SOLON ROBINSON, 1847 95 



dollars upon a project of this kind — pumping up water 

 and letting it on to a large overshot wheel, which did a 

 fine business making flour; but he was at last compelled 

 to believe that he lost one half of the strength of his 

 original power, and gave up the ignis fatuus that had led 

 him so far away. 



I do not expect Mr. Padon^ to be convinced of his error, 

 for theorists rarely are ; but I hope he will not be able to 

 induce any one to spend his money in such a windy wa- 

 tery project. 



"Lightening Rods." I again remind mi/ readers that 

 growing trees near a building are the best and cheapest 

 conductors ever put up. 



"Nailing into Clay Houses,"- in the belief that it will 

 "hold as well as in pine studding," will only be believed 

 by those whose heads are not as "hard as a brick." "This 

 is a fact of considerable importance to builders of houses 

 of this sort," and whoever sides up a house and depends 

 upon clay to hold the nails, will be very apt to get his 

 soft head hardened when the boards come tumbling over 

 his head and ears some windy day. 



The "Educational Department" in this number is 

 rather longer than will suit the taste of most of your 

 readers. Physic can only be given to children in small 

 doses. 



"Woodchucks." Do you expect to raise enough of these 

 varmints to make a sufficient quantity of whips to casti- 

 gate all the "rascality in these western States." If you 

 do, I am O.P.H. — there will be no room for anybody but 

 woodchucks. 



I've done — I think I've done enough for once. 



I remain that same Solon Robinson. 



Crown Point, Lake co. la. June, 1847. 



' Isaac Paden, Knox County, Illinois. Correspondent of the Prai- 

 rie Farmer, 1847. His article, "A Project for Mills by Wind and 

 Water," appeared in the June number, 1847 (7:188). 



^ See note on "Plastering of Clay Houses," ibid., 188-89. 



