] 



THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 



395 



=======^7h7water, if a^ppen to be present, thus 



!!."" 1C ro» the workmen, which not on>y = * ° 



e T P 1 comP."atively dry footing, bat also point, out 

 them JectsTn the work already gone OTer. 



•"i. materials used in filling drains are stones, tiles, 

 The materials " ^ combined . 8tone s are gene- 



1 a _ j_i_ B>b ¥ w ■* tfV %*% ^^B 



_^ ^ i*"^«^»^n^"^a^aaa^n^n^n^n^n^n^n^"^n^^n™n^»^»^n^n^»^aia^n^S^B»«^e^n^B^n^n^n^^"^n^"^»^nw^»^»^»™ ^^^^^""^^^•^"^^■~ ^^"^^^^^^^^^^^ 



marked off, a sod of about 4 inches deep, and 1 foot ] With regard bo Thistles, 1 do no: (tuns tvefff farmer con- 

 wide, is taken out and carefully laid to one side ; an- sides them injurious. It once was, and probably still is, 



•— • - ' r sinks the practice with some graziers in the rich Somersetshire 



*f* ± b °"l«"M";««.rned by land requiring draining, 

 the injury : il« J inseparable obstacles t . their 



fr0m , o ^nnt to afy considerable extent in this district, 

 employs"" t to j extensive ly used, even when 



^ ne- a" .Trnffi- the same field the work being with 

 'i much more expeditiously and economically per- 

 ?*"Jta m"ny instances six or seven inches of broken 

 f r« are tlTow y n on the top of the tiles-a pract.ce of 



* r;„„„HV utility, for many obvious reasons. Coal 

 eS have also bel; emp.o/ed very usefuUy for the 



^'"'C are used, they are laid down at regular 



• wvals along the line of the drains, before the cutting 

 ^mmence^or while it is in the course of bemg per- 



t 



other man follows with a narrow spade, and furthe 



the centre of the drain 6 or 7 inches, leaving what i> 



termed a shoulder on each side ; the sods first cut out 



. unmcoaiiimcu,»*w-v.v are then placed so as to rest firmly on the shoulders Iji 



in d, in many lnstaaces ' . can be conveniently and j for that purpose ; an open space is thus left below t » 5 



r*Uj preferred, «« J amount of manual and turf for the passage of water. This species of drainin; is 



cheaply P rocure '" r : Wqfr p lu Un e their use, together with extensively practised in some hilly pastures, and when 

 .-i Becessaniy atcenai g < , _* ^ : ._ ^ ^ &rd . g sufficiently tough| an d the work carefully 



executed, such drains are found to be permanent, and 

 frequently quite efficacious, a r ter a lapse of more than 

 twenty years from the period of their construction. 



The expense of draining, according to the system now 

 described as that generally practised in the Lothians, 

 varies, of course, with the nature of the soil, depth to be 

 cut, rate of labour, and other local circumstances. As 

 the farmer* are very solicitous to have the work well 

 performed, the plan most commonly adopted by them is 

 to contract only for the opening, or casting, as it is here 

 termed — the rilling being done by persons paid by the 

 day, as much greater security is thus insured, for having 

 the latter part of the work properly executed ; persona 

 working at daily wages, and under the direction of the 

 master, or his steward, having no interest in hurrying 

 over this most important part of the operation. The 

 rate of cutting varies from 2\d. to 4*d*. per rod of 18 

 feet, according to circumstances. Small draining- tiles 

 cost, until very lately, so much as 31s. to 30*-. per thou- 

 sand ; but, in consequence of the great increase in the 

 number of tile-works in every part of the county, and 

 the general adoption of improved modes of preparing and 

 forming tiles, by steam-driven machinery, the cost has 

 latterly diminished to 22s. and 24s. for tiles, and to 16s. 

