MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
(f^ororng;. 
FARMING IN 1875. 
The experience of the past year is prob¬ 
ably discouraging to a large majority of 
farmers. There have been fair crops, but 
excepting the staples of pork among meats, 
am! barley among grains, prices have been 
very low, and for some crops below t he cost 
of production. A writer iu the Utica Her¬ 
ald makes thin fact unpleasantly prominent 
by his futile efforts to figure out a profit on 
Smith’s ventyre in farming on a 100 acre 
Oneida Co. farm costing $10,000, and run at 
an expense the past year, including interest- 
on land, stock and tools of $3,082.80, while 
the receipts are made to foot up the com¬ 
fortable sum of $8,850.00, leaving a profit on 
paper of $767.14. But it is disheartening to 
see how this result has been obtained 
through prices, in every case considerably 
higher than fanners have been compelled to 
take. Cheese is figured at 13c. which is 
above the average price. Potatoes are 
figured at 45c., and small ones at 20c., when 
it is notorious that thousands of bushels of 
full size and every way marketable have 
been sold at 15 to 20c. As the potatoes are 
shown to have cost 23c. per bushel, there is 
a loss on this crop at this year®s prices. 
Wheat is figured at $1.50 per bushel, which 
is higher than the price now. Hops arc. sold 
at 20c., while growers are now only able to 
get 15c. Corn was grown at 79c. and sold at 
85c. per bushel, and oats actually figured a 
loss at 45c. p er bushel, while in large por¬ 
tions of the oouotry they are much lower 
than that. In this figuring oat straw is 
reckoned at $5.00 per acre, but in many sec¬ 
tions it is not worth $3.00. Strawberries re¬ 
port a profit of $146.65 from two acres, but 
it is done by selling at ten cents per quart, 
while a great deal was sold last summer for 
8 to 9c. per quart. Conceding that the 
writer’s estimate of expenses is correct, 
there is an absolute deficit after correcting 
prices of produce to present values. Nothing 
can be more clear to practical farmer* that, 
such a scheme as is here made to work 
beautifully on paper, would wholly break 
down in practice, and there is little doubt 
that the objection of many farmers to fol¬ 
lowing the advice of newspaper writers, is 
founded in the fact that such advice would 
certainly lead to loss if not ruin. Only the 
strictest economy will suffice to make both 
ends meet, in such a seasou as the present, 
and whoever starts out on a 100 aero farm 
with the idea that the first year expenses 
amounting to $3,000 or over, in ordinary 
farming, will be repaid is quite likely to be 
disappointed. Large expenses can safely be 
borne after experience has fully showu how 
they cau be repaid, but large expenses by 
inexperienced farmers mean losses aud 
possibly ruin. Farming is “safe” only in 
the hands of men who thoroughly under¬ 
stand the business. Others can lose money 
in farming as surely and almost as rapidly 
as in manufacturing or trade. 
—-♦ ♦ » — 
SURFACE MANURING. 
the past fifteen years. In every instance it 
has more than doubled my crops of wheat 
and the grass following. The most cheering 
feature to me is that since I commenced to 
top-dress, my soil has constantly increased in 
productiveness, until the yield of corn has 
doubled without any other fertilizer what¬ 
ever, simply by turning over a sod which 
had been top-dressed one or more years 
previous, and this upon fields where 1 former¬ 
ly spread a heavy coat of manure and plow¬ 
ed under as soon as possible to prevent evap¬ 
oration. The yield was one hundred and 
fifty bushels of ears to the acre last season, 
and bids fair to be more this ; and I expect 
it will increase until I can report one hun¬ 
dred bushels of shelled corn per acre, and 
how much more I dare not dream. Some 
farmers top-dress one season and condemn 
it. That is not a fair test. It may require 
years to fairly test it. 
-•» • » - - 
EXPERIMENTS WITH THIN SEEDING. 
