36 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
contribute more to safety of both horse and 
rider. 
6. Leaving the inner edges of the hind shoes 
at the toe sharp, which, if rounded, will in a 
great measure prevent over-reaches, as well as 
render the fore shoes less liable to be pulled off 
by their catching in the heels of the former. 
Squaring the toe of the hind shoe for horses 
that forge, or “ carry the hammer and pincers,” 
as it is termed, leaving the horn projecting over 
the shoe, in my opinion, good as a general rule 
not only preventing that unpleasant noise, but 
rendering horses less liable to over-reach and 
pull off their shoes, provided, however, atten¬ 
tion be paid, to rounding the inner edge. 
7. In rasping the under part of the clinches, 
farriers are very apt to apply the edge of the 
rasp improperly to the crust, forming a deep 
groove around the same, which cannot but be 
injurious to the foot, and, together with taking 
away too much of the crust in finishing of the 
foot, must have a tendency to render it shelly. 
Curving the shoe at the toe, after the French 
fashion, where horses go near the ground, I am 
fond of; but I cannot see any advantage in it 
as a general practice. 
PRACTICAL DRAINING. 
Outfalls for Drains .—The first grand princi¬ 
ple in the practical department of draining is to 
secure a sufficient outfall from the leading of the 
main drain ; and there are very few places where 
a suitable outlet cannot be obtained, if care and 
skill are duly exercised, for water will flow at 
as small an incline as two inches in one hundred 
yards. 1 say it will flow at that incline, but if 
more can be got so much the better; however, 
covered drains, if rightly conducted, should 
never have a smaller incline than three inches 
for every 50 yards, if possibly it can be had. 
I was lately conversing with an old experienced 
farmer who has had a great deal of draining, 
and he was convinced that five inches, for every 
10 rods (that is 00 yards), was little enough to 
give a free and perfect flow; but I am convinced, 
by experience and observation, that if the 
drainer be careful in finishing the bottom of the 
drain, no expense may be incurred in obtaining 
a greater hill than three inches in every 50 
yards. I have seen hundreds of acres drained 
with a fall scarcely so much, and flowed most 
beautifully. Yet many farmers are often mis¬ 
taken by supposing that they cannot find a 
sufficient outfall for the proper drainage of their 
ground. They trust too much to the eye, which 
is far from being correct in judging of the lev¬ 
elness of ground, and should never be trusted 
where the least doubt is entertained. I have 
often seen the absurdity of doing so after the 
level was applied. It would greatly benefit farm¬ 
ers to be able to use the level in draining opera¬ 
tions, as a surveyor may not always be at hand. 
This the farmer may easily acquire by paying a 
little care and attention to the method described 
in this work under its proper head. I have 
also recommended a level, which I am inclined to 
think the best for draining purposes, and which 
maybe purchased for some fifteen shillings. Main 
drains or ditches in level lands should always be 
made as straight as possible, (experienced drain¬ 
ers can perform this without the least additional 
trouble,) as every crook must cause a check 
to the current of the water, and also diminish 
the rate of inclination. In my draining ope¬ 
rations, I lately straightened an old ditch, to se¬ 
cure a sufficient outfall from amain drain. The 
old water-course was 1200 feet long, and the 
fall one inch in 100 feet. After measuring the 
length of the new course, it was only 800 feet 
long; that was 400 feet distorted, and of course 
the rate of inclination was increased to one half¬ 
inch more in the 100 feet. This proves the great 
use of drains being made straight in fiat-lying 
lands. Outfalls from main drains should be 
scoured regularly, as the mouths of leading 
drains should always be kept clear from any 
encumbrance; even the mud taken out of the 
ditches, and laid on the land, would repay the 
expenses of the cleaning, a great part of it be¬ 
ing swept off the land by great rains, and must 
be composed of the finest particles of soil and 
manure. A farmer lately told me that he had 
now chosen a system which cost him a mere 
trifle compared with the old practice, when he 
allowed the ditches to be nearly filled up before 
he cleaned them. It was simply done by scour¬ 
ing the ditches often, and never allowing them 
to get deep with mud, or any encumbrance 
whatever. This is much better for both fences 
and drains, as it is an essential point in every 
system of draining not to allow water to stand 
in drains in a stagnant state, but to let it have 
a free flow at any season of the year, otherwise 
the drains may be said to be partially inefficient; 
for drains can never be perfect if their outlet is 
not sufficient. Outfalls and main drains must 
be made perfect, to secure a free flow at all 
times, from the smaller ones, although they 
should be carried across fields for a great dis¬ 
tance. To uphold the many advantages which 
depend on its sufficiency, an act of Parliament 
was lately passed, which provides proper out¬ 
falls for drains from any property whatever. 
