m 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
and too often interfered with the growth or 
maturity of the crop, not only the wheat, 
but also with other grain and clover. My 
first efforts, for more perfect drainage, were 
made in 1835, when I imported a pattern of 
Drain Tile from Scotland, and caused them 
to be made in this neighborhood by hand 
labor. But it was not until 1839-40, that 
I felt encouraged by success, as the labor 
and cost were too great to warrant exten¬ 
sive use; such tiles as were used by me, 
gave satisfactory evidence of their valuo.— 
The important changes etfocted on portions 
of my farm, wero noticed by your present 
presiding officer, and so thoroughly con¬ 
vinced him of their utility and necessity of 
drainage, that in 1848, he importod a ma¬ 
chine for making drain tile in this county. 
From that day the expense or cost has been 
reduced, so that no excuse exists for wet fields 
or grain being destroyed by freezing out. 
From that day I have continued to con¬ 
struct drains as fast as my proper farm la¬ 
bor would permit, and present to you tho 
results thus far obtained. 
The question as to the depth of drains 
has always been one of interest and some 
uncertainty. On this point I deem it ab¬ 
surd to propose any fixed rules, as the 
depth must depend upon the formation of 
tho land and the nature of tho soil. The 
rule adopted by me, is first to select a good 
outlet for the water, then to dig a ditch so 
deep as to find a hard bottom, on which to 
lay the tile : yet I, have had many tiles on 
clay, and they have done well; on my farm 
this depth is generally found at two and a 
half to three feet in depth, and I believe 
no drains ought to be less than two and a 
half feet in depth; the distance between tho 
drains are regulated by the character of the 
soil; if it is open or porous, drains three or 
four rods apart may thoroughly drain it, 
while on more tenacious soils, two rods 
apart may be needed. In most cases, 
where my fields lay nearly level, it has been 
found necessary to construct the drains 
nearer to each other, adopting as a rule, 
that tho drains should always reach the 
point of the field, where water is indicated 
to rise, and that is always at or near tho 
highest part of the field, although that 
may only be observed when thero is much 
water in tho earth and the springs full, or 
when the field is in wheat or clover; at such 
elevations I put my drains deeper and 
nearer each other to make suro to keep the 
water all under ground, using smaller tile 
leading to the main or submain drains. 
This rule has been important; for when 
opening ditches on the low grounds the 
water has fiowed with a force to induce 
most people to believe that it was derived 
from springs close by, when possibly tho 
spring may bo some 60 or 80 rods distant 
at or near tho most elevated part of the 
field which, when reached, may save much 
expense in draining tho lower lands. This 
shows tho necessity of thoroughly examin¬ 
ing the land to bo drained in tho wettest sea¬ 
son. The main drains occupy the valleys or 
lowest grounds, receiving the lateral drains 
and collected water. They are constructed 
of larger tiles, and discretion and care are 
venj necessary to apportion the main drains to 
the quantity of ivater to he discharged. In 
several instances I have found it necessary 
to lay a double row of four inch tile in main 
drains to carry off the quantity of water col¬ 
lected by the smaller tile. I have generally 
used the half round or horse shoe tile, as 
they are called. The four inch tile are in 
most cases large enough for main drains 
and they will discharge a body of water far 
greater than most persons would believe, 
unless they witnessed their action. There 
may be places where larger tiles are neod- 
ed. In ono instance I found it necessary to 
use six inch tiles sixty rods and laid them in 
double rows. This would only be necessa¬ 
ry where tho thaws of early spring or heavy 
summer rains are apt to collect large quan¬ 
tities of water on the surface. To prevent 
a wash of the surface in such place-', I have 
at regular distances filled the ditch directly 
over "the tiles with small stones for a length 
of from 12 to 18 inches, the stones to rise a 
little above the surface to prevent the cov¬ 
ering of tho stone by the plow; through 
these stone the surface water will pass rap¬ 
idly down into the tiles and be carried off 
at once. When the tiles are laid in tho 
ditches with regularity and care, the earth 
is thrown in by a'plovv having a double tree 
9£ feet long, to enable a horso to go on each 
side of the ditch, which is a rapid and econ¬ 
omical way of filling thorn. In regard to 
cost, I find that drainsgeonstructed with two 
inch tiles can be finished complete for 30 
cents per rod, yet something must depend 
on the digging, whether the earth bo hard 
or soft, and tho distance to draw tho tiles ; 
mine have all been drawn five miles and I 
find that two inch tile are large enough ex¬ 
cept for main and submain drains. In my 
own case I was compelled to feel my own 
way and discover the best system and best 
adaptation to my lands, consequently the 
drains have cost me more than they would 
if I were to construct them with my present 
experience. 
