1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



287 



itself with the potato, wkh a tough umbilical ture. Until land is more valuable than it is in 

 cord, showing its relations to each. .--_.- 



AVe also know that grain roots require a deep 

 soil for a successful crop, particularly on clayey 

 subsoils ; many of your agricultural works tell 

 you, they dive deep. 



Boast not of acres, let the crops do the brag- 

 ging. The true motto should be, good cultivation 

 pays. H. Poor. 



BrooJdyn, L. L, 1859. 



A NEW ■WORK ON DRAINING-. 



Farm Dratxage. Bv Henpy F. French. The Principles, Pro 

 cesser ami Fffccts of Draining I. anj witli Stones, WchI, Plows 

 an'l Open Ditclie^, anil, eMU'ciallv, with Tiles; incluiliiig Ta 



most parts of New England, a proper selection 

 must be made, and draining resorted to only 

 where it will pay. An interesting history of 

 draining is given, and the various methods dis- 

 cussed. The proper depth of draining occupies 

 a very important place in the discussion. The 

 manufacture of tiles, and the proper sizes to be 

 used, and the various implements needed in the 

 operation, are described and well illustrated by 

 cuts, making the whole subject plain to any or- 

 dinary capacity. Various tables have been pre- 

 pared by the author and his assistants, contain- 

 cJ^n;tdmm!;*^io\he"cr^ofSi^'l;^;&^^^^ much Valuable information. We commend 



t:;'^St^!^l^^r^\^^l^^irS^ book to all interested in draining, and to all 



Williams & Co., 100 Washington Street, Boston. ^y^g farmers in the country. 



We have been anxiously waiting for this vol- The author commenced the draining of his own 

 ume for some months, and greet its appearance land some years ago, and not finding the instruc- 

 with much pleasure. It is a book for the times, tion he needed to guide him, had to work his way, 

 The subject of Draining has been for several as best he could, and after some mistakes and 

 years past engaging the attention of the farmers [failures, by careful thinking and observation, he 

 in the Northern and Middle States, and every arrived at satisfactory results, and became fully 

 reliable source of information has been eagerly convinced of the importance of draining to the 

 consulted. Almost the only systematic and sci- successful practice of farming on many of our 

 entific information has been derived from Eng- ^^^^ productive lands. During his own opera- 

 lish works. But there have been great doubts ^joj^g j^^ acquired much valuable information re- 



whether English methods were adapted to our 

 climate and soils, and especially, whether the 

 same results would be realized here that have 

 been reached in that country, and indeed, the 

 opinion has been by no means universally ac- 



lating to the subject, and with true public spirit 

 ht determined to impart this information to his 

 brother farmers. He has spared no pains or ex- 

 pense to make his work reliable and useful, hav- 

 ing gained not only all the informatian he could 



ceptedthatthereis the same necessity for drain- 1 frojn books, observation, and actual experience 

 age, under our scorching sun and clear sky, as; j^ ^^jg country, but visited and conversed with 

 in foggy England, where the "Demon of vapors j^j^g ^^^^ practical men in England, and carefully 

 descends in a perpetual drizzle," and keeps the ^^.^^^^p^j ^^it various modes of draining in that 



atmosphere in so moist a state, that evaporation 

 goes on at a much slower rate there than here 



country. It is written in his usual easy and pleas- 

 ant style, and is the most valuable book upon 



Judge French has given us an interesting i^j^^ ^^1^^^^^ that has ever been written on either 

 comparison of the meteorology of old England! ^j^^ ^^ ^j^^ water. 



and New England, and the result of the compar-l -jj^^ farmers of this country are certainly un- 

 ison is that draining is even more necessary inl^^j. ^^^^^ obligations to him for this extra pro- 

 this country than in England. In this country j f^^^j^^^l 1^^^^.^ undertaken and carried to a suc- 

 the ground is frozen solid to the depth of two or. ^^^^^1 issue, under a press of business that would 

 three feet, and in the spring, is completely satu-'j^^^^ deterred any man from engaging in it who 

 rated with cold water, which renders the soil un-ij^^^ ^^^ ^ ^j^^^^.^ 1^^^ ^f farming, and an ear- 

 fit to be worked, until the season is so far ad- ^^^^ ^j^gj^^ ^^ promote it 

 vanced, that there is scarcely time for the growth 

 and ripening of the crops. But thorough drain- 

 ing, it is contended, will take off the water as 

 soon as the ground is thawed, and the soil can 

 be worked and the seed got in three or four 



HOME-MADE rURNITTJBB, 



The simplest and cheapest kind of furniture, 

 by which an air of taste may be given to a cot- 

 , ,. , , , tage, consists of a plain box or bench, made of 



weeks earlier, so that the crops may have so ,^^^^jg^ ,^y ^j^^ 1^,^^^^,^ ^f ^^^ ^^^j^r of the dwell- 

 much longer time to grow and ripen. The state- ling, stuffed with hay, corn-husks, moss or hair, 

 ments and reasoning of Judge Frencu are clear held in place by a covering of coarse canvas, and 

 and satisfactory, and will afford to many farmers' ^'overed with chintz by the mistress of the cot- 



^1 .. • f .• u- u *u 1- 1 ita^e. Seats of all kinds are made at a very tri- 



that information which they so much need. \ „P ^caic wi a t _ 



, . „ r , , , • , i fli»J? cost in this way ; so that, with a little in- 



Another important feature of the book is, that, ^pj^^j^y^ ^ ^^^^ niay, by the aid of a few boards 



It does not encourage indiscriminate draining, as, nailed together, a little stuffing and canvas, and 



ine sovereign remedy for all failures in agricul-ja few yards of shilling chintz, be made to pro- 



