r-^w^: 



174 



MOORE'S RURAL HEW-YORKER. 



■ 



Uw Butter fern 



HOW TO CXTI DRAINS FOB BBTJSH OB THE. 

 -In reply to inquiry of C. C. 



., I beg 1 



fool « 





, the l.i 



torn, md tl'rpp feet deep where tbo land will per- 

 mit; id sonic flat spots I con only grt it eighteen 

 inches. My soil is a lonm one fool to eighteen 

 inches deep, on a cloy subsoil. I have son 

 lions of liind composed of one foot black soil and 

 one foot of Mud on u cluv mbsoIL 1 use beech for 

 brushing, as bard wood is the best. Pine would 

 be very luting, rod tb foliage a reellentfon 

 ing the drain. Cedar is another good matcri 

 have said my ditch was it foot wide on top, four 

 inches on the bottom, and three feel deep. This i; 

 the way it is done;— A common spade takes out 

 nearly a fool wide, and 'en inches deep ; a second 

 spade takes on! ten inches deeper, then follows the 

 shovel to clean out the crumbs the Spade h I lefl 

 behind. Thero is just room in Hie ditch lo 

 the shovel to work easily. My ditch is now twenty 

 inches deep, and ready for the draining spade 

 take out 10 inches deep at a draught; this gii 

 me a ditch 80 inches. After Ibe draining spade 

 follows a long handled hoc made like a scoop, 

 seven inches long; this takes out all the crumbs 

 and removes any small obstacle, and I am now 

 ready for my bruin or tile. A ditch thus made 

 resembles a bottle turned bottom upwards. IIow 

 does it get that shape? By this means;— The 

 common spndo makes a square cut dovvD tor twenty 

 inches, then the draining tool, which is eighteen 

 inches long and live incht i (ride q1 topwplutCj ta- 

 pering down In four inches at the point, completes 

 the work by Inking out sixteen inches of i 

 allowing twoinchu to the tool to work easily. The 

 oatting Of this part in a peculiar manner li 

 bundling the draining tool in a proper way. It 

 is not to be used like the common spade, bul, being 

 gouge-shaped, il is pressed into the earth in e diago- 

 nal manner, and draws out tbo earth in one solid 

 piece, in the same way as the tool thai ii used in 

 trying butter when in a lirkin. It is a difficult 

 matter to describe its operation ; it must be seen 

 in operation, and then looks simple enough. — 



of draining, let him. without any ceremony, give 

 me a coll, nod I shall be happy lo show bim how it 

 is done, I have CXporl bands, who will soon cut 

 out a few rods, and (how the process. I reside on 

 the plank road, Iwo miles north of Geneva, and any 

 one coming from a distance con make mv hou.se his 

 homo during Ins Tlait, and I can warrant him a 

 good welcome. w l„ Loom 



Wllfonl Farm, Scnera, N. Y., May, 1859. 



P. S.— I sowed some orchard grass seed last vear. 



horn 



■ nth, 



abein 



la not this very early T The land is drained. 



■ ■ !,i..-l.. 



BRUSH DRAINS "BIGHT SIDE UP." 



Ens Rural:— E. Bust's publication of his 

 rience with brush draius I fear may cause brush 



:ir, and tile to rise; but tini 



HOW TO MARX FENCE ON ROCK. 



Fniap Moorc :— C. If- 1>R Witt, Wood Oo. , OUo, 

 wishes to know " what is the best plan to build a 

 door-yard feoea whore it is impossible to set Ibe 

 posts in Ibe ground «a account of rock." I will 

 give him my plan ; it may not be the best, boweicr. 

 but such as 1 have I will gire. 



Use 4 by 4 scantling, (oak 1.1 preferable,) for the 

 posts; length according to Hie height of fence de- 

 sired— (mine ore three feet seven inches.) Take 

 % inch oval iron for braces ; cut them from 17 to 

 IS inches long; let a blacksmith flatten one end, 

 and punch a bole suitable fora% inch bolt, and 

 bend the same as nearly as be can to the perpen- 

 dicular of Ibe post, when the brace is bent lo it, 

 which is cosily dona when fostened at the bottom. 