John Hakrison of Harrison Co., Ohio, 
writes as follows in the Ohio Farmer: 
In 1873 I drilled on nine acres of stalk 
ground thirteen bushels of oats, on a strip 
one rod wide, through the middle of the 
field. I drilled at the rate of eight and one 
half pecks per acre. When the oats were 
cut, this strip was found t.o be much inferior 
to the other, being very thick and light in 
the head. From that nino acres we threshed 
four hundred and sixty bushels. The same 
year I had a field of wheat, the half of which 
was drilled in, one bushel per acre, and the 
balance one bushel and a peck. The part, 
sowed thin wa3 much better, having at least 
two bushels per acre more thau the thick 
sowing, This year I drilled thirty-two bush¬ 
els of oats on twenty-four acres, aDd thresh¬ 
ed one thousand and seventy-five bushels. 
On two acres of one field I drilled at the rate 
of a bushel per acre, and could not see but 
that they were as good as the others. One 
of my neighbors sowed (broadcast) twenty- 
eight. bushels on twelve acres. They were 
very thick and short, and there is no clover 
and timothy on the field, while I have the 
best, set 1 havo had for many years. There 
is certainly a great amount of seed thrown 
away by thick sowing. And not only this, 
but many crops are injured—if not nearly 
ruined by putting on too much seed. 
cdjield (filpp. 
EXPERIMENT WITH SEED CORN. 
from the large ear were larger than the 
others but less numerous. Our experience 
is that one or two inches difference in the 
length of an ear of corn makes much more 
difference in the product than is generally 
supposed, and our impression has been that 
the better way to increase the yield of corn 
is to plant thinly on rich soil, aiming to pro¬ 
duce one large ear on every stalk rather 
than two small ones. The long-ear system 
certainly saves a great amount of labor in 
husking, and it is surprising how large the 
yield of corn will shell out with hills 3>£ feet 
apart, three stalks In a hill, and each stalk 
bearing one large-sized ear. A greater num¬ 
ber of stalks or closer planting will increase 
the amount of fodder, but, other circum¬ 
stances being equal, will not increase the 
yield of grain. 
-♦-*-*- 
:r HOPS AS A FARM CROP. 
One of the Rural’s subscribers thinks we 
make a serious mistake in not urging every¬ 
body to go into hop growing, if all farmers 
were to take this advice the business would 
be quickly overdone and prices would go as 
much below fair profits as they have been 
above them. There are some signs that this 
condition of affairs is approaching. The low 
price of hops this year is very discouraging 
to beginners, however it may he to those 
who, like our correspondent, are long in the 
business. It is really generous in him to 
urge other farmers to become competitors 
with him in the hop market, though the 
constantly-increasing demand for hops will 
provide for much of the increased product. 
However, we cheerfully give the encour¬ 
aging experience of our correspondent in 
hop growing: 
“I will here give a brief account of my 
experience with four acres of ordinary land 
in Schoharie Co., N. Y. In the year 1848 my 
father suggested the idea that the cultivation 
of hops would be more remunerative thau 
other crops or dairying, winch he was then 
carrying to good satisfaction with a farm of 
130 acres. 
“ Being novices as to hop culture, two years 
elapsed, during which we made inquiries, 
when, from all information, we concluded 
that the cultivation of the hop plant was not 
so difficult a task as at first anticipated, and 
made arrangements to plant four acres the 
coming spring. The plants were secured 
from a yard many miles distant, at a cost of 
$23 per acre, or $92 for the four acres. The 
new hop yard was set about the 10th of May, 
1850. This was the third vineyard planted 
in Schoharie Co.. J think. 
Jmlustrial .Implement;;. 
IMPROVED MAPLE SUGAR FIXTURES. 
VVk give below, for the interest of the 
many sugar-makers that read our paper, an 
illustration of Post’s Improved Fixtures 
for procuring maple sap, manufactured by 
C. C. Post, Burlington, Vt. Fig. 1 illus¬ 
trates a section of a tree, to which is applied 
At one of the evening meetings of the New 
York State Fair, James Miller read a paper 
on “ How to make the farm pay,” from which 
we reproduce his views on surface manuring: 
If this kind of manuring is done intelligent¬ 
ly, he says it is highly beneficial. But the 
soil must be in a condition to be benefited. 
