m 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
AUQ. IS 
(farm €xonomp. 
VARIABLE OPINjOKS ABOUT ROOTS AND 
SHEEP, 
Both roots and sheep are spoken of, written 
of, and thought of, in a very extraordinarily dif¬ 
ferent way by different men, and it is really ».nr- 
prising there ahould he such a puzzling diversity 
of opinion in reference to them. In England, 
where both are grown and attended to, to (ho 
utmost, extent, there is but one opinion among 
all classes, which is, that it is an absolute impos¬ 
sibility to succeed on any large farm containing 
a goodly proportion of arable land, without ex¬ 
tensive root culture accompanied with good sheep 
husbandry. The chief varieties of roots grown 
there are swedes and turnips, with a few acres of 
mangels, carrots, or cabbage—or some of the 
three last—to he hauled lo the homestead for 
milcli cows, etc. Comparatively few of the lat¬ 
ter aro grown, however, because they require 
more manure and labor in cultivating, as well as 
greater care in keeping them, than tho Swedish 
and common turnips. 
Some of t he various opinions entertained here 
with reference to the advantages of these crops, 
aro contrary to all the experience of older coun¬ 
tries, especially to that of England and the cold 
northorn climate of Scotland. Nearly all mis- 
conceptionsof the merits of root crops, however, 
arise from ignorance of tho host way of using 
them. Tho roots are all good and very healthy 
for animals dependent on dry fodder, but ahorse 
in regular work should have his regular amount 
of grain, together with a few carrots, and then, 
unless lie is a race-horse, or his work is of a. fast 
and violent kind, they will he good for him, and 
they would also he valuable for colts or any idle 
horses deprived of pasture and housed with 110 
other feed lint hay and grain; but as far as my 
experience of half a century goes, good, sweet 
bran will ha ve as good an effect, and cost less. 
For fattening purposes, both for cows and 
sheep, swedes stand first., mangels next; car¬ 
rots may not he inferior to the best beets or 
mangels, but they cannot, be grown ho cheaply, 
therefore, as they are dearer, they must he 
placed tinrd, and the white turnip last; hut for 
milk, carrots stand lirstof all and beets second. 
With carrots and mangels mixed, and corn-meal 
and bran all mixed together, any dairy of cows 
will equal the (planlily and quality of milk and 
butter from cows feeding on the best pasture, 
especially if the hay given w ith the roots, etc., 
is from w ell cured grass cut young. 1 
A Working Fakmeu. 
than grain, and if, by the old mode, only one 
hog is brought to market out of three, that hog 
costs three times as much money as it will bring. 
Even if sweet, corn should cost more to raise 
than the yellow, tho amount of pork going to 
market will still >noro than offset the usual loss 
by cholera, ote., etc. 1 have not had a sick hog 
in nine years. 
A POOR FARMER. 
This rather common product of our country 
has been for many years a sure crop. No one 
really tries to grow it., but. an ill weed, it just 
comes. 
To those who are not up to this dodge, I will 
just hint this:-- Crop, crop every year, but don't 
put. any nasty manure on your land. Pretty 
soon, when folks paHH your place and notice the 
slender fields, t hey will Bay, “ A poor farm," 
“ a poor farm," ‘‘apoor farm—a“poor farm¬ 
er “ A Poor FaniUir ! " It's easily done, and 
thd name sticks ; it soon becomes a trade-mark. 
8. Burns Mahon. 
Purple Cane, Dodge Co., Neb. 
will ho seen by computation that the first two 
barrels averaged, at wholesale, nearly thirty- 
three cents each pear, and tho last, thirty-two 
cents. The average weight-judging from tho 
freight charges on each barrel—must havo boon 
(gross, 150 pounds) from fourteen to fifteen 
ounces. Mr. Peck reports one poor weighing 
twenty-seven ounces (too big of course for tho 
barrels.) Of course care and judgment were 
employed in the cultivation and pruning of the 
trees, as well as in the packing and shipping of 
the fruit; but no one can hardly donbt his being 
well paid. 
BRIEFLETS. 
A NOVEL FARM GATE. 
A shokt time ago there appeared in “ Our Ru- 
hai. ” a request for plans of farm gates. I send 
FF fr 
THREE NOTES. 
A THREATENED DANGER, 
Whkn a farmer finds a held to require a cer¬ 
tain combination of fertilizers to render it pro¬ 
ductive, ho naturally applies it, and hopes to 
reap his anticipated reward. The crop exhausts 
tho soil or its constituents exactly ns the condi¬ 
tion of the weather has rendered certain of its 
parts soluble. If the season has been dry, some 
one or more of thoso constituents remain to a 
great extent in the soil unappropriated, because 
they were not dissolved, w hile if a wet season 
occurs, they may bo entirely absorbed by tho 
plant. 
