1AL. If 
>‘arm fPconontn. 
PUMPS FOR DEEP WELLS’. 
On page-138, W. E. AL makes an inquiry 
as to what kind of pump be should buj r 
for a well tliirty-two feet in depth, requi¬ 
sitions and considerations being easiness of 
raising the water, cheapness and durability 
of material employed. A case precisely 
similar in point of depth of well,—in which 
the owner of said property first placed a 
chain pump, and with continual repairing 
and extensive labor for a number of years, 
water was procured for family use and farm 
stock, but one well being within desirable 
proximity to the farm buildings. This chain 
pump was dispensed with and a patent 
hydraulic one, on ding nearly thirty dollars, 
substituted; this in a short time became un¬ 
fit. for use in consequence of valves and 
oilier vital portions becoming worn and de¬ 
ranged. A stone pump was recommended 
as being the one that would perform all that 
it was recommended to do. Although in 
wells from twelve to fifteen feet in depth it. 
lias been in use for many years, giving entire 
satisfaction, in this case the great depth 
and enormous weight the upper sections 
were compelled to sustain caused It soon to 
be laid aside as entirely uusiiited for a well 
of great depth, A patent, open, windlass 
bucket pump was tried; the bucket being 
raised and lowered by a rqpo, the vibrations 
often brought the bucket with violence 
against the stone wall of the well. This one 
was, alter using a year or more with contin¬ 
ual repairs, substituted by an old-fashioned 
log force pump, which has been in continual 
use for more than two years without repairs 
or refusing to work when needed. 
In consequence of the great depth, and 
two inch bore, of auction log, it requires con¬ 
siderable power to raise the water at each 
stroke of the piston; but when we consider 
that four strokes discharge u gallon of wider, 
the strength is expended with a benefit i:d 
result, which was not the case with any of 
the pomps tried ami pronounced as worth¬ 
less by the parly in question. 
1 am confident W. E. M. will find in the 
Use of the old wooden pump an article ex¬ 
actly suited to bis ease. 1 think I apeak the 
truth, when 1 state, thatwijLhin two years 
there have been three hundred of the wooden 
force pumps placed in wells in the little 
count y of Yates. They are as cheap as any 
other variety of pumps; the water drawn 
through them is not contaminated with iron 
rust or lead poison. T am iu no way inter¬ 
ested in the sale of pumps of this class. As 
they are not patented, all who choose are at 
liberty to manufacture them.—i.. i>. 
——-♦-**■- 
IMPROVEMENT OF ROADS. 
Next to the thorough culture of the soil 
and the erection of substantial and commo¬ 
dious buildings, there is nothing which will 
enhance the value of our farms so much as 
good roads, and there Is nothing upon which 
so much improvement can, be made with so 
little expense. In order to secure good 
roads, three things, at least, are necessary : 
1. An easy grade, not to exceed an incline 
of two feet per rod. 2. Over a naturally 
dry or a well-drained soil. 3. Free from 
obstructions, such as snow-drills in winter 
and a profusion of large stones in summer. 
With regard to the grade, every person 
connected with laying or surveying out 
roads in hilly sections, should remember the 
old\s:\ying that ’’a pot bail is no longer 
laying down than standing up,” and that 
roads should wind around hills if tlie dis¬ 
tance is Increased. Laying out roads upon 
the “line of lots” where it is hilly enough 
to make it just possible to draw a small load 
vip, and being obliged to lock a heavy load 
dow n in places where an easier grade can 
be found, is very uuwjho and an insult upon 
the traveling public. 
When a road is once placed where it 
should be, it will probably remain so for 
centuries; and if unwisely laid out, it is 
likely to remain so altogether too long a 
time, for it is quite difficult to change its 
course after the country is settled up, ami 
generally meets with strong opposition from 
moSt persons who have erected theu’ build¬ 
ings near the 44 old road.” 
Dry soil, if possible, should always be 
selected, for a muddy road is an abomina¬ 
tion. It Is very expensive to make and keep 
good roads through swamps — so much so 
that it. is very seldom done. Wet places, 
caused by some spring issuing out above the 
road may be avoided by making good stone 
sluice-ways over them. 
