138 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
Fig. 1. Fig. 2. 
To Prevent Cisterns Overflowing. 
We are indebted to “E. W. L.,” of Schenec¬ 
tady, for the following suggestion, which, though 
directly applicable only to few cisterns perhaps, 
nevertheless indicates a good means of pre¬ 
venting the overflow of water from cisterns not 
provided with discharge pipes. Our correspond¬ 
ent saj^s of it: “ It costs but a trifle, and is of 
great value to any one who has had 
to get up at night to turn off the 
water pipe of his cistern, knowing 
the consequence of an overflow 
would be a great injury to the cis¬ 
tern at least. A conductor leads 
from the roof of the house into the 
cistern box, I>, and directly under 
this conductor, and inside of the 
cistern-box, is a little tin gutter 14 
inches long, 3 inches wide, and 2 
inches deep, that is fastened as seen 
in fig. 2, by a hinge to the curb, in 
such a way that the water flowing 
into it from above may be turned 
into the cistern, (fig. 1,) or into a 
trough on the outside, (fig. 2,) ac¬ 
cording as the little trough is tilted 
one w'ay or the other. This tilting 
is effected by a rod having a float 
at the end hung upon the underside 
of the trough, as seen in fig. 2. The 
weight of the rod and float when the 
water is low, turn the flow into the 
cistern, but when the w'atcr rises to 
the full bight, the rod being of exactly the right 
length, the float will rise and turn thew'ater off. 
The float is a gallon can thoroughly painted.” 
fan when the fan is in motion, the opening be¬ 
ing conical. 3d, That the fans being set upon 
a solid disk, the current of air which enters from 
one side can not mingle with that from the 
other side, and so create uneven currents in the 
blast.'i The result of this simple structure is, 
that the blast is an uniform, even one, like the 
smoothly flowing water of a mill race, while 
that in an ordinary fvn-mill more resembles the 
turbulent stream which constitutes the wake of 
a paddle-M’heel steamer. The arrangement of 
screens and sieves differs in no essential partic¬ 
ular from those of mills in common use, and 
any ordinary mill may be altered with compara¬ 
tively small expense to one of the improved kind. 
Now let us consider the advantages. 1st, The 
W’ork is done better; that is, all the common 
work of cleaning grain for market. 2d, In se¬ 
lecting seed grain, or grass seed, the results are 
very marked, w’hen reasonable care is taken. The 
separation of different grains, wheat from oats, 
being effected, of course no chess would be left 
with the seed, and no cockle, thistle seed, 
mustard, or charlock. This is not all done by 
the blast, or all at once, but the separation of 
the larger seeds is effected by it. The inventor 
asserts his ability to separate from clover seed 
every seed of red sorrel, and of course dock. 
An Improvement in Fan Mills. 
One of the most valuable improvements in 
farm machineiy, which has recently been 
brought out, is one in Fanning Mills which has 
come under our notice within a few weeks past. 
Our illustrations exhibit at first sight little that 
would strike one as peculiar, a closer view, with 
a little explanation, will show the principles in¬ 
volved. In an ordinary Fan-mill blast the out¬ 
sides of the current move so much fxster than 
the interior, that eddies of air are caused, and 
even reflowing currents, so that the separation 
which is effected is of a very imperfect charac¬ 
ter. In the invention under consideration, the 
structure of the fan is such, 1st, the middle por¬ 
tions of the fan-blades being broader than the 
ends, that the ends will not throw a stronger 
blast than the middle. 2d, That the air from 
either cud has free access to the middle of the 
LEACnS EVER BLAST TAi: 3ILLL. 
aster, and other lighter seeds. This alone 
is a very great advantage. 3d, The selection 
of the heaviest and plumpest grains only 
for seed, is accomplished with great accuracy. 
From a lot of wheat, which weighed 58 lbs. to 
the bushel, we believe, Mr. Leach selected for 
seed a quantity which weighed 65 lbs. to the 
bushel, passing it through with a strong blast 
several times. We have seen enough of the 
operation of the machine to be satisfied that we 
do not overstate the matter. It was shown at 
Albany, at the annual meeting of the State Ag¬ 
ricultural Society, and elicited high commenda¬ 
tion, and greatly pleases practical men of our 
acquaintance who have it in use. The inventor 
is Mr. George Leach, of Owego, Tioga Co., N. Y. 
Convenient Grain Bin. 
We noticed, at Thorndale, last month, grain 
bins which recalled painfully the strains of 
body, and rushes of blood to the head, that are 
very often experienced, in getting grain, or 
meal from a deep bin when the supply rims low, 
because in these bins, all such trouble is 
avoided. We have seen bius in whieh the top 
one of the front boards was hinged to be let 
down, when the grain got below it; but in these 
itco boards were hinged, as shown in the cut, 
being fastened up by hooks at the ends, and let 
down one after the other, as desired. The 
front edge of the bin was about 4i feet high. 
How to Catch Gophers—Traps, etc. 
We of the East only know goiihers by reputa¬ 
tion. They do things on a big scale out West, 
and the gopher is the Western improvement on 
our little blind mole. The improvements—pa¬ 
tent, ifnot patented—are: 1st, in size, the animal 
being nearlj^ as large as a muskrat; 2d, insight, 
for he sees well by day or night; 3d, in amount 
and quality of food, for instead of eating insects, 
he eats corn and other grains, and vegetable 
products; 4th, in his ability to carry off that 
which he does not eat, for wdiichthe ‘beastie’ is 
provided with cheek pouches that will together 
hold nearly a teacupful of grain. He digs bur¬ 
rows, and “ ravages ” in proportion to his size. 
It is of course very desirable to know how to 
destroy these pests, for when numerous, as they 
are in many localities, they are a serious nui¬ 
sance, and being nocturnal in their habits and 
very shy, they are hard to take. For this pur¬ 
pose there have been several devices sent to us. 
Mr. John W. Barnett, of Pierce Co., Wis., is 
successful in the use of the common steel trap, 
arranged as in fig. 1. He digs down a square 
hole so as to cut a gopher gallery (A,) a few feet 
from where it comes out to the light, cleans out 
all the dirt, and'making a depression in the track, 
sets a steel trap in it, and fastens it with a chain, 
covering it over with firm dirt. Then he 
covers the hole with a board (B), and throws 
Fig. 1. —STEEL TRAP SET FOR GOPHERS. 
earth over it to exclude the light. He speaks 
confidently of it and says, “just so sure as there 
is a gopher in that hole you will catch him.” 
A form of trap or snare for gophers is de¬ 
scribed and figured by Mr. G. W. Smizer, St. 
Louis Co., Mo. This is shown in figs. 2 and 3. 
It wili be seen that the apparatus consists of a 
spring pole (A:), to which is attached a cord and 
noose (Aand J),aml a string with a trigger (A and ff). 
This is set in the following manner. A place is 
dug as wide as the breadth of the spade, and an 
inch deeper than the gallery. The face of the 
excavation next the hole is made even and per- 
