recommended must be shown to pay. 
The Professor must explain himself. The farmers 
of this Slate look forward with strong hope to this 
great Agricultural College, which they expect to be 
the model institution of its kind in America. They 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
(publisher and proprietor,) 
With a Corps of Able Associates and Contributors, 
G. F. WILCOX and A. A. HOPKINS, Associate Editors, 
HON. HENTtr S. JtXNDALL, LL. D., 
Editor of the Department of Sheep Husbandry. 
Db. DANIEL LEE, Sonthern Corresponding Editor. 
HIRAM BUMPHREY and REUBEN D. JONES, 
Assistant and Commercial Editors. 
Special Contributors. 
P. BARRT, F. R. ELLIOTT, E. W. STEWART, 
H, T. BROOKS, JOHN E. SWEET, JAMES VICK, 
MBS. MARY J. HOLMES, MRS. L. B. LYMAN. 
Tub Rural New-Yorker la designed to he unsurpassed 
In Value, Purity, and Variety ol' Contentr,. ItB Conductors 
earnestly labor to render It a [tellable Guide on the Important 
Practical, 6dentiilc and other Subjects connected with the 
business of those whose interests it zealouBly advocates. 
As a Family Journal it is eminently Instructive and Enter¬ 
taining,—adapted to people of Intelligence and taste In both 
Town and Country. It embraces more Agricultural, Horti¬ 
cultural, Scientific, Educational. Literary, News and Com¬ 
mercial Matter, with appropriate Illustrations, than any 
other journal,—rendering it by far the most complete Rural, 
Litkraby, Family and Business Newspaper in America. 
Terms, in Advance— THREE Dollars a Teak:—F ive 
copies for $11; Seven, and one free to Club Agent, for $19; 
Ten, and one free, for $26— only <2.50 per copy. Ab we pre¬ 
pay American postage, <2.70 is Uio lowest Club rate to Canada 
and <8.50 to Europe. The best way to remit, ts by Draft or 
PoBt-Offlce Money Order,—and all Drafts and Orders made 
payable to the Publisher mat be mailed at ms risk. 
POTATOES IN WESTERN NEW YORK, 
Bomb portions of Western New York, especially 
the vicinity of Rochester, are noted for the extent 
to which the growiDg of potatoes is carried on, it 
being made one of the chief and most profitable 
branches of farming. The business has not grown 
up like a mushroom, in a night, but has increased 
in a long course of years, from small patches furnish¬ 
ing an amount juBt sufficient for home consumption, 
until now the eye of the traveler may behold iu every 
direction wb ere the soil is suitable aud other circum¬ 
stances favorable, fields ranging In 6izo from five to 
forty acres, devoted to the culture of the potato. 
Although there are occasional years of partial fail¬ 
ure, caused by disease and drouths, yet in general 
the yield and prices obtained for the crop* are suffi¬ 
ciently remunerative. Those farmers who have 
steadily adhere-d to the business have made money, 
but many who planted occasional crops, under the 
stimulus of exceptional high prices, have not always 
hit the mark Q t which they aimed. 
Potato growing is extending all over the country 
as fast as any other branch of farming. There i9 
always a large quantity of the crop needed for borne 
use, and the great seaboard cities and the South de¬ 
mand immense supplies. Of late years some old 
sorts have seemed to deteriorate in this region, and 
new ones tire taking Ihelr places. The Mercer is one. 
of the most tender varieties, and is not safe to plant 
except on dry, sandy land. It is not a prolific po¬ 
tato, but its quality for fall and winter use makee it 
a favorite in the Eastern markets. The Peachblow 
is a standard sort, usually free from rot, although 
subject, of late years to a blight on the vines, which 
very singularly affects solitary hills all over a field, 
while those in their immediate proximity are un¬ 
touched. It is a rank grower, late ia its time of 
ripening, good yielder, adapted to a variety of soils, 
and is noted for its good keeping qualities. Late in 
the season it usually leads in the Eastern markets. 
A sub-variety, called the White Peachblow, has late¬ 
ly been introduced, but is not generally regarded as 
a great acquisition. The rank, strong vines of the 
Peachblow, keeping green until bard frosts come, 
render the harvesting more laborious than that of 
some other varieties. Another prominent sort ex¬ 
tensively raised here and widely known in the 
Eastern maikete, is the Prince Albert, under which 
brand the Clinton and Fluke varieties are sold. 
