238 



FARMERS' REGISTER— GAMA GRASS, HEDGES, &c. 



The first step in the process is to sink the studs 

 as far into the ground as either weight or the maul 

 will drive them, before either the bank or margin 

 is touched or cut. This is not the usual plan, but 

 it is by far the best mode of doing it, as we have 

 firm ground on which to stand, instead of the inse- 

 cure foot-hold which is commonly presented to 

 those whose business it is to raise and sink the 

 studs. Between tlie studs a sufficient space is 

 left to enable the trunk to float in ; the caps are 

 now put on, and we are ready to cut the bank. 

 A clear day ard neap-tides oliering, we cut both 

 bank and margin to the depth of five and a half 

 feet, and continue this to the river on one side, 

 and the river ditch on the other. Water will 

 spring and we are to keep the work dry either by 

 a pump (which I prefer) or i)ads. Having reached 

 the depth contemplated, a little water is let in, or 

 thrown in, for the purpose of obtaining a trucica- 

 terlevelj and all the inequalities now showing 

 themselves are to be removed, and a smooth, clean 

 surface presented. Three rows of piles (seven in 

 each row) about four iaches apart, are driven 

 down three feet from each extremity of the trunk, 

 and the heads of them, if they remain above the 

 bed, are to be cut off, so as not to interrupt tlie 

 level. If your half moon is outside, the tide will 

 not interfere with the v.'ork, and we proceed to roll 

 the trunk, (for it should be built upon logs that 

 will roll) immediately over the spot it is to occu- 

 py. Water is now to be let in through the tem- 

 porary trunk sufficient to fdl the ditches, and ena- 

 ble us to saw away the rollers and drop the trunk 

 into the water and stake it exactly where it is to 

 be buried. Things should be left in this slate 

 until the next ebb, and when the trunk grounds, 

 the carpenter with his square, by standing on it, 

 can so arrange it that a perlect level will be obtain- 

 ed. This is the mode I always adopt, and though 

 it may seem difficult in the detail, yet in practice 

 nothing is more sim!)le. But if the half moon is 

 inside, and the flood-f i 'e has commenced, the trunk 

 must be floated into its bed from the river, and 

 there left until the ebb-tide leaves it aground, and 

 enables us to examine its position ; for it is always 

 wrong to attempt banking a liunk v/hen it is 

 afloat, as it seldom either assumes or retains the 

 position you wish to give it. The breastwork 

 which is to keep the earth from falling off, is now 

 to belaid down, reaching from one stud to another, 

 and supported by them. The first of these j)ieces 

 is short, about ten feel, and lays on the trunk itself, 

 the next is longer, and so on, going up until you 

 have reached a point, a little higher than the base 

 of your bank, when the breastwork is to lie fifteen 

 feet long. The earth is now to be thrown upon 

 the trunk, and care is to be taken that it is spread 

 equally over the whole surface between the inside 

 and outside breastwork, in order that no excess of 

 weight on either end of the trunk should cause it 

 to settle and lose its level. These circumstances, 

 however trivial they may appear, are matters of 

 much moment, for it is impossible that any trunk 

 can remain tight afler its level is lost, however 

 great the attention and care which may have been 

 devoted to the building of it. Earth should be 

 thrown over the trunk, so as to raise it much 

 higher than the adjoining portions of the bank, as 

 it will settle more than one unaccustomed to see it 

 can imagine. The half moon ought to remain for 

 several days around the trunk, in order that the 



new and fresh earth which has been thrown upon 

 il, may unite with the old bank and bectmie firm 

 before it has to bear and resist the force of the tide. 

 When you are satisfied that this union has taken 

 place, then cut tlie half moon away, and by throw- 

 ing the earth composing it on the bank, you are 

 enabled to raise it to a height that defies the high- 

 est tide. 



I have now, Mr. Editor, concluded all I had to 

 say on the subject of putting down river trunks, 

 and though, to the experienced planter, I may 

 have appeared too minute, yet it is to be kept in 

 mind that my observations are intended for per- 

 sons in their noviciate, and that it was necessary to 

 inform them of the detail even at the risk of be- 

 ing tedious. Trusting that if I have committed 

 any errors, (and no douI)t I have) either in bank- 

 ing the land or putting down tlie trunk, I shall be 

 corrected by some of your intelligent correspond- 

 ents, I will only add, that all which I have stated 

 is the result of my own personal experience and 

 observation, and has been found to meet all of the 

 objects proposed to be accomplished. 



I remain, dear sir, you obedient servant, 



Q. E. D. 



OUSERVATIOXS OX THE INTERCHANGE OF OPI- 



- NICKS API OXGPLArSTERS GAiM AGR ASS AND 



HEDGES. 



From the Southern Agriculturist. 

 Columbia, (S. C) June 29, 1833. 



Dear Sir, — [f the following desultory obser- 

 vations are likely to do any good, if admitted into 

 your interesting agricultural periodical, you are at 

 liberty to insert them. The present dearth of mat- 

 ter may cause them to be tolerated, and at any rate, 

 they will help to fill up a page or two wlien your 

 stock of original matter is exhausted. But, v,hy 

 should you ever suffer from a scarcity of materials 

 for your journal, in a country w here all are more 

 or less interested in the success of agriculture, and 

 where the planters and flirmers form so intelligent 

 and numerous a portion of the population.'' This 

 would certainly be incredifde were not the fiict of 

 its existence too true and too evident to be doubted. 

 A class of intelligent and generally well educated 

 men, can find no difficulty in expressing in wri- 

 ting, their views and experience on the inexhaus- 

 tible subject of agriculture, with which are con- 

 nected more or less closely an innumerable variety 

 of subjects in which the whole communily, but 

 particularly themselves are vitally interested. 



The object of Agricultural Societies is to afford 

 their members opportunities of meeting together, 

 and discussing all those matters which concern es- 

 sentially their success and the welfare of the whole. 

 That of agricultural publications, journals, &c. 

 must necessarily be that of diffusing more exten- 

 sively the particulars of their experience, practices 

 and improvements ; thereby furnishing a mass of 

 knowledge by which the w hole community is ne- 

 cessarily benefitted, and they themselves (the plan- 

 ters and farmers) more directly and particularly 

 so. Their daily avocation, and the distance at which 

 the)' live from one another, makes it impracticable 

 for them to meet and discuss their interest as fre- 

 quently as v.oiiki be desirable and beneficial ; but 

 an interchange of their views, through the medium 

 of a public journal, is certainly the next best, if 

 not the very best mode of communicating with 

 each other ;'and, indeed, under their circumstan- 