In order to show the. benefits derived by 
mo the following remarks will bo necessary 
—to me the results are very satisfactory 
and conclusive : my farm is on tho east side 
of the Seneca Lake, opposite to Geneva and 
immediately adjoining the farm of your 
honorable President, John Delafield, Esq. 
About six years ago I began to drain a field 
on tho boundary line betw'eenMr. Delafield 
and myself; the field contains about 20 
acres, of which six were then subject to 
drainage; the six acres had seldom given a 
remunerating crop, even of grass; after 
draining tho six acres, tho whole field was 
plowed °and prepared for corn, two acres 
being reserved for potatoes. The usual 
care was given to tho cultivation of the 
whole crop, which, during its growth, showed 
& marked difference between tho drained 
i and undrained portions of the field; the 
yield of this field proved to bo the largest 
ever raised, as I believe, in the county, the 
product being eighty-three bushels and over, 
poracre; when the corn was husked and 
housed, it was weighed and measured in the 
ear and allowing seventy-five pounds to the 
bushel, as has been customary in this region 
for corn and cob, the product was as above 
stated. This field attracted much attention, 
from my neighbors and other gentlemen 
from more distant places ; it was examined 
at the time of draining, and after plowing, 
both the first and second season, permitting 
the parties to walk on the drained parts, 
without any unduo moisture, while all other 
undrained land in the neighborhood was 
muddy, and, as before stated, the corn was 
found to be far more vigorous in the plant 
and abundant in the grain. In the follow¬ 
ing season after the corn, I cropped it with 
barley, and found the drained land produced 
altogether the finest plant, and the best 
yield of grain; when tho barley was har¬ 
vested, I prepared tho field and cropped it 
with wheat. Tho difference again was so 
striking and distinct in favor of the drained 
land, that I felt the propriety of thoroughly 
draining the whole field, which was comple¬ 
ted without loss of time, at a cost of twenty 
two dollars per acre for the whole field. I 
then plowed and sowed with barley, and 
seeded with clover; of the latter I cut a 
very large crop last summer, and not one 
square foot of tho clover froze out, and now 
I can rely on a good crop of anything I may 
sow or plant. I had previously drained 
several fields, or at least those parts that 
needed drains. 
Encouraged by a considerable increase 
of products derived from my farm from 
draining, I determined to extend tho system 
as rapidly as convenience and circumstan¬ 
ces wouid permit. Upon examination, it 
appeared necessary to possess a piece of 
ground belonging to a neighbor, that I 
might secure a good and suro outlet for the 
water from some of my upland fields that 
required draining in places. With this 
view I purchased 10 60-100 acres of low¬ 
land, saturated with water. A part of this 
land, say about four acres/from 12 to 18 
inches of the surface, was a black vegetable 
n ou 1 lying on a stratum of clay of the* 
s< m3 depth, under which I found a hard 
betto n for my tiles, not over three feet in 
depth. I felt persuaded that those ten acres 
were wet from my own upland, as well as 
from my neighbor’s wet land adjoining. 
The first ditch I dug was directly on tho 
line betwixt tho land I got of my neighbor, 
and that he still owns. This I found cut 
off all the water on that side. I then com¬ 
menced draining that 10 60-100 acres; also 
about thirty acres of upland; a large pro¬ 
portion of the upland did not require drain¬ 
ing. In the two pieces which, made into 
one field, containing about forty acres, I 
laid 1,0723 rods of drain which have drained 
the whole extent in a thorough manner. 