 for soles. In most cases the entire expense of draining 

 is defrayed by the tenants ; but, in justice to the East 

 Lothian proprietors it must be stated, that many of 

 them contribute a considerable portion of the expense, 

 where the exertions of the tenant seem to merit such a 

 reward. Some landlords pay for the opening of the 

 drains, the tenant doing the remainder. Others of them 

 allow a considerable annual reduction of the rent during 

 the first ten years of the tenant's occupancy. A large 

 number of the proprietors, again, have tile-works erected 



ies noni taut"* **-• ----- i • c J • A 



is a very important part of the business of draining and 

 one to which too much attention cannot be bestowed is 

 invariably performed by the regular farm-servants, under 

 the Superintendence and direction of the farmer himself, 

 or Ms steward. The usual mode of procedure is as 

 £nv»r.-— \ man or boy first breaks the stones to the 

 52 ot ^moToad-mell,* f» to 3 inches in diameter 

 and he must be a heap in advance of the women and 

 bovs who collect the broken stones into baskets, which, 

 when filled, are handed to the steward or some other 

 careful m*n in the drain, whose duty, besides emptying 

 the baskets, is to see that every particle of soft earth is pre- 

 viously well cleaned out, that none but the smallest sized 

 stones are used for the bottom of the drain, and that the 

 stones are at the proper distance-commonly 15 inches— 

 below the surface of the land. The small stones collected 

 from the Grass and other fields, are much esteemed for 

 draining ; they require little or no breaking, and are 

 generally shovelled out of the carts into the drains. The 

 stones, after being carefully levelled at the top, are 

 covered with the surface sods previously laid aside for 

 that purpose, if the field is in Grass, or with straw. 



Tiles, for the reasons already assigned, are most generally 

 used in filling drains. The usual size is 3± inches wide, 

 4} inches in height, and 14 inches in length. When 

 taken out of the carts the tiles are laid along the line of 

 the drains in such a manner as to determine very nearly 

 the number required for any length of drain, and also 

 to enable the man who lays the tiles in the bottom of the 

 drain to reach to them without the aid of an assistant. 



the 



in some suitable part of the estate, from which 

 tenants obtain tiles, either altogether free of expense, or 

 at very reduced prices. An arrangement between land- 

 lord and tenant of a most useful tendency has been lately 

 adopted by some, which is, that the former defrays the 



practice with some gi 



marshes, when, in the spring, the young Grass is succu- 

 lent and laxative, to let the herdman cut a small portion 

 of the Thistles every morning ; which, whe» withered, 

 are readily eaten by the cattle, and are believed to coun- 

 teract the too aperient tendency of the young herb» g « > 

 and improve the health and condition of the cattle. — 



fciinr. 



y«-rr.— Observing in your last Number an inquiry re- 

 specting the poisonous effects of the Yew when eaten by 

 cattle, I have been induced to make a few observations 

 on its effects on the animal economy. The Yew (Taxus 

 Baccata) is anarcotico-acrid poison, producing in animals 

 that have eaten of it a degree of heaviness, increasing 

 to stupor, from which it is with much difficulty that they 

 can be roused, and they ultimately die without any symp- 

 toms of pain. It is well known to vegetable ^physiolo- 

 gists that medical plants possess properties differing in 

 intensity at different periods of the plants' growth ; thus 

 the leaves of plants, such as hyoscyamus and digitalis, 

 possess the most active properties when the plants arc in 

 bloom, their activity diminishing as the season advances, 

 until they are of little or no value as a medicine when 

 the leaves h.ve reached maturity, and withered on the 

 parent stem. M «y this not be the case with the lew . 

 the leaves of which may possibly be esten by cattle 

 without producing any very serious effects, at one "***» 

 of the year, while at another they may act as a deadly 

 poison. It is believed, also, that the Yew is more vire- 

 lent as a poison when in a withering state, after it has 

 been cut from the tree, than when fresh and growing. 

 May not this possibly occur from the changes going on 

 in the leaf itself? the leaves of plants in the autumn, 

 and also in a dying state, change from a green to a brown 

 colour ; this change is accompanied with an absorption 

 of oxygen from the atmosphere, which, acting on the 

 green colouring matter of the leaf (chlorophyle) slowly 

 oxidises it. Mav not this action in the leaf of the Yew 

 sharpen the activity of the poisonous matter already con- 

 tained in it ? This is rendered probable, since wc know 

 that some plants gro*n under unfavourable circumstance, 

 generate a poison, which disappears when the circum- 

 nces are altered ; thus, the common Potato, when 

 grown inthedatk, contains in its stem a deadly poison 

 (sol mine), which disappears after it has vegetated in the 

 light for a short time. These hints may possibly must 

 in e'earing up the question, showing that the action of 



r 7 



tu C W ^ly indispensable source of expend 

 taken on entering a newly-rented farm; a liberal allow- 

 ance of lime, and other manures, also becomes absolutely 

 necessary, besides numerous other matters, demanding a 

 considerable outlay of capital at the very outset, buch 



When they do not meet quite closely, the interstices a.e considerable outlay of capital at e very ™- " ; 