They are hardy and generally prolific, but of inferior 
quality to the preceding kinds. Hound Pink Eyes 
are grown to a limited extent; they are mostly 
shipped South. The Dykemanis grown for its earli¬ 
ness, and the demand for it in the Eastern markets 
comes principally from the growers of early potatoes 
who have depended on this variety chiefly, and who 
prefer buying their seed. 
Of late years some new varieties have been intro¬ 
duced which promise exceedingly well on account 
of quality, hardiness and yield. These are mostly 
seedlings, originated by the late Kev. Chaunoey 
Goodrich of Utica, N. Y., to whose indefatigable 
and skillful labor in this direction the public are 
greatly indebted. The Early Goodrich is the one 
as yet most widely tested, and it is growing rapidly 
in favor and promises to supplant the old early 
j varieties. It is hardy, early, prolific and of good 
fi quality. The Harkon is not as extensively intro- 
duced, but its reputation and promise are great and 
' J we have no doubt that it will 60on become a leading 
v , variety. These, with the Garnet Chili, seem to 
(s take the lead among the new sorts in this region, 
y and in a short time will undoubtedly become as 
ft, familiar in the markets as the now standard varie- 
f?) ties, and, we think, will prove more profitable to 
sheep’s fescue. 
BED FESCUE, 
TALL FESCUE. 
MEADOW FESCUE. 
and will not pay.” They are astonished to hear 
from its first Professor, that a “scientific man" is 
not likely to make farming pay. Why then send 
onr sons to college to learn this science which will 
make paupers of them ?— b. w. s. 
insectiverous birds will pounce upon and destroy 
them. Aside from these methods of extermination 
we are not aware of any protection against the ravages 
of the family of which the wire worm is a member. 
Fescue Grass. 
“A Subscriber,” Cortlandville, N. Y., sends us a 
sample of grass, of which he remarks“ It has made 
its appearance in this vicinity ; none of ns are able 
to tell what it is. It appears to be running out 
other grasses; what are its qualities and name?” 
The sample sent is the Tall Fescue Grass of which 
we give an illustration together with some other va¬ 
rieties of this genus. None of them are harmful; 
that is, take on the character of weeds, but are val¬ 
uable in the pasture and meadow. Of the one in 
question (Tall Fescue) Flint says it is found com- 
Trnun j $3.00 PER YEAR. 
It Km o, (Single Copy, Six Cents. 
ROCHESTER, N. Y„ AID NEW YORK CITY. 
nrciprc iBuffalo St.* Rochester. 
) 41 Park Row, New York. —j 
FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1888. 
{WHOLE NO. 988 
YOL. XIX. NO. 30.} 
CHEAP PAINTS FOR OUTDOOR WORK. 
We transfer, from “The Painter, Gilder and Var- 
nisher’s Companion,” a book heretofore noticed iu 
the Rural, and published by Henry Carey Baird, 
Philadelphia, directions for preparing various coarse 
paints of great cheapness and durability. Fish oil is 
used as the base, and the following is the process : 
TO PREPARE TILE OIL. 
Into a cask which will contain about forty gal¬ 
lons, put thirty-two gallons of good common vine¬ 
gar ; add to this twelve pounds of litharge, and 
twelve pounds of white copperas in powder; bung 
up the vessel, and shake and roll it well twice a-day 
for a week, when it will be fit to put into a ton of 
whale, cod or seal oil, (but the Southern whale oil 
is to be preferred, on account of its good color and 
little or no smell;) shake and mix all together, 
when it may settle until the next day; then pour 
off the clear, which will be about Beveu-eighths of 
the whole. To clear this part, add twelve gallons 
of linseed oil, and two gallons of spirits of turpen¬ 
tine ; shake them well together, and, after the 
whole has settled two or three days, it will be fit to 
grind white lead and all fine colors in; and, when 
ground, cannot be distinguished from those ground 
in linseed oil, unless by the superiority of color. 
If the oil be wanted only for coarse purposes, the 
linseed oil and oil of turpentine may be added at 
the same time that the prepared vinegar is put in; 
and, after being well shaken up, is lit for immedi¬ 
ate use, without being suffered to settle. The resi¬ 
due or bottom, when settled by the addition of half 
its quantity of fresh lime-water, forms an excellent 
oil for mixing with all the coarse paints for preserv¬ 
ing outside work All colors ground in the above 
oil, and used for inside work, must be thinned with 
linseed oil and oil of turpentine. 
