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Y0L XIX. 
33 .} 
FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1883. 
{WHOLE NO. 989. 
“PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT.” 
MOOSE’S KUKAL NEW YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Literary and Family Newspaper, 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
(PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR,) 
With a Corps of Able Associates and Contributors, 
G. F. WILCOX AND A. A. H0PE1N8, Associate Editors. 
Hon. HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. D., 
Editor of the Department of 6Ueep Husbandry. 
Dr. DANIEL LEE, Southern Corresponding Editor. 
HIRAM BUMPHItEY and REUBEN D. JONES, 
Assistant and Commercial Editors. 
Special Contributors. 
P. BARKY, F. R. ELLIOTT, E. W. STEWART, 
H. T. BROOKS, JOHN E. SWEET, JAMES VICK, 
MRS. MARY J. HOLMES. MRS. L. E. LYMAN. 
crop. Close watch ought to be kept for the first 
appearance of their work, which is denoted by small 
holes or specks, appearing on the leaves. Grasshop¬ 
pers are sometimes as destructive as the worms,— 
but they may be frightened and driven from the 
field if too numerous. 
The tobacco planter’s labor, in his field, is far 
more important *at this time than previous. If he 
neglects the topping, suckering or worming, the 
crop will deteriorate in value to exactly the extent 
of such neglect, and no operation in the future can 
repair the loss.. He needs, then, to be watchful, 
active and prompt. 
A few of the finest and earliest plants are usually 
reserved for seed. It is customary to strip the 
leaves from such and tie them up to cure, leaving 
the bare stalk and branches to mature the seed. In 
theory this is not a good practice, as the leaves of a 
plant are vitally important to the perfect develop¬ 
ment of its fruit or seed. 
IjiBiatiipjRiiisinij 
PORTABLE STEAM POWER FOR THRESHING, 
formly confounds the meadow oat-grass and the tall 
oat-grass (avenue pratintU and av«na clatior.) I hope 
that all agricultural colleges and schools will see 
that every pupil has access to plots of all the best 
English, European and American grasses, that they 
may be known at eight, as well as by botanical an¬ 
alysis. Pure seeds, and those true to name, may be 
had to a limited extent from the farms devoted to 
experiments and educational purposes, 'm connec¬ 
tion with these institutions. Had not the war sus¬ 
pended and defeated my arrangements in connec¬ 
tion with the Professorship of Agriculture in the 
University of Georgia, I should now have about 
sixty species of grass fairly tested in the South, and 
be able to write confidently of their several merits 
in our climate. Although grass-culture will pay 
handsomely in Georgia, it pays better here, especi¬ 
ally on good limestone soils. 
In nearly all the Southern States several species 
of sedge, (all known in the country by the name of 
Terms, In Advance — Three Dollars a Year:— Five 
copies for $14 ; Seven, atul one free to Clnb Agent, for $19; 
Ten, and one free, for $13 - only $3.30 per copy As we pre¬ 
pay American postage. $3.70 is the lowest Clnb rate to Canada 
and $3.50 to Europe. The best way to remit, is by Draft or 
Post-Offlcc Money Order,—and all Drafts and Orders made 
payable to the Publisher may be mailed at ms bisk. 
CULTIVATION OF POTATOES IN AUGUST. 
The potato crop has risen to such importance that 
all facts and suggestions tending to increase the yield 
thereof, will receive wide attention. It is the custom 
generally to cultivate and hoe them more or less 
thoroughly before harvest, finishing by billing, when, 
if the ground is free from other plants, the cultiva¬ 
tion is considered finished. But our fields, unfortu¬ 
nate* arc full of weeds, and July showers bring to 
life and vigorous growth a bountiful crop of pig 
weeds, bum grass, wild buckwheat, Ac. Before the 
crop is harvested, and, indeed, in the month of Au¬ 
gust, the potato field assumes an appearance that 
annoys the tidy farmer, and the weeds appropriate a 
large share of the fertility of the soil, diminishing the 
legitimate crop both in size and quantity, and ren¬ 
dering the harvesting more laborious and costly. 
