70 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Feb. 



For the New England Farmer, 



TILE DKAIHIKra IN OHIO. 



Hon. II. F. French -.—-Dear Sir :— I have just 

 finished reading your valuable v.'ork upon "Farm 

 Draining ;" more valuable on account of the par- 

 ticular information in regard to tile draining. I 

 have been experimenting some little in this branch 

 of agriculture. I own a farm in this place of about 

 150 acres. I have often thought that it could be 

 much improved by a system of thorough draining. 

 The soil varies ; some clay and some sand ; but 

 the subsoil of most of it is a stiff, red clay ; it is 

 what most of our Western farmers would call an 

 exceedingly dry farm ; but I am convinced that it 

 can be improved, and I have begun my improve- 

 ments by laying tile. I have often seen notices 

 of tile draining, and their benefits, in most of our 

 agricultural papers, but as yet, have been unable 

 (until the receipt of your book) to gain any satis- 

 factory information in regard to laying tile. I 

 began last spring by "going ahead," instead of 

 being "all right." I laid most of my drains from 

 eighteen inches to two feet, the latter being my max- 

 imum ; but since reading your work, I am 'afraid 

 it will be like "Love's labor lost." I am at prcs- 

 est draining a springy ,side-hill, the upland surface 

 of which is a sand ridge, and very full of water. 

 The hill, 1 find to be of various soils, interspersed 

 very frequently with a ridge of claj^, holding wa- 

 ter in check. I intended making a main drain 

 through the centre of the piece, of four inch tile, 

 and then running two inches into this diagonally ; 

 but fortunately, your chapter upon that subject 

 wholly changed my mind on that point, and I am 

 now convinced that my drains would have been 

 of little or no use had I followed my former in- 

 tentions. I have a drain along the " foot of this 

 hill to the stream, some sixty rods ; this is of five 

 inch tile. I shall nov/ drain with two inch, down 

 the hill, putting them fifteen feet apart, and three 

 feet deep. I intend making a vineyard of the hill, 

 which faces the east. 



As to the cost of my beginnings, I am not able 

 to give a fair estimate, my ditching being mostly 

 done by myself and man, and the tile manufac- 

 tm-ed upon my own farm. The price of ditching, 

 here, is from fifteen to twenty-five cents per rod ; 

 but I think it can be done cheaper, as all the ditch- 

 ers v/ill persist in claiming that they cannot dig 

 without a wide top and bottom ; but I find that I 

 can work very well with sixteen inches top and four 

 bottom. I have, as yet, no very good tools, not be- 

 ing able to get them ; for tiling, here, is in its in- 

 fancy, most of our farmers not even knowing what 

 they are for, and those who do, are afraid they won't 

 work, or.,won't pay. I shall recommend them to 

 buy your work, and I hope we shall hear from you 

 often on this subject. As to the price of tile, we 

 are some cheaper than in your neighborhood. I 

 have one of Penfields & Mattice's machines. The 

 grinding and_ pressing is all done by horses, and 

 at the same time the tile run upon boards about 

 three feet long — one man puts in the boards, cuts 

 off"_the tile, and takes away the boards again — 

 whilst another feeds the mill. Two men will make 

 about 3000 two inch tile per day ; larger ones in 

 less proportion. We make both horse-shoe and 

 sole tile ; we sell by the rod, IG pieces to the rod ; 

 2 inch, 16 cts. per rod ; $10 per 1000 ; 3 inch, 



50 cts., or 831 ; 6 inch, 15 cts., or $46 per 1000. 

 A deduction of 10 per cent, will be made on $100, 

 and all orders over $10, delivered at the cars free 

 of charge. We shall make pipe tile next season, 

 and think we can sell them at 25 cents per rod, 

 with collars ; that is two inch. You speak of soft 

 tile. I am a new beginner, and would not like to 

 sell or use anything which would not be good. 

 It is impossible to burn all the tile red, or so that 

 they have a clear ring ; but where they will stand 

 a good soaking, and then a severe fi-ost, do you 

 think it will be safe to lay them ?* I intend drain- 

 ing a piece of 26 acres next season, and shall fol- 

 low your plan as nearly as possible ; and any fur- 

 ther information which you can give me, or refei 

 me to any works upon the subject, Vvill be thank- 

 fully received. Hoping to hear from you private- 

 ly, at some of your leisure moments, and public- 

 ly, as often as you get anything new, 



I am yours, truly, D. D. Benedict. 

 Norwalk, Huron Co., Ohio, Nov. 21, 1859. 

 To THE Hon. H. F. French, Exeter, N. H. 



* Color is not the only criterion of the burning of clay. Soma 

 clay takes a much higher color than other clay, and some will 

 never become red by burning. Tiles that will not crumble bj 

 wet and frost are usually hard burnt enough. 



We are glad to hear that draining is going on at the West. 



n. F. P. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 EDUCATION" OF BOYS. 



Mr. Editor : — I have two sons, one aged six- 

 teen, the other fourteen ; both active and intelli 

 gent as other boys of their age. Their time ha 

 hitherto been taken up at school, and they hav 

 attended the best school in our town, even a ful 

 term at v.'hat is called the high school. I havi 

 not the means of putting them through a college, 

 and they have no desire to enter one, with a view 

 to engage in either of the learned professions, be- 

 cause they have an impression that a greater part 

 of those who do thus study derive very little ben- 

 efit from their studies. They are willing to be 

 farmers, if they can be substantial and respecta- 

 ble farmers. They have the means of purchasing 

 a moderate sized farm for each. What will you 

 advise to be done with them ? "Wlien the project 

 of an agricultural school was fii'st started in the 

 State of New York, I had serious thoughts of send- 

 ing one or both of them there, to try whether a 

 good farmer could be bred at a school ; but I have 

 lately seen that the college founded in Michigan, 

 under the most favorable auspices, has slumped 

 through, which raises a doubt of the success of 

 the New York college, notwithstanding it is fa- 

 vored with the untiring vigilance of one of the 

 best of supervisors, in Mr. Secretary Johnson. 



December 25, 1859. p. 



Remarks. — Put your sons on a good farm for 

 two or three summers, where they will earn their 

 living, and at the same time gain such a practical 

 knowledge of their business as the boy does who 

 enters as an apprentice upon any of the mechanic 

 arts. The owner of the farm upon which they 

 reside should be able to direct their operations in- 

 telligentl}', and to call their attention to the theo- 

 ries of the gi-owth of plants and animals, to the 



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