 If the surfuce ot the rock upon which he purposes 

 building is level, or Dearly so, and soft enough, 

 drill o % inch hole, say 'A inches deep, in the place 

 where the post is to be set. Take J£ inch round 

 iron, cut spikes about five inches long, have them 

 sharpened or pointed at one end, for the posts to 

 rest upon ; bore a %iuch hole in the bottom of the 

 post, deep enough to admit (he spike; fasten the 

 blunt end of the spike in the rock firmly, (which 

 can be done by running in hoi lead or driving in 

 common cut nails at the side;) then drive the post 

 firmly down upon the spike; then (or before if 

 preferred,) drill another hole just the size of the 

 brace inside of the pott, far enough from the post 

 lo give the brace an angle of about forty-five de- 

 grees when bent to it , then bolt the upper end 

 firmly to the post wiili a tfj bolt 1% inches long 

 (being particular in fustening to the post so as to 

 get il perpendicular.) He will then have a 

 when the fence is completed, that will stand firm 

 against the Wrongest winds. 



I have about sixty rods of this description ol 

 fence for door-yard, garden and lanes, that has been 

 built about three years, and stands firm as a rock. 

 My posls arc set upon rough quarry stones, aver- 

 aging say nearly 18 inches long by 12 to IB wide, 

 and from 3 to inches thick. I then believed, and 

 nru now satisfied, that it il-u better way than setting 

 the posts into the ground, ns there is but little if 

 any chance for the posts to rot, being always above 

 the surface of the ground. Tho expense is but 1 

 tnOe more than settiog posts in the earth ; the irot 

 (here) would not cost over 4', cents per pound 

 and the bolts suy $3,85 per hundred. It lakes [est 

 timber for posts, and not much more labor to sci 

 If quarry stone are used they should be 

 bedded about half their thickness into the ground, 

 j will stand more firmly than on the surface, 



SOD FENCES. 



Ena. RnuL;— Having noticed the inquiry of W. 

 II CqaffBB, of Byron, Mich., in regard to sod 

 ould inform him, through the Rural, 

 re very common in the West, on both 

 y land. For marsh land they are the 



being wintered in a fanning- mill with a boy 

 all the time. Some years ago I underfoot 

 one of these machines, (bee-hives,) tbe p 

 which was 14,60. The tirst season I drove u strong 

 swarm into it. which, after remaining a fei 

 came oat and flew to parti unknown. Tl 

 I put a young snarm into ibis hive, which , 

 in winter with plenty ofhoney in a box jus 

 them; those few that Pissed into this boi 

 it so cold that they could not uncap the 

 The third year I put » small swarm into 

 thinking it a safe place for a valuable one. This 

 swarm located themselves in the moth, at least thi 

 queen and most of the bees — a box in the lowe 

 part oflhc hive which would bold about ten pound; 

 of honey, but which never did contain more thai 

 half that amount for some unkuown reason. Thi: 

 was not far from where I came to tho conctusioi 

 that the next man thai sold mo a dose of humbug 

 under the uame of improved bee- 

 resident, for at least a long time, of the land of 

 wooden nutmegs, — and then he wou&fnj. 



ielbj,N..Y., 



I.I. 



ABOUT CHINA TEA WHEAT, 





J. J. B., < 

 in tbe Rural of May Tib 



that it has been grown in this 



eaten by the midge, unless sot 

 Scut Kodman, X J , 1850. 



