Ng jfrlCU l 7 
AGRICULTURE 
ROCHESTER, N. Y.,-EOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1862, 
drills at all, when the chances are that if the tubers 
increase in size by any descent of the sap from the 
stalks, that very descent will carry destruction 
directly in itself, or be the source of carrying it 
downwards indirectly from the earth's surface, a 
moisture impregnated, in all probability, by the 
deadly virus? 
male, especially to the common fly, the gad fly, and 
stinging flies of all descriptions, so obnoxious in sta¬ 
bles. A sure means of getting rid of these trouble¬ 
some visiters is to place avessel filled with cldorideof 
lime upon a shelf, or a board suspended to the ceil¬ 
ing. This being done in the evening, and a window 
left partly open as an outlet to the flies, none or 
very few will be found in the room in the morning. 
The smell of chloride is by no means injurious to 
man or beast; on the contrary, it is wholesome as an 
absorbent of deleterious miasms prevading the air. 
It need hardly be recommended to repeat the ex¬ 
pedient at short intervals, say at least once a week, 
the more so as it will cost but a trifle and will give 
no trouble. 
in springs, which find vent in particular spots. If 
the water is not derived from adjoining fields but 
from the clouds direct, a different mode of draining 
is required than would be if the water came from 
higher fields. When lands are situated midway on 
an undrained slope, from which the water spreads 
over the surface of the land, such a system must he 
adopted as will not only drain the field in question, 
but also to cut off the supply of water from the 
higher fields. 
One thing must be borne in mind, that water runs 
down hill, and does not spread so as to run laterally. 
From the fact that water always seeks the lowest 
level by force of gravitation, and drains are simply 
lower levels to conduct the surplus water away, in 
order to decide correctly what direction a drain 
should have, it is not only necessary to have a cor¬ 
rect idea of the sources of water, and the superposi¬ 
tion of strata, but a definite idea as to the special 
office the drain is to perform so as to carry off the 
surplus water and drain the land. 
etc., into sub-mains, G. C , G, G. In draining a 
piece of land, situated like that represented in Fig. 
1, which would involve th< cutting of ditches to the 
depth of eight or ten feet etween 1 and 2. so as to 
have the drains of a pro; cr depth at 3, it will be 
found advisable to lead th( minor drains into a sub- 
main from 4 to 3. and then commence a new series 
of drains between 2 and 1. and lead them into 
another sub-main at 1. 
Some good drainers adv se. that when works stop 
on a slope, a drain called i header should connect 
the tops of the minor drt is, thus preventing the 
water lying between the ppper sub-main, A, E, B, 
of Fig. 2, and the minor d® ns F, F, F, F, etc., from 
passing down into the ground between the minor 
drains, and also relieving fee minor drains from the 
pressure of the water alive them, and by which 
they will the more easily become clogged than 
when protected, Howevip. when the sub-main is 
dug above the minor drafts, as in the figure, the 
necessity of headers is ver slight, except when the 
quantity and pressure of iviter is sufficient to cause 
it to flow over the sub-ma|i. 
Even the sub-main willpot drain the slope above 
it entirely. Capillary attraction, and the resistance 
offered to the descent of water, will prevent the 
sub-main from bringing wont a complete drainage. 
The cuttings of our railvnys and high banks of 
of ditch can remove the 
derable distance." 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
THB LEADING AMERICAN WEEKLY 
BUBAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOOEE, 
With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors, 
CHAS. D. BKAGDON, Western Corresponding Editor, 
Thb Rural New-Yorker ia designed to be unsurpassed in 
Value, Purity, Usefulness and Variety of Contents, and unique 
and beautiful in Appearance. Its Conductor devotes his per¬ 
sonal attention to the supervision of its various departments, 
and earnestly labors to render the Rcra l a» eminently Reliable 
Guide on all the important Practical, Scientific and other 
Subjects intimately connected with the business of those whose 
interests it zealously advocates. As a Family Journal it is 
eminently Instructive and Entertaining—being so conducted 
that it can be safely taken to the Hearts and Homes of people 
of intelligence, taste and discrimination. It embraces more 
Agricultural, Horticultural, Scientific. Educational. Literary 
and News Matter, interspersed with appropriate and beautiful 
Engravings, than any other journal,—rendering it the most 
complete Agricultural, Literary and Family Newspaper 
in America. 