GAIN BY THE ABOVE PROCESS. 
One ton of fish oil, or 252 Fallons... «151 20 
32 gallons of vinegar, at 12 V cents per gallon 4 00 
12 ms. litharge, at 7 cts. per lb. 84 
12 lbs. white copperas, at 8 cts. ditto. % 
12 gallons of linseed oil, at 90 ctB. per gallon.! ! 10 80 
2 gallons of spirit of turpentine, at 40 cts. 80 
252 gallons of fish oil. 
12 ditto linseed oil. 
2 ditto spirit of turpentine. 
32 ditto vinegar. 
298 gallons, at 90 cts. per gallon. 
Deduct the expense. 
$108 60 
298 gallons, at 90 cts. per gallon. $268 20 
Deduct the expense. 108 60 
$99 60 
PREPARATION AND COST OF PARTICULAR COLORS. 
L —Subdued Green. 
Fresh lime-water, 6 gallons ... $ 06 
Road dirt, finely sifted, 112 pounds.. 10 
Whiting, 112 ditto. 1 12 
Blue-black, 30 ditto. 1 50 
Wet blue, 20 ditto. 4 (X) 
Residue of the oil, 3 gallons.!{.!.’ 1 50 
Yellow ochre in powder, 24 pounds. 1 20 
LUC- glUYlCID IA L/1AA tli wji oupiiVJ 
UVV liUW vw V V I WUU U J. V L tlll liyUj 
uiuuij iu uiujsi miuuuno auu uiuuuu hxi ui uuuogs* 
It Is a nutritive and productive grass, growing nat¬ 
urally in shady woods and moist, stiff soils. Cattle 
are fond of it. 
Meadow Fescue Is one of the most common of the 
species. Itissaid to be the Randall grass of Virginia. 
It flowers in June and July in moist pastures and 
near farm houses. It ia excellent pasture grass, 
forming a very considerable portion of the turf of old 
pastures and fields where introduced, and is more ex¬ 
tensively propagated and diffused from the fact that 
it ripens its seed before most other grasses are cut 
and sbcd6 them to spring up and cover the gronnd. 
If sown it should he mixed with other varieties. 
Sheeps’ Fescue is known by its narrow panicle, 
short, tufted, bristle-shaped leaves, of agrayish color, 
it grows from six to teu inches high in dense peren¬ 
nial rooted tufts. It forms excellent pasturage for 
sheep. Flowers in June and July. 
Red Fescue Is one of the largest of the varieties. 
Its leaves are broadish, fiat, root extensively creep¬ 
ing and throwing out lateral shoots. Found in dry 
pastures and near the sea shore in sandy soils. There 
are several other varieties, all of which are harmless 
to the fanner so far as they may be considered as 
weeds, and of value in the pasture. 
Destroying Wire Worms. 
H. L. J., Welisville, N. Y., closes a business note 
by propounding the following question; — “How 
shall I destroy wire worms?” This is the name 
given to the larva- of a numerous family of beetles, 
each of which, in the original state, has a propensity 
to feed on succulent vegetation, till their final trans¬ 
formation to a perfect state. Considering their size, 
their ability for mischief is surprising, and, to the 
gardener and farmer, most annoying. A plant falls 
before them aa cleanly cut as though severed by a 
knife—some operating just below the snrface Of the 
ground and others above it. The varieties are about 
equally voracious and destructive. As to destroying 
them over the snrface of a large field the task is 
almost hopeless — especially by band picking. On 
email sections of ground patient watching and a 
nimble hand will greatly restrict their ravages if 
they are not arrested altogether. Trenching the 
ground, between the hills or rows of vegetables, 
will cause many of them to fall into the pit, from 
which few, if any, can extricate themselves before 
piunuug. wuen me orusn is iuily out it is broken 
over, about two foot below the base of the brush for 
the purpose of preventing it from falling down and 
getting crooked. Some let it remain several days 
after bushing over, others cut it directly after, as 
green brooms are of more ready sale than those of 
the refined brush. 
Hen lace —Remedy. 
J. C. Munn, Ottawa, HI., writes:—” In the Rural 
of June ‘loth some one inquires for a remedy for 
lice on chickens. For his benefit and others I give 
my experience and plan of action. I dipped a 
feather in kerosene and applied it several times un¬ 
der each wing of the fowls, and they have been 
free from lice since.” 
