THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



plan of leaving two high banks on each side of 

 the ditch, did more harm than good. Upon 

 this new plan you can plough and cultivate 

 nearly to the water's edge. This practice pre- 

 vents the growth of noxious weeds, so univer- 

 sal upon the high bank ditches. 



Secret Ditches.*- — An experience of some 

 twelve years has reduced my practice to the 

 following mode of constructing under drains. 

 In the first place, it is my invariable rule to 

 haul the stone in place before a spade is suf- 

 fered to be put in the ground. I either run 

 the line of ditches with a plough, or set up a 

 number of stakes. I will venture to assert, 

 that more time and labor has been lost from 

 the neglect of this rule, than would have ac- 

 complished half as much more ditching. The 

 caving in of the banks, after a few rains, ren- 

 ders the undertaking almost as tedious as the 

 first cutting. I have two sets of spades and 

 long-handle shovels — one set of the common 

 size, and another set to work in the bottoms of 

 the ditches — the spades 5| inches wide at 

 the edge, and the shovels four and a half inch- 

 es wide. My "labor-saving ditches," as I call 

 them, are commenced about 2 feet wide at the 

 top, with the ordinary "spade ; then draw in 

 gradually to the depth of three feet, when the 

 additional foot is cut with the narrow spades 

 and shovels. I hold it to be good policy and 

 great economy, to dig all secret ditches at least 

 4 feet deep, when the requisite fall can be ob- 

 tained. The moment you finish a line of ditch- 

 ing, turn right around and lay the stone. 

 Have a quick boy on the bank to hand the 

 stone to the layer. If you have flat stone set 

 them all edging, upon the principle of the 

 arch. For instance, the sides of your ditch, 

 for a foot or so from the bottom, are from .7 to 

 9 inches wide. If the bottom is very soft, 

 and many craw-fish abound, first lay a thin 

 atone on either side of the bottom, then upon 

 these lay the largest stone edgeways, bringing 

 them together at the top; then wedge these be- 

 hind with all sizes, top dressing with the small- 

 est. It is a safe rule to raise the stones to ful- 

 ly 2 feet in height. This can be done in these 

 narrow ditches with fewer stone than is used 

 in ditches cut three feet wide and 2J deep. If 

 you have round stone, throw them in at ran- 

 dom, only taking care to put enough. An in- 

 verted sod, usually to be had on the bank, 



* Ft frequently happens persons arc deterred 

 from covering ditches, because of low places of 

 basins. When this is the case, let the surface wa- 

 ter of these into the secret ditch, by deep furrows, 

 only observing to put a load or two of small rock 

 just where the furrow enters the ditch. This will 

 prevent any derangement or obstruction to the 

 operation of the under drain. 



307 



makes the best covering, before the dirt is 

 drawn upon the ditch. My rule is, to fill my 

 ditches with a two horse plough, with some 

 use of the hoe, in finishing off. Pine poles 

 and all kinds of wood, I utterly discard, as 

 material for making drains. The labor justi- 

 fies more lasting substances. Gentlemen upon 

 tide water, who have no rock u^on their land 

 ought, by all means, to use tile, and be sure 

 they are large enough and ivcll burnt. Ne- 

 groes are old fogies, all the world over, and it 

 is difficult to convince them that it is less la- 

 borious to cut a narrow ditch than a wide one. 

 They say they have not room to work. My 

 hands have to stand in the bottom of the ditch- 

 es, which are about 7 inches wide, with one 

 foot before the other. 



You ha^e less than one-half the earth to cut 

 and throw out in the. narrow ditches, and the 

 stone can be laid in half the time, and being 

 supported by the narrow banks or sides, are 

 less liable to get out of place. If I could 

 show you the mouths of my ditches, you 

 would have such ocular demonstration to sup- 

 port all I have stated, that you would not hes- 

 itate to adopt a similar practice. I do not 

 claim originality in this system. It is very 

 generally the usage in Scotland and parts of 

 Ireland, and perhaps of England also. I 

 omitted to say when sods are not to be found 

 upon the ditch banks, pine brush constitute e 

 covering for the stone, not to be surpassed by 

 anything known. 



I have thus hastily given you the details of 

 my draining, as I promised you, together with 

 with as much "elaboration" as you will proba- 

 bly desire. I have written it particularly for 

 yourself, not that I think myself capable of 

 imparting learning in this branch, but because 

 you put the request in a way I could not well 

 refuse. If it is worth the ink and paper to 

 publish it, you are welcome to do it. Hoping 

 it may be of some service to yoursef, at least,' 

 I sign myself openly, 



A Secret Ditcher. 



For the Southern Planter. 



TO THE HEADERS OF THE PLANTER 



Who have, or may hereafter ha ve Seymour's Broad, 

 cast Sowing Machine. 



We will suppose the machine before you in 

 the condition in which you receive it, provided it 

 reaches you in good order. First put on the 

 wheels — observing that the wheel with the 

 heaviest casting, or " quick motioned zizzag" 

 is the right hand wheel as you sit in the chair 

 to drive the horse. The wooden lever belongs 

 on this side, and is operated by the wheel to 