never be brought under the plow, on a dairy or i 
grazing farm, without an urgent necessity. On our i 
best dry soils, old pastures are apt to become rough, 
and in some cases covered with moss. This may be 
prevented, to a great extent, by a top-dres3ing of 
salt, during the winter, at the rate of 10 cwt. per 
acre: or, in some cases, a good dressing of lime, at 
the same time freely harrowing the surface; or, 
what is less expensive, stocking with sheep, during 
the winter months, at the same time feeding them 
with turnips or corn. In a very productive sum¬ 
mer, or when a farmer has been unfortunate with 
his stock, he may with advantage mow such parts of 
his pastures as can be spared for the purpose. It is 
superfluous for me to say that, on a very large por¬ 
tion of our grass lands, draining and bone dusting 
are the great means of improvement. A question 
of some importance may be asked:—‘Are all our 
, clay soils improved by draining for mowing and pas- 
' "mm *if»t When there Is noth- 
ing in the herbage produced which indicates tne 
presence of too much water. I think draining will 
add nothing to the fertility of such soils, so long as 
they are in grass.” 
Preserving the Potato from Rol¬ 
ls an article upon "Potato Crops, and their 
Chance of Preservation,” as furnished to the Irish 
Former's Gazelle , by Edward Carroll, ot Clon- 
egal, we find the following: 
Let me turn to what is said to be a novel mode of 
preserving potatoes from the attacks ot the fatal 
disease, by turning the stalks to one side ot the 
drill, and covering them up firmly with earth trom 
the other. Some writers in your paper, as well as 
in provincial papers, have been taking credit to 
themselves for this successful discovery, and, for 
aught l know, may be entitled to such credit. This 
' much I know, that I have seen on several occasions 
i during the. past tour years, announcements of such 
, discoveries in the Gardener’s Chronicle, by parries’ 
Acting on the 
DRAINING SIDE-HILLS 
Figure 1. 
As before stated, drains should he dug up and 
down the slope, as from 1 to 2, Fig. 1. Suppose a 
man has a field lying on a slope, which he wishes to 
drain. If he lay out his drains thirty feet apart, and 
cut them up and down the line of greatest descent, 
it is very evident that Ihe drains will then intersect 
all the strata, and bear away the water from all of 
them. But, if he lay out his drains the same dis¬ 
tance apart across the line of greatest descent, the 
i—v-* rXm’ti in ih«G waUu* from LMrty 
ieet next above it; the next urum irom tne thirty 
feet next above that, and so on; thus compelling 
the water to traverse or percolate through thirty 
feet of soil before reaching a drain. But in the 
other case, the water will traverse a distance of 
fifteen feet only to find a conduit The line of the 
greatest fall is the only line in which the drain is 
relatively lower than the land on either side of it. 
The water must be disposed of which rests upon the 
impervious strata, whether it has found its way 
there from fields or strata above, or whether it is 
water from the clouds, and has recently found its 
way there. But, in order to drain a field lying on a 
slope, with higher lands above it, it is, perhaps, as 
well to cut the upper drain -across the line of greatest 
descent, and lead it, as a sub-main, down the line of 
greatest descent, at the side or center of the field, to 
the outlet. This answers the purpose, as these 
drains significantly have been termed, of mere 
catch-waters. 
Now, looking at the operation of drains across the 
slope, and supposing that each drain is draining the 
breadth next above it, we will suppose the drain to 
be running full of water. What is there to prevent 
the water from passing out of that drain in its pro¬ 
gress, at every point of the tiles, and so saturating 
the breadth below it? Drain pipes afford the same 
facility for water to soak out at the lower side, os to 
enter on the upper, and there is the same law of 
gravitation to operate in each case. Mr. Denton 
gives instances in which he has observed, where 
drains were carried across the slope, in Warwick¬ 
shire, lines of moisture at a regular distance below 
the drains. He could ascertain, he says, the depth 
of the drain itself, by taking the difference of height 
between the line of the drain at the surface, and 
that of the line of moisture beneath it 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker:—I have a piece of land, a side- 
hill of only moderate descent, yet sufficient to carry of all 
surface-water very rapidly. It is not low, for there is much 
lower laud beyond it, yet. it is wet and cold, and comparatively 
worthless. It seems never to he warm and dry, even in the 
warmest weather Although l could not believe from its 
elevation that draining was required, I put in a few blind 
drains from the top to the bottom, and though water is carried 
off, but little good seems to be done, and I am at a toss what 
to do next, or whether 1 have got to the end of improvement. 
