fi8 



^he JTaiinci's it!orit!]ii} bieiicir. 



From tlic Albany CuUivalor. 

 Water of Farms— Cenieut Piiies. 



Those only \\ lio are cicprivtd nt' ilip ;i<lvniitnf;ps 

 of cooil uniering places on llicii' tiirjiis, can tiil- 

 ly iiiiiHfciiUt? the (invilejie tlicy coiifer, or tlic a- 

 nioiiiit of siifflriii^ lliey prevent, when the fnrni 

 ptnck li:ive no drink o.M'ept such us is (leakontto 

 them o?ice or twice i\ rlay from a well, or are 

 olilii'eil to he (hivpn a liistancn to a pond or 

 slrc;un. It i? snl■p^i^il;^ liow little altenlinn is 

 priid to this snhjrct of water, when ?o nine!) is 

 (lependiriiT open it, and when so little expense 

 would, in tnos! cases, provide a remedy for the 

 evil. Wells, artificial p(MKls, &c. inay he resoil- 

 cd 10, when nolhiiifr heller can he jirovided ; hot 

 experience proves that rtinning water, snch as is 

 finiiished hy sprinj;s, or streams, and which can 

 tie condncted to the points where it is wanted, is 

 not -only the hcst for stock, hnt far the most eco- 

 nomical in the end, Tliere are ii-iv, very feu- 

 farms, on which water works of this kind may 

 not he constracted, i>\u\ the water conveyed in 

 pipes wli<Me\eri!esi;(ul ;siili we have known niL-n 

 iirin;; their water (brdotneslic use, year after year, 

 in liarrels or iu hosrslieadp, when nothini; hut a 

 iiltle energy or skill v\as refpiiri.'d to hrinj; an a- 

 hnndant supply of pure spring water to their 

 iloors. 



For the purpose of conveyins water from ii 

 distance, pi|ies of various 'linds have heen resort- 

 ed lo, of wiiicli the most common are Ipad, wood 

 and cement. Of these we <;ive a <lecided prefer- 

 ence lo cement, lltdcss used in circumstances 

 nhere a creat piessure is unavoidahlc. when per- 

 liaps wood or h:a(l might he suhslitiited. That a 

 cement pipe pio|)eily c(mslructe<:l will rot resist 

 any ordinary prcssm'c, is effectually disproved hy 

 one we liave in ti^e for conveyinj; water to oiu' 

 hriildings, and on which a perpendicular pressure 

 of forty feet has not the slightest effect. We dis- 

 like lead as a. conductor of water for domestic 

 purposes, hecanse there are few F|irin<:s that do 

 not contain sails, of some kind sntlicient to have 

 a decided corrosive action on the lead, as such 

 jripes on examination almost invariahly show, aiid 

 lead is loo active and daiiL'erous poison to he 

 trusted in the Iininan system in any fnrni. Wood 

 is Cfee from the ohjeclion attached to lead, hut i^s 

 want of durahilily is a sei'ious ohslacle to its use. 

 In passing through orchards, or meailows, loots 

 will insinuate themselves through the inimilest 

 crevices, and once entered will spread and rarrd- 

 ly, so as to speedily fill ihe pipe and obstruct the 

 passage of the water. Clover is, if possihle, ii ore 

 injurious to «ood piles iliaii the roots of trees, 

 and we have known ana;]ue(hict ruined, .".nd ta- 

 ken up, Jrom the obslriiction caused tiy the roots 

 of this plant. C)hsorvation a lid experience hoih 

 concur in inducing ns to prefer a jiipo made xjf 

 cement or water lime aiid sand, to any other ma- 

 terial for convejiiig water. There are ssveral 

 reasons for this preference. The first is the pu- 

 rify and sweetness of the water so (■onveyed. If 

 tiie water iss good at the source, it is good at iis 

 delii'ery; no poisonous metal, or disngrceahle 

 wood taste have heen addifd. A well made ce- 

 ment pipe, is in liict, n crdciu'eous saiwl stone,and 

 preserves water as pure as wonhl a pipe of that 

 stone. In the second place a cemi'iit pipo is dn- 

 rahle. Lead usually soon fails (i-om corrosion, 

 •and wood fioni d.jcav : a cement jiipe does ueilii- 

 er. If well Iteddid, and at snch a dcplh as not 

 to he distnrhed Ironi the surfiice, there seems no 

 reason why they should not last irjrever. Indeed, 

 ihe cement aqueducts of Rome and .Ternsalem, 

 after the lapse of some two or three thousand 

 yi'ars, fuinisli preliy good evidence on this point. 

 In the third Jilaee cement pipe is the eheapesi. 

 It is the cheapest, because the first outlay in most 

 cases is les-. than Ihat of any other pi|)e, and be- 

 cause when once ilone well, it is done for all the 

 time, accidents excepted. 



