18(31.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
1 37 
Draini ng 1 —Why—Where—How. 
(Continued from page 105.) 
now. 
Beep Open Bitches are sometimes the only 
practicable drains, as, for example, in new 
swampy land so wet that more substantial cov¬ 
ered drains can not be put down until the bulk 
of the standing water is drawn off. They are 
also necessary in some localities, as on the West¬ 
ern prairies, where wood, stone, or tiles, can not 
be obtained for constructing covered drains. 
They are likewise the most feasible in the rice 
lands of the South, where the water is required for 
flooding, and where the cheapness of the land, 
and the uniformity of culture, renders of little 
account the waste of surface required. And we 
would advise their use in any locality where 
nothing better will be adopted. On very many 
fields a larger and better crop would be obtain¬ 
ed from the remainder, if one-fourth or more of 
the surface were occupied by open ditches. But 
such drains are always objectionable on lands 
devoted to general culture. They waste space; 
they are in the way; their banks are the nur¬ 
series of foul weeds; and the expense of the 
constant clearing out they require, would ordi¬ 
narily pay a large interest on the cost of cover¬ 
ing them at first. 
Fig. 7. 
Well-Brains. —The want of an outlet is one of 
the greatest obstacles that many persons have 
to contend witli; and as we happen to be just in 
a condition to sympathize with those so situ¬ 
ated, we will speak on that topic first. Fig. 7, 
represents a section of ground where the upper 
layer, s, is a porous loam, under which is the im¬ 
pervious clay, c. At the depressions, w, w, the 
water collects from the adjacent higher lands, 
and is retained there. When the bed, c, is of 
great thickness, we know of no help, if it be im¬ 
practicable to cut deep drains through the high¬ 
er ground for an outlet. We have seen many 
such hollows on the Western prairies. In some 
instances it may pay to dig out a pond or small 
lake at the lowest point, large enougli to hold 
the surplus water from the adjacent land, and 
run drains into this artificial receptacle. 
But in many of these hollows or valleys the 
most of the water gradually settles away, which 
indicates a subterranean outlet. In fig. 7, is 
represented an artificial opening down through 
the clay into a porous soil, o. The coal or car¬ 
boniferous strata underlying much of the prairie 
country, and the fact that water in wells often 
stands far below the surface, are indications 
that well-drains will be found practicable in 
many of the prairie hollows which are now 
deemed incurably wet. The feasibility of open¬ 
ing well-drains cfowrointo open subsoils is worthy 
of the attention, not only of prairie farmers, but 
Gf others who have no convenient outlet for 
drains. This point has not received the atten¬ 
tion it deserves, from those who have written on 
the subject of drainage. Let it be noted that: 
In a la/rge proportion of the wells of the country , the 
water generally remains at ten and often forty to fifty 
lyiwwai.m—.amH i Mi—a tiuBwiifl-Tiiftirnm aa mniyM'^m*'^. ana—nra 
feet below the top , and however great the amount 
of surface draining the well receives, the water 
rapidly settles down to its usual level. Does 
not this plainly indicate that there is, between 
the surface of the water and the mouth of the 
well, a porous strata that carries off the water 
down to the point where it remains stationary ? 
Is it not then reasonable to suppose that when¬ 
ever a deep well is required, or the water stands 
permanently at a considerable depth below 
the surface, such wells, or others constructed for 
the purpose, may be used for outlets to drains ? 
Our own land lies upon a gentle slope, inclined 
sufficient to admit of good drainage, were it not 
for a rise of land a little below us, which would 
require heavy ditching to furnish an outlet. But 
well-drains, or what are here termed “ cess¬ 
pools,”—that is, permanent openings though the 
layer of “ hard-pan,”—save the necessity of other 
outlets. Under the cellar we have a dry well 
20 feet deep, which carries all water to a bed of 
sand and gravel, so that the cellar itself is per¬ 
fectly dry at all seasons. Last summer we dug 
a cess-pool 17 feet through an impervious com¬ 
pact bed of clay loam, literally a hard-pan, and 
then 8 feet further in a sandy layer. It was 
stoned up to the top, and the main outlets of 
over 300 feet of drains conducted into it. The 
result was, that a large flow of water was car¬ 
ried off, leaving the well or cess-pool dry. 
(During the winter several feet of clay and fine 
soil washed in from the new made drains, and 
choked up the outlet at the bottom,and at the 
time of this writing, the cess-pool is nearly full 
of water, though it is gradually sinking away. 