Wheat, 

 inily foi 

 bos been badly 

 late.-O. D. H, 



ell . 





decide the question. My "jm 



1 for s 



M'l 



' had i 



: for i 



ity year's experience, but from informatio: 

 obtained from those who bad personally know: 

 brash drains to last twenty years in England, am 

 my poor experience of one year, enabled me t. 

 conclude 1 might In- us successful os others who 

 bad more experience than myself. Thei _ 

 right and a wrong way of doing a thing; perhaps 

 Mr. B.'s may bo the right way, and mine the 

 wrong; time must decide that. According to E. 

 inches deep, 



clear of the brush. Now, he need 

 1 think it operated well for the time and circum 

 stances. I should not consider ibis a drain; in 

 my humble opinion it is a miniature brush-heap. 

 A horse walking over a surface two feet wide, only 

 eight inches of soil covering tbe brush, must 

 tuinly make some impression on tho draii 

 pack it well down, particularly if the earth 1. 





thai brush 1 

 good friend ic 



ef..rc 



1 f..r 





no go under 

 e to Mr. Brush, for 

 , and hope to have 

 I year , but should 

 port progress tor 



ws and opinions of 

 he land Mr. B. de- 

 n Open ditch till all 

 I should 

 . which I 



he use me badly I will then 

 the benefit of all concerned. 

 Men will have different 

 matters and things. Had 

 scribes I should treat it to 

 tho surplus water was removed 

 consider whether it w,,. wn 

 think it must be. for Mr. B. on 

 under ibe brush-heap system. A neighbor of 

 "nue came to see my brush drains, was much 

 pleased with them, and made many inquiries. I 

 showed him the draining tools, nml told 

 one at cost ot |L,f6, He said be could do just as 

 well with a common spade, He has since plowed 

 otn ditch, filled i& with brush, and 

 no doubt will expeel great results; but bis tabor 

 wdlbelost, and he will be "down" on brush drains, 

 outlay of a few dollors would have enabled 

 mm to do the flrJng the right way and get good 





iark that ditching nml draining 



r ptnolata ih.n 



it , 







" i..U. .,11 



uugh 



. -tv. .ii tain 



md the earth,),,,:, 



laid down, and showing [ n , 

 it very useful. I got this ide» f^',,"'* 



Get the njll benefit 

 m T farm with all 



dik-ln ■-. should he from five t( 

 large enough to carry oil' the water, as they then 

 r the double purpose of feucing and drain- 

 ing the land. For land not too wet, tbe ditches 

 should be four feet wide and three deep, and taper- 

 ingto one foot in width at the bottom, will he 

 found sufficient to give plenty of sod and earth to 

 build a durable fence. The cost of double ditch of 

 this size is about My cents per rod, now, but in 

 good times seventy-five cents was the ruling price. 

 Prairie land can be fenced by single ditch for 

 twenty-five cents per rod, and double ditch 

 thirty-eight cents, and if well built is durable and 

 needs but little repair annual)?.— L. H. Dctv 

 01 tgo, Wit., May 16,1859. 



3. Ens.:— In the Rural of May Tib is 

 from J, .1. 1!., Lockport, N. Y., in regu 

 idge working in tbe China Ton Wheat. I 

 they winked 





very badly indeed last year. It bns been almost 

 the only variety sown in this section for a fei 



years post, but a great many have changed the: 

 seed this spring, and have sown tbe Scotch or Fif 

 Wheat. I think forflouring the China is ahead of 

 any variety we have ever raised here, but it lias 

 to be cut before it is very ripe, or the first heavy 

 wind wil' shell it— T. O.W.. ll-tlmd HilU, J,[f. 

 ■ I ' . 



FitiExo IIooub:— J. J. B., in your issue of Hay 

 Tlh, wishes to know if any one ever knew ibe China 

 Tea Wheal to be injured by the midge. Permit 

 me to say for the benefit of your correspondent 

 and all others concerned, that I. for one, have 

 known the Tea Wheat to he injured by tbe midge; 

 and I have good reason to believe tbnt there are 

 many more farmers in our town who can testify to 

 the same fact. In the spring of 1658 I sowed my 

 Tea Wheat earlier than usual, about the middle of 

 April, aud I think I can safely say that I lost one- 

 fourth of my crop in consequence of the midge. — 

 But the Tea Wheat sown late, say from the 12th to 

 tbe 20th of May, 1 have never known to be injured 

 to any extent by that little pest of au insect. Be- 

 ing a bearded variety it is less liable to be injured 

 by the midge than either the club or bald variety; 

 nevertheless, it you will sow the Tea Wheat earlv, 

 and sow no Club Wheat for them to work in, I dare 

 venture they will not hesitate to attack it.— K. W. 