The object, of tlds article, mainly, is to 
point out a cheap and effective way to pre¬ 
vent our roads from being blockaded by 
snow-drifts, wdiich are one of the greatest 
impediments we have to encounter. It is 
through the winter season that people travel 
most. To be detained, or to grope along 
over and through the drifting snow in the 
coldest of weather, is no desirable task. A 
three rod road, with a rail fence on each 
side, in a windy place, is a nuisance. No 
fence makes so impassable drifts with the 
‘‘first, run of sleighing.” A stump fence or 
: common board fence are not much better. 
Roads four rods wide between tight board 
fences or stone walls are very good, except 
after deep snows and excessive blows. The 
best of all road-side fences, perhaps, is one 
made of w ire. A single board may he placed 
on top of such a fence without obstructing 
much snow*, and serve a good purpose in 
turning stock. 
The cheapest method of preventing snow¬ 
drifts in the highways is to dispense with 
road-side fences altogether. It is not neces¬ 
sary to have any in the State of New York 
or in any Stale which has laws for “ pre¬ 
venting animals from running at large.” 
A “Farmer’s Club" should be organized 
in each township, and at their meetings all 
who own lands in w indy places might agree 
to either build wire fences near the high¬ 
ways or to dispense with road-side fences 
altogether. In the latter case it would he 
very desirable to set out shade trees one and 
a half or two rods from the center of the 
road. This would mark the course of the 
road, so that a stranger travelling in the 
night might not lose his way. Shade trees 
along the road-side, even where fences might 
be left, would add to the beauty and value 
of any country, and also add to the comfort 
of the traveler, especially in summer time. 
Sugar maple has no superior as a shade, 
and where it can he procured without too | 
much cost should have the preference. This 
tree would in a few years pay the expense 
of transplanting and rearing from the sugar 
and sirup which might be obtained, to say 
nothing of the other benefits W’liich would 
arise from it. Myron A. Eddy. 
Hornby, N. Y., March, 1869. 
■-♦-»--*- 
BUGGY AND RIDING CULTIVATORS. 
The Illinois correspondent of the Country 
Gentleman seems to have an especial spite 
against these most useful fanning imple¬ 
ments. He neglects no opportunity to de¬ 
nounce them, and to declare that if their use 
is persisted in, the land will be given up to 
cockle-burs and burdocks, to the exclusion 
of till farm crops. This gentleman may 
speak for his own section, but it is certain lie 
does not correctly represent Western opinion 
elsewhere. 
In the fine light soils of the Northwest, 
itidmg Cultivators are invaluable, for crip¬ 
pled soldiers and elderly persons. During 
the rebellion, many a soldier’s mother, wife, 
or daughter mounted them and earned bread 
and clothing tin- those dependent upon their 
efforts. It is not. saying too much to declare 
that, any farmer allowing his land to grow up 
to foul weeds while using them, would do so 
with any other implement. They are an im¬ 
mense advance on the old style of cnlliva- 
to,r and enable the weak and decrepit to 
do touch mure work than they otherwise 
could. Many persons do not like them, it is 
true — hut tills gives no just, cause for mis¬ 
representing them. 
Some farmers, in a hurry to lay by their 
corn crops, do ho the moment the corn is too 
high to be passed through wiLh the buggy 
cultivator. This is entirely wrong, and is 
the. basis of most of the, complaints against 
them. The crop should be gone through at 
least twice afterwards, and in many cases 
oftener, with the double shovel plow, before 
it is given up for the season. It is altogether 
incorrect to represent any number of intelli¬ 
gent farmers, who understand their profes¬ 
sion, as dreaming of such an old logy, retro¬ 
gressive course as going back to the single 
shovel plow. They might as well think ol 
creeping, with old Noah, into the Ark. 
Northwest. 
-- ; 
QUACK GRASS. 
