1846. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



181 



casional repairing — and has himself assisted in 

 building them through swamps and marshes. 



The best proportions for a low, or half wall, 

 (if the intention is to use stakes and rails above,) 

 are, bottom not to exceed two feet in thickness, 

 (unless the stones are large ;) top, nine to twelve 

 inches; height, two to two and a half feet. If 

 intended for posts and boards, let it be a little 

 thicker. For a full wall, (i. e. 4 to 4 A feet high,) 

 let the bottom be ttvo and a fourth to tioo and a 

 half {eet thick, built double (if necessary,) one- 

 third to one-half its height, (the less the better,) 

 bound together if possible with long stones or 

 pieces of durable wood, and single above, (if the 

 material will admit of it.) It will be seen that 

 a wall of this kind, i. e. ditched, should be built 

 only when it is intended to be permanent. 



Fairport, July 4, 1846. H. 



Mr. Editor : — I notice in the last number of 

 the Farmer, an inquiry relative to the best metli- 

 od of building stone wall. Having had consid- 

 erable experience for many years in the business, 

 I have come to the conclusion that a wall to be 

 durable and profitable must be built on a solid 

 foundation. After clearing the way of rubbish 

 and setting the stakes, draw a line 18 inches from 

 the centre ; dig a ditch 3 feet wide, say 10 to 20 

 inches deep, (which will serve as anunderdrain;) 

 fill it to the surface with cobble stones, well 

 pounded down with a heavy stone. Lay the 

 wall but 2 feet thick at bottom, over the centre 

 of the ditch; draw in gradually on both sides to 

 about 10 inches at top, which should be full live 

 feet from the foundation. In laying up use plenty 

 of sticks as binders, one-half or three-fourth inch 

 thick, and 3 or 4 inches in width ; cedar or chest- 

 nut, or even hemlock may do; be careful tliat 

 the ends do not project beyond the stones. Let 

 the upper tier of stones be heavy and laid even 

 at the top by a line stretched for that {)urpose. — 

 When the fence is to be built along the road, the 

 earth may be thrown out upon the road-side for 

 the purpose of making a walk. The whole ex- 

 pense of the wall described will be about $'2 per 

 rod, and will stand a long time. 



And here, if my brother farmers will bear with 

 me, I would suggest to them to clear the road of 

 stone, rubbish, foul weeds, &c., and stock it well; 

 .and thus set an example worthy to be imitated by 

 our small villages, and render tlie country more 

 pleasant and desrable. Yours, &c. 



Hannibal, July, 1846. A Farmer. 



Canada Thistles. — A Remedy for their 

 Spreading. 



My Dear Dr. : — I propose that we farmers 

 generally go into committee of the whole, on the 

 subject of Ca.iada Thistles and other noxious 

 weeds. You shall be Chairman — I have the floor. 



Mr. Chairman, — I am not going to make a 

 speech ; but I am prepared to present to this 



large audience a few remarks upon a subject 

 which interests every farmer, either directly or 

 indirectly. It is well known that in this portion 

 of the state, that great pest, the Canada Tliistle, 

 is spreading over our land with great rapidity. 

 Almost every farm has a patch, and on many 

 they are allowed to go to seed annually. Good 

 farmers cut them up, and thus, in a great meas- 

 ure, confine them to the ground they occupy. — 

 But there are men who will not do so. Now, 

 I propose that we have a law enacted, next win- 

 ter, that shall, in an easy and peacable way, 

 abate this nuisance. 



And this is the way we will do it. Allc^w any 

 man to go and cut down thistles upon his neigh- 

 bor's land, just before they blossom, and present 

 his account for so doing, properly authenticated, 

 to the board of town auditors by the first day of 

 October of each year. The board shall audit 

 the accounts at a reasonable rate, and ntake a 

 certificate of the amount to the town collector, 

 who shall have power to add it to the tax roll of 

 the town when it comes to his hands, and collect 

 in the same manner as other taxes are collected. 



What say to that, Mr. Chairman? That U 

 won't pass ! Won't pass : pray, if I may ask, 

 why won't it pass % Because our farmer repre- 

 sentatives ivonH attend to it, a,nd loill he led by 

 the nose by the gentleman of a certain other trade 

 or profession. Tliat won't do, Mr, Chairman. — 

 We are the people, and if we can't have such 

 laws as we want for our own guidance and regu- 

 lation, we will take those gentlemen by the nose 

 who are so officious in matters they know nothing 

 about. I grant you that we farmers are about 

 as great a set of asses as could well be, for we 

 bear all the burthens of the whole community, 

 and yet have no proportionate share in the law 

 making. But we must not complain. A gabby 

 gassy pettifbger comes among us, sets us all by 

 the ears, fobs our money — and we, kind, easy 

 souls, send him to Congress or the Legislature, 

 to make laws for us. The fellow, ten chances 

 to one, don't know a '■'■haiok from a. hand-saio''^ 

 in relation to the wants or the interests of his 

 constituents. No matter, he can make a fine 

 speech, and call us the ^^ hardy yeomanry," the 

 "5o?ie and muscle," of the country, the ^^real 

 hard-fisted democracy," and all that sort of thing. 

 We shake our long ears, look very wise, give 

 him our votes, and then go home and wonder 

 why our interests are no better served. 



However, shall we have such a law 1 I mo- 

 tion that we take the necessary steps to get it 

 passed next winter. Mr. Chairman, I call for 

 the question — and, until taken, I remain 



Truly yours, T. C. Peters. 



Darien, July 10, 1846. 



He is a wise man who learns from every one ; 

 he is powerful who governs his passions; and 

 he is rich who is content. 