 L., Onondaga, ii . 



HITCHING POSTS. 



a meeting of the Skoueoteles Farmers Club, 

 ; Albany Cultivator, Mr. W. p. Giles gave 

 " 'on experiment on his farm, some years 



ego, in burning the turf upon a piece of Bwampy 

 ground which had been reclaimed by draining. 

 Tbe sod woe cut loose in the fall, ar.d in the spring 

 was thrown into heaps, and burned by the aid of 

 old rails and stumps, and tbe ashes was then 

 spread as a top-dressing upon the laud immediately 

 after plowing ; the result was an enormous crop of 

 corn, while the adjacent ports of the same field 

 were ruined by the worms. The ground continues 

 to produce larger crops of grain and grass than 

 any other parts of the field to this day. He also 

 alluded to the pructice of the Hon. Mr. Dickjnsox, 

 of Steuben Co,, of cutting up the sod alone the side 

 of the highway, and throwing it in heaps and burn- 

 ing it as a manure, with beneficial results. 



A whiter in the Ohio Farmer thinks that the 

 value of Sulphur for stock is not sufficiently 

 known, and in recounting the benefits to be de- 

 rived from its use, argues as follows :— " Most 

 fanners are well aware that there ore certain sea- 

 sons in the year when animals of every descrip- 

 tion on the farm— from the finest colt to (he poorest 

 calf— become afflicted with (in plain English) //.,, 

 (one of the plagues of Egypt,) or ticks. To be' 

 come free from any trouble or injuries from the 

 ack of these pests, we have only to put sulphur 



llttl..' I! 



r salt of stock t 



nail and young 



lard, and rub ; 

 animals. A speedy cu 

 I think a teaspoonful ti 

 four or live times n year— will generally keep hogs 

 and sheep entirely free from such vermin. The 

 above article is more particularly applicable to 

 sheep and bogs. It has been said, and, I believe, 

 with some show of truth, that, given plentifully 

 at the beginning of warm weather, as above direct- 

 ed, every other week, till shearing time, it opens 

 tbe pores of the skin, curing cough, and whiten- 

 ing the wool ; and as evidence of which, look at 

 the big snow white sheep on the mountains 

 Virginia, in the vicinity uf the sulphur springs. 



the Importe 



i Shorl-horn bull •• 



M-.r-yi 



(U7S9) lo Wa. Bom, Esq., Cor 





f.-eU) docil, 



lis said to be lively 



and vl 



Woman a 



s a FA.iMra.-A sou 



h< m r 





entire plantation lo 





bv a woman 



-Mr*. A. E. Flint. 

 SOO hogsheads of mo 



££" 



cotlon-tho 



argest crop produce 



1 onai 



\ gentleman of Hart- 



Tuis 





prevailing to some extent 

 nd a correspondent of the 01 

 that journal as follows:— "Black Leg first 

 .ppcarance on the inside of the hind leg 



of the calf, about two or three inches above (behoof, 

 in tbe form of a small scab. Sometimes this scab 

 will increase in size, ami sometimes not. I have 

 known calves to die with it, when the scab was no 

 larger than a five cent piece, aud at other times I 

 have seen it spread over the whole surface of the 

 leg. If my observations be correct, I bel 

 disease is more fatal when the scab is of a small 

 size, for this indicates an iuward working of the 

 destroyer. But if the sore or scab be large, ai 

 hopes that thedi 



i.perl 



That 1 







BEES AND BEE -HIVES- AGAIN. 



UbSSRS. Ki.iTons:— As tbe inquiries of W. G. 