The flow of water is so large at times I was 
compelled to use a large number of the 
largest sized tiles, and for main drains as I 
had. to havo three, I lmd to lay double l-ows 
of four inch tiles; and in one locality I had 
to use a double row of six inch tiles for 
over fifty rods; this received a great flow of 
water from a public road which was let into 
the tiles by digging a basin at tho upper end 
of tho drain and then filling with small 
stones over the tiles. These extra sized 
tiles increased the expense of these drains, 
making 1,072£ rods, to cost about 40 cents 
per rod. 
Tho first year after completing the drains 
on this field, the whole or nearly tho whole 
was planted with corn ; the season was not 
favorable for that crop in this neighborhood, 
yet the crop was fair, say full 40 bushels 
shelled corn to the acre; tho low ground 
was excellent, where nothing but coarse 
grass grew for twenty years before. This 
year, 1851, I harvested, from this field a 
crop of wheat, and a heavier crop I never 
saw to stand up. Heretofore many acres 
of wheat wero lost on the upland by freez¬ 
ing out, and none w-ould grow on the low 
lands. Now thero is no loss from that 
cause ; only two small patches ; in all less 
than one quarter of an acre was lodged ; in 
fact, tho whole field was so even that it was 
difficult to pronounce any five acres worse 
than the rest. The wheat fly or wevil in¬ 
jured it a little, but I think not a great deal; 
I havo not yet thrashed enough to know the 
yield of wheat per acre. The wot ground 
got from my neighbor, was tho source of 
much curiosity to all around, as none would 
believe wheat could bo ripened on land so 
long saturated with water. It was watched, 
therefore, from the time it camo above the 
ground, in tho fall, until tho last of it was 
harvested. The result was a crop of wheat, 
from that ground, abundant in quantity and 
excellent in quality. 
Such, gentlemen, is tho result of my la¬ 
bor in draining. I havo forty acres of 
wheat, now growing on thorough drained 
land. Tho improvements in my fields and 
crops havo been great and satisfactory, 
giving mo fine crops of wheat, where form¬ 
erly it froze out. So well satisfied am I of 
the advantages derived from the system 
that I have drained six acres this fall; and 
shall continue to drain while I have a wet 
spot on my farm. Your premium list re¬ 
quires that I should givo the increased val¬ 
uo of the drained land. I feel it difficult 
to state in figures. Our farms here, are as¬ 
sessed at from $60 to $70 per acre on the 
tax books. Ono view of tho value, there¬ 
fore, may be taken. Land wholly unpro¬ 
ductive, and land worth $60 to $70 per 
acre. Another view may be taken in the 
difference in the cost of improvement, sav 
about $22 or $24 per acre, and its cash 
value, at this time, of $65 per acre; but on 
such land as I havo, if I get two crops of 
wheat from my drained land, I am paid by 
excess of crop, so as to cover all cost of 
draining, and sometimes more than paid by 
'one crop, that is by the oxcoss of the crop 
beyond what it would have been had tho 
land remained undx-ained. 
The extent of this system of improve¬ 
ment, is not, sufficient to give comparative 
data, or to induce advances on established 
values of farms originating in drainage. I 
hope others may have exceeded my sixteen 
miles of drains, made with tile, then by com¬ 
parison of cost and results we may better 
ascertain tho increased value of our acres. 
Respectfully Yours, 
John Johnston. 
TO HAVE A GOOD HORSE. 
It is not sufficient to have a good colt, the 
product of a superior mare with a stallion 
of good blood and established reputation. 
This is necessary, but it is not all that is 
necessary. A most promising colt that at¬ 
tracts universal admiration while it follows 
the mare, may be grown into an almost 
worthless horse. How then, having a good 
beginning shall we grow a good horse, for 
good horses alone are profitable to raise ? 
By exercisingthe greatest care in their man¬ 
agement until they have ceased to be colts. 