I noticed in a late Ritual, an inquiry 
from M. L. Beach of Onondaga, N. Y., as 
to the best mode of destroying quack grass. , 
You recommend keeping the land infill- i 
low, and continuing to plow, harrow and 1 
cultivate until the vitality of the couch grass 
is destroyed. 1 desire to give my experience. J 
with this mode of management with a plat | 
of about, two acres of good, deep, fertile loam, i 
I broke up the land in the early part of the 
winter, leaving it in the furrow until the 
early part of t he following March, when the , 
frost was all out, and the weather very dry, i 
with high winds, and altogether very favor- i 
able to destroying the vitality of vegetation 1 
by culture. I harrowed and cultivated this 
plat of quack several days in succession, and , 
raked out and removed all the roots separa- < 
ted from the soil. I then left it until after ' 
com planting, when I embraced another 
favorable time, and repeated the plowing , 
and cultivation; also of gathering all de¬ 
tached roots. I repeated this twice more 
that season, and late in autumn I plowed it j 
fully eight inches in depth, and let. it lie iu , 
the furrow until after planting corn the fol- 1 
lowing season, when T commenced and con¬ 
tinued at intervals throughout the season, 
always availing myself of the dryest and \ 
most favorable time for destroying vegeta- ' 
tion, the same process having been pursued 
the previous season. 
The following spring I seeded the land 
heavily with clover and timothy, sowing 
with the grass seed about one and a half 
bushels of oats. After the oats were harvest¬ 
ed, the ground was well set with a vigorous 
growth of quack and a feeble growth of the 
other grasses. 
The quack continued to maintain the as¬ 
cendancy, and two years subsequent was a 
good sward of quack, with here and there a 
stool of the other grasses. This discouraged 
me with this mode of destroying quack. 
If any of the correspondents of the Rural 
have been successful in destroying it by any 
process, and they will communicate it, they 
will greatly oblige a regular reader.—w. 
-- 
MUCK VERSUS MARL. 
Tite Jerseymftn who lately discoursed so 
learnedly upon marl before the Farmers 
Club, probably obtained his marl upon more 
favorable conditions than us Yankees, or 
foreigners, as the natives of South Jersey 
denominate us. Only five years ago private 
parties delivered marl at this place, which 
by the wav is but four miles north of the 
Eden of earth, Vineland, for $1 per ton, and 
made a fair speculation on it,sending it only 
fifteen miles on the cars. Farmers could 
then give their notes for one year on heavy 
amounts. 
But the universal and ubiquitous Yankee 
came ; land went up to a trebled price; the 
marl pits all went over to the “ State of 
Camden and Amboy only three months’ 
time was given on notes for $50 and upwards; 
and little by little have we bowed our necks 
to king Monopoly, till marl is now delivered 
here for $1.90 per ton, and largely adulterated 
with poison marl at that figure. 
Our case is not hopeless. No farmer lias 
to go over a mile to the cedar muck swamps. 
The natural fertilizer of this section is 
muck, it is superior to marl as a compost 
for everything; and side by side on grass it 
will stand its test with marl when composted 
with lime. 
T have applied over one hundred tons of 
marl to all crops. On potatoes it is behind com¬ 
post, scarcely equal to guano and phosphate, 
worthless for sweet potatoes; useless on 
wheat or rye; and on worn out land it must 
be applied at the rate of ten tons per acre to 
produce good clover. 
Every man who can keep stock and a hog 
may have fifty one horse wagon loads of 
excellent composted manure yearly for each 
animal, by stall feeding, and bid defiance to 
the marl monopoly. Wu. P. Flowers. 
Newfleld, N. J. 
be Umiltrn-Uartr. 
:M g- 
Corn Marker.— I herewith send a rough draw¬ 
ing of a com marker, which I think will not 
fail to please, os it will make each mark plain, 
and is given tothe venders of Un* Hi aAL without 
patent. Take four pieces of plank (A, A, A, A.) 
about three feet .long (for runners, like a sled.) 
mul from eight to twelve Inches wide; place 
them the distance apart you wish the raws to be, 
then spike on the tup of t he runners two boards 
(L\ Oku inches wide; saw them off outside and 
near the two center runners, and connect wirh 
four hinges (B, B, B, B;) put in a tongue and it 
Is ready for work on any kind of land. Should 
you eorac to a tree or stump you can raise- tlio 
right or left wing, as the case may he; or if you 
wish to go through a narrow place, turn up both 
wings and you are all right. — Thomas Barnes, 
Walworth Cf>., TV is. 
