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THE ILLIlSrOIS FA-RIMEII. 



269 



had six inclies iu one hour. Often we have 

 two, three or four inches in twenty four hours. 

 Just before planting, we have a flood of rain, 

 and this must be carried off, and that imme- 

 diately. 



I have drained some of my land at fifty 

 feet apart, five feet deep. We need, as a 

 general thing, larger tiles in this country 

 than in England, simpli/ localise we have 

 more water to carry off in a short time. As 

 to the water going through the pores of the 

 tile, there is ten times as much goes through 

 the joints as through the pores so that mak- 

 ing them porous is not so very important. — 

 The joints will take in all the water in the 

 ground. I would have my tiles about as well 

 burnt as good wall brick. They are then 

 strong enough, and can be cut, and are not 

 likely to break in the earth. They should 

 be hard enough not to dissolve, and the clay 

 should be compressed enough to make the 

 tile strong enough, without such hard burn- 

 ing as will melt the clay. I prefer collars 

 three inches long, and always would use col- 

 lars on small pipes, because they keep the 

 pipes in line, and I would not use less than 

 one and a half inch tiles. As to the shape of 

 the orifice, if you have a low head, an egg 

 shape, with small end down, is the best, but 

 a round hole generally is good enough. So is 

 a tile that is round on the outside. The 

 difficulty in round tiles, is that tliey are apt 

 to bend in drying, and it is important to 

 have the line of pipes straight. The round 

 tile is the form adopted by the Land-Drain- 

 ing Company, in England — a company of 

 competent men, who work scientifically. — 

 They never use less than one and a half 

 inch pipe, and those always with colors i^ 

 but they prefer two inch tile, without col- 

 lars. 



As to joining brook drains, I would have 

 a pipe made purposely, and never bring in 

 the side drain at right angles, and always 

 give it a fall into the main pipe. 



As to silt basins, if you want to inspect 

 your drains, a silt basin may be of use j but 

 simpler things than such silt-basins as are 

 made in the Central Park will answer. A 

 large, strong-made pipe, set up over the 

 drain-pipe, where the branches join, wi 

 enable any one to inspect a drain, to see 

 where the stoppage is. My impression is 

 that two-inch tiles, fifty feet apart, in ditches 

 two hundred yards long, will carry oflF all 

 the water necessary. Pipes should be as 

 smooth as possible. Two-inch pipes are 

 probably more economical than one and a 

 half inch pipes, with coUors, since the col- 

 lars cost, in England, half as much as pipes. 

 But there is some land in which it will not 

 answer to lay pipes of any size, without col- 

 lars, or some substitute. I use pieces of 

 wood, such as the Yankee boot-makers use 

 to Stiffen the bottom of thick boots, which I 

 put under the joints of the tiles, and that 

 effectually keeps one pipe from settling be- 

 low the other." 



It having been stated that the pick could 

 not be used in making drains below the level 

 of the feet, it was suggested that the lifting 

 sub-soil plow would effectually take the place 

 of the pick ; its line of travel being horizon- 

 tal, it could disintegrate two inches at a 

 time, using the strength of a pair of horses, 

 instead of that of a man, and was in fact a 



pick, when applied to this purpose. When 

 worked with the chain, and the horse, or 

 oxen walking on either side of the drain, its 

 horizontal position would be maintained, and 

 the earth loosened, so as to be readily thrown 

 out, even in hardpan bottoms. 



Pratt's Draining Machine was, also, fully 

 described ; and a member stated that he had 

 dug seventy rods per day, three feet deep, 

 with this machine, and that, when deeper 

 drains are required, they are to be finished by 

 hand. 



Sallsbu y's Drain Tile Machine was fully 

 described. This machine is calculated to 

 induce a more extended use of drain tile. 

 It manipulates the clay, as taken from the 

 bank, without the use of pug-mill, cistern, 

 or other contrivance for the preparations of 

 the clay, the whole being done within the 

 machine itself. The clay is thrown into a 

 hopper, and is passed through a series of 

 rollers, by which it is so thoroughly worked 

 as to render it soft and pliant, even in quite a 

 dry state. It is then forced out through a 

 form making the drain tile, and is so much 

 compressed that the tile does not alter its 

 figure in drying. Its finish is very much 

 better than when made with ordinary tile 

 machines. This machine is now being 

 manufactured as a hand machine, by which 

 two or three thousand tiles may be made per 

 day, with hand power. The process of roll- 

 ing tile, as pursued in England, when half 

 dry, to correct their figure, will be unneces- 

 sary with tiles made with this machine. — 

 Much other interesting matter on the subject 

 of drains was given. — Working farmer. 



^ look out for the Tree Pedlars. 