Many ruin, almost, a colt the first winter by 
starvation, by turning it into the yard to run 
with the young cattle to pick up a scanty 
nourishment and that of the cheapest and 
coarsest food. There is on the other hand 
no one season of its life when care and good 
and full feedingof appropriate food will tell 
so much for good as this same first winter. 
A friend, who, for now many years has an¬ 
nually sold two or three young horses at the 
highest market prices, has often assured us 
that at no time in the life of his colts did he 
take so good care of them and feed them 
better than during then- first winter; and 
that by the effect produced upon them tho 
first year he could toll what kind of horses 
they w-ould become. There is something 
so absurd in scanting the supply of nour¬ 
ishment to a young growing animal! Some 
fancy that such a course will render tho an¬ 
imal hardy. The only effect produced upon 
the growing animal by an insufficient nutri¬ 
tion, is to hinder his best development.— 
Wait until he has attained his growth and 
thon stint him if you choose. It can be 
done then with less injury. 
Colts are often put to hard work at too 
young an age. It not unfrequently happens 
that you will see a horse of five with all tho 
wear and tear of ten in his appearance.— 
This should never be. The exercise of the 
same judgment in tho management of colts 
most use towards children would prevent 
this. 
Colts should bo put to exerciso and train¬ 
ing at an early ago, and may do light labor 
to advantage, but to put upon four years 
the labor proper only for six or seven years, 
has been the ruin of many a promising an¬ 
imal. There are other suggestions that oc¬ 
cur properly- in this connection, but we will 
omit them, considering tho two mentioned 
above as tho most important.— Granite 
Farmer. 
PLOWING MATCH AT GENEVA. 
Below we give the report of the Judges 
of the Plowing Match, held at Geneva on 
Wednesday last. Tho Match was appoint¬ 
ed by and under tho auspicos of citizens of 
Geneva, and not connected with the Trial of 
Implements by the State Agricultural Soci¬ 
ety. It was witnessed, however, by most 
persons in attendance at the State Society’s 
Trial and Exhibition, and added to tho in¬ 
terest of the occasion: 
The piece of ground solected was a clay¬ 
ey loam, in some places inclining to a stiff 
Clay, with a hard subsoil, and owing to the 
dry weather, in a very unfit state for plow¬ 
ing, being hard and lumpy. One quarter 
of an acre was allotted to each plowman; 
depth of furrows seven inches; the time giv¬ 
en to perform tho work was 2| hours, in or¬ 
der to make every allowance for the hard 
state of tho ground, and tho heat of the 
weather. The work was finished by the 
teams in If to 2 hours from tho time of 
starting. 
Eleven teams entered, and started in com¬ 
petition, and your Judges would say that 
they havo found it a difficult matter to come 
to a decision, owing to the uniform excel¬ 
lence of each man’s work. After a thor- 
rough and careful examination, they have 
awarded 
To Lot No. 1, Jamos M. Gatos, using the 
“Michigan subsoil or double Plow, No. 9,” 
entered by Milton Allen, of Auburn, N. Y., 
the first premium of $12. 
To Lot No. 5, Roderick McIntosh, using 
“ Wiard Plow,” the second premium of $10. 
To Lot No. 3, John Wright, using the 
“Emery, No. 5,” Albany Plow, entered by 
Prouty & Chew, tho 3d premium of $7. 
To Lot No. 6, John Coady, (an Aubrey 
Farm, Seneca Co. Plowman,) using the 
“ Emery, No. 21,” Albany Plow, entered by 
Prouty & Chew, tho fourth premium of $5. 
Your Judges dcsiro to say, that, had this 
man finished his last furrow properly and 
cleanly, ho would havo ranked higher in the 
list, if not tho first. His plowing with this 
exception was excellent. 
To Lot No. 11, George Ashman, of Mon¬ 
roe County, using an “Emery No. 6,” Alba¬ 
ny Plow, entered by Prouty & Chew, the 
5th premium of $3. Your Judges would 
also recommend this man’s plowing, using, 
as they wero informed, a team and plow 
with which ho was totally unacquainted. 