- 
The Coming Plow. —The American Artisan 
thinks few changes can be made for the better 
in the plow so far as the shape and proportion of 
its parts are concerned, uud adds: When mold¬ 
boards ate made of thick shoot-metal, shaped 
by machinery, and covered on the wearing sur¬ 
face by a layer of steel, and when wrought-iron 
beams arc cheaply curved and tapered to the 
proper form, as horseshoes are made, all of 
which may yet be the practice, the plow will be 
much more efficient, durable, and easily held or 
manipulated than is now the case." What is 
more needed in the great groin growing States 
is some device for more rapidly and completely 
preparing the soli for u crop than by the imper¬ 
fect und tedious process of plowing. 
- 4 -*~*- 
Wood Pipe,— A. M. G. asks L. D. S. what kind 
of timber is used that “will last n generation if 
the water is kept running through It.” He has 
used pine and tamarack, which will not last on 
an average longer than fifteen years. He wants 
to lay a quantity of pipe and wants to know 
what to use. 
--—--- 
Hydraulic Sewer—J. B. THOMPSON, Big Tree, 
N. Y m nsks J. W. it he thinks his hydraulic sewer 
(page 215 Rural,) will stand if made us large as 
eighteen inches each way; and if it will stand 
when both ends are exposed to the air and frost. 
-- 
Soil Analysts.—B. p. C., West Bergen, N. Y.— 
Send a sample of your soil to the President of 
the American Institute Farmers’ Club, New 
York City. 
WORCESTER POULTRY SHOW. 
We have received an indignant letter 
from one of the judges at the Worcester 
Poultry Show, in which lie flatly cont radicts 
certain assertions of our reporter, and also 
denies the justice of our criticisms. 
Our only answer to this is that our infor¬ 
mation was derived from one of the- officers of 
the Society , whose word is above suspicion, 
and whose name we can give, if necessary. 
About the same time that we received .Mr. 
Woodward’s letter we received two others, 
all of which we give below. Further re¬ 
marks are unnecessary; the correspondence 
speaks for itself. 
Letter from One of tlic Judges. 
I desire, through your paper, to correct some 
misstatements of your reporter in relation to 
the late show of the Now England Poultry Club. 
Had your reporter confined bis criticism to the 
awards of the judge*, I should not have troubled 
you with any reply, believing that to bo a matter 
of personal opinion; but he more than implies 
that there was dishonesty on the part of the 
judges, which I cannot allow to pass unnoticed. 
The judges had no more influence in the for¬ 
mation of the rules than any other members of 
the Club: in fact one of tbcm was not present 
at the last meeting, when the rules were revised, 
until the mooting was nearly through, and then 
only voted wi th others on the rules. 
There is no rule debarring imported fowls 
from Competition with “American bred birds,” 
and there never was any such rule, as it will be 
seen at once that it would be impossible to 
separate the different varieties of imported 
fowls and giro award* to each, separate from 
native bred fowls. Where imported fowls were 
entered without so stating, I do not see how the 
judges were to know what were imported and 
win it. were not. 
Neither of the Judges owned a pen, nor were 
either of them interested In any pens of fowls 
exhibited, and your reporter must have received 
his information from some disappointed ex¬ 
hibitor. One of the judges did not know to 
whom the pousbelonged until he consulted the 
book of the Secretary, after the .awards were 
made. 
The judges have nothing to say of their own 
awards except that they have been approved by 
many breeders, hot only from this vicinity, but 
from other States, who have hud as much ex¬ 
perience as your reporter, and they would re¬ 
mind him that It is a much easier tusk to find 
fault with the awards than to mete out justice to 
all, even at tho expense of some disappoint¬ 
ments. H. Woodward, One of the Judges. 
