THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



237 



its juice every grade of sugars, from common Musco- 

 vado to best loaf; and Mr. Jno. W. Reid, of New 

 York, and others, have produced excellent brandies and 

 other spirits, by simple processes of distillation. The 

 last spring a new series of varieties of the same plant 

 were introduced by an Englishman, Mr. Leonard Wray, 

 who discovered them in Caffraria some years since. He 

 gives to his plants their Caffrarian name of hnphee, or 

 im-fe, and to each one of the varieties its specific name, 

 such as En-ya-ma, E-cn-gJia, Vim-bls-chu-a-pa, &c. 

 These new varieties have been cultivated to a limited 

 extent, and with varyinor success. I have a good sample 

 of sugar made from them as far north as Illinois, for 

 which I am indebted to the secretary of the agricultural 

 society of that state. Mr. Francis believes that the 

 north-western states will ultimately produce all the 

 sugars needed for their home consumption ; and in this 

 opinion many careful men coincide. There can be no 

 doubt but that this cane will have an influence upon the 

 plantations of the tropics ; but it will never be felt until 

 the best processes of manufacture are fully developed, 

 and large capital has been invested. And this will not be 

 brought about for years. In your climate the new cane 

 can never succeed, for the simple reason that it will not 

 mature. It flourishes best on clay loams, and requires 

 several weeks of hot weather and unclouded sun to 

 develops the full saccharine richness of its juice. As a 

 forage crop it may prove a source of profit to you. As 

 much as ten tons of dried forage have been taken from 

 a single acre ; but I very much doubt if you would be 

 able to dry it sufficiently for stacking. If used at all, it 

 will probably be fed out as a green crop when the stalks 

 have attained a height of say three feet. 



The causes mentioned in another place have militated 

 against the prosecution of a regular system of under- 

 draining in this country. Almost every farmer in this 

 country is the owner of the farm he occupies, but it is a 

 very rare exception to find a person having much capital 

 invested in his operations. The outlay requisite for 

 even a small beginning of drainage is not within his 

 power to make, and hence it is that what with this, and 

 his scepticism as to the profit of tile drains, there are 

 many thousands of acres— yes, millions of them — so wet 

 as to yield only fractions of crops ; and the whole 

 amount of tile annually laid has not exceeded two mil- 

 lions of feet. 



The most illustrious example we have of the benefits 

 of thorough drainage is the farm of Mr. John Johnston, 

 near Geneva, in this state. Mr. Johnston is an intelli- 

 gent Scotchman, who commenced his operations nineteen 

 years ago, and has steadily pursued them to this day, 

 despite the scepticism and ridicule of neighbours and 

 friends. Up to 1855 he had laid 210,000 tiles, or over 

 forty-seven miles; and the result is that when, some 

 years since, on the farms of six adjoining neighbours the 

 midge had so destroyed the wheat that the average yield 

 was not above seven bushels per acre, his own gave three 

 quarters and five bushels. A new impetus will, how- 

 ever, be given to tile drainage by the very successful 

 operations on the Central Park at this city. This work 

 is under the direction of Mr. George E. Waring, jun., 



agricultural engineer, who follows the system suggested 

 by the experience of the best English engineers. The 

 soil being generally clay loam, the drains are laid out at 

 distances of forty feet from each other, running down 

 the line of the steepest descent of the land. Grade 

 stakes are set at the intersections of the drains, and at 

 various points along the lines. The levels of the tops 

 of these stakes are then taken, with reference to an arbi- 

 trary horizon which is the same for the whole system of 

 drains. From these levels is calculated the depth of the 

 drain at each stake, the same being in accordance with 

 the following principles, viz. : No drain is to have a fall 

 of less than 1 in 200; no drain to run with decreasing 

 fall as it approaches its outlet, when it is possible to 

 avoid it ; and small drains to deliver into the tops of the 

 larger tile of the main drains. When it is necessary 

 from the undulation of the surface to lessen the fall of 

 the drain as it approaches its outlet, a small brick basin, 

 or a large tile set on end, receives the flow, lessens its 

 velocity, and retains its silt, allowing only clean water 

 to pass out through the drain. The drains are, when 

 practicable, placed at a depth of from 4 to 5 feet from 

 the surface, and the drains of each tract of twenty acres 

 are collected in a '* silt basin," having a capacity below 

 the outlet of about three cubic feet for the reception of 

 silt. These silt basins are continued to the surface of 

 the ground, and are covered by locked cast-iron covers, 

 on opening which the silt may be removed, or the opera- 

 tion of the drains watched. Exact plans of each system, 

 and records of the depths, and sizes of the tile, are kept; 

 so that future alterations and additions may at any time 

 be made. The whole system is a very complete one, 

 and its results have been unexpectedly beneficial. The 

 magnitude of this work, and its accessibility, will 

 assuredly bring tile drainage into much greater favour ; 

 and when the cost of tile can be lessened, its use will be 

 much more general. At present 1^^ inch round tile, 

 with collars, costs 14 dollars, or 58s., per thousand \ 

 and an acre can not be properly drained for less than 

 about Is. 4d. per rod. 



The demand for a steam plough has been severely felt 

 in our western states, and large inducements have been 

 held out to inventors. The Illinois State Agricultural 

 Society offered this year a prize of five thousand dollars 

 (£'1,000) for an engine capable of ploughing, drawing 

 loads on common roads, and furnishing motive power 

 for the various farm operations as required. At the 

 Society's show at Centralia, one competitor entered the 

 yard mounted on his " fiery chariot," and competed for 

 the prize. The jury in their official report state that the 

 machine " is well adapted as a stationary engine for farm 

 purposes, and that with improvements it can be made 

 useful for ploughing on our prairies ; but that it is not 

 as yet such a machine as will entitle it to the premium 

 offered by the society." They, however, awarded J. W. 

 Fawkes, the inventor, the sum of ^100. On the day 

 following the trial, a public exhibition was made of its 

 powers, and the secretary of the society assures me with 

 better success. The inventor claims the application of 

 pojver to a single drum or propelling wheel, which has a 

 diameter and width each of six feet. The front part of 

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