 filled up /y wrapping a slort piece ot straw-rope around a loan as tha now «« *■£*** of unq 



the joinings, in order to prevent any particles of earth 

 from entering the drain. When the bottom of the drain 

 is very soft, soles of some kind or other are employed. 

 Those generally used are made and sold at the lile- 

 works, but being rather expensive, soles of thinly-sawn 

 wood are used in some places, particularly in the neigh- 

 bourhood of saw-mills. It maybe observed here, that 

 there is a general tendency amongst the farmers to adopt j 

 smaller sized tiles than those hitherto employed. Small 

 pipe-tiles are also sometimes used with advantage. It 

 is a common practice, contiguous to the sea-coast, and 

 other places where sand and gravel can be easily pro- 

 cured, to lay from four to seven inches of either of these, 

 but especially the latter, over the tiles. The earth is 

 always filled in with the plough, a long swing-tree being 

 used for the purpose of enabling the horses to walk on 

 opposite sides of the drain. The loose friable surface 

 soil is placed next the tiles or stones, and the more 

 tenacious subsoil ploughed out into the ridges, after 

 which a good harrowing completes the operation of 

 draining. 



In ploughing drained fields, the furrows are invariably 

 made over the drains, in order to facilitate the ready 

 escape of rain-water ; and so useful and necessary is this 

 considered, that when the precise situation of the furrows 

 in which the drains bad originally been made, is not dis- 

 tinctly visible, as generally occurs after fallow and green 

 crops, their position is accurately ascertained by digging 

 with a spade until the stones or tiles are reached, and 

 the ridges laid off accordingly. In some places, however, 

 ridges in thoroughly drained fields are altogether dis- 

 pensed with, a slight rut or mark made with the plough 

 serving to regulate the sowing ami reaping. 



The system of draining which I have now endeavoured 

 to describe, is that generally practised in the low districts 

 °f this county, but many other simple modes of re- 

 moving surface water are pursued in the Lammermoor 

 sheep-pastures. Sometimes a deep furrow is turned up 

 at regular intervals by a stout plough, furnished with 

 two coulters attached in a peculiar manner to the beam, 

 which is sufficient to collect and void a considerable 



tionable utility to the tenant, preventing, in a great 

 measure, the crippling of his resources, and consequent 



•ceed in the cultivation of his farm with 



inability to procee 

 spirit and success. 



T. Sullivan. 



quantity of water ; sometimes a man with a spade pares 

 off the soil from the inverted sod, reducing it to the 

 thickness of about 2£ or 3 inches. It is then restored to 

 Us original situation, with the grassy side uppermost, 

 leaving a p j pe or hollow beneath it, or 3 or 4 inches in 

 ? e P^h, for the conveyance of water. Another very simple 

 * lr »d of superficial draining much practised in similar 

 situations, is thus made :— When the line of drain is 



h II ma y. perhaps, be necessary to state that this term is applied 

 ernnl l ? e broken stones used for repairing the public roads, those 

 mpioyed for filling drain* being broken to the same size. 



Home Correspondence. 



Broad-shearing.— In answer to Mr. Grey of Dilston's 

 inquiry respecting broad shearing, it is simply paring the 

 e round to the depth of about 2 inches, which is sometimes 

 effected by attaching a share of 18 inches in width to the 

 Sussex wheel-plough, which is drawn by two horses; 

 sometimes by the Sussex cultivator, an iron implement 

 of 5 feet in width, with shares 12 inches in width, drawn 

 by four strong horses ; this can only be used where the 

 land is level on the surface ; if the land is in ridges or 

 otherwise unlevel, the plough is used ; after this the land 

 is harrowed, and the rubbish collected and burnt.— A 



Sussex Farmer. 



