agriculture 
$3.00 PER YEAR. 
Single Copy, Six Cents, 
FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER IS, 1868 
MOORE'S RURAL NEW YORKER, 
AW ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
Agricultural, Literary and Family Newspaper, 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
(PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR,) 
With a Corps of Able Associates and Contributors, 
e. F. WILCOX and A. A. HOPKINS, Associate Editors. 
RANDALL, LL. D., 
Editor of the Department of Sheep Husbandry. 
Ob. DANIEL LEE, Southern Corresponding Editor. 
The question is frequently asked whether a har¬ 
ness, similar to that in which horses are worked, 
would not be better for oxen than the ordinary 
yoke. A yoke properly made,—that is, made to 
suit the labor to be performed, is fully as good as 
the best styleof ox harness. It is as easy for the cat¬ 
tle, while having a great advantage in the increased 
facility with which a team may be prepared for 
work. If oxen are to travel long distances, as in the 
case of moviDg the family effects, and the route is 
crossed by hills, breeching straps, connected with 
the joke, may be found convenient in descending 
them, taking the pressure from the bonis, where the 
wheels of the vehicles are not furnished with alock- 
Ing apparatus. If this is provided, the ox harness 
may be regarded as superfluous. 
Cattle making a long journey before a wagon, or 
engaged in plowing, require a longer yoke than 
when logging or moving timber. In the first case 
Lead Encased Block Tin ▼«. Ucad Pipe. 
The subject which our correspondent, S. M, Vick¬ 
ery, Darien, N. Y., discusses is of such general pub¬ 
lic importance that we feel bound to give his re¬ 
marks. We believe that practical and scientifle men 
will differ in regard to the deleterious effect of the 
block tin pipe. If properly made It is safer than 
lead, and we cun sec no good reason for making de¬ 
fective work. Mr. V. says< 11 In the Rural of July 
18th I noticed a short article headed ‘The Lead 
Encased Block Tin Pipe,' in which you say it ‘ tilts 
the. bill,’ ‘and possesses great value and utility,’ 
<fec. Not doubting the integrity of purpose in sanc¬ 
tioning a means which must prove an injury instead 
Terms, In Advance — Turks Dollars a Ykab:— Five 
copies for $11; Seven, and one free to Clnb Agent, for $19; 
Ten, and one free, for $25 — only $2.50 per copy. As we pre¬ 
pay American postage, $2.70 Is the lowest Club rate to Canada 
and $8.50 to Europe. The bent way to remit Is by Draft or 
Post-Office Money Order,—and all Drafts and Orders made 
payable to the Publisher mat bs mailed at ms bisk. 
HOLSTEIN, OR DUTCH COW “LADY MIDWAULD. ” 
oe drawn easily on level ground. For this purpose 
the yoke should be longer than would be suitable 
in removing logs among stamps and standing trees. 
Here the muscular exertion is of an intermitting 
character, but very severe, oftentimes, while it 
lasts; hence, by placing the cattle close together, 
by means of a comparatively short yoke, they brace 
each other and move forward with mnch more celer¬ 
ity and steadiness than when coupled more asunder. 
It is a good plan to have two yokes for each team, 
where the work is diversified, as traveling on the 
road, plowing, “hauling” hay and grain, logging, 
or moving timber. The increased expense, which is 
not great, will be more than made good by the ad 
ditional labor performed and the diminished strain 
upon the animals. 
Yokes are sometimes most awkwardly made, be¬ 
cause the manufacturers are not familiar with their 
use. For logging and timber hauling, a crooked 
yoke, with a good saddle for the neck, is desirable, 
Ihe bows should tit neatly to the neck, allowing 
the strain to fall well back towards the shoulders. 
f the yoke should pe smooth, as should 
fI mported and owned by Winfield W. Cheneky, the Fair of the New Et 
Highland Stock Farm, Belmont, Middlesex county, in 1866, and Sweepsta 
Mass. Lady Midwauld won the first premium at weight is 1,570 pounds, 
In hop growing regions the picking season resem¬ 
bles, in many of its features, that of the vintage in 
the vine growing ones. It commences the last week 
in August or the first of September, and continues 
ten or fifteen days, according to the extent of the 
yards and the supply of labor available for picking. 
This work is mostly done by young women who 
look forward to it with a species of pleasure, as af¬ 
fording a change in the routine of their toil, while 
supplying an opportunity for a season of social 
greetings which their ordinary avocations do not 
afford. Hop picking is not play, by any means, but 
is made a substitute for it by not a few participants 
in it. 
It takes two pretty active men to cut the vines 
and place the poles on the boxes for three parties or 
twelve pickers—rour at a box. Each of these has 
four compartments, and when filled the hops are 
put in sucks for conveyance to the. drying house. 
The tenders have to bring the poles to the pickers 
and remove the vines from them when the hops are 
off, and place them in stacks, where they are to re¬ 
main till wanted for use the ensuing season. 
