416 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[November, 
distant fort}' or fifty feet from it. The mode of 
working is as follows : The current of water 
1.— SECTION OF WATER-RAM. 
use seven gallons of water per minute, elevating 
about half that quantity to a hight of fifty or 
one hundred feet. The cost of the pipe would 
be additional to the cost of the ram. Figure 2 
shows the arrangement of the whole thing when 
complete. "When the cost of the ram and pipe 
is considered, we could not hesitate on the score 
of economy to recommend any farmer who has 
a suitable spring, to bring the water to the 
house and barn. Considering the constant and 
wearying labors of the women in a farm-house, 
the saving to them by having a constant stream 
of pure spring-water running at the house, would 
alone pay the interest on the cost twice over, or 
more, while the benefit accruing to the stock by 
reason of a bountiful supply of water of a fitting 
temperature for them to drink will equal the 
principal in a single season. What investment 
can then pay better ? 
flowing down the supply pipe A (fig. 1), acquires 
a sufficient velocity to raise the valve 6'and close 
the orifice. The current thus suddenly stopped, 
causes a great pressure on the water in the cham- 
ber B, which is equal to the velocity and weight of 
the amount contained in ihe supply pipe (less 
friction). This pressure forces up the valve D, 
and permits the access of a quantity of water 
into the large chamber JH, which relieves the 
pressure, and the water in the supply pipe come3 
to a rest, and the valve C, beiug relieved from 1 
Paving Barn-Yards. 
- i 
11 ! I 
M 
Fig. 3. — SAM IN OPERATION. 
pressure, falls down and opens the orifice. But 
there being a fall of four feet, the current again 
commences, and the water passes off by the 
orifice over the valve C, until the velocity has 
increased so much as to shut this valve again, 
when the same round of effects ensues. Thus 
the ram seems to throb and pulsate like a living 
thing, each pulsation forcing a quantity of water 
into the reservoir. But this reservoir contains 
some air, which, being elastic, acts as a spring, 
and not only reduces the violence of the pul- 
sations, but forces the water out of the chamber 
into the discharge pipe in a steady stream. It 
can be easily seen that it only needs to propor- 
tion the sizes of the pipes to raise the water any 
desired hight. If the hight is increased, the 
quantity is diminished. "With perfect work- 
manship the ram is a very permanent machine, 
and without care and attention throbs aiviy day 
and night, for year after year. As a matter of 
course, it must in winter be safely protected 
from frost. The cost of the ram is from $10 to 
$50, and a spring may be utilized that will fur- 
nish from three quarts of water per minute up 
to 75 gallons. For instance, a No. 5 ram, cost- 
ing $18, would, with a fall of three or four feet, 
"A Subscriber," Madison Co., Ohio, wishes to 
pave his barn-yard in the cheapest manner. 
The paving of barn-yards is a matter of great 
economy to a farmer, and it is a wonder that so 
great a proportion is permitted to remain uu- 
paved. The whole of the work can be done by 
the farm help, and therefore no money need be 
laid out. The best material is cobble-stones, 
chosen of a regular size and 
shape, the best shape being 
one longer than it is broad, 
or somewhat the shape of 
an egg, blunt at the largest 
end. The yard should be 
evenly graded with the 
plow, and carefully leveled, 
so that the lowest spot is 
just where the drainage is 
wanted, either in the center 
or at one corner. Then, 
with the tool represented at 
figure 1, scoop out of the 
loose earth a hole large 
enough to receive the eud of 
the stone, place the stone in 
the hole, aud proceed with 
the next — ramming the stone 
down partly with the end of 
the handle where is seen the 
iron ferule. Care must be 
taken to make the holes deep enough to permit 
the tops of the stones to maintain a regular 
level. "When a few stones are placed, the oper- 
ator should stand on them, and then the loose 
earth scooped up will fall between lliem, filling 
up the hollows and making all solid. 
When the yard is laid all over, the rammer 
Fig. 1. — paver's tool. 
(fig. 2), which is a round piece of wood as heavy 
as can be conveniently handled, and shod with 
an iron ring, should be used to drive the stones 
down solidly and firm, keeping a level surface. 
When the yard is finish- 
ed, a barrel of water- 
lime may be procured, 
and a thin coaling of 
cement brushed all over, 
which will make it wa- 
ter-tight. All liquid ma- 
nure may then be saved, 
and this item alone will 
soon pay the expense in- 
curred. "With a yard thus 
paved, and well littered 
in the center, everything 
can be kept clean and 
comfortable. There will 
be no mud in winter, no 
danger of cows slipping 
and injuring themscdves, 
for the surface is rough, 
and gives a good hold for 
the feet. Hogs can not 
root it up when turned 
out in the yard, and a 
general improvement will 
be experienced in every- 
thing appertaining to the barn and barn-yard. 
Fig. 
A Piece of Copper Wire. 
Something to mend with — that is the great 
need of us all, especially of those who live in 
the country, and whose traps are sometimes 
"rattle-traps," and have a way of breaking 
Fig. 1. — COIL OF COPPER WIRE. 
at inconvenient times. An old officer of the 
Coast Survey, who had spent thirty years in 
field service, once told us that he never went 
from camp in the morning without having a 
spool of copper wire in his wagon, and that, as 
a consequence, he never had a breakdown that 
he could not repair on the road, or in the woods, 
or wherever he might be. Harness, wagons, 
tools, everything almost that is subject to 
breakage, may be stoutly mended with copper 
wire, which is flexible and tough. 
The best size for such use as we are now 
considering is the size of a rather large knitting- 
needle, of which a piece two yards Jong maybe 
coiled up to about the size of a watch (fig. 1), so 
as to be carried in the pocket— the end being 
wound around the coil, to keep it in place. This 
will, then, always be at hand ready to mend a 
broken tool. 
A longer piece of the same wire, tightly 
wound on a spool or on a stick, may be always 
kept in the wagon to repair any damage to it or 
to the harness. Such a spool as carpenters use 
for a chalk-liiie will carry enough for any pur- 
pose. If the tongue of a buckle breaks, its 
place may be supplied as :hown in fi<r. 2. "We 
recently broke the spring of a carriage when 
far from home, aud soon mended it, so that it 
