1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



335 



self between the middle horses, with his face to- after having run it through a screen of quarter 

 wards the plough, to guide it straight, and in inch mesh, if the large round smooth cobble is 

 this position he stepped backwards with the reins | abundant, the larger ones should be rejected, — 

 in his hand. Another walked behind the horses the lime having less affinity with them, — and 

 with a cloeked staff, which he fastened in front of, rough uneven stones substituted, or what is bet- 

 the beam, and by means of this regulated the' ter, stone chips from a quarry or from a stone 



depth of the farrow, by raising or lowering the 

 plow, as occasion required. The plowman fol- 

 lowed with hold of the stills; and in this formi- 

 dable and ludicrous manner they repeated their 

 attacks on the soil. 



In harvest, a basket machine was placed on 

 horseback, for carrying home the grain ; and per- 



yard. These may be put into the wall as large 

 as its thickness will admit. The materials thus 

 selected or fixed upon, the next important point 

 when the cellar is excavated (and in many situa- 

 tions the cellar will furnish the material for the 

 wall,) a good, substantial foundation of stone, 

 laid in mortar if it can be afforded, should be 



sons were employed on each side with forks to keep ' made ; — as good a foundation as would be re- 

 it in a projier poise. It is said that the practice is quired for a stone or brick building, and an under- 

 yet to be met with in Galloway. [pinning eighteen inches above the surface of the 



Many practices existing even at this day in ground, laid in solid masonry of brick or stone. 

 Ireland are still more ridiculous. Mr. Arthur Slate stone for the underpinning is the best, as 

 Young tells us that in Donegal he has actually the slate will hold the outer finish better than 

 seen horses plowing by the tail ! — Port. Trans. brick. 



The foundation completed, planks of suitable 

 length, proportioned to the size of the building, 

 and twelve or fifteen inches in width, should be 

 made ready, by planing the side that is to go 

 next to the wall ; if they are rough, they will 

 break its surface, as they are raised up. Pine 



For the Neiv England Farmer. 



''GRAVEL WALLS." 



Mr. Editor : — The recent demolition of several 

 gravel buildings, and the denunciation of the press , , . , . - , 



in one or two instances of the '^^ravcl „•„// plank is best,_as it is more easily worked. Hem- 



fever,^' as they are pleased to term it, should, per 

 haps, dictate to the writer silence, instead of 

 offering any statements in answer to the in- 

 quiries of "A Subscriber." But in view of the 

 onerous demands for all materials and labor con- 

 nected with buildings in the usual mode, some 

 will be inspired, despite all denunciations and mis- 

 haps hitherto, to obey the teachings of the spider, 

 and try again until unfailing success crowns the 

 effort. It is not a very unusual occurrence for 

 brick l)uildings to fall, even some which were 

 supposed to have been well built; but if well 

 built upon a good foundation, it is believed there 

 is as little danger from gravel as from brick or 

 stone. 



There were many buildings erected in this 

 State during the last year, of gravel and lime ; 

 of those covered in, there has been to the knowl- 

 edge of the writer three totally destroyed, and 

 two or three partially injured. 



The question arises, is this destruction owing 

 to the Ijuilding material, tlic severity of the cli- 

 mate, or to the ignorance and heedlessness of the 

 builders! There are those who will, without 

 Iiesitation, pronounce the latter as the sole 

 cause of tiicse disasters. And being of that 

 opinion, I will, in conformity with a promise, 

 proceed to answer the interrogations of your "sub- 

 scriber." 



Persons conte-mplating the erection of build- 

 ings of this kind, sliould avoid tiie off-band, liap- 

 hazard mode, recommended in a book whicli gave 

 the first impetus, in this section of country, to 

 this mode of building. Uivh-r this mode, as well 

 as under all others, tlie liuilding should bo under 

 the supervision of a good I)uilder, and one who 

 has theory and experience in building, and not 



lock is not suitable as it will war]:). Iron rods 

 of an inch size of sufficient length to pass through, 

 both plank when set for the thickness of the 

 wall, should be prepared, by boring one end 

 headed, and the other tapped, and a thumb nut 

 fitted to the screen end ; these rods should pass 

 through the plank at proper distances to keep 

 them in position, then place them edgewise on 

 the underpinning and the builder is ready for 

 the material for the wall. 



We now come to a very important part of the 

 operation, and that is the preparation of suitable 

 adhesive mixture. On this point very serious mis- 

 takes have been made during the last year, and 

 is one prominent cause of the disasters which 

 have happened. This part must be left for an- 

 other communication. w. H. n. 



Waltha/n, April 20. 



For the New England Farmer. 



WASH FOR TREES. 



Mn. Brown : — I would like to have you inform 

 me in Avhat quantities wliale oil soap should be 

 used in washing stems of apple trees, for I have 

 about six hundred to wasli ; or is there any thing 

 that you would recommend in its stead as being 

 l)etter ? Last season I washed them with potash 

 water, with cow manure added. 



Yours, D. E. J. 



Remarks. — Nothing, in our opinion, is better 

 than common soft soap and water. It is per- 

 fectly safe, easily applied, and answers all the 

 desired purposes. 



To PREVENT BoTs IN IIoRSES. — A pcrson of 

 entrusted to tho,se" who know enough only to J much experience in veterinary science is never 

 pour water on to lime, and to shovel gravel. A troubled witli this disease in his horses. Ilissim- 

 dry site is tlie first desideratum. Next, proximi-! pie practice during the fall montlis is, to keep 

 ty to a good coarse gravel bod, free as possiI)le a greasy cloth in tlie stable, and once a week rub 

 from loam. Blue gravel will answer, but lightlwitli it sucii parts of the animal as may have 

 is thouglit to be the best. If the gravel is fine, been attticked l)y the nit-tly. (irease destroys 

 it is not suitable. If coarse gravel predominates, land prevents the eggs from hatching. 