 RlCHBI and J. H. Siiitb, in the Rural, of April 

 80th, under the head of " Bees and Bee-hives," hm 

 not yet been answered, I will offer a few words ( 

 tho subject. But as I shall not attempt to answ 

 the important inquiry fully, I will proceed in th 

 very brief and wholesale manner in which I cor 

 me need this article. 



Apiaries should be so situated ond constructed 

 that the hives and bees, and the atmosphere in their 

 immediate vicinity, may be warmed by tbe sun at 

 nearly all times of day, and at nil seasons of the 

 year, and at the same time be protected as much ns 

 possible from wind and weather. I have observed 

 that generally those who have been successful in 

 bee-keeping, have kept them in a warm, sheltered 

 lotion, and that bees thus kept, in 

 arly spring, were nt work long be- 

 posed to cold and upon 



(not -.haded ' 

 the morning 



fine those which u 



which the 1 



the disease is half its cure." a 



suggested. 



to "which is the best pi; 



h.-e-hn 



•emedy is readily 



ti of constructing 



inctly. though 

 - of Jan. 20th, 



briefly gave my views in the Hen 

 nd they ore unchanged, lu that 

 stated that I preferred the common bos-hive {not 

 a say that it was perfect.) There is a hive made 

 a this place named from its jhope, " the No-Patenf 

 Ootegon Hive." This htvc a&a a box on the top 

 taking honey and far feeding bees; il is made 

 ■ hes thick, planed and painted, and 

 hough not differing in principle from the common 

 .ox-hive, if, f,rm makes it quite ornamental. Of 

 s Datjs' Pliifbrtn Bee-bive," I have heard, but 

 ict seen, ond have no more to say. And as to 

 'which is the best book treating on bees," I have 

 mly to say. I ma* have been unfortunate in mv 

 selection; for, out L ,f a Urge number, I have no't 

 found as valuable informatii 

 from Agricultural papers, w 

 n -ere replied to and fairly discussed." Something 

 maybe learned, however, from a)]. Not prepared 

 to say which is best. 



tt) Of course, ought to object to a a, .- 



\ite, if it is on improvement, but so far as mv 

 innervations eitcnd in that direction, tbe so-callyd 

 improved bee-hives properly belong to that class of 

 improvements, called the back ward march improve- 

 ething of an idea of tbe situation of 

 U* hees being wintered in these hives, (in which 

 divided and subdivided, and ventilated 

 ,) may be had by imagining a swarm 



on the subjet 



istic forms. A good in 



1 perhaps best, yet ruth 



1 expensive, is not strong, 



variety of fancy or 

 post, well masoned 



constantly liable to get broken, and should 

 used. Living trees would be good, except thai 

 there are horses that would be quite sure tu girdle 

 and destroy them the first opportunity. 



A good post may be made as follows :— Take t 

 chestnut post eight feet long ond ten inches ir 

 diameter; cut a notch all around the small end, 

 about six inches from the end. Then ben 

 tbe large end from the middle of the post 

 to the end, where it should have a diameter ol 

 about nine inches. Hake a large hole four feet 

 deep; set the post with top end down; prepared 

 as described above; fill up the hole with slone well 

 pounded down. Plait the top of the post over with 

 sheet iron, and wind the upper part of it with lump, 

 bund or sheet iron, to prevent the horses gnawing il; 

 then trim it with a ring, hook, and a chain three feet 

 long with a snap on each end. Fasten tbe chain 

 lo the post by a staple, one-third (ho way from one 

 end of the chain lo the other. Tbe short end of the 

 chain will serve for a single horse or tho nearest 

 horse in a team, and the long end will be right for 

 the horse furthest from the post. Put two such 

 posts six or eight feet opart, ond make a platform 

 between them from which to get into wagons, with 

 sleps to ascend to tbe platform from the sidewalk, 

 and you have a \,-iy de-arable accompaniment to 

 a well appointed home. No house should be with- 

 out its hitching post. And while making il, make 

 it safe. Get a strong post, know that it is well 

 anchored, have ring, book, staples, chain and snaps 

 all strong. Sham will do on fancy article*, where 

 the appearance is all that is desired j but a hitch- 



li all , 



cither frantic or vii 

 Fences are neither 

 Shade trees should 1 



s horses, should be 







rbeused. If you w 

 es. horses, wagons 

 broken bones by run 

 horses, and also keep out constant token to 

 friends to come and share your hospitalities, p 

 and substantial hitching potU. 