An abundance of weeds in the potato field in 
August is indeed a serious drawback on the crop; 
they abstract moisture as well as fertility, and the 
tubers suffer accordingly. There is no doubt that 
many crops would yield quite remuneratively if 
clean, which, being weedy, promise a large propor¬ 
tion of small potatoes. 
It is well to consider the feasibility of cultivating 
and cleaning j>otato fields in August. With most 
varieties, especially the late kinds, this operation can 
be readily performed. The shovel plow will loosen 
and roll the dirt to the vines, and the laborer, fol¬ 
lowing with a hoe can clear out weeds with rapidity. 
It is a work that pays in more respects than one. 
First, it is good cultivation which is always pleasing; 
second, it renders the harvesting of the crop easier, 
and, to quite an extent, less costly; third, the size 
of the potatoes will certainly be increased, and to 
an extent, without doubt, to amply repay the ex¬ 
penditure. 
Late planted crops, especially of late varieties, 
like the peach blow, often do not set, if the Bummer 
is dry, until about the first ol' August, To such it is 
Vitaliy important that the soil is freed from weeds at 
this time of year. We once havested a very large 
yield of this variety — the tubers being of extra large 
size — which were very weedy on the first of August. 
The tops were stocky and large, but not a potato 
was formed at that date. We gave them a thorough 
cultivating and hoeing and felt well repaid in more 
ways than one for the expense. 
WORK. IN THE TOBACCO FIELD. 
The season has been quite favorable for the crop 
in the localities where it is made a product of im¬ 
portance. At this time cultivation of the plants 
must cease, as the leaves have grown so large and 
interlocked that great damage would result from 
the use of the cultivator. If weeds abound, use the 
hoe and hand, — but the skillful and experienced 
worker will have made his field clean ere this, and 
henceforth the tobacco will occupy the soil and 
shade its surface so that little chance will he left 
for intruders. , 
The topping of the crop will be in season when a 
quantity of plants show the flower buds, and as 
often as a like amount reaches the same stage of 
growth the process ought to be repeated. Enough 
of the plant is generally taken off by experienced 
growers so as to leave a uniform length of leaf of 
some six inches or more. After topping, the suck¬ 
ers will afford plenty of work for all spare or idle 
hands. They spring from the base of each leaf and 
grow with remarkable rapidity; and they should he 
broken out early, when but few inches in length or 
the weight and quality of the leaf will be seriously 
diminished by reason of the suckers absorbing the 
juices which otherwise would become their nour¬ 
ishment. 
The last work to he performed before cutting is 
suckering, as the shoots, if left, would continue to 
grow [after the plant was housed, and thus retard 
the curing, and stain the best and most valuable 
leaves. Worming is another operation which re- 
quire&I&ssiduoua attention, and the pests sometimes 
become {so plenty that all the force the plants can 
employ, including the turkies, hardly saves the • 
RUST IN WHEAT. 
The Governor of South Australia appointed a 
Commission to inquire into the nature and causes 
of red rust on the wheat plant. Much labor and 
care were expended in the examination of the sub¬ 
ject, and statements were obtained from more than 
eight hundred agriculturists. Although they were 
in some respects contradictory, the Committee 
were able to obtain general results which establish¬ 
ed the fact that no condition of soil or climate is 
free from its ravages, nor will any precautions taken 
by the farmer prevent these. The Mark Lane Ex¬ 
press has some notice of the report, with comments, 
which we give our readers ■ 
“ The rust-spores,” says Dr. Mueeke, “ are lo¬ 
cated and spread over the whole world; neither 
oceans nor mountains will stop them. They do not 
commence to grow and multiply until they meet 
the circumstances favorable to their existence and 
nourishment.” The following statement is given 
in the report as the evidence collected by a member 
of the Legislative Connell;—The red rust is caused— 
1. By the exhaustion of the soil. By late sowing. 
3. By manuring. 4. White straw is the best. Red 
rust also prevails —1. On newly cultivated lands. 