Your Judges very much regret that there 
was no proper provision made for testing 
the draught of the various plows, width of 
furrow slice, &c., &c., which thoy have un¬ 
derstood was to have been tho case, as it 
would have added very much to tho inter¬ 
est and usefulness of the Trial. They can 
therefore only make mention of those plows 
which performed tho best work, irrespective 
of tho straightness of plowing. And first 
they would class the “ Michigan subsoil 
double plow No. 9,” as having performed 
tho best and most perfect work, and would 
strongly recommond it to their brother 
Farmers, as an implement well worthy of 
their attention, for thorough inversion and 
pulverization of the soil, leaving the'furrow 
slice of a fine tilth from the top to the bot¬ 
tom. The span of horsos attached to this 
plow, did not seem to labor any harder than 
those attached to tho other plows with sin¬ 
gle mould-boards, all turning a furrow of 
7 inches in depth according to tho regula¬ 
tions. Your Judges especially regret that 
thoy could not test tho draught of this plow, 
as if it draws as easily as the common plow, 
thoy cannot but think that it is destined to 
come into general use, from tho perfect 
manner in which it does its work. Two 
yoke of cattlo and a span of horses wero 
afterwards attached to tho same plow, No. 
9, and it then turned a furrow of from 12 
to 13 inches, equally well as it had previ¬ 
ously done one of 7 inches. 
Your Judges place as ranking next in its 
performance of tho work, a plow entered 
as “ Curtis, No. 10,” E. R. Dobbin, plowman, 
which turned a very excellent furrow—the 
slico was well laid and lapped together.— 
They are not informed who entered it or by 
whom or where it is made. 
A plow entered as the “ Wiard Plow,” R. 
M’lntosh plowman, your Judges place next 
in its performance of the work. They aro 
not informed by whom it is entered or made. 
The “ Emery, No. 21 and No. 6,” Albany 
plows, entered by Prouty & Chow, also did 
their work equally well with the “ Wiard 
plow-.” Tho “ Newark Centre Draft No. 4,” 
also did good work. Tho other Plows en¬ 
tered were as follows: 
“ Newark, No. 4,” “ Titus, No. 10,” “ Bart¬ 
lett, No. 1,” “ Emery, No. 5,” and “ Wiscon¬ 
sin.” There was nothing in the perform¬ 
ance of these that your J udges deem wor¬ 
thy of special notice. Had tho ground been 
in proper order, better work both of men 
and plows would havo boon the result, but 
under the circumstances, thoy are of opin¬ 
ion that it would be hard to excel it. 
The different teams in competition also 
deserve a word of notice, from their fine 
condition and appearance, and tho manner 
in which they stood thoir work. Your Judg¬ 
es observed a number of fine large draught 
horses, quick movers, and well adapted to 
the wants of farmers. 
Your Judges have noticed with pleasure 
the excellent arrangements of tho Com¬ 
mittee for keeping the grounds clear, and 
also the general interost displayed by the 
spectators, in offering them every facility 
for tho performance of their duty; and 
think they havo nover attended a Plowing 
Match where better order was preserved. 
George Fordon, 
George Brown, 
William W. Stacey. 
Geneva, July 22, 1852. 
ABSOLVENT POWER OF SOIL. 
Mucn honor has been lately awarded to 
Professor Way, of England, for his discovery 
that clay possessed the power of retaining 
within its body nitrogenous and ammoniacal 
substances; but, if we understand language, 
this discovery is not so novel as those who 
sing the praises of the learned professor 
suppose. Solomon hath said, that “ thore 
is nothing new under the sun,”—and wo find 
in the Letters of Agricola, written more than 
half a century ago, the following, which 
clearly proves that tho author was aware of 
the same properties in earthy bodies, and 
wo hold it to be altogether unimportant, 
whether they arise from mechanical,or chem¬ 
ical causes, tho effect produced is equally 
valuable. 