There is no question connected with draining 
WliiLli UtlO V.MIU.VU »*• —— - - - - — “ w o • 
Treatment of Horse* 1 Feet. 
Mil Gamgee, Sen., In the Edinburgh Veteri¬ 
nary Review for August, =ays:—“ The day will. I 
believe, soon come when people will not allow cut¬ 
ting instruments to touch the soles of their horses’ 
feet. I have said in fon ter papers that the wall, 
sole, and rrog are so constructed, mm n_ 
co-operate, and that, the intermediate horn, which TI 
have shown is secreted between the wall and sole at 
their union, ia also required to be left entire: but, 
by the prevailing custom of cutting the hoof, these 
substances, which in their nature are rebounding 
springs, are destroyed or greatly impaired. The 
custom of thinning the sole, and likewise of keeping 
that part always^in cow dung, or other wet sodden- 
ing material, under the name of stoppings,” was 
brought much into vogue after the establishment of 
our first veterinary schools.” 
more than its proportion. The towns and cities are 
swarming with men out of employment, who will 
neither enlist nor labor, if they can help it. Let 
them be drafted. Let the hand of the Government 
fall upon them and compel them to defend the 
mother who has nursed and sustained and protected 
them. By all means let us furnish men and money 
to prosecute this war; but let the burden tall equally, 
and do not let us forget that it is not every citizen’s 
duty to carry a musket. Save the food! Use the time 
to secure it! Remember that a great burden of taxa¬ 
tion is to fall upon you; that these taxes must be 
promptly and cheerfully paid; that it is your duty to 
provide the means with which to meet this demand 
of the Government This is a grave matter, and 
should not be thoughtlessly cast aside. 
experience. D’, as is often the case, the water finds 
ready way of escape through openings between the 
different strata of the soil, or if the soil is porous, and 
in this tvay passes off, it must be evident that a drain 
made down the side-hill, the way of the descent, 
will afford lit tie relief, as the water will pass as freely 
through any opening in the soil as through the tile, 
and thi 3 is doubtless the difficulty experienced by 
our correspondent. If the water could, by any 
means, be cut off at its source, the object sought 
would be accomplished. This is sometimes done by 
cutting drains transversely or obliquely to the slope. 
This, however, often fails, from the fact that water 
passes between ditferent strata of soil and below the 
drains, and reaches the surface lower down than 
where drains have been provided. This question is 
so important, and has excited such general attention 
among the best drainers and agriculturists of the 
day, that we devote to it so much space as will, we 
hope, give a pretty clear understanding of the 
subject to all our readers who will give it their 
attention. Loudon says: 
*• In order to remove the evil consequences caused 
by water passing between the porous and impervious 
strata of mountains and hills, and producing springs, 
the mode of draining is that of intercepting the de¬ 
scent of the water or epring, and thereby totally 
removing the cause of wetness. This may be done 
where the depth of the superficial strata, and conse¬ 
quently of the spring, is not great, by making hori¬ 
zontal drains of considerable length across the 
declivities of the hills, about where the low grounds 
of the valley begin to form, and connecting these 
with others, made for the purpose of conveying the 
water thus collected into the brooks or rivulets, that 
may be near. Where the spring has naturally found 
gardeners—I presume in England, 
suggestions therein ottered. I have tried the experi- I 
ment. on several occasions and under varied circum¬ 
stances, and on each occasion have found it more or 
less successful, and bdieve thm in all cases it would 
have been successful, had the land, from perfect 
drainage, been rendered fully fit for not only potato 
culture, but for the improved culture of most crops. 
