1876.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
into which the drains may discharge. A pump 
may be fixed in the kitchen above, connected to a 
pipe which passes into the well, and the water may 
be utilized for various domestic purposes. The 
well may be arched over or covered with a stone 
slab, and the whole of the cellar floor and walls 
may be covered with hydraulic cement. As the 
flow of water from the outside is completely cut 
off, the cellar floor must be dry, unless the well 
Fig. 2 .— SECTION SHOWING PUMP. 
should overflow, and when this is feared, the cover 
may be removed so as to watch the rising of the 
water. This should be done at those seasons when 
there is most water in the soil, as in the spring or 
after heavy rains. A section across the cellar floor 
in which the relative positions of the drain and 
foundation walls are shown in figure 1, and at figure 
2 is shown a section lengthwise of the cellar with 
the position of the well, the drain discharging into 
it, and the pump in the kitchen above. In case the 
flow of water is more than can be used in the 
kitchen, the excess should be pumped into the sink 
to be carried off by the sink drain. We have seen 
such an arrangement as this which operated satis¬ 
factorily, and not only thoroughly dried the cellar, 
but by carrying the well to a depth of eight feet, 
furnished a permanent supply of excellent water. 
Unloading Corn. 
By-and-by will come com-husking, and every 
little help that will ease the troublesome labor of 
transferring the corn crop from the field to the crib 
will be gratefully accepted. We have used both of 
Fig. 1.— BOARD FOR UNLOADING. 
the contrivances here shown (figures 1 and 2), to 
help in getting the ears out of the wagon-box. At 
the start it is difficult to shovel up the corn, and 
until the bottom of the wagon-box is reached, the 
shovel or scoop cannot be made to enter the load. 
But if a piece of wide board is placed in a sloping 
position, resting upon the tail-board of the ivagon 
Fig. 2.— UNLOADING ARRANGEMENT. 
(fig- 1), the shovel can be used with ease at the 
commencement of the unloading. Another plan is 
to make the box two feet longer than usual, and 
place the tail-board two feet from the end (see fig. 
2). When the tail-board is lifted, the ears slide 
down into this recess, from which they can be 
scooped with ease. 
Stalls for an Octagon Barn. 
In describing an octagou bam in July, we men¬ 
tioned that the stalls might be made low, so as to 
exhibit well cared for stock in an attractive man¬ 
ner. Some inquiries 
have been made as to 
the modes of con¬ 
structing such stalls, 
to which we give 
in reply descriptions 
and illustrations of 
some that would be 
appropriate. At fig¬ 
ure 1 is shown a se¬ 
ries of double stalls, 
separated by short 
partitions, not more Fig- F 
than three feet in length, and four feet in 
hight, so that in looking over the stalls, all the 
cattle are seen. These stalls may be made six feet 
wide, and five feet long, arranged with a gutter at 
the rear to receive the droppings, eight inches 
deep, and a feed-trough at the front, divided by a 
small partition into two feed boxes, one for each 
cow. The cows should be secured by chain-ties, 
Fig. 2.— PLAN OF SHORT STALLS. 
with rings slidiwg upon iron rods fixed to the sides 
of the stalls. The feed troughs may be filled from 
the feed passage in front of the stalls, through fall¬ 
ing doors lengthwise of the stalls. The stalls should 
be built upon posts, firmly mortised into the beams 
beneath, and should be strengthened by stout straps 
of iron, let into the posts and beams flush with the 
surface, so that there may be no projecting 
edges to injure the cattle. At figure 2 is shown a 
plan of stalls, similar to the preceding, excepting 
that the partitions are shorter, but perhaps less 
safe, as the cows might possibly tread upon each 
other, and thus cause injury to the teats and udders. 
■- ■ T> ^-->^-fr-<g3 nrT- - - 
Cutting Marsh Hay. 