We have had sortie inipiiries as to the best ma- 

 terials, and tlie best methods of making cement, 

 bolh for cisterns, and for wat-r pi["'s, and all snch 

 we propose to»iusiver here. 'I'lie best material 

 for ceirirnt is the water liuje of Ulster or Onon- 

 daga ; but it slinnld be orimdoubled quality, fresh, 

 or packed in air light barrels, or it will be little 

 1^ tier llian ordinary good quick lime. As ic-w 

 are aware of the extent lo which the tnaniitac- 

 ture of water lime is carrieil in this state, we will 

 rtuiark here, that the researclies connectcil with 

 Ihe geolonical survey of New York, stiowcd, that 



in 1839, six hundred thoii.sand barrels were man- 

 tifaetnred in Ulster county, and an immense quan- 

 tity is Hunually manufactured in Onondaga and 

 Madison coiuiUes. To prepare the cement, two 

 bushels of very coarse sand or even fine; gravel, 

 sharp and clean Irfun all dirt or loam, is mixed 

 with one of lime. Th.e cleaner anil sharper the 

 Band, Ihe firmer and better the cement ; gieat at- 

 tention should therefore be [laid to this part of 

 the o[)eratiou, as well as to the quality of llio 

 lime. For cisterns, or other |)urposes where wa- 

 ter lime is used, the same precautious will be 

 Ibiiud essential, and if observed, failures can 

 scarcely occur. 



There are several methods of laying down ce- 

 ment pipe, but all so simple and easy, that any 

 one may perform the operation ; allliongh prac- 

 tice enables one to work water lime pipe so much 

 more pierfeclly and readily, that an experienced 

 hand should he obtained when prai-licable. The 

 first thin;; is to provide the water to be condnct- 

 ed. If a single spring, or a stream, it may be con- 

 sidered reatly for use; if from several springs. 

 • hey nnist he conducted to a common reservoir: 

 anil if iho water is to be derived from wet grounds 

 deep covered drains centreing nt some conve- 

 nient point, or reservoir, the water is to be con- 

 diu'ted in cenipiit pipe.? to the places wliere it is 

 wanted. The ditch lor a water pipe should be 

 not less than two feet deep, and if intended to 

 convey water for ihe use of a family, .should be 

 still deeper; for, if laid shallow, the heat of the 

 earth when the water flows any di^lance from the 

 spiing. renders it disagreeably warm in summer. 

 The widlli of the ditch may he eighteen inches 

 or two fief, a deep trench requiiing more width 

 than a shallow one. W'liere inlendeil for Ihe use 

 of stock only, pipes so low as to be beyond the 

 reach of frost, the [ilongh. or pressure from pass- 

 ing bodies, are sntficient for every purpose. The 

 hol'om of the trench slinuld he level, free from 

 holes or soft places, as such would permit une- 

 qual pressure on the jiipe, and endanger its bieak- 

 ing. 



W'e have known two kinds of implements us- 

 ed for laying the pipe. In one of these case.s, 

 firm but flexible harness le.ather was sewed into 

 a tube four or five feet iu length, of tlie diame- 

 ter it wjis inlended to give the pipe, and then 

 lammed full of bran. A covering of eemont an 

 inch thick was placed on the lioltom of the trench, 

 this cylinder placed on Ihe middle of that, and a 

 covering of cement well worked over it with a 

 trowel, or hy hand, for twenty to twenty-four 

 inches. The cylinder was then dr.awn foruard, 

 while tiie cement was held back by iho oilier 

 !iand,aud thus the pipe was rapidly aiid perfect- 

 ly formed. Two narrow boards strved lo confine 

 the ce.ment jilaced on the irronnd for the bed to 

 Ihe proper width of four or six inches, according 

 lo the bore of the pipe, and thus left Ihe com- 

 pleied aqueduct of a square form on its exterior 

 surfiice. In the oilier instance Ihe implement for 

 forming the pipe was a roimd rod turned perfect- 

 ly true, some two feel in length, and perforated 

 from end to end lo allow the passage of a strong 

 cord. To this cord is attached a piece of wood 

 ten inches long, of Ihe same size a.s the rod, 

 turned perfecily smooth, and tapering to each 

 end. The cement is laid over the long rod, well 

 worked down by a trowel, and when snfiicientiv 

 covered is drawn forward, leaving the shoi-t rod 

 attached lo ilie cord a short distance in the rear. 

 As the work advances, and the cement sets, 

 which, if good, is very ijnickly done, the short 

 rod is drawn forward wilh the efl'ect of renderiiiL' 

 the bore of the pipe miilijrni iu its size, perfecllv 

 smooth, ami free from everything lo interriqit 

 the flcnv of ifre water. Either of these methods, 

 with good ma.terials, « ill produce an aqueduct 

 sound, free, and whi.di, in a li-w weeks, will be- 

 come almost as hard as sandstone. !\Inch, how- 

 ever, is de[iending on- the thoroughness widi 

 which the mortar, or cement, is worked round 

 the rods that lorm the bore. Care ninst be taken 

 not tn allow the rods to remain too long betbre 

 they are drawn forward, as the cement, when par- 

 tially set, m ly in that way be cracked and injured. 

 Should snch cracks occur, the work may be made 

 safe by immediately covering the place with fresh 

 cement. 