How long would it take of Ibis unequal action 
to disarrange tho proportion of constituents in 
tho soil, sufficiently to render it barren ? As this 
proportion is only evident by its action upon 
erops, the knowledge could be arrived at only by 
a loss of yield. 
Wo want some positive method of determining 
annually what a piece of laud actually holds, 
and wh&t it lacks, before we can intelligently 
apply a compost, for the next crop. The danger 
of rendering a held unproductive increases in a 
geometrical proportion, and if an injudicious ro¬ 
tation of crops is practiced, barrenness is only 
tho more hastened. 
herewith a design lately niado by me, and which 
I believe possesses some good and novel features. 
The accompanying drawing will sufficiently ex- 
plaiu the general construction of the gate, 
which may be built of timber of the usual di¬ 
mensions. 
The novel feature consists in the manner in 
which tho gate is hung, and a device for raising 
tho same within reasonable limits-- to any de¬ 
sired bight, to clear obstructions of snow, or 
of any other kind. 
A. A., are the hinges, formed of inch round 
iron bent at right angles in two places, about 12 
or 15 inches apart, and terminating in a thread, 
and nut for fastening to the gate post B. Two 
suitable pieces of iron C, (J, having wholes 
punched in them the size of the iron rods, and 
previously slipped on to the same, aro fastened to 
UlO gate, Thin forms the hinges. At D, a list 
piece of iron is fastened a little more t han half 
way around the post B. On this rides a lever 
E, having its fulcrum at F. It will be readily 
seen that by lifting on the longer end of the 
lever the gate will he raised ; and by fastening 
the lever by means of a pin in one of a series ol 
boles at Cl. tho gate may he swung around at any 
desired bight from the ground. By greasing 
the plate 1) w here 1 he lever rides, there will be 
very little friction or wear. 
Any ingenious farmer with the aid of his 
blacksmith, can construct this gate, as there is 
nothing in its nature complicated, or requiring 
unusual tools. Wu.i.iam Bonr. Brooks. 
1’Uulps, N. V.. Aug. 4th, 1S7T. 
--- 
SENDING FRUIT TO MARKET. 
CHEAP PORK. 
Raising pork at a low cost means much more 
than mere economy in feed, it means a heal¬ 
thy, thrifty growth from birth, cooling food at 
all times except in dead of winter, and, conse¬ 
quently, no loss from disease. The natural food 
of swine is mast and roots, and they contain no 
heating element. If wo imitate nature m their 
feed, we cannot go wrong, even while w e improve 
upon its nourishing properties, as well as tho 
marketable qualities of the Carcass. 
Hogs, from weaning to fattening time, ahould 
be fed upon roots, and then a gradual, though 
not total change, to corn. But all yrlloir corn is 
conducive lo undue heat, fever, and a general de¬ 
rangement of tiic system, Sugar com is totally 
free from these objections, is far more fattening, 
produces the finest pork in the world, and in less 
time than any other grain. For young stock I 
sow Early Sweet Corn broadcast, and cut it fresh 
daily, hut for fattening in the fall, Stowell's 
Evergreen is the best, and will yield as heavy as 
common yellow. Boots can be grown cheaper 
The value of care and good sense in the mar¬ 
keting of fruit can hardly lie estimated, except 
upon a prolonged trial. Tho practice at the 
West of put ting tho best on the top, filling up 
w it h the inferior and omitting the grow er s name, 
is. as it should do, working its own euro. Much 
has been said on this head, but not half enough 
yet for tho satisfaction of the grower, the re¬ 
tailer, or the consumer. It coats something to 
establish a reputation in this business, but when 
once done there is truly ‘ magic in a name.” 
F. B. Pi ck, formerly a fruit grower in East 
Bloom hold, N. Y , but now a resident in Muske¬ 
gon, Michigan, shipped to New York city, in 
1HGH, one barrel containing two and a half bush¬ 
els of Duchess pears, numbering 152, which 
was sold on the market for fifty dollars. The 
first sales from this by the retailer wore, as 
he reports, twenty-live pears for twenty-five 
dollars. In 1069 he shipped a similar barrel con¬ 
taining tho same number which brought the 
same price, ami in 1870 he shipped another 
barrel of same size, containing olio hundred and 
twenty-live, which sold for forty dollars. Thoso 
worn simply put on the market at the ordinary 
time of their ripening, and sold purely on their 
merits, they being selected from his crop of some 
forty barrels per annum. 