2. By early sowiDg. 3. Manure prevented. 4. Fur- 
pie straw is the best. 
Such are the contrary opinions — doubtless all 
adopted from observation and experience; but only 
proving that other influences than those adduced have 
operated, and will constantly operate, to neutralize 
general theories on this and many other subjects of 
Natural history; more especially those relating to en¬ 
demic and epidemic disease, in either the animal or 
vegetable economy. There is not a doubt that cli¬ 
matic conditions have the greatest share in the pro¬ 
duction of the red rust. A moist, warm season causes 
a florid development of vegetation, and openB the 
breathing pores of the plant, and so gives passages to 
the spores of the parasites which are continually held 
suspended in the air. These, entering the openings 
thus left, throw out their rootlets, (wt ycelia,) and, by 
Intercepting the &ap between the stem and the ear, 
impoverish the grain and destroy the crop. Dr. 
Mueeke is of the opinion that the red rust never 
attacks the wheat plant unless it is otherwise dis¬ 
eased— in fact, that it is an effect, and not a cause, or 
at least, a second, rather than a first cause; being 
itself superinduced by the corrupted state of the 
juices of the plant. “Where the rust destroys,” he 
says, ” we may safely infer that the plants were in a 
snffering state before they were attacked. Nature 
does not allow morbidness to exist. * * * The 
red rust has not destroyed our crops; it has merely 
furnished the eruption thereto.” But, “ on the 
other hand,” he says further, “it is equally true that 
on vast surfaces the red ruBt has been the main cause 
of the destruction of plants in regard to the forma¬ 
tion of the grain.” A remarkable case in proof of 
this theory is stated in his letter. Fart of a field of 
wheat, in which wild oats had prevented the wheat 
from growing, was cut for hay. immediately the 
wheat sprung up healthy and vigorous, and devel¬ 
oped full ears and fully grown grains; not a particle 
of rust was perceptible on these parts of the field, 
whilst the surrounding thick and high wheat was 
completely covered with it. The cause assigned is, 
that the wheat, in the one instance, did not grow 
till the time was passed in which the influences su¬ 
pervened that predisposed the plante; consequently, 
they became strong and healthy. While the red 
rust spores passed over them they were not infected, 
because the spores did not find the conditions of 
their existence—that is, diseased sap and weak cells 
— upon them. This is clear enough; because, sur¬ 
rounded as these mown spots must have been by the 
wheat ou which the rust prevailed, the former could 
not have escaped if the same conditions had pre¬ 
vailed in them as in the other. 
- » » 
EARLY EDUCATION OP CATTLE. 
8 ome stock raisers, believing in the practical ap¬ 
plication of the axiom, that “as the twig is bent the 
tree is inclined,” commence breaking in their dairy 
and working stock at an early age. It is a good 
plan, as it makes better cows, more tractable and 
obedient oxen, and prevents a vast amount of 
pounding, and some rather hasty if not rough lan¬ 
guage. By commencing with heifers when quite 
young, the disposition of each is ascertained and 
the chances of attaining a reputation in the daily 
defined with almost entire accuracy. In this way 
the stock raiser can determine what animals it will 
pay to keep and what should be fed for the shambles. 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker : —In your paper of 
July 11th, I uotice this inquiry: —“1 would like 
to know about Steam Threshing Machines; how 
many bushels one will thresh per day; what size 
engine it requires to run the machine, and if there is 
any danger from sparks from the engine; how much 
fuel it takes per day; where and by whom they are 
made, and cost at the factory.” 
I will give you information I have in this matter, 
which you may use if you choose and as you choose. 