 ighamptoo, N. Y., 1W.9. 



deal in _' ili-i-.i-iiiui^ be stayed in its course, I would 

 advise those who have any of this afflicted class of 

 stock to watch Ihem with a careful eye, and as soon 

 tbe disease makes its appearance, remove the 

 scab, and with a sharp knife lay open the leg about 

 an inch above and below tbe sore, cutting imme- 

 diately through it, and if possible to the bone, 

 which is uo difficult task, os the bone lies near the 

 surface in this part. If the orifice should close loo 

 soon, it should be opened again, and kept open for 

 several days, or until the calf is out of danger. If 

 tbe weather be dry, or the calves have good sheltei 

 it would be well to mix a small quantity bfsulphu 

 with their salt, as it would have a tendency t 

 purify their blood." 





rstothe.4»iirtVin I\lr;;;- 

 i views upon Ibis subject 

 — "If there be what our 

 idicatos, then there are both good and bad 

 armers. Did the earth bring forth spontaneously, 

 n all latitudes and localities, then there would be 

 10 occasion to speak of good farming and bad 

 arming, nor of good farmers and had farmers, 

 or there would be nothing to do but to gather the 

 ipontaueous productions of tho earth. But this 

 3 not so ; for it has been decreed to man, that by 

 be sweat of his face he should eat bread. This 

 mjilies labor, whose application and direction 

 the principal difference between good 



ho weather has been quite 

 T ulgtit, though 110 material 



•■ rrnirli' Farmer 



I. pi. ii-.-.l with the Improve 



tble i" - lpete with tbo 



)low In Philadelphia and I 



in Texas.— A New York city paper 



blood Southdown and Leicester 

 lu Texo», intended !■- improve the 



Iloll.-y, Orleans Co., Mr. Nelson JIatci 

 tho 8th day ofSepL last, I planted c 



N. Y., asks ns to inform him, through thi 

 there ore any manufacturers of hay caps, 



il bad I'm 



ung. for 



i-nl, tl,,.- s 



■ showers descend, the 

 the plains of the bud 

 int do over the acres of tbe good. The 

 diligent, methodical, skillful, and enter- 

 anting in all these, 

 whose portrai 



the former is w 

 e, for he is the slothful 

 idly drawn in an old oriental volume well 

 known to our readers. The good farmer takes 

 to have plenty of forage, Tor without forage 

 u keep HO cattle, no horses, no cows. Grass 

 1, both for bay and pastures, arc indispensa- 

 and root crops arc also essential to aid in 

 ug live stock. Beside-, these, wheat, bwdoj 



L-t Mil I 



Map; 



Sit,.. 



Twelve farmers in Greenfield 

 M;i--., made 1 _■ . 1 7 ."■ p.mudsof maple sugar the pre* 

 'season. The total number of trees lapped was 

 12. The greatest yield per tree was four pounds ; 

 .the smallest a trille less thou three pounds; 

 average was about three and a half lbs. per tree. 



t only fails to p 



■l.v to the abaudon- 

 it does not poy 

 i for any length ol 



1 i---', t i. u mera. a id 



ti-.v re in -1-r.iWi.-, 'ir/pendi'i 



limn bud farmers. It is the pm,., 

 philanthropic man. and more cr-p.-ciully it is -o 



«,:.:. lb..-- »l.u Conduct the pre,- t„ „,-,'. lt ] v m „'] 



i by diminish ii 



', --'.nil ■! I farming be the r 



■n this shall be verified. , ' 