Tho only mystery about these sales was that 
ho had previously won a reputation by selections 
of uniform sizes for each package, and by mark¬ 
ing tho number with his name on the barrel. It 
Discontent with one's business, if it acts as 
> a stimulant to increased exertion to improvo it, 
n ” is generally a salutary sentiment,, however tempo- 
,1( 1 rarily irksome, hut when it urges a man to 
k- change his occupation, nine times out of ten, its 
promptings should bo peremptorily resisted. 
The furmcr conscious of bard work and tardy ad¬ 
vancement iH often subject to spells of despon¬ 
dency, and dissatisfaction with his condition, 
yet, as Mr. Compton, in the agricultural depart- 
u- incut of tho Weekly Tribune, aptly says, a man 
*d always ready to sell out, amounts to nothing as 
a farmer. Better for him therefore to 
j, make up his mind to stay on the farm, for 
ji those in other callings have their difficul¬ 
ties also, and with little knowledge of other 
vocations tho ex-farmer would be poorly 
fitted to compete with those who thor- 
oughly know the ropes. To work at day- 
labor would ho a sad como-dowu ; mantr- 
fueture is overdone ; mechanics are prover- 
hially malcontent; rum-selling is a vaga- 
hood’s resort, mercantile business, even 
ia riHk y Mid Uncertain ; doctors 
_ n "' 1 lawyers live on others' calamities 
and preachers, as a rule, have to wait for 
their pay till Judgment day. Let your dis- 
i satisfaction, therefore, spur you to better your 
i. surroundings not to change them. 
Keeping Accounts on the Farm is far too 
■i generally neglected, and on this account many 
' opportunities of curtailing expenses pass 
by unnoticed ; while the actual value of the 
11 products of farming are generally, in such eases. 
J greatly undervalued. The heat housekeepers in 
cities and villages keep a strict account of their 
r purchases and expenses, and any petty store¬ 
keeper who neglected to keep an account of his 
1 business transactions would inevitably soon bo- 
i come bankrupt. Not long since a clerk in a 
> store at Boston, with a salary of i 1,000 a year. 
* finding his health injured by confinement, iu- 
* vested his little savings in a small farm, and dur- 
1 ing tho following year charged himself with all 
’ tho produce of the farm used in his family at 
J. 1 tho same prices which he would have paid for the 
articles ia the city. At the close of the year ho 
found that the credit in favor of his farm 
amounted to nearly *1,000, and above all ox- 
1 ponses ho had saved $100 in money, and re¬ 
covered his health thoroughly. Ho has no in¬ 
clination, lmwevor, to return to his dependent 
position, and is now firm in his faith that farming 
pays. Tho business principles he brought to 
his undertaking made up for his deficiencies in 
skill and experience, and while the former will , 
always be of advantage to him, the latter will be 
yearly increased. 
Contentment on the Farm is wonderfully 
promoted by a brief consideration, now aud then, I 
of a few of its many advantages. Agricultural i 
laborers are not foolish enough to strike, and i 
tho consequent loss of property and stoppage of i 
work at the most inopportune seasons, are avoid- t 
ed in the country. There, loo, tho many-headed t 
and many-handed monster—the mob—is uu- f 
known. I f a homestead takes tiro, the neigh I tors’ < 
sympathy and aid are not hampered by dread c 
that tho llatnes may spread to their own homes, t 
The knowledge that there is seldom much port- i 
able valuables in the house, and gone-rally a nasty j 
dog or two prowling about it, keeps the fraternity u 
of burglars, as a rule, away from the farm-house. 
Elsewhere, the interruption of traffic by Hoods n 
or violence threatens the community with scare- w 
ity or famine, wluroas tho prudent farmer has n 
always a goodly supply of jiortables and edibles l 
on Iris own property. The results of all tho u 
farmer’s labor aud watchfulness benefit himself, r 
while in the vast majority of cases, the city toiler’s o 
efforts go cbiclly to enrich his employer. And ti 
then thronghoutlife the farmer enjoys the bless- tl 
logs of wholesome food, free air, and indepen- js 
deuce which the wisest of city folks labor through p, 
life to enjoy towards its close. 