Another Opinion. 
I notice in to-day’s Rural a most, just 
criticism on the management and judging 
at the poultry show lately held at Wor¬ 
cester. The remarks ought to have been much 
more severe, for there was gross Injustice and 
mismanagement done. I know of a number of 
coops of fowls of high merit, which wore barely 
‘‘commended," or not noticed at nil, while 
others received first and second premiums, 
when they certainly should not have been more 
than commended* 
I sincerely hope the timely remarks of the 
Rural will be hooded by the Chib, and that it 
will benefit by them, and iu future so manage 
as to do Injustice to uo one. Yours sincerely.— 
H. N. K., Clinton, Mass,, March, 1809. 
81 III Another Opinion. 
I mead an article In the Rural on the Now 
England Poultry Association, and, though se¬ 
vere, It. was perfectly Just and true. I urn glad 
to sec that some one was bold enough to take 
this subject up, for it is high time there was a 
change, and a radical one. The way some of 
these show* are conducted is a.disgrace and 
shame. The whole thing Is gotten up to benefit 
n /iu.', and if you are In the nap, you are all 
right. Of course, when they yet Lite first prize, 
they ln-nild It abroad in all the papers that mu 
stock took the tint premium at such a Poultry 
Show, und they then nan ask a very high price 
for their poult ry and eggs; and persons who send 
for the same get badly sold. (There are excep¬ 
tions, but eight out of ton will prove just as I 
have said.) There is loo much “ kissmg-goes-by- 
fuvor" arrangement In these Poultry Shows; 
and so long as this prevails, so long will poor 
fowls huve the ascendancy, while the really 
meritorious and deserving ones will have to take 
the back ground. 
I know what these “first prize takers" aro. 
Two years ago this spring I wanted to Improve 
my stock of fowls, as they had somewhat de¬ 
generated, ami I sent for eggs to a “first-prize 
taker” at this same Association; when they 
hatched such a lot of chickens I never saw, for 
“pure bred" ones. They were like Joseph's 
coat; und yet that man got the first premium 
und palmed his stuff off on plenty of others, 
when there were other fowls at this very same 
show, no doubt, that were far superior , and 
should have had the first prize, if justice had 
been done them. Buch got the second and third 
prize, or nothing at ail, perhaps. 
Non', what inducement, I ask, is there for a 
person that ha*good fowls to send them to these 
shows? Judges ought to be chosen that are of 
reliable characters, know a fowl from “stem to 
stern," and who have no interest whatever in the 
show they are judges of. Theu fowls that de¬ 
serve tho first prize would get it. Some may say 
on reading tills, thut t have been one of those 
tlmt have taken the second or third prizes and 
am now venting my rage; but I can tell aft such 
I have never exhibited a fowl or any other stock 
in toy life, but I love to have and see pure brcct 
stock, and am down on all swindlers and hum - 
buys.—P hil. Schuyler, West Troy, JV. Y., 1869. 
-♦♦♦- 
POULTRY PRODUCTS. 
One year ago to-day I obtained from a 
neighboring farmer some lien's eggs for set¬ 
ting, from which some fifteen fowls were 
reared. In the early fall all of the old fowls 
but one were disposed of—also part of the 
young ones. I reserved, for wintering, eight 
pullets, one old hen and one male bird. 
Now, for the result. They commenced to 
lay eggs sparingly the latter part of Septem¬ 
ber last, (before they were fully five months 
old,) and have continued without interrup¬ 
tion, to lay until the present time, there not 
being one day through the whole winter but 
what we have obtained one egg at the lowest. 
I have not kept, an account as I formerly 
had done of the number of eggs gathered, 
but have kept, an account of those sold since 
these voting fowls commenced to lay, which 
amounts to five hundred and forty eggs, at 
various prices, ranging fr«m twenty-eight to 
forty cents per dozen, amounting to $15 98; t* 
this sum add the probable number of eggs used 
in a family of three persons, estimated from 
the recorded number usetl during the first 
part of the years of 1867 and 186S, which 
were about one hundred and fifteen eggs, 
during the first three months of each of 
those years. 