Steam engines for threshing or other farm work, 
may be made plain, that is, without extra finish, 
but they must be made of as good materials, and 
with as much perfection of workmanship, as for any 
other business. They should he made entirely of 
metal, and it is very important that they should 
be simple in construction. 
In order to better give the desired information as 
to the necessary qualifications of a steam threshing 
machine, I will describe more fully ,• urtalile Steam 
Engine which 1 have had experience with, and have 
obtained a cut of the same which I send you. This 
machine seems t® me to meet the wants of the 
fanner without being encumbered with superfluous 
attachments, which only present difficulties to one 
inexperienced with machinery. 
The boiler is of the locomotive style, with tire box 
and grate suitable for using either wood or coal for 
fuel, the Bmoke passing through 3-inch flues 6 feet 
in length, thence up a heavy sheet iron smoke pipe, 
at the top of which is a screen to prevent sparks es¬ 
caping. The smoke pipe has a hinge for lowering 
when moving from place to place; the fire box and 
ash pan are arranged to shnt up so that no tire can 
drop to the floor. 
The engine is securely attached to the boiler and 
complete in all its parts, yet simple and easy to un¬ 
derstand and take care of. A governor perfectly 
regulates the 6peed, and a pump connected supplies 
water to the boiler, The whole is mounted on four 
strong, yet light wheels, having cast iron hubs and 
rims four inches wide, with double wrought iron 
spokes, lifting the boiler about sixteen inches 
from the ground. A pole is attached for team. 
This machine recommends itself for the ease with 
which it is moved from field to field, without re¬ 
moving any of the parts; the little time required, 
only one-half hour, to get up steam ready for use; 
the requisite strength of all its parts; the construc¬ 
tion for durability, together with the graceful de¬ 
sign of the whole. 
The machine here described is manufactured by 
Messrs, A. N. Wood A Co. of Eaton, Madison Co., 
N. Y., who have made this class of eugineB a specialty, 
and are entitled to much credit for perfecting a ma¬ 
chine so finely adapated to the wantB of the farmer. 
Their engines are threshing grain in more than 
fifteen States the present season, extending from 
New York to Minnesota and California. The en¬ 
gines principally used are capable of doing the work 
of 10 or 13 horses, and cost about one thousand dol¬ 
lars at the works, These machines wili thresh 100 
bushels of wheat per hour, or drive any separator— 
having a cylinder 18 inches in diameter by 30 inches 
in length—to its utmost capacity, so that the only 
limit to the work done is the amount that can be 
got to and from the separator. One-half cord of 
wood or 300 to 400 lbs. of coal is the fuel required 
per 10 hours. About 13 barrels of water is neces¬ 
sary to supply the holier for same time. Moses H. 
Lee of Edwardsburg, Cass Co., Mich., says that 
with one of these engines he threshed and cleaned [ 
31 bushels of wheat in eight minutes; also 140 bush¬ 
els of wheat in one hour; also 040 bushels of wheat 
and o70 bushels of oats in 10 hours; and in five con¬ 
secutive weeks working five and one-half days each 
week, he threshed 14,250 bushels of wheat. 
With these items of cost, expenses and amount of 
work which can be accomplished, any person can 
estimate that the application of a good steam engine 
to threshing is more economical than the use of 
horses — beside it puts the wheat harvest so mnch 
into the power of the farmer, enabling him to take 
advantage of the first good weather to clean the 
crop, and avail himself of the best prices of an 
early market. w. m. 
The same is true as respects working cattle. Many 
animals, with good working properties, are rendered 
comparatively useless for farming purposes by be¬ 
ing allowed to have their head till three or four years 
old. They are skittish, distrustful, obstinate, and, 
when comjjelled to work, do it so morosely as to 
keep the driver constantly on the alert to prevent 
an escape from the task imposed. 