It is important, in picking, to have the hop cones 
freed from leaves and vines, as these interfere with 
the process of drying and also detract from the 
value of the hops in the market. When a box is 
filled by the pickers, the contents are put iuto a sack 
for removal to the drying house. This is done at 
the close of the day, or earlier, because if left many 
hours in a mass, heating takes place, which detari- 
orates the value of the commodity, if it does not de¬ 
stroy it altogether. The drying house has an ele¬ 
vated floor, upon which the sacks are emptied and 
spread evenly over it with a rake, several inches 
deep, and stirred occasionally during the process. 
To facilitate the evaporation of the moisture and 
improve the appearance of the hops, brimstone is 
burned in the drying house for a time, when the 
fumes are suffered to escape through the ventilator. 
The influence of the brimstone is said to be espe¬ 
cially good on hops which have been heated some¬ 
what in bulk, or tinged by the action of frost. 
After the hops are sufficiently dried for preserva¬ 
tion they are removed to the store room, where they 
remain three or four weeks, being occasionally stir¬ 
red, if not wanted sooner for market. Through a 
purplish tinge, which is a little more than “skin 
deep,” as the color remains when the outside cuti¬ 
cle is rubbed off. It is an excellent potato, being 
good when half grown, better during the winter, 
and best, compared with most other varieties, at 
the very last end of the season. It is prolific, and 
the tubers grow compactly in the hills, rendering 
the digging easy. The habit of the vine is strong 
and vigorous. 
Trace for Farm Harness. 
It is not always wise to quit old fashioned ways 
and things. For instance the trace for a farm work 
harness herewith shown was once very common, 
was driven to the bottom of the receiver and ran 
off with the water.” 
Salt for Grass. 
A correspondent writes the American Institute 
Farmers’ Club on this subject, as follows:—“ When 
I was in Australia I noticed that the tracks made by 
the drags loaded with salt hides were always green, 
even in the severest times of the long * buckfleld- 
ers,’ or hot winds, charged with dust, that destroy 
everything they puss over. This led one to think 
that here was a solution or the question as to the 
best dressing for grass lands, and it was here I found 
it. For twelve seasons I have seen it tried upon 
a variety of land and grasses, and always with the 
same results. In the Bpring, the refuse salt and 
frmri the ~Lipv rxkj w^arVCS. where WCt- 
salted hides have been stowed, is spread over the 
sward, the young spring grass is strong, and grows 
quickly. The cattle are fond of it, and eat it evenly, 
and the fields so dressed keep green when all around 
is parched aud dry. From the absorbent qualities 
of the salt, moisture is attracted and retained.” 
The eadtlle. o: 
also the hows, and he kept well oiled, especially in 
rainy weather. It is a good plan, too, to grease the 
necks of working cattle, preventing the skin, when 
ON THE TIME AND WAY TO SOW SEED. 
Majni letters of inquiry as to tae Dost ume in the 
year to sow grass seed and clover have come to the 
writer, only a few planters having auy experience In 
the matter. I have sown clover and grass seed every 
month in the year, and been successful; while seed 
sown at the most favorable times and seasons some¬ 
times fails to strike its roots deep enough into the 
soil before dry weather and a hot sun kill the young 
plants. When the weather is cool and somewhat 
wet, in the fall, winter and early spring is the best 
time to sow seed in this climate. Probably the be¬ 
ginning of the rainy season in November, (some¬ 
times earlier and sometimes later,) is the surest 
time to sow all seeds of cnltniforons grasses like 
timothy and the fescues. Young clover is some¬ 
times injured by the heaving of winter freezing, and 
February and early March are the best times to sow 
the seed of this plant; but I have had excellent re¬ 
suits follow seeding in June among standing corn, 
in Georgia. 
A deep, permeable, rich soil, like most river bot¬ 
toms, is the best for grass: but limestone hills. 
bnt is now comparatively rare, at least with the ex¬ 
ception of some localities. But it is a very sensible 
trace; the lower end, on which comes a great deal 
of wear and dirt, is an iron chain, which also serves 
the purpose of taking up or letting ont the trace. 
The upper end is seenrely and immovably fastened, 
and the wear of the buckle tongue, and the useless 
length of tug forward of the buckle, are avoid¬ 
ed. Farm harness should be made of broader 
leather than is generally used, aDd more in view of 
uauscu uy cuappuu or eracKea Hands when com¬ 
mencing the labors of the day. Oxen with sore 
necks give evidence of equal susceptibility, and as 
they cannot apply aa emollient to the affected 
parts, it is the duty of those using them to aid them 
by the construction of good yokes and by paying 
suitable attention to the parts likely to be affected 
by their use. With proper care in these respects, a 
yoke is as good as, if not bettor than, a harness, 
while possessing the added advantages of gre atcr 
facility in nse and less cost. 
Wanted —An Improved Hay Knife. 
