IS 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



which, I think, are better in a wood building 

 entirely above pround. 



I have had much experience in pitting roots, and 

 always find much waste, either with frost or by 

 heating so as to rot. If any one raises and feeds 

 many roots, I think it will pay tliein to build root- 

 houses, and have them large enough so they can 

 turn the roors some winter day, if tlioy lind tliem 

 getting too warm. Airing makes them keep bet- 

 ter. I Iiave 8,000 bushels of Swedes this year all 

 dug and housed, and my root-houses all open into 

 sheep and cattle sheds, so we are not exposed to 

 cold, and liave no drifts to cut through to feed the 

 stock, and my roots are always in good condition 

 to feed. 



A stone root-house can be built along side of 

 any cattle shed, with u]i])er tloor covered with tan 

 bark, inside lined and lilled in Avith tan bark, with 

 an entrance door into cattle and sheep shed, and 

 roofed and shingled, making a durable structure, 

 and one that will not wear out, alvvays ready every 

 fall when roots are fit for gathering, wliich should 

 always be got in on a dry state to keep well. 



Gu^ph, 0. IK, Dec. 1858. J. KIRBY. 



Remarks. — The foregoing essays will be read 

 with interest, and it is to be hoped the importance 

 of the subject will induce others to give their 

 brother farmers the result of their experience in 

 growing, storing, and feeding roots. More informa- 

 tion is needed as to the ditferent kinds of roots 

 proper to be grown, their value for food, and the 

 best manner of feeding them. eds. 



HOW SHOULD WE IMPROVE OUE HIGHWAYS. 



This important subject has not been sufficiently 

 discussed heretofore. All acknowledge that our 

 highwiy& should be improved, and in the right 

 -way. 



Whidi is the right way'i Here is a question 

 -which will call out many different opinions. In 

 •consid&riug tlie subject many things must be con- 

 sidered. First,, the condition of tlie soil ; second, 

 the hill and ihe valley ; and third, how should a 

 road be made on level ground. Turnpiking has 

 gone into disuse ia many localities, and yet it is, in 

 many places, deemed necessary to throw up tlie 

 highways in this form. In 8wami)8 and sucli local- 

 ities, turnpiking is titought to be the more judicious 

 mode of making good roads, and keeping tliem 

 passably dry. Thii) can only be done by a thorough 

 system of ditches aad draining. 



I propose to give my plan of making a road 

 in Soil wiiere it is apt to cut up, and become rutty 

 by reasoQot wet, and one which trial has shown 

 to be the luoet durable and cheaply made road — all 

 things considered — now in use. Open a trench in 

 the centre of the highway from nine to twelve 

 feet in width and one foot in depth, with plow and 

 scraper. Stone being plenty in most every country, 

 fill thia track with small field 8t<jne, and pound 

 down the eurf&oe with hammers smooth and 

 regular. Having done this, go to a gravel bed, 

 (most every neighborhood having one,) and draw 

 on to tlie 8t<^)ne bed thus prepared from five to eight 

 inches of gravel. I.,evel down, and make the track 

 • xKi the whole a little rolling, that the water may 



run oW. The dirt that was plowed and scraped out 

 of the tracks can now be hauled up on each side, 

 and roundetl otT, to correspond with the gravel, 

 scooping out the gutter to form good drains on each 

 side. This kind of a road — and we have thoroughly 

 tested it lierc — will last for years. Its cheapness 

 ecjuals its durability. Its smoothness at most all 

 seasons of the year— iti wet or dry weather — is un- 

 ecjualled by any other kiwd of road in use. fo 

 clay ground, it is better, far better, than plank •, 

 and when once made, yoai n'eed not trouble your- 

 self about repairing it once in a decade. If the 

 gravel wears out, as it may from constant and long 

 use, replace it in quantities sufficient to keep the 

 road smooth. 



On gravelly soil, not liable io cu-t up, we use 

 gravel from a clean bed, and draw eu a sufficient 

 amount to make a good round track. In this kind 

 of soil stone need not necessarily be Tised. In sand 

 beds the stones may be used for a foiindiation, ^nd 

 then covered with gravel, as above described. 



Now let us look a little to our hills, <fec. We 

 have a good deal of rain inmost all countries. Our 

 hills, therefore, are apt to wash in consequence. The 

 only sure way of managing them on a permsnent 

 plan, is to put in stone as I have already described^ 

 and cover with gravel, not forgetting side ditches ;■ 

 in addition to which water breaks may be made 

 every eight or ten rods. These need not be large, 

 and everybody knows they will turn off the water 

 in an effectual manner, and thus preserve the road. 

 Simply turnpiking a road on a hill, does not seem to 

 amount to much, as natural soil will wash away 

 about as soon as it is thrown up. 



There is a radical defect in our system of road 

 making, and it wants improving about as much as 

 anything in the whole range of rural economy, 



A road made after the above plan will not 

 cost much beyond $2.Y5 or $8.00 per rod; and 

 every district, therefore, can build many rods an- 

 nually. 



This plan is growing more in public favor, year 

 by year — at least with us ; and as time rolls on, I 

 believe people will begin to appreciate the value of 

 stone foundations in our roads, and will build a less 

 number of rods, and make those few rods well, so 

 that time and use will not prove their ruin. t. 



BAIL vs BOARD FENCES. 



Rail fences occupy, on an average, eighteen feet 

 of land, board fences onlj' six, in plowed larid. Rail 

 fences are not so objectionable in meadows and 

 pastures ; still there is half to two thirds difference 

 in favor of board, and full two thirds in saving of 

 material. Timber can be made into board fences 

 that cannot be used in rail fences. Board fences 

 withstand winds which rail hardly can, even staked 

 and capped. Some may object that frost pulls up 

 fence posts, and they cannot bo put np as easily as 

 to lay up rails. 



I will give a description of my board fence, 

 manner of building, &c. I cut logs for boards of 

 chesnut, black or white oak, in fall or winter. For 

 each rod of fence it requires one board each ten, 

 eight, seven, six and five inches in width ; also one 

 five inch board extra for battens on every four 

 posts or two rods of fence. Fence posts made of 

 good white v/ak, sawed 5 by G at the bottom, and 

 2 by 5 at the top, leaving them 5 by 5 where they 