Manure should not be applied on old meadows 
and pastures, which have been trampled 
until they are nearly as oompact as the beat¬ 
en track, and which have little grass to be 
benefited. If applied upon grass larids, they 
should be newly seeded. During last fail and 
winter I drew manure from cow stables and 
top dressed about half a clover field which 
had been mown once and pastured the 
latter part of the season. Upon the portion 
top-dressed, the roots of the clover were pre¬ 
served, and on the other portion they were j 
nearly all killed by the severe winter. I pas¬ 
tured it the present season, and think the 
half top-dressed afforded four times as much 
as the other half. It not only protects the 
roots of clover and other grasses, but the 
soil also, it prevents a rapid evaporation, 
and giveB it a darker color, so that it absorbs 
more solar heat. I have observed the differ¬ 
ence where it) had been applied to a portion 
of the soil fitted for winter wheat, and a 
crop raised. Upon plowing for another crop 
after harvest, as deep as I plowed, from six 
to eight inches, it was thoroughly pulverized. 
Soil is in the best condition to be benefited 
by it when pulverized. I have top dressed 
portions ot fields for wheat more or kss for 
“N. P. B.,” in the Southern Farmer, i 
broaches the theory that where two ears 
grow on one stalk the bottom ear, usually 
the smallest, is tlie one to plant. Ills argu¬ 
ment is that the top ear represents the natu¬ 
ral product of the seed, and that all grown 
extra is due to cultivation, and therefore 
representing the extra productiveness. The 
writer relates the following experiment in 
illustration of his idea: 
“ I took two ears from, the same stalk— 
both good ; top ear was 'J>£ inches long and 
9 inches in circumference ; the bottom ear 7 
inches long and inches in circumference. 
Planted in separate rows ; work, etc., all the 
j same. The produce of the top ear pretty 
much as the balance of the field — some 
stalks having two ears, generally only one, 
but large and full, measuring 10 and 11 
inches in length and as much in circum¬ 
ference. The produce of the lower ear was, 
every stalk had two good ears, some, three. 
The ears were smaller than those from the 
top ear ; 6, 7, 8, and some 9 inches long. I 
did not perfect the experiment by gathering 
and measuring. However, I am satisfied | 
that the product of the bottom ear would 
exceed that of the top ear by one-fourth, if 
not one-third. The ears, though not so large, 
were much more numerous. Another thing 
I noticed was that the tillers or suckers were 
more prevalent and abundant from the bot¬ 
tom ear, though both produced suckers. 
These tillers, almost all of them, had shoots, 
and some of them very decent ears of corn. 
I am satisfied that the plan is good, where a 
stalk produces two ears, to take the bottom 
one for seed ; but if three or four ears are 
produced, to take the bottom one would 
produce very small ears and grain.” 
The experiment is inconclusive, from the 
fact that the product of the two ears .was 
not accurately weighed instead of being 
merely guessed at. The writer “ is satis¬ 
fied ” that the small ear produced the larger 
l product, but eveu this is matter of doubt. 
“The first of September, 1851, we com¬ 
menced harvesting the crop, which occupied 
two weeks, with a total force of 25 hands. 1 
The amount of hops gathered was 9,240 lbs. 
The total expenses of harvesting the crop3, 
including drying and board of hands, 
amounted to $330.23, The cost of cloth and 
time of baling, and taking the hops to mar¬ 
ket, should not bo figured as expenses, as the 
cloth costs from 10 to 12 cents per lb., and is 
always sold with, and at the price of the 
hops. When hops arc sold at SO cents per lb. 
you have a profit of 18 or 20 cents per lb. on 
your investment in cloth. The amount of 
cloth will average one lb. to every 25 lbs. of 
hops. 
“ One man with a horse and plow, or culti¬ 
vator, will attend to six acres quite easily. 
His labor commences about the middle of 
April, and continues up to the time of har¬ 
vesting, which is about the first of Septem¬ 
ber, and many times ten days earlier. Say 
180 days for tending six a^res would be 
about 87 days on four acres. Allowing him 
$1.50 per day would be $130.50. A horse 
one-third of that time, at $t per day, $29. 