There are some few cattle so inherently vicious 
that even kindness and early training fail to make 
them good for much on a farm. These exceptions 
are rare, and would be less were the education of 
the animals not Ipostponed till settled habits are 
formed. We have a vivid recollection of a winter 
season when six pairs of four-year old steers were 
to be converted into plodding oxen. It was a hard 
conflict, and though the spring found them ail under 
control, it was a sullen obedience which required 
constant watching over to prevent a revolt and a 
dash for freedom. If we would have gentle cows, 
kind and obedient oxen, their training rnuBt com¬ 
mence early and be kept up till a good understand¬ 
ing is established and proper habits formed. It is 
labor well spent to match calveB, designed for work, 
as soon as developed enough to determine, with 
sufficient precision, their probable future character¬ 
istics. They should grow up together and become 
accustomed to the yoke as soon as one year old. 
Of conree they are not expected to labor, at this 
age, but only to gain a habit of concerted movement 
and submission to the orders of those having them 
in charge. 
GRASS-CULTURE IN THE SOUTHWEST. 
NUMBER ONE. 
An Englishmen of large experience as a farmer 
both in England and thiB country, writes in a late 
number of the Country Gentleman .—“There is as 
fine land in America as in England, and if managed 
the same, and sowed with the varieties which con¬ 
stitute a century-old meadow, or a five-century-old 
deer-park, what should prevent as fine a set of 
grass here? Certainly not the Blightly increased 
heat in summer or the severer cold in winter. It iB 
the habitual annual mowing, and not cutting the 
grass till the roots are weakened by the overshad¬ 
owing of the coarser kinds, which stand till they 
seed, and thus destroy all the finest and best 
herbage.” 
That American farming is more defective in the 
management of meadows and pastures than in any 
other branch of agriculture has long been the opin¬ 
ion of the writer after pretty close observation in 
many States, continued for nearly half a century. 
Four years ago, while spending the summer months 
in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, I was strong¬ 
ly impressed by the amount of moss and weeds 
growing in meadows and pastures, and the general 
neglect of all the finer grasses which give to the 
grass lands of England their great value and re¬ 
markable beauty. It will hardly be denied as a 
general fact that the American farmer’s catalogue 
of grasses cultivated, is very limited. Timothy, 
herdsgrass or red-top, June grass or blue irrass, 
and orchard grass cover the whole length and 
breadth of the common list; leaving out all the 
valuable fescues, meadow foxtail, oat grasses, rye 
grasses, and many others. We attempt to make a 
third of a thing eqnal to the whole; we fail, and 
blame our climate instead’ of correcting our logic 
and practice. A general reform is needed, and it 
will be the aim of the letters written under the 
heading " Grass Culture in the Southwest” to pro¬ 
mote this object while pointing out the natural ad¬ 
vantages of this vast region for the most successful 
grazing on the continent. 
It is a common error, especially in Virginia, Ken¬ 
tucky and Tennessee, to raise grass-seed and hay in 
one crop; tramping off the seed and keeping the 
straw for hav. This practice is.objectionable: 1st. 
Because the roots of all perennial grasses are weak¬ 
ened in vitality by maturing seed. 2d. This injury 
to perennial grasses in a meadow or pasture favors 
the introduction and growth of sedges, rushes, 
weeds, moss, briars, thistles and bashes. 3d. It 
makes poor hay for stock. 4th. It injures meadows 
(the soil) far more to mature seed from year to year 
than to cut grass when it first begins to blossom. 
It is proper to raise a plenty of grass seed, but it 
should be on good land, set apart for the purpose. 