Manuiuno Clover with gypsum should bo. 63 
done early in the spring, but the fall is the best fii 
time to apply a little well-rotted manure, which lli 
besides fertilizing tho ground, will act ns a match to 
to protect tho roots which are often injured by cl 
alternate freezing and thawing in winter. Few in 
crops on the farm are more profitable and bene- to 
fieial than one of clover, whether cut early for lai 
hay, or plowed under to enrich the,soil. It re- ini 
quires no cultivation, its deep roots aerate and loi 
pulverize the soil, while its tops shade the ground 
and keep it moist, and withal it makes ageneroua 
return for even such slight attention as a free 
spriukling with rich earth from the fence cor¬ 
ners. • 
Atmospheric Nitrogen, as is well known, 
already plays an important part in the growth of 
plants, and it has been suggested by tho Weekly 
Tribune, if Congress should offer a prize of 
$10,000 or $50,000, open to all tho world to bo 
paid to him who should devise tneanB of cheaply 
converting the nitrogen of the atmosphere into 
a ponderable and effective fertilizer, that there 
aro chemists who wonld accomplish it. Sugges¬ 
tions of this kind often casually dropped, strike 
root occasionally in a fertile mind and bear an 
abundant crop of useful inventions. 
Crops. 
THE OLD WAY AND THE INNOVATION. 
n > For the last five or six years 1 havo grown 
corn in Maryland and Ontario, Canada, and used 
Ul shovel-plows and cultivators in Maryland and 
aB cultivators alone in tho Dominion, and a flrst- 
10 rate tilth was tho result in both instances. Now, 
ur this year, I am in a part of the 8tato of New 
>1" York where tho plow is still considered tho best 
er implement for stirring the ground and killing 
ly tho weeds between tho rows of corn, and as I 
r_ used the cultivator after once plowing away 
5 T * from the corn one way, it was the general opiu- 
lI * ion that (lie crop would turn out to he a failure, 
r * and some of my workmen predicted disastrous 
ll ' results. 
111 One of my neighbors said ho had what was 
rH called a good cultivator, hut he never used it; 
J8 another said the sod must be all broken up and 
)V brought to the surface. My corn was not up for 
H ~ a week after that on two fields belonging to 
ir farmers on tho south of our place, and they gave 
a handful of compost of plaster, etc., to each 
o hill, when It was a few days up. 1 did not give 
y any help to mine in this way, or iu any other m 
is tho way of fertilizing. 
e I had mine cultivated twice over ; that is, the 
i. cultivator was run up and down between each 
n couple of rows of corn, and then crossways jn«t 
r in the same manner, and this was repeated, by 
which tune the surface was in fine condition, and 
« like dust for about three inches in depth, under 
* which more than half the sod lay undisturbed, 
i I, moreover, sent some men through the field 
, with haud-hoes, once over, cutting out all weeds 
iu tho hills and stirring tiro surface round tire 
- corn where the cultivators had not touched it. 
I But my neighbors all did this too, so that 1 had 
t no advantage over the others iu this respect, 
s They plowed repeatedly, and as deep as tiro 
i ground had been plowed for corn, making a 
i thorough fallow; yet as about the firs t of July 
there did not appear to he any difference in our 
prospects, although my neighbors claimed theirs 
looked best, I expected there would be little 
change. My corn, however, has become of a 
deeper shade of green, and the leaves are much 
broader than theirs, and although my corn was 
left as thin in the hills as theirs, viz., three in 
each, perhaps four occasionally, it is difficult for 
any ono to distinguish the rows, aud utterly im¬ 
possible for anything else to exist among it. 
I believe this extra rush in tho growth has 
been in consequence of the roots feeding on the 
sod, which, lying in the cool earth, under three 
inches of mold as fine as on a ilower-hed, gave 
much greater support than if it had been brought 
up and dried in tho sun. There aro many tons 
of stones up to ton pounds each lying On the sur¬ 
face. Although tho large stones will be picked 
oil' the land and hauled away after the corn is 
cut up, T do not think they have done any harm 
to this crop, but as they will he in the way of the 
next crops, and it seems bad management to 
plow under twenty or more tons of them per 
acre, they will be removed. 
Now, having said enough about corn, I will 
mention swedes and turuipB. Here 1 may say, 
without boasting, that, considering tho land was 
not plowed till May, as I only commenced on the 
11th, and was hindered for days together before 
it was finished, and when it is also known that 
at least thirty tons of stones per acre were hauled 
off, and that no farm-yard manure was used, and 
that some phosphates, sown broadcast, were all 
the stimulants used, it is surprising such a crop 
is growing that thero will be over 800 bushels 
per acre, and probably 1,000. 
The seed was had from Landreth, with the 
exception of two pounds from Tiiokuurn to 
finish with, the drill haviug run the seed rather 
thicker than expected. This, however, proves 
to be an advantage, because tire "fly" had no 
chance to destroy tho plants, as there were so 
many. As this is my first year here, not wishing 
to incur more expense than necessary, part icu¬ 
larly as many thousands of dollars have gone in 
improvements, and a great many more will fol¬ 
low, I borrowed a neat little drill of a progressive 
