44 
AMERICAN- AGRICULTURIST. 
[February, 
Winegar’s Drain-Tile Machine. 
The smallest improvement even, in the con¬ 
struction of machinery for manufacturing drain- 
tiles, is a matter of great importance to the farm¬ 
ing interest of the country. We are well con¬ 
vinced that within a brief space of time there is 
to be a great waking up to the value of under¬ 
ground passages for both water and air. To say 
nothing of the advantages of freeing the sub-soil as 
well as the surface trom standing water, we believe 
that in very many cases, even 
on naturally dry soils, it will 
abundantly pay to construct a 
system of pipes for carrying 
air two or four feet below the 
surface. The advocates of the 
shallow planting of trees, and 
of shallow plowing, lay great 
stress upon the necessity of 
keeping the roots of plants near 
the surface, so as to be within 
reach of the atmosphere. If 
this be so important, what must 
be the effect of carrying the air 
under the soil in pipes, from 
which it will naturally rise 
through the soil, so as to give 
the roots an air-saturated soil, 
so to speak, three or four feet 
deep, instead of three or four 
inches 1 But we will not discuss 
this point further here. On page 
325 of last volume (Nov. No.) 
we gave a description of Mat- 
tice's machine for making drain- 
tiles, and recommended it, after 
seeing it in operation. We now 
present an illustration of another 
machine, which, from an exami¬ 
nation of the model, we judge 
to be valuable. We have not 
had opportunity to see it in ac¬ 
tual operation, and can not, 
therefore, speak so strongly of 
its working capacity. It is complete in itself— 
having the mill for grinding the clay, and the ap¬ 
paratus fir molding the tiles and all other 
needful fixtures combined in the one machine. 
Description —A is an iron drum, provided 
within with the grinding apparatus. The clay is 
put in at the top, and is worked downward. It 
is driven by horse-power, attached to the upper 
end of the shaft, E. (It may also be driven by 
steam power.) At each revolution of the shaft a 
portion of the worked clay at the bottom is forced 
into D , and out through the screen F, and falls 
into the box G. The cover then closes down, and 
a follower or piston forces the clay out through 
the dies /, I, in ready formed tiles. They are 
received upon an endless sheet, not shown in the 
engraving, where they are cut off into appropriate 
lengths in tliG usual manner, as described in our 
former article, and are thence carried to drying 
sheds. A similar arrangement of screen and dies 
is constructed on the opposite side of the drum, 
so that in reality the machine is a double one in 
all respects, with the exception of the grinding 
drum, which feeds both sets of dies. A single 
revolution of the shaft, E, produces two sets of 
tiles, or six pairs, three on either side. The 
proprietors claim that they can, and do, make 
1200 two-inch tiles per hour with one of these 
machines. The machine is automatic — every part 
of it being moved by the turning of the shaft, 
the only attention required, being to shovel in the 
(day at the lop, and carry away the tiles. 
The special advantages claimed for this ma¬ 
chine are : 1st, that it is built entirely of iron ; 
2d, that it. is double acting ; 3d, that the screen, 
F, which is the part most liable to clog and get 
out of repair, is here visible, so that every ob¬ 
struction may be seen at a glance ; and also that 
both the screen and die plate are easily taken off 
by simply turning the clamps, instead of having to 
take out screws. As above remarked, we can not 
speak from personal observation, and only name 
those points of excellence which are claimed for 
it by the proprietors, and which appear to be well 
founded. There is but one size manufactured as 
yet, and the price for the machine complete—in¬ 
cluding a full supply of dies of different forms and 
sizes, receiving apron, etc.—is about $300, we 
believe. The machine is the invention of Caleb 
Winegar and Samuel M. Smith of Cayuga Co., 
N. Y. The patent is now owned, we believe, by 
Messrs. Winegar & I,a Toiyrette. Any informa¬ 
tion desired in regard t(1*its manufacture or sale, 
will probably be found in the appropriate place in 
the advertising columns. 
Another Advocate for Toads. 