By mising one’s seed the danger of introducing 
very undesirable plants, like garlic, daisies, wild 
carrot, red root, and Canada thistles, may be avoid¬ 
ed ; and one may be pretty sure of seed true to 
name as well as fresh. Recently a farmer in a 
neighboring county took me to see his field of 
orchard grass, as he believed, from which he ex 
pected much valuable seed. It was tall oat grass, 
with not a head of orchard grass in the field that I 
could find. Like many farmers and seed dealers, he 
was wholly unacquainted with both kinds of gras&, 
although both ought to be as common as corn and 
wheut. A writer on grasses in Georgia of no incon¬ 
siderable agricultural learning and experience uni¬ 
”broom sedge,”) are the greatest impediments in 
the way of making good, permanent meadows and 
pastures. The seeds of these sedges are light and 
blown by the wind everywhere, and are sure to 
germinate in damp grass laud. The labor of cutting 
or digging up this pest is considerable to keep culti¬ 
vated grass free from it. The thicker and firmer the 
turf of English grass the less able is the sedge to get 
hold as an interloper. Hence the importance of 
preparing ground thoroughly, and seeding pretty 
heavily to obtain a close set of grass as soon as pos¬ 
sible. One should improve every wet spell to pull 
up the sedge that appears. This done, I have a 
pocket full of grass seed, and if needed, drop some 
in the place where the sedge grew, and press the 
ground with my foot. I have ceased to harrow or 
brush in grass seed or clover seed. Details will be 
described in future letters. D. Lee. 
Knox Co., Tenn., July, 1868. 
A CLOVER SEED HARVESTER. 
Many Farmers who raise clover seed have in their 
possession a mowing machine, but have no reaping 
arrangement either separate or attached thereto, 
consequently the wasteful and laborious process of 
gathering with a grain cradle and hand rake, or 
mowing with machine and gathering with horse 
rake, is resorted to. The only object of either pro¬ 
cess is to get it in bunches or wiorows convenient 
for loading. There is a mode practiced whereby 
the loss and labor attending upon the gathering of 
the crop will be not only greatly reduced but they 
can be secured in a better condition and the profits 
derived therefrom considerably increased. The con¬ 
struction of this apparatus, whereby the above 
named effect may be produced, consists in bringing 
to the finger bar of a common mowing machine a 
light platform or gathering apron, B, which is made 
from half-inch pine hoards, the length of the finger 
bar, and three feet wide, and being a trifle wider at 
the outer end as shown in the illustration. At the 
end and rear is nailed, or otherwise firmly secured to 
the bottom, strips of boards eight inches wide. 
P, F, F, are common, iron strap hinges, the longer 
portion is firmly riveted to the platform and the 
shorter is bolted to the finger bar through holes 
made for the purpose. A few inches from either 
end cleats of hard wood are screwed to the lower or 
under side of the platform. 
It is obvious that the grain when cut by the action 
of the knives, will fall upon the platform, B, from 
whence it can be raked oil' by an assistant, and de¬ 
posited in good shape for loading in any desired size 
of gavels. By hanling off the gavels directly oppo¬ 
site at each circuit of the field, they will he left in 
winrows, in a better condition than can be done 
with a horse rake. Grain should be ripe when cut 
by this process. The cost of the platform, including 
hinges, is not far from ?2.50, and cheaper if you 
make your own platform. The value of this ar¬ 
rangement will readily suggest itself to the prac¬ 
tical farmer. The platform can be constructed 
of any material; the first one that I ever saw was 
made of sheet lrou, which is lightest, and would un¬ 
doubtedly be cheapest if much used. This is an ex¬ 
cellent substitute for the reaper in gathering grain 
of short growth, it is indeed a labor-saving appa¬ 
ratus. L. D. Snook. 
Barrington, Yates Co., N. Y., 1868. 
-■ # ■>♦> . » - 
Horses from Brittany.— The N. Y. 8un men¬ 
tions the arrival at that port, bound for Marion Co., 
Ohio, of several thoroughbred draft horses, compris¬ 
ing both sexes. By the same arrival came several 
consigned to Baltimore. A succeeding steamer was 
to land several more for various points, showing 
that quite an interest is awakened among stock 
raisers in this breed of horses. The an I mala are 
noted for their compact build, endurance and great 
strength. In color they are generally a clean, hand 
some, dapple iron gray. 