“ Earth,” says Agricola, “ is a powerful ab¬ 
sorber of all tho gases which arise from pu¬ 
trefaction. Tho earth possesses not only 
the power of retaining tho putrid streams 
which aro formed from the dung of decom¬ 
posing bodies within itself, but also of at¬ 
tracting tho effluvia when floating in the air. 
Tho salubrity of a country depends on this 
latter quality ; as the practice of burying 
the dung in the earth is founded on the for- 
mor. The stench proceeding from tho dis¬ 
solution of organized matter, never rises 
through tho ground to assail tho nostrils, 
although it is sufficiently offensive from 
bodies corrupting in air or water. A strong¬ 
ly dunged field, after being plowed, sown, 
and harrowed, sends forth a healthful and 
refreshing smell—a proof that all the pu¬ 
trid vapors which otherwise would annoy us, 
are absorbed and retained for the nutrition 
of the crop. 
It is on this account that tho poorest earth 
can bo enriched in a very high degreo by 
mere exposure to tho gases of putrefaction. 
Put a layer of common soil along tho top 
of a fermenting dung-hill from 12 to 18 
inches thick, and allow it to remain there 
while tho process is carrying on with activ¬ 
ity, and afterwards separato it carefully 
from tho heap, and it will havo been impreg¬ 
nated with the most fertilizing virtues. 
Tho composts, which of lato have attract¬ 
ed universal attention, and occupied so largo 
a place in all agricultural publications, orig¬ 
inated in tho discovery of this absorbing 
power of the earth, and in tho application 
of it to tho most beneficial of purposes. A 
skilful agriculturist would no more think of 
allowing a violent fermentation to be going 
on in his dung-hill,unmixed with earth or 
other matter to fix and secure the gaseous 
elements, than tho distiller would suffer his 
apparatus to be set to work without sur¬ 
mounting his still with tho worm to cool 
and condense the- rarified spirit, which as¬ 
cends to evaporation. In both the most 
precious matter is that which assumes tho 
aeriform stato; and to behold it escaping 
with unconcerned indifference, is a demon¬ 
stration of tho most profound ignorance.” 
—American Fanner. 
Wheat, rye, oats, and barley should never 
follow each other in a course of rotation ; 
thero should always bo an intervening hood 
crop botween them. 
A FARMER WHO HAD NOTHING TO LEARN* 
There are, in every community, farmers 
who conceive it impossible to add anything 
to their already acquired stock of knowi- 
edgo. Wo met one of this class a few days 
since, who, in answer to our inquiries 
whether ho was a subscriber to an agricultu¬ 
ral paper, indignantly replied that “ book¬ 
farming was a humbug, and that ho knew 
more of farming than anybody could toll 
him.” YVo did not urge the point with him, 
conceiving it to be woi-so than useless ; but 
as wo left him we took a few notes of this 
model farmer’s premises, which we present 
to tho readers of the Journal with the hope 
that they will prove of service. 
Tho paling-fence enclosing the house-yard 
was broken down in several places; one of |N 
the hinges was torn off tho gate, and di¬ 
rectly in front of the kitchen-door several 
lank-looking swine were wallowing in the 
mud-hole, where, for dear knows how long, j 
the slops of the kitchen had been carelessly 
thrown. Wo thought, were he really as 
wise as he conceived himself to be, that that 
fonce would have been repaired, that gate 
hinge fastened, a good breed of swine would 
have replaced these hungry-looking ones, 
and tho rich slops of the kitchen would have 
boon applied to a better use than to creato 
an unwholesome and unpleasant wallowing- 
place for swine. 
The barn stood on an eminence, and di¬ 
rectly in front of it a small stream flowed. 