When dry enough, it will be cleaned out; and 
two or three further clearings will be required, 
before the loosened soils around the drains be¬ 
comes so thoroughly settled as to prevent fur¬ 
ther washing in of earth.) We expect to drain 
several acres in the same manner during the 
present year. Our experience, so far, indicates 
that it will be better to make the cess-pools 
wider at the bottom, say 8 or 10 feet, and to take 
greater care in putting down the drains to pre¬ 
vent the washing in of soil. It may be remark¬ 
ed, that our cess-pool is covered with locust 
logs, overlaid with flat stones, 4 feet below the 
surface—a man-hole 2)- feet square enclosed with 
heavy plank being left for an entrance when 
necessary to clear out the soil washed in. 
There is therefore little loss of ground. The soil 
is cultivated directly over the cess-pool. 
In fig, 3, for example, a hollow, when to the 
right of d, might be drained by digging down 
through the clay into the porous soil beneath. 
And even at 6, should the clay bed, o, chance to 
rise up at the left so as to interrupt the water, a 
well might also be sunk through the clay bed, 
m. The instances are so numerous where these 
well-drains are practicable, that no one should 
consign to a perpetual swamp-hole any rich bed 
of muck that might be his best soil if drained, 
until certain that no subterranean outlet is 
practicable. 
We dwell thus long upon these various ar¬ 
rangements of the soil, and the results, not only 
as suggestive of practical methods of overcom¬ 
ing difficulties, but also with a hope of awaken¬ 
ing an interest in the study of the character and 
arrangement of the soils which underlie our cul¬ 
tivated fields. Wood, stone, and tile drains will 
occupy further articles on this subject. 
Pipe Drains for House Slops. 
“ A Reader,” in Oneida Co., N. Y., inquires as 
to the success of our pipe drain leading from the 
sink, etc., to the manure cellar at the barn, as 
described last August, Yol. XIX, p. 234. This 
drain is constructed of glazed earthen or stone¬ 
ware pipes, 5-inches inside diameter, in joints of 
2 feet each, the small end of one fitting into a 
neck in the next piece. It extends from the 
house 213 feet, with a regular descent of one 
inch in three feet, and opens into the manure 
vault partly under the stables. There is a little de¬ 
scent in the ground, so that the lower end is 41- 
feet below the surface, and the upper or house 
end about 18 inches below, with a tliree-necked 
syphon piece, to receive one pipe from the sink, 
another from a chamber water-closet, and a third 
from a box (with a coarse strainer) on the out¬ 
side of the house, into which are poured all slops, 
washing water, and all fluids not proper to be 
put into a sink. Anything that will not pass 
through the strainer, is taken out and carried to 
the manure cistern. 
After eleven months’ trial, it works first rate, 
and we would not part with it for ten times its 
cost (which was $45.72). The manure saved— 
the slops all going into the stable droppings and 
waste litter—doubtless pays tire cost of the drain 
in a single year. It has not clogged, or emitted 
any stench ; the syphon prevents the latter. The 
ease with which filthy water is got rid of, and 
the consequent neatness and healthfulness, are 
also greatly in its favor. Though so near the 
surface at the upper end, it has not been disturbed 
by freezing—doubtless owing to the fact that 
the last 30 feet is imbedded in sand and gravel 
which carries off all water, and prevents much 
heaving by frost. The ground around it must 
have congealed to the depth of 18 inches or more 
during the past Winter. We have full confi¬ 
dence in its durability. The soap suds on wash¬ 
ing days dissolve off greasy matters that might 
otherwise collect in the internal surface. If this 
were not the case, we should occasionally pour 
in a strong solution of potash, to clean the pipe. 
This method of getting rid of house-slops, and 
at the same time turning them to good account 
as manure, we can recommend more strongly 
than ever. Those wishing more definite infor¬ 
mation can obtain it, by referring to the article 
of August last. [That or any other number for 
the past four years can always be procured post¬ 
paid for a dime each; or the bound volumes at 
$1.50 each ($2 if sent by mail). Unbound vol¬ 
umes sent post-paid, $1.12 each.] 
About Plaster of Paris. 
“ Young Farmer,” of Perry County, Mo., asks 
several proper questions regarding plaster; and 
many others propose one or more queries. Let 
us talk a little on the subject, and first; 
What is Plaster of Paris ? — Put a piece of burned 
or unburned limestone, or marble, or chalk, in 
an earthen or glass vessel, with a little water, 
and pour in some sulphuric acid (called oil of 
vitriol). A milkiness will appear in the water, 
and after a time a white powder will settle to 
the bottom, if the water be not in large quantity. 
This powder is what is called “ Plaster of Paris.” 
It is composed of sulphuric acid and lime, and 
the proper name is “ sulphate of lime.” We wish 