“ Amateur," Geneva, N. Y., referring to the same 
subject, writes: — “ When I commenced keeping 
poultry I was very much troubled with hen lice,— 
in fact I lost many valuable fowls, they having been 
literally eaten up by lice. I consulted standard 
works and conversed with poulterers, considered 
authority about it, and they advised me to securely 
fasten up my hen house and burn sulphur therein. 
This I did, greasing my fowls under their wings 
and about the head. 1 have tried these remedies 
with unvarying success for the past three years.” 
Milk ami Cheese. 
\I. E. A, New Liberty, Iowa, writes:—“ I am 
anxious to know how much milk It takes, by meas¬ 
ure, to make a pound of eheese. Some say a gallon. 
Will it do it if the cow is in a good clover pasture?” 
Iu the cheese or dairy districts of England, where 
the pasturage is usually good, it is a rule to estimate 
a pound of cheese to a gallon of milk. With a good 
cow and the pasturage mentioned, we do not see 
why the same result may not be produced in Iowa 
also. There is a ready way of testing the matter, 
and that is by converting a few gallons of milk Into 
cheese and weighing the latter. This will deter¬ 
mine whether a gallon of milk will, or will not, 
make a pound of cheese. 
Cut Canada Thistles,— Cut Canada thistles 
when as near full grown as possible and not have 
the seed mature. The vital powers of the plant 
then receive the greatest shock, and the hollow 
stalks are rotted by water. 
This composition will weigh three hundred and 
sixty-eight pounds, which is a little more than two 
and a half cents per pound. To render the above 
paint fit for use, to every eight pounds add one 
quart of the incorporated oil, and one quart of lin- 
aeed oil, and it will be found a paint with every 
requisite quality, as well of beauty as of durability 
and cheapness, and in this 6tate of preparation does 
not cost tivo cents per pound. 
The following is the mode of mixing the ingredi¬ 
ents :—First pour six gallons of lime-water into a 
large tab, then throw In one hundred and twelve 
pounds of whiting; stir it round well with a stirrer, 
let it settle for about an hour, and stir it again. The 
painter may then pat in the one hundred and twelve 
pounds of road dirt, mix it well, aud add the blue- 
black, after which the yellow ochre; and when all 
is tolerably blended, take it out of the tub, and put 
it on a large board or platform, and, with a laborer’s 
shovel, mix and work it about as they do mortar. 
Now add the wet blue, which must be previously 
ground in the incorporated oil, (as it will uot grind 
or mix with any other oil.) When this is added to 
the mass, you may begin to thin it with the incorpo¬ 
rated oil, in the proportion of one quart to every eight 
pounds, and then the linseed oil In the same propor¬ 
tion, and it is ready to be put into easks for use. 
II .—Lead Color. 
Whiting, 112pounds... $1 12 
Blue-black. 5 ditto. 25 
Lead ground in oil, 28 ditto.... 2 25 
Road dirt, 50 ditto . 10 
Lime-water, 5 gallons. 05 
Residue ol' the oil, 2>£ ditto. 1 25 
Weighs 256 lbs. ... $5 02 
To the above add two gallons of the incorporated 
oil, and two gallons of linseed oil to thin it for use, 
and it will not exceed two cents aud a quarter. The 
lime-water, whiting, road dirt and blue-black must 
be first mixed together; then add the ground lead, 
first blending it with two gallons and a half of the 
prepared fish oil; after which, thin the whole with 
the two gallons of linseed oil and two gallonB of in¬ 
corporated oil, and it will be fit for use. For garden 
doors and other work liable to be in constant use, a 
little spirits of turpentine may be added to the paint 
whilst laying on, which will have the desired effect. 
Ul.—Bright Green. 
112 ponuds vcHow oclire in powder, at 5 cents per 
pound.-. $ 5 60 
168 ditto road dust. 
112 ditto wet nine, at 20 ct*. per pound. 22 40 
10 ditto blue-black, at 5 cts, ditto. 
6 gallon - of hine-witter.. 
4 ditto fish oil, prepared. . . M 0 
7 ditto Incorporated oil. 4 28 
7 ) 4 ' ditto linseed oil. at 90 cts, per gallon. 6 75 
592 pounds weight. $42 24 
It will be seen that the bright green costs but 
about seven cents per pound, ready to lay on ; and 