Mr. Editor: — The tree pedlars will soon 

 be swarming over the land. As soon as they 

 get off their spring stocks and get the money 

 or notes for their trees, they have sold for 

 spring planting, they will beset you for orders 

 for the fall. Where arc the trees that they 

 have sold in Illinois ? Why, if their trees 

 had lived, the Central part of Illinois would 

 now be covered with orchards. Some of the 

 trees they have sold may undoubtedly be 

 found, but not one for a thousand ! 

 irt^ This fact may be'attributed, in part, to bad 

 seasons for fruit trees, but more to the fact 

 that the trees are not suited to our climate. 

 An investigation shows that apple trees which 

 do best in Eastern States, fail here. We do 

 not succeed with apples which are most pop- 

 ular in northern States. A farmer who will 

 set out an orchard of such apple trees as 

 would be recommended in New York, would 

 be sure to spend his time and money for no 

 practical benefit. 



Even in Illinois there are but few vai-Ietles 

 of apple trees which are approved by all our 

 nurserymen and fruit growers. Varieties 

 that do best in Northern Illinois, succeed but 

 partially in Central Illinois, and fail in the 

 Southern section of the State. Eastern nur- 

 series rarely propagate the varieties which 

 have proved the best here. Hence it is that 

 orchards of eastern trees so often fail. We 

 say to our farmers, if you want varieties suit- 

 ed to our climate, purchase of our uurf?ery- 

 men. They have experience which will be 

 worth dollars to you, and they are acting un- 

 der responsibilities which v.'ill compel thciii 

 to do you justice, even if they had not a 



higher motive to govern them in their con- 

 duct. 



You want other fruit trees than apples. — 

 Take their advice in regard to dwarfs, peach- 

 es, cherries and quinces. Leave selections 

 to them as a general thing. They will fur- 

 nish you with varieties likely to be hardy, 

 prolific and excellent. 



The fruit pedlars sell off a great deal of 

 flower and fruit shrubbery to our farmers, 

 and even go into our cities and obtrude them- 

 selves to find markets. The present spring 

 they have put off thousands of Houghton's 

 Seedling gooseberries, currants, raspberries, 

 and flowering plants at double the ordinary 

 price at our nurseries. The trees and plants 

 do not come up to the specifications in size 

 or appearance, and perhaps in varieties — but 

 what have you to say ? The pedlar has your 

 order, and when trees fruit or blossom, he 

 may be a thousand miles from you. Often 

 you are disposed to resist the swindling bill ; 

 but you cannot effectually do that, for he has 

 made his papers to fit his designs so exactly 

 that you are in a net from which you cannot 

 escape. 



We say to the readers of the Farmer, that 

 when the fall or spring has come, and you 

 want trees, make out a list of the number you 

 desire, and go to the nurseryman, see the 

 trees yourself, ask his advice, and get what 

 you want, plant them out well, and you will 

 always rejoice that you attended to the busi- 

 ness yourself, and that you did not listen to 

 the pedlar, who has all his lessons by note, 

 and who can say them off to you with the fa- 

 cility of the keeper of a menagerie. This is 



plain talk — intended for plain people. 



«» — - — - — - 



From the Chicago Press and Tribune. 



Fairbank's Scales. — These scales, in- 

 vented more than thirty years ago, by the 

 Messrs. Fairbanks, of Vermont, and still 

 made there and by them, have been more gen- 

 erally used than all others, and are every where 

 regarded as the lest and really cheapest scales 

 in use. We are told that some other makers, 

 in order to introduce their own scales, make 

 them similar in appearance to Fairbanks', 

 but in appearance only ; and represent that 

 they employ some of Fairbanks' workmen, 

 and sometimes even that theirs are the genu- 

 ine Fairbanks' scales. This shows the high 

 estimate placed upon Fairbanks' scales by the 

 business public, and should put persons de- 

 siring to purchase these on their guard, lest 

 they get a different and inferior article. 



Fairbanks & Greenleaf, at their extensive 

 scale warehouse, 85 Lake street, have a full 

 assortment of Fairbanks' railroad, hay, coal, 

 grain, cattle, and store scales ; also a very 

 neat, convenient and cheap grain-testing 



scale, the one recently adopted by the Uoard 

 of Trade as the standard for grading grain 

 coming to this market. They also sell Bos- 

 ton rubber belting and North Wayne Scythes 

 and Axes at Eastern prices. Persons order- 

 ing from Fairbanks & Greenleaf, or any of 

 their authorized agents, will be BUre of get- 

 ting the real Fairbank's scales. It. 

 ' 1*' 



CoAii Tar Paint. — This can be made as 

 lasting almost as stone, by using this precau- 

 tion : when the paint is put on the wood, 

 put as much blacksmith's coal dust on it, as 

 it will so:\k in. 



Apples can be preserved fresh until iu 