Failure in the Wheat- crop. —Your 

 «R Arthur" describes what he supposes a new cause 

 of failure in the Wheat crop, but which is, and long has 

 been, too well known ; it is caused in the manner he 

 describes bv the wire-worm. Frequently, in March, 

 patches of withering Wheat plants may be seen, which 

 on examination will be found to contain the worm in the 

 centre of the stem ; it is hard and very tough, requiring 

 a sharp pinch with the finser and thumb to crush it ; it 

 is of a dirty yellow colour, with a black head, is about 

 six lines in length, and half a line in thickness. I have 

 not heard of any method of destroying them; perhaps 

 the rooks and starlings are the farmers' best assistants 

 in this case. I have also met with a worm in the gardens, 

 answering the above description in all respects, except 

 in being about thrice as thick.— Lusor - 



Thistles.— That troublesome species (Cnicus arvensis j 

 which infests our pastures and is so difficult to keep 

 down, may be extirpated in a couple of seasons, bj draw- 

 ing them. For years I tried the usual methods of mow- 

 ing, spudding, &c., without success, till it occurred to try 

 the effect o°f drawing; accordingly I employed some 

 women, defending their hands by pieces of old sacking 

 and taking advantage of a time when the soil was 

 thoroughly softened by a continuance of wet ; wes iner. 

 the Thistles were drawn with much ease bringmg up fre- 



Uul-A'fred G b de, Painsxcick 



Jloofo.— Observing, in the Agricultural Gazette ol 

 June 1, an article calculated to aggravate the sufferings 

 of the poor rooks, you will, I trust, excuse rayoffenng* 

 few words in their favour, more especially as I consider 

 them about to be put in fresh jeopardy, m conseqiience 

 of a mistake as to one of their most valuable acqu e - 

 men's. Owner of a considerable rookery in a locality 

 where it is the fashion to consider them as pests, 1 de- 

 clined joining in a hue and cry against them, at least 

 until I should, by observation and experiment, ascertam 

 whether my predilection for them was merited Among 

 other tests was the .ome.hat cruel °ne of watching them 

 at feed during the spring seed-time, and shooting one or 

 two per diem on their return homewards. I com^nced 

 this process with the Oat-sowing early in April, and 

 during the first ten days found the contents of the .to 

 machto be entirely grnb, wire-worm, a worm wrth two 

 rings round its body, a few earth-worms, and now and 

 then a beetle, such as occur in the dropping! ol 

 cattle. This was the general result untd about the 20 h 

 of the month, when my faith was ^W^.^^ 

 the craw at least a score particles of Oats ,n be ^« k ; 

 i , but immediately observing a small whitish streak under 

 COr /! S l° n . !? ?he enve^pe of Uie husk, I examined it and found inj 



side, embedded on the kernel, . ^ wire- «™ «^ in 



EsaaafaSSSri3 



su«rssuy£«i'»?w 



nd I doubt not in his also, was the winding-sheet of a 

 w"re-wor«n.-^e-r. [We shall be very glad to insert 

 any detail of investigations on this subject, with which 

 our correspondent may favour us.] 



Hints on the Use of various Manure 5.— Guano, wtien 

 2 ood, ought to be of a light-brown, or fawn-colour, dry 

 and powdery, not sticky or clammy to the touch, and 

 the lumps when broken showing numerous small, ciear, 

 shining crystals, and giving out n strong * m f" -^'J 

 monrAhen mixed with a little quicklime, ^ m S;'^ 

 with water. Guano should be kept quite dry mi » 



t.n-t 

 off 



the Thistles were urawn wuu u*uv.» «. ;._• ntf ot ammonia ; ana ic snouiu im~~ - , d >€- on 



quently from 12 to 15 inches of the root. Ihe expense ^ wUich ag ha8 been recked, ^ ^ 



was a mere trifle, sometimes under Is. per acre , and u ^ a ^ mQnia but may b e used on u ^ ^^ 



part'of the root left in the earth was nttoo g eat dep h 



the ammonia ; but guano may be used ■ ^ m i x ed 

 been limed a short time before, ami iu * Bone -dust 



with the soil, particularly after nea j ^ rem ark. 



im are too well k»ow» j°^3 about 30s. per 



..ed gypsum » /be J** cm ht got> the 



dphates of soda and mag 