Making a total cost for tending four acres, 
$159.50. 
“The first crop was sold at 40 cents per lb., 
which brought the snug little sum of 
$3,696. After this prices varied, sometimes 
higher aud sometimes lower. The price of 
hops is rather fluctuating, sometimes drop- 
ing as low as 12 cent?, and then as high as 
60 cents psr lb. Hence we must figure the 
average price, which has been for the last 
fifteen years about 35 cents. This average 
is likely to advance on the next fifteen years, 
as hops are annually coming into more gen¬ 
eral use and demand. The expense for pro 
curing ihe plums does not occur annually, as 
a yard once planted wil! last twenty, thirty, 
, and fifty years. 
“ Hops can be piofltably grown for eight 
- cents per lb. Your writer has now oighteen 
• acres under cultivation, and intends to set 
, I ten more the cmniDg spring. In answer to 
one of Post's Patent Eureka spouts with 
bucket, with hanger and bucket attached, 
tho bucket fitting closely to the tree to pre¬ 
vent displacement by the wind. Fig 2 shows 
the cover detached. When in use, these 
covers are very quickly applied to the spout 
aud hanger in such a manner as to make 
them very effective for tho purpose intended. 
The dotted line shows tho true position of 
the. cover when in proper place to exclude 
the storm, &c. Sugar-makers cannot fail to 
see the advantages gained by the use of the 
cover, in keeping the sap free from leaves 
and dirt. 
The Eureka sap spouts are really a good 
thing, increasing the yield of sap, and well 
worthy the attention of those who aim to 
produce the best quality of »ugar, for which 
there ia a ready market. This is owing to 
their peculiar construction and non-absorb¬ 
ing material. A set of these spouts once ob¬ 
tained must last a long time. For several 
years past, Mr. Post has paid his whole 
attention to the manufacture and improve¬ 
ment of maple sugar implements, and his in¬ 
ventions have been thoroughly tested and 
given great satisfaction to sugar-makers. 
Ho is also the inventor of several other 
valuable articles for this branch of business 
of which we have not now space to make 
mention. 
His theory favoring this result possibly bi- J the gentleman's icqairy I would say, plant 
asedhis guess. He says the earn produced ! hops on your two acres, y. a. s, 
IMPROVED BEAN HARVESTER. 
Mr. T. P. Root, at a late meeting of the 
Western New York Farmers’ Club, described 
a bean harvester invented by himself which 
had given him much satisfaction. Houses a 
frame, three by four feet, resembling the 
frame of a wheel-oultivator, which is mount¬ 
ed on wheels, with a seat for tho driver, and 
a lover within his reach for elevating or de¬ 
pressing the cutters. 
From the forward corners of the frames 
depend two standards, upon which arc bolt¬ 
ed two cutters, made of steel, 2% feet long, 
which extend obliquely backwards towards 
the center, but do not meet; allowing stones 
or rubbish to pass between. A tongue is 
bolted to the center of the frame, and the 
horses are so spread by long neck-yoke and 
whilflotrees as to havo two rows of beans, 
two and one-half feet apart, between them. 
The driver mounts the seat and guides the 
horses between the rows. The cutters run 
from one to two and a half inches beneath 
the surface, cutting off the roots, raising the 
surface slightly as it falls over, but leaving 
the beans standing upright as they grew. 
They cure much better, left in this way, than 
in buoches as when pulled, dry out much 
quicker after rains, and may be thrown into 
bunches, with forks, or raked together with 
herse-rakes, he preferring the former way. 
With this machine he harvested from ten 
to t welve acres a day, and can harvest and 
store a crop for one dollar an acre, and shell 
less than where pulled by hand, which costs 
$2 50 an acre for puffing alone. In add'tion 
to harvest ng me beaus, Ibis machine til's 
the land, tuning up all weeds aiul leaving 
the surfu.ee mellow. 
The civilization of the woild depends on 
the labor saving machinery. The most im- 
poriant saving in modern limes is in agri¬ 
cultural m ichiuery which lightens the labor 
of lb« farmer, 