G. M., White’s Corners, N. Y., writesThere 
should be something better than what is now in n6e 
for the purpose of cutting loose hay in mow or 
stack. It can now only be done by the very hardest 
of labor; it is a dread at all times with every farmer 
to cut the little he requires from day to day for feed¬ 
ing purposes, and when it comes to cutting down a 
stack to get off a ton, there is really more labor in 
the nse of the hay knife than there would be in 
pitching by hand fork (which is hard work) two or 
three tons. I have noticed from time to time, with¬ 
in the last two years, in the columns of the Scien¬ 
tific American, that of patents quite a number have 
been issued for improvements in the hay knife. 
Where are they, or has no improvement been made ? 
durability and ease to the animal than any fancied 
style. The most correct style is that best adapted 
to the purpose to be served. 
Management of Meadows. 
The Farmers’ Club of Herkimer Co. held its first 
post-harvest meeting at the Conrt House in Herki¬ 
mer village recently, for the purpose of considering 
the question, “How to procure the best and most 
economical fall feed for tnilch cows." The attend¬ 
ance of members was large and the participants in 
the discussion quite numerous. There was a gen¬ 
eral coincidence of opinion adverse to feeding down 
the aftermath of meadows by dairy stock, the ten¬ 
dency beiDg to diminish the hay crop. Partial 
feeding might be permissible, but the propriety of 
even this, in most cases, was questionable, though 
the character of a particular season might modify 
the rule for that time. There was a general con- 
ii, ieoa tu quantity, ana perhaps the grass a 
little inferior in quality, I feel confident, that time 
will reveal facts to satisfy all that abortion in cows 
in certain districts in New Fork, aud diseased bones 
in some parts of New Englaud, among cattle, are 
results of defects in the soil. Like milk sickness in 
this region and Southern Illinois, where I have 
treated the malady, abortion in cows has a local 
cause. 
Freestone water to make tea and coffee, and lime¬ 
stone water to make grass rich in the elements of 
bones to meet the wants of young and growing farm 
stock, are deductions from large experience In the 
Northern, Western and Southern States. Farmers 
pay too little attention to the earthy salts contained 
in the water daily consumed by their families and 
Uve stock. Noe only docs water dissolve many 
minerals, poisonous and otherwise, bat the analyses 
of Sir Humphrey Davy, Dr. Sprenoel and others, 
show that wheat straw aud grass culms sometimes 
contain 16 per cent, of ash, and sometimes only 3 
per cent.—a difference of five fold. Plants differ as 
much in phosphoric acid, gluten, sugar and starch. 
Yield of the Eurly Hose Potato. 
A. C. Clark, Seneca Co., N. Y,, writes: — “I 
purchased one peck of the Early Rose potato last, 
spring, and cut them, leaving hut one eye to a set, 
and planted three feet apart, one set to a hilL, The 
soil was of moderate fertility. I did uot use any 
manure on them of any kind. The drouth affected 
them some, it being very dry about the time they 
were setting. I dug them yesterday, August 20th, 
and they produced just seventeen ana a half hush- 
els, good measure, frem the one peck,” 
Rye seems to be the only grain which improves in 
quality by being grown on sandy soil. Ir grown on 
strong soil the product, per acre, will be much 
greater than on a thin sandy one, but the quality for 
bread-making purposes, will be much inferior to the 
other. We have seen bread made of flour from rye, 
grown on sandy soils in New England, which would 
compare favorably, in appearance, with that made 
from the flour of good wheat. Such bread is not 
bad to take, while it la reputed to be more healthful 
than the wheaten article. There are many acres of 
sandy land :u all the States given over to mnllens 
and sorrel, whieb, if sown to rye, would return from 
seven to ten bushels to the acre with very little cost. 
Rye will grow where nothing edible but the running 
blackberry will, and, though the yield be small the 
quality is good, and the cost of production compar¬ 
atively light. 
Davis Seedling Potato. 
While new varieties of potatoes are attracting 
much attention, and calling for a great deal of 
money from the farmers’ pockets, it should not be 
forgotten that some of our old kinds have qualities 
not to be despised. We illustrate one, the Davis 
Seedling, which some years since attained consid¬ 
erable celebrity in the Eastern States, where it 
originated, and which is indeed a very excellent 
potato. .Why it has not become more popular may 
be explained by the fact that its form and eolor are 
against it. Ihe buyers at the East have generally 
preferred a long, white, smooth potato, though if 
it lias a little color like the Mercer so much the 
better. The Davis is round, and of a bright red or 
Distilling Oil of Tansy. 
J. B. T., Newark, Wayne Co., N. Y., writes: 
“Some one inquired through the Rural concern- 
ing the mode of obtaining tansy oil. Said they 
raised peppermint thereabouts, but could not get 
the oil of tansy as they did that of peppermint. 
He has either made a mistake, or does not under¬ 
stand the business; as the process with us is pre¬ 
cisely the same in both cases. It is obtained either 
by boiling or steaming. Tansy oil may be a little 
the heaviest. If so, it is quite probable that the oil 