To discuss the why and wherefore of my want of 
complete success, would exceed the legitimate limits 
of such a letter as this: even did it not. it would be 
opening up a fresh discussion on "cause and 
effect.'’ which, to the plain, unpretending potato 
grower, would but render -confusion worse con¬ 
founded.” It may suffice now to say, that when the 
disease did not commence under ground, and had 
appeared most formidable at first on the leaves and 
stems, the “ turning down” un<l ;i covering up” of 
the stalks, and rendering the drill or narrow ridge 
as impervious, not only to moisture, but to the gen¬ 
eral action of the atmosphere, ts possible, espe¬ 
cially during the latter pavt of July and the entire 
month of August, success in some varieties had 
been complete, in others variable, but in all suffi¬ 
ciently so to warrant the strongest recommendation. 
Your readers will please observe I have no desire 
to monopolize any merit due to the discoverer of 
this practice, neither am 1 singular ia my success in 
this locality even, as several others, who will read 
what I am now writing, have been ecually success¬ 
ful, without knowing more of my experimenting 
than I did of theirs. Last year was he most suc¬ 
cessful with me. 1 commenced the operation when 
the crop was attacked, and with that part ol it that 
appeared most severely attacked. My experiments 
IMPORTANT LESSONS. 
0, if every man could be convinced by squinting 
along a spirit level! If the author of Talpa 
had only patented his mode of convincing, and 
would insure its efficiency! Dow wet it has been, 
friend farmer! You agree. What efiecthas it bad on 
your crops? Don't you know ? Have you looked tosee? 
Have you thought about it any ? You have had the 
war to think ol? Naturally enough, too; but that ought 
to lead you to think of your duty as a good citizen—of 
the relation you sustain to the Government and its 
army. The more loud you can raise, the cheaper it 
can be furnished to our soldiers, and the less ia the 
Government burdened for their support The more 
you produce with the same number ofmen to help you, 
the greater the number of men which can be spared 
from the producing population to fight id the field. 
It is a duty of yours to produce all you eaD, there¬ 
fore. You see at once that it helps the Government 
to do so. Now, what about the wheat crop? All 
gone to smash? It didn't do well early in the 
season, and what did come on bos been destroyed 
by the chinch-bug? Well, what ot it? it hat has it 
learned you? Why didn’t it “come on well early in 
Lime in Agriculture. 
In a paper lately read by Boussingault, before the 
Paris Academy of Sciences, he stated that lime in- 
; troduced in an arable soil, very quickly 
/ sets at liberty a certain quantity of azote 
/ / in the st ate of ammonia. The azote ele- 
I / meats were before united in insoluble 
combinations, not assimilable by plants— 
I / the action of the lime sets them free, and 
fj permits a part of the capital buried in the 
soil to be utilized for the next crop. Bous¬ 
singault thinks that certain mineral mat¬ 
ters, such as potash and silica, may be 
liberated in the soil by the lime; that 
other substances injurious to plants are 
destroyed or modified by the same agent, 
V and that to these effects is added besides, a 
physical action, changing the constitution 
i \ of the land. The action of the lime is thus 
\ excessively complex, and its good effects 
\ can only be explained by studying atten- 
\ \ tively the special circumstances under 
\ \ which they are produced. The grand fact 
\ \ proved by the present researches of Bous¬ 
singault is, that there exists in mold, as 
well in the form of organic matters as in that 
of mineral matters, a host of substances 
completely inert for vegetation, until the moment 
when some proper agent renders them assimilable 
by plants. The continuance of experiments can 
•alone clear up these complex facts, and point out 
to our agriculturists the most effective processes. 
Figurb 2. 
We will suppose A, B. Fig. 2, to represent a por¬ 
tion of the higher field above. Then the catch- 
water or drain across the tine of greatest descent 
will be represented by A, H, E, H, B: and when 
the nature of the ground will admit, or should there 
be a depression toward the center of the field, the 
catch-water may be led from E to J. as a sub-main, 
being some distance below J, the main drain. The 
minor drains then should run parallel, or nearly so, 
to E, J. * 
Where the distance from E to J is considerable, it 
is always advisable to run the minor drains F, F, F, 
Chloride of Lime In Smblcs. 
The Deutsche Telegraph , speaking of the various 
uses to which chloride of time may be advantage¬ 
ously applied, speaks thus: 
It is not generally known that the chloride of 
time is particularly offensive to many kinds of ani- 