Thec<Mnent slinuhl be used asfasi as pre]iared, 

 or a firm pipe need not be ex|iecled. If kept (\r\- 

 during the constmction, Ihe work uill be the bet- 

 ter, for though such cement will iu lime harden 



under water, dryness greatly facilitates that )iro- 

 cess. If necessary water may be allowed to flow 

 through the pipe as fist as conslrucied ; but it is 

 best to avoid it if possible, and in no event imist 

 any pressure be allowed, as that would certainly 

 destroy the work. The pipe should remain from 

 six weeks lo two monllis helbre it is filled with 

 water, or pressure permitted to take place. A 

 piece of lead pipe, of suitable bore, should be us- 

 ed lo coiuuci the cemiuii pipe uiih the hvdrant 

 or penstock, a.s without such precauliim frost or 

 accidental concussion might fracture the cement. 

 If il he necessary for any part of ihe pipe to sus- 

 tain a greater pressure than anolher, that part 

 should receive a second layer of cement, well 

 worked upon the fir.-t. 



When the pipe is laid, il should be uncovennl 

 a li'W days to set, and then fine earlli should he 

 thrown npmi it, with water to dauiiieu il, so as to 

 have it pack close about ihc pipe. .\i first ihe 

 filling of ihe trench should proceed carefidly; 

 but Iho whole should be packed close, so as to 

 prevent all danger of breaking. As to the ex- 

 pense ol cement pipe, we have ihe authority of 

 a man well acquainted willi the hnsiiiess, for say- 

 ing that of one inch bore aqeducl he can lay 10 

 rods per day, and 13 of Ihree-iiiurths- inch pi r 

 day. Lime of good quality can he procured for 

 16 cents per bushel at the mills, and allowing 6 

 ceiiLs per liushel for the -sand, if the work was 

 charged at .9 1,.50 per day, it would be about 19 

 cents per rod, and ihe expense of the material 

 and lav ins the (lipe sii;iie 'A7 cenls per rod. Tho 

 cost of the trench would depend on the size and 

 diqitli, and ol' ihat each man can judge li;r him- 

 self. One dollar a rod for the whole expense 

 would be a liher.d estimale. Lead pipe would 

 cost fi-om .^U.'iO to §1,7.5, according to size, and 

 wood could not be afforded as low as cement. 

 We think no farmer who wishes to construct an 

 aqueduct, will regret that he has made choice of 

 w.iler lime instead of lead or woo<l ; and every 

 man who has no water convenient on his farm 

 will do well lo see whether he cannot obtain it 

 in this way, at iin expense hearing no comparison 

 with the benefits that would accrue. 



Pulverizing the Soil. 



It was Ihe opinion of ihe celehrated Tnll, ihat 

 good crops might be |)roduced from the same 

 soil fiir an indefinile period, siin|)ly by maintain- 

 iug the earth in n finely pulverized state, in order 

 that the roots of the growing crop miihl the 

 more easily expand iu every direction iu quest of 

 fooil : and nolwithsianding the (idlacy of the the- 

 ory, so fu- as it regards the efficacy of llie mere 

 a.cl of pidvcrization without oihci- physical means, 

 no one can doulit the very great nliliiy of ihor- 

 oughly refining the soil we intend to crop. A ve- 

 ry large portion of the feriility ofiverv soil is de- 

 rived from the atmnsphere^principally llirongli 

 the proce-s denominaled osratimi. and by which 

 it becomes impregnated or imbued with those 

 fructifying gaseous agents, the action of which 

 under proper circnmsiances, and the laws of a 

 wadl b.dauccd and reijulaled economy, are so in- 

 dispensable in the primary development and fi- 

 nal mr.liir.iliou of ihe planr Of the many SDri- 

 fied and volalile substances imbibed by the soil, 

 the most iinporlani, peihajis, and valuable, as re- 

 gards its ;iclion upon vegclaliou, is ammnniacal 

 gas, and whiih, being copiously evolved w herc-v- 

 er largo qnaniilies of animal manures are used, 

 or [lermiiied lo ferment, in a free atmosphere, is 

 greeilily absorbed by the soil. Now ihecapncilv 

 of ihe soil to absorb this gas, depends nqion it's 

 /tnejifM, its /loro.ta'i/, and the minule pulverization 

 or disintesralion of the granrdes of which it i.s 

 composed. The more thoroughly this operation 

 is performed, ihe nrore cojiious, of course, will 

 he the influx ol' this ferimrialing lms, and the 

 more permeable will the soil he lo the roots liy 

 which it is lo be absorbefl and taken up. It should 

 ever be remembrred, that, orher circumstancp.s 

 being similar, the ahsorheut capacity of the soil 

 is precisely in Ihe ratio of the surface exposed. — 

 .Miii»( Cultivafni; 



Caterpii.i.krs. — Tills monili is ihe best lime 

 to examine vour fruit trees, and orchards, ns vou 

 will he able lo delect tlie appearance of worms, 

 as ihey clusler iu webs or licsis, and can be more 

 readily seen now, than at a lailer time; ainl if 

 tlionmghly aliacked, an orchaiij may he sonji 

 cleared of the cater|iiller. A long slender iiolc, 



