m 



giLK MANUAL, AND 



ferent parts of the artificial channels, the water 

 continues to trickle down the sides of the valley, 

 so as plentifully and regularly to water the roots 

 of the grass, but not in such qualities as to cover 

 the herbage." 



We observe that son^e writers recommend the 

 admission of the water upon the meadow not till 

 late in spring. This is undoubtedly an error. 

 One of the chief uses of irrigation is to convey, by 

 means of the water, fertilizing matter over the 

 surface, in order to enrich it. Consequently the 

 greatest benefit from this cause, is to be derived 

 when the streams are high and muddy, and filled 

 with fertilizing substances. For the same reason, 

 streams from cow yards, dung heaps, &c. should 

 be conducted over the surface of meadows. And, 

 as in many places, our public roads are made of 

 the richest materials, streams filled with their 

 washings may sometimes be turned upon grass 

 lands with the greatest advantage. 



For the same reason also,. the water, especially 

 where the artificial stream is of any considerable 

 size, should be conducted by a very gradual de- 

 scent, so as to form a slow current, as it is oi-Iy 

 then that it deposits the matter which it contains. 

 " If water intended for irrigation moves slowly, 

 it leaves its riches behind it ; if it runs rapidly, it 

 carries away the farmer's riches with it." 



In order that the artificial channels may be 

 made with a regular and very slight descent, an 

 instrument for taking levels is absolutely necessary. 

 This may be a horizontal rod (with | oints for sight 

 at each end) kept level by tneans of a plumb line 

 suspended alongside of another rod attached per- 

 pendicularly to the former rod. Or a level may 

 be made with a broad shallow vessel filled to the 

 brim with water ; this vessel may be supported 

 on a stand made by inverting a staff in a hole in 

 the centre of a small square boai-d ; the vessel is 

 placed on this, gnd may be made level by inserting 

 wedges under it. This will be found more con- 

 venient than the former instrument. In using it, 

 it may be placed on a spot of ground three or four 

 feet lower than the intended channel, and, looking 

 (across ^^^^ surface of the water, observe the line 

 where it strikes the j^^ound. Let another person 

 place small stakes at convenient distances along 

 thie line ; and through these stakes the channel 

 is to be cut. In order,. however, that there may 

 be a little descent in the channel, the stakes must 

 be varied accordingly. Another way of using it 

 is to place it at the head of the intended channel, 

 measure its height above the surface of the ground, 

 and observe at what places on the ground it strikes 

 a mark, on a rod held by another person, at an 

 equal height from the surface. Another way of 

 akin-' a level is to make a small dam in the 

 tream, at each end of thia dam to insert perpen- 



dicularly, a stake in the water, so that the top of 

 each may be precisely the same distance above 

 the surface ; by looking across the tops of these 

 stakes, the level is determined. 



The water is generally taken from the channel 

 by causing it to overflow the bank, or by removing 

 a part of the bank ; a safer and more uniform 

 method of doing it, is to place small beams in the 

 bank with holes in them, through which the water 

 may flow. 



From the New England Farmer. 

 FARMER'S WORK FOR MARCH. 



Cut, split and pile wood for your fire-phices and oven, 

 till you have at least as niucli as you will use for one 

 year from tliis time. . We have no very strong ohjections 

 to your using a quantity of green wor>d in winter for back 

 logs and fore sticks, in open tire-places, unless you have 

 stone, or iron substitutes for said articles. But to use 

 green wood in summer for cooking is monstrous; and 

 if we ever come to codify domestic econoniy we shall 

 make it criminal. We shall place the omij^sion to pro- 

 vide wood for summer's use, during or before the month 

 of March, under the head laches, in English, laziness ; 

 and authorize your better half to impeacli you in a cur- 

 tain lectur(!, and inflict a dreadful sort of punishment, 

 which the learned style objurgation, but vulgar folks call 

 scolding I ! 



This IS about, if not precisely, the time to cut scions 

 for grafting. Tliey should be tal<en just as the buds be- 

 gin to swell, and placed with their lower ends in the 

 ground in some dry part of a cellar till wanted. They 

 should be cut from the extremities of tiie branches of tiie 

 most thrifty and Ihe best bearing trees; sever the scion 

 from the trees in tlieoid wood, leaving enough, including 

 the bulb which separates the two last years' growth, af- 

 ter being |)repared for insertion to form the wedg". 



It is higl) time for us cultivators to be making prepara- 

 tions to take the field furnished willi every implement 

 necessary to lorce the stubborn soil to yield the tribute 

 due to agricultural skill and industry. Every tool and 

 implement which will be wanted fi)r use the ensuing 

 season, should be critically inspected, thoroughly repair- 

 ed, and sucii new ones of the best quality added as will, 

 piobably, be nee<led when we may have less leisure to 

 select and procure them. None but a rich (aruier can 

 alVord to use poor tools, and if a wealthy cultivator un- 

 dertakes to carry on farming witli dull, unhandy, ill- 

 constructed implements, he is in a fair way to become as 

 poor as he is f()olisli and improvident. The signs of a 

 poor farmer, and tlie indi(:ati<ms of a good farmer, are at. 

 least as legible in his farming tools as in liie appearance- 

 of his stock, ^is crop or ins farm buildings. Covering 

 over wooden -s well as iron tools frequently witii oil or 

 grease will have a tendency to preserve them. 



Take a critical survey of your fences, repair every 

 breach, and keep your cattle from your wood lot with as 

 much care as you would from your corn field. As soon 

 as the snow disappears you will please to parade your 

 pastures, with a company of boys, by way of light infan- 

 try, and beat about and spread evenly those petty manure 

 heaps, which, vvithout such spreading, would be of little 

 or no service. 



Grain, or roots for flutening cattle, or swine, wiW go 

 about one third farther, if steamed or boiled, than if used 

 raw ; and when it is wished to cook food for cattle in 

 small quantities, it may be done evenings over a kitchen 

 fire, 