Leading or Main Drains .—Before commenc¬ 
ing to drain a field, the first requisite is to ar¬ 
range the position of the main drain, which 
should be carried through the lowest part of the 
greatest hollow, wherever they may occur, 
whether through the middle, or along the bot¬ 
tom or sides. If the field slope uniformly from 
one end to the other, one main drain is quite 
sufficient; but if the surface of the field be un¬ 
dulated, any hollow of any considerable extent, 
and at any side of the field, or at the bottom of 
any slope to which water may incline to run, 
must be provided with its mains or leaders, ac¬ 
cording to the extent of land which requires to 
be drained. I have sometimes seen an open 
ditch alongside of a hedge converted into a lead¬ 
ing drain, which is an exceedingly objectionable 
practice, for it exposes the ends of tile drains to 
frosts and other vexatious evils when it is left 
standing open; and when it is covered it is 
equally bad, as it incurs the risk of being par¬ 
tially or totally injured by the hedge roots. It 
would be wise in all cases if the drainer would 
so plan his operations as to keep as far off trees 
and fences as possible, as drains cannot be con¬ 
sidered to be absolutely safe from the roots if 
placed within the range of their travels. Main 
drains in no case should ever be made nearer to 
a hedge than eighteen or twenty feet; and it 
may also be remembered, that a main drain 
should not be cut upon a hedge-ridge where 
there is much traffic, such as carting. Main 
drains should be made a few inches deeper than 
the small ones, especially at the lower end, to 
expedite the egress of the water out of the 
smaller ones, as it often happens to be very level 
on each side of the leader, I may say nine times 
out of ten. Mr. Parkes, consulting engineer to 
the English Agricultural Society, and some 
other authorities on draining, recommend main 
and small drains to be on the same level. 1 
widely differ from their opinion. For example, 
suppose the depth of water to be two or three 
inches in the leader, and the small ones on the 
same level, it would assuredly check their flow, 
and consequently water would stand accumu¬ 
lated, which would make the expected cure a 
baneful disease ; for what name can be given to 
an efficient drain but an artificial receptacle for 
stagnant water? To determine the position of 
main drains is an operation of great importance, 
when it is understood that the small onesshould 
always run parallel to each other and in the 
direction of the greatest slope.— -Farmers' Her¬ 
ald. 
-•- 
Mammoth Hotel. —The St. Nicholas has now 
a front of 300 feet on Broadway, and a depth of 
200 feet. It runs along three streets ; has 600 
rooms, (including 150 suites for families;) is 
lighted with two thousand gas-lights; employs 
275 servants; has tico miles of halls and corri- 
ders ; contains thirty miles of piping ; is pro¬ 
tected from fire and robbery by a night and day 
police ; and lacks nothing which can minister to 
comfort and luxury in any department. 
•- « • •— — 
For the American Agriculturist. 
THE FISH-HAWK. 
Squam Beach, N. J., March 19,1854. 
As this is the season for the return to us of 
the Fish-Hawk or Osprey, (Falco Ilalicetus ,) I 
beg to enclose you for publication the “Fisher¬ 
man’s Hymn” to this famous bird, which I think 
no less spirited than appropriate. It is often 
sang, and is highly popular among us. 
In the entertaining “Journal of a Farmer’s 
Wife,” which appeared in a few of the first 
numbers of your last volume, and which I much 
regret was discontinued, I recollect the follow¬ 
ing allusion to this bird: 
“Hearing a terrible cackling among the 
poultry in a field adjoining their yard, I ran out 
to see what was the matter. A large hawk had 
alighted upon a fine young rooster, and was 
about to carry him off, when our old terrier 
came to the rescue. She jumped upon his back 
before he could rise with his prey, and with a 
single grip upon the neck broke it short off, as 
she would that of a rat—killing him instantly. 
The hawk was a bold fellow certainly, to make 
such an attack so near the house, and must have 
been very hungry; lie has paid dearly for his 
temerity. I wish we lived a little nearer the 
sea-shore, where there is a law to preserve fish- 
hawks, on account of their driving off the hen- 
hawks. It is only occasionally that the former 
find their way up our little river, following the 
tide in pursuit of the incoming fish; and then 
they are frequently shot by the worthless sports¬ 
men who infest our neighborhood. I wish there 
was some law against these prowling, idle fel¬ 
lows, and the use of their guns.” 
Now, I wish to inform the fair authoress of 
the “Journal,” that there is not only “a law to 
preserve fish-hawks” here, but a superstition 
among us in regard to their preservation, which 
is even stronger than “law.” We believe it a 
lucky omen if one builds a nest on the farm, and 
woe be to the person that disturbs it. They are 
nearly as tame among us as our barn-door fowls, 
and they invariably “drive away the hen-hawk,” 
being its mortal foe. 
The fish-hawk arrives here usually a little be¬ 
fore the spring equinox, and his coming is a 
signal for our fishermen tq dip their nets. He 
is eagerly looked for about this time, and his 
first appearance hailed with delight. The fol¬ 
lowing is a copy of the song alluded to. I have 
often seen it in print, but do not know the 
author. G. R. 
THE FISHERMAN’S HYMN. 
The Osprey sails above the sound, 
The geese are gone, the gulls are flying; 
The herring shoals swarm thick around; 
The nets are launched, the boats are plying. 
Yo, ho, my hearts ! let’s seek the deep, 
Raise high the song, and cheerly wish her, 
Still as the bending net we sweep, 
“ God bless the fish-hawk, and the fisher.” 
She brings us fish—she brings us spring, 
Good times, fair weather, warmth, and plenty ; 
Fine store of shad, trout, herrings, ling, 
Sheep’s-head and drum, and old wives’ dainty. 
Yo, ho, my hearts! lets seek the deep, 
Ply every oar, and cheerly wish her. 
Still as the bending net we sweep, 
“ God bless the fish-hawk and the fisher.” 
She rears her young on yonder tree ; 
She leaves her faithful mate to mind ’em ; 
Like us, for fish, she sails to sea, 
And plunging shows us where to find ’em. 
Yo, ho, my hearts! let’s seek the deep, 
Ply every oar, and cheerly wish her, 
While the slow-bending net we sweep, 
“ God bless the fish-hawk and the fisher.” 