For these many years we have been constantly 
pleading for the poor, despised toads. In pro¬ 
portion to their size, toads and wrens are by far 
the most useful animals on the farm and in the 
garden. The account with them stands all on the 
credit side, which can not be said of any domestic 
animal, large or small—unless you except bees, 
and they must have some care. But the subject 
is not exhausted A great many people have yet 
to get over their aversion to toads, and to learn 
to appreciate their usefulness. We therefore 
cheerfully give place to the following from a dis¬ 
tant associate who has not before spoken on the 
subject we believe. Speaking of the toad he 
writes : 
We set up no plea for hint on the score ofbeau- 
ty. Ilis color, proportions and movements are 
all on the other side. As to symmetry of form, 
he stands alongside the elephant, though lacking 
the universal caudal appendage of quadrupeds, to 
keep up a good balance. He is a very grave,sedate, 
and silent fellow, seldom seen roving abroad in the 
garish daylight, but choosing rather the more poet¬ 
ical hours of dusky eve. He is not swift of foot, yet 
has been known to travel far in twenty-four hours. 
Hence, perhaps, the old adage: “ There’s no tel¬ 
ling by the looks of a toad, how far he can hop.” 
Speaking of the elephant reminds us to say that 
the toad has an organ which few persons ever 
see. It is something like a proboscis, three or 
four inches long, which he throws from his mouth 
very suddenly, whenever an insect or worm comes 
in his way, and snaps up the luckless vermin into 
his maw. This proboscis lies coiled up in his 
mouth until such times as it is wanted for use. 
Naturalists say that it is longer and stronger, in 
proportion to his size, than the elephant’s. 
It should he better known than it is, that the 
toad is a very useful little animal. He hurts no¬ 
body, and in the pursuit of his livelihood, is al¬ 
ways doing somebody good. He feeds on flies, 
beetles, and worms of all sorts, and he has a vo¬ 
racious appetite. As many as fifteen beetles 
have been found in the stomach of a single toad. 
He dines chiefly at evening, when insects are 
mostly abroad. It is surprising how many he 
will catch in a half hour, and how quickly he will 
dart upon his prey. Probably his dun-brown 
coat conceals him from the notice of his victims. 
As the ant is yearly becoming more trouble¬ 
some in gardens, it would be an excellent plan lo 
collect toads and put them within our garden 
fences, to feast upon this intruder. All that they 
want is some shady place with mellow ground, 
where they can burrow easily during the heat of 
the day. By no means should children be allow¬ 
ed lo worry and kill them, as they sometimes 
barbarously do. Nor should fastidious and ner¬ 
vous ladies order them to he driven from the gar¬ 
den lest their serenity of mind should be disturb¬ 
ed. You might as well drive out the gardener 
himself; the toad is your best friend. 
We once heard of a gentleman who advertised 
for toads to put in his garden, offering a certain 
sum apiece. He was certainly a sensible and 
humane man, and a good gardener. 
-- -» < -- . «- - 
For the American Agriculturist. 
“ Following Nature.'’ 
“ It’s agin natur,” is often triumphantly urged 
as an end of controversy by the unlearned, and 
not a few wiser heads have appealed to the way 
in which “Nature" operates, lo confirm or dis 
prove a theory. In a discussion at the Farmers 
meeiing of the Conn. State Agricultural Society, 
the subject being, “ The proper way of applying 
manures,” one advocate of top-dressing, argued 
in its favor that this is Nature’s method, and 
hence right. Such an application of fertilizers 
maybe best, we are not now commenting upon 
that point., but the argument used has little force. 
Nature is not a cultivator. She furnishes mated 
als, it is man’s province to use them to the best 
advantage to secure the results he wishes. Na¬ 
ture never plows, nor drains, nor grafts, nor in¬ 
oculates, nor performs one of a hundred process¬ 
es whereby man has redeemed land, improved 
plants and fruits, and made plenty smile where 
Nature had denied her favors. It is true that 
lands are fertilized by natural processes, and an 
arid island may finally bloom with beauty unas¬ 
sisted by man, but lie who waits for such results 
would need the life of Methusaleh, thrice length¬ 
ened. Man wants quick returns ; he must have 
a larger yield for his labor than unaided natural 