The investigations of Prof. Storer, of the Bussey 
Institution, regarding the feeding value of marsh 
or salt hay, should have the effect of raising this 
coarse and cheap, but often neglected fodder, in 
the estimation of farmers. Thousands of tons of 
marsh hay made from the coarser kinds of grasses, 
sedges, and even such rushes as that known as the 
“ black grass ” ( Juncus Gerardi), of the wet sea-side 
swamps, arc wasted every year because they are 
supposed to be useless as feed. But on the con¬ 
trary, many farmers have annually gathered such 
hay with care, and have profitably fed it to their 
cows and other cattle, along with some ground 
feed. And now Prof. Storer has analyzed these 
coarse and neglected plants, and has found that 
they are both wholesome and nutritious. The av¬ 
erage composition of five samples of salt hay was 
found by him to be as follows, viz : water, 8.40 per 
cent; ash, 6.93 ; albuminoids, 6.33 ; carbo-hydrates, 
45.38; and cellulose, 32.96 per cent. “ Black 
grass ” was found to contain 84 to 87 per cent of 
dry organic matter, 2 to 2i per cent of fat, and 
more than 1 per cent of nitrogen, the seeds being 
297 
doubly as rich iu fat and nitrogen. Fresh marsh 
hay was found equally valuable for feeding. 
To continue to neglect this coarse hay, would be 
a waste of resources which should by all means be 
economized. But there are some wet, undrained 
marshes upon which it is disagreeable to cut the 
grass, as one must work with wet feet, and from 
which it is difficult to draw the hay, because the 
soft soil will not bear horses or cattle upon it. 
These difficulties may be overcome by making use 
of the swamp shoe shown at figure 1, and the light 
sled shown at figure 2. The shoe is made of pieces 
of ash or other tough wood a quarter of an inch 
thick. For want of anything better, pieces of the 
staves of flour barrels will answer the purpose well. 
The pieces should be four inches broad, and fast¬ 
ened together with broad-headed, soft iron nails 
(clout nails), such as are used in building boats, and 
which may be clenched. A staple made of light 
wire is driven into each side of the center piece, and 
a leather strap is passed through these and over the 
toe of the boot, and the ends then being crossed in 
the manner of an old-fashioned sandal over the in¬ 
step, are buckled at the back of the foot over the 
heel. The foot is attached to the shoe only by the 
toe, and the heel is free, so that when the wearer 
takes a step, the heel can be raised and the shoe 
will hang to the toe only. As the hind part of the 
shoe is the heavier, that drags upon the ground, 
and the forepart only is lifted when a step is taken, 
exactly as in the case of walking with a snow-shoe. 
It is necessary to take 
wide steps, so as not to 
place one shoe upon the 
other iu walking, the 
consequence of which 
would be a trip and a 
probable fall forwards. 
But this is easily avoid¬ 
ed after a little practice 
upon dry ground. When 
these shoes are worn, 
the mower may pass 
over the softest places 
in safety, and if he Fig-. l.— marsh shoe. 
takes the precaution to 
thoroughly saturate the soles of his boots with tar 
and dry it iu before a fire a day or two previously, 
and smear the uppers of the boots with tallow, or 
some waterproof blacking, he may have dry feet 
after a day’s work in a very wet swamp. If there 
are high and dry knolls in the marsh, the cut grass 
may be drawn thither upon a light sled made as 
shown in figure 2, to be spread for drying, or to be 
stacked. This sled is made of strips of oak or pine 
fencing, six inches wide, and three-quarters thick. 
The runners are steamed at each end ; or soaked in 
boiling water; or sponged with water, and the wet¬ 
ted part held close to a fire until the ends can bo 
Fig. 2.— MARSH SLED. 
bent into the shape shown. They are then fastened 
to the raves, which are of similar pieces of wood. 
A small piece of hoop iron or of tin from an empty 
fruit-can should be nailed over the joint to strength¬ 
en it. A piece of fencing is placed beneath the 
middle of the rave and nailed there above and be¬ 
low, as a support, and another piece is nailed upon 