From the manure heap to this stream, tho 
rich manure-water was flowing in a steady 
stream, and under some cherry trees that 
skirted the lawn, I observed largo quantities 
of the excrements of the fowls exposed to 
tho action of the weather, and aided mate¬ 
rially tho growth and vigor of the wilder¬ 
ness of weeds around. Ilad ho been so very 
wise he would have checked the wasto of 
that precious manure ; and instead of per¬ 
mitting his fowls to roost upon tho cherry- 
trees, (and thus not only expose them to tho 
inclomencios of tho weather, but lose in ad¬ 
dition their very valuable manure,) lie would 
have given them a placo of shelter, and by 
that means socured their comfort and pro¬ 
ductiveness. as well as their excremonts. 
An orchard of young apple trees was al¬ 
most entirely destroyed by tho borer; tho 
fences that enclosed his meadow were in a 
ruinous condition; several hogs woro active¬ 
ly engaged in turning up tho sod; and as 
we attempted to close tho gate that led 
from tho main road to the house, we found 
it wholly impracticable, one hinge complete¬ 
ly torn off, and the other so twisted*as to 
render the effort vain. Want of time pre¬ 
vented further observations; but we had 
seen enough to satisfy us that tho careful 
perusal of any good agricultural journal, 
and a practical application of some of the I 
hints contained in it, would havo been hun- | 
dreds of dollars value to our over wise farm- | 
er.— Pa. Farm Journal. - \ 
STAGE FOR CUTTING GRAIN. 
It is now well established that the prac¬ 
tice of cutting grain before it is dead ripo 
has many advantages. This point was con¬ 
ceded in reference to wheat, sometime since, 
but careful experiments with oats and 
barley havo’provod that the principle ap¬ 
plies equally to them. The points gained 
are, tho grain makes more and better flour, 
gives less bran, wastes less in harvesting, 
and enables the farmer to perform his work 
with less haste and confusion. 
Tho particular stage at which it has been 
found most proper to cut wheat and othor 
grain, is when the grains are pressed be¬ 
tween the fingers thoy aro found to bo 
doughy. If cut at this time there will bo 
sufficient moisture in the straw to fully 
perfect the grain. It has been found by 
the experiment of Mr. Hannam and others 
in England, that wheat reaches this stato 
fourteen days bofore it is dead ripe; but in 
our country the progress of vegetation is 
much more rapid, and it is probable that 
four to six days, or at most a week, would 
generally produce the saino effect here. 
But this is not of much consequence in re¬ 
gard to tho main point, which is the cutting 
of the grain in tho right stage, and this must 
be ascertained by examination. 
Grain cut at this stage requires, of courso, 
to be cured in shock before it is in suitable 
condition to bo threshed or housed. It 
sometimes happens that much loss is occa¬ 
sioned by damp or showery weather, while 
grain is standing in shock. This loss might 
be prevented by the use of caps for tho 
shocks. They have been used with great 
advantage for hay, and would bo still more 
valuable for grain. A correspondent of this 
paper last year, remarks—" If a man lias 
ton tons of hay to cut, if ho will spend tho 
value of one ton for cloth, for caps to shield 
it from tho rain and heavy dews, tho re¬ 
maining nine tons will bo worth more for 
sale or for feeding than tho ton tons would bo 
without them, besides tho saving of labor 
in shaking out the hay after rain when all 
hands ought to bo mowing; and the caps 
for future use will last for years if taken 
proper care of.” We liopo to see these caps 
extensively introduced in curing grain.— 
Boston Cultivator. 
Ammonia in Rain. —Any one may satisfy 
himself of tho presence of ammonia in rain 
by simply adding a littlo sulphuric or muri¬ 
atic acid to a quantity of rain water, and by ■ 
evaporating this nearly to dryness in a clean 
porcelain basin. The ammonia remains in 
the residue, in combination with the acid 
employed, and may bo detected either by 
tho addition of a littlo chloride of plati¬ 
num, or more simply by a littlo powdered 
lime, which separates tho ammonia, and 
thus renders sensible its peculiar pungent 
smell. The sensation perceived on mois¬ 
tening the hand with rain water, so different 
from that produced by pure distilled water, 
and to which the term “ softness ” is vulgar¬ 
ly applied, is also duo to the carbonate of 
ammonia contained in the former.— Liebig. 