Now, since my present lot of fowls began 
to lay, we have used, the last three months 
of 1868 sind the first three of 1869, at a low 
estimate, two hundred eggs. These, at the 
average price above slated, thirty-five and a 
half cents pier dozen, would be $5.91 ; to 
which add the amount sold, $15.98, gives 
$21.89 as the income in eggs from nine hens, 
eight of which are part Black Spanish and 
less than a year old, by the time of incuba¬ 
tion, or three weeks. Oliver P. Reeve. 
Middletown, Orange Co., N. Y„ 1869. 
-- 
EGG PHENOMENA. .. 
I iiate in my possession, through the 
kindness of Mrs, Anna M. Bury, residing 
on the Eastern Branch of the Potomac 
River, nine eggs, the product of two ducks 
of the “Cape May” species. Two of these 
eggs have shells of a dusky black color, the 
rest of the lot gradually brightening to a 
green color, until the last, egg is a perfectly 
white shell and about one third larger than 
the other eggs. The darkest eggs were laid 
first These eggs were produced during the 
middle of last month, and are looked upon 
as something of a phenomenon, by those 
who inspect them. A most remarkable cn- 
inGdenre connected herewith is that a hen 
belonging to Mr. Samuel W. Marsh, of 
Washington City, lias also produced an egg 
with a black shell, and [ have learned that 
fowls are producing similar eggs in some 
other places, in this district and also near 
Fredericksburg, Va. 
Possibly some of your numerous readers 
may be able to explain the. cause of this 
singular production. My theory is, that the 
fowls may have eaten food which bad ab¬ 
sorbed solutions of iron, copper, nitrate of 
silver, or some matter from coal ashes, to 
which ducks in particular seem to be partial. 
Again, however, as the phenomenon is not 
confined to one locality, possibly there may 
be some atmospherical influence. 
By way of an experiment, I a few days 
since, burnt, and reduced a quantity of egg 
shells, and with powdered charcoal, mixed 
in oorntneal dough, fed the mixture to my 
brood of ducks and chickens, and the result 
lias been, many of the eggs of my ducks, 
have shells with well defined dark portions, 
of perfectly shaped crescents on the large 
in ids. 
The eggs of my hens, at intervals appear to 
have slightly colored shells, and it is my 
purpose to experiment further with the 
subject. 
The black (duck) eggs, are to be deposited 
in the museum of the U. S. Agricultural 
Department. John S. Gai.laher, Jr. 
Sunny Side, Washington C'o., D. C. April 1809. 
-- 
ProQlnble Poaiiry.—A few weeks since we 
gave Mr. Jno. 1*. Buzzell's E<j<j Report for 1868. 
He writes us again as follows:—“I saw In rbe 
last Rural an account of thirty liens laying 1 
two hundred and stxty-four eggs in the month 
of January, and three hundred and ninety-four 
in February. I will give you better figures than 
that. From tweuty-seven hens ] got four hun¬ 
dred and fifty-two eggsin January, four hundred 
and thirty-three in February, four hundred and 
forty-throe in March, and sent six henstot.be 
Worcester Fair, which were gone one week in 
the latter month. That is what my Light 
Brahmas have done the last three months. Beat 
it who can." 
-- 
A Curious Fowl.—Passing a froedman's house 
near the public road, recently, my attention was 
attracted by a very singular fowl moving about 
the yard. At first t did not know' but it was a 
tame buzzard, as it resembled that more than 
any other species. Its gait was slow and un¬ 
gainly, Its color was dark and smutty, and in 
every sense it appeared singular. On inquiry, I 
learned U was half chicken and half guinca- 
fowi. The cross may not be uncommon, but it 
was the first. I over saw. It was about as large 
as a Shanghai hew. 
-- 
Chicken Cholera.—The chickens arc dying in 
Orange, N. ol‘ a disease thought to be chol¬ 
era. After death the liver Is found swollen to 
an immense size. The, most successful remedy 
yet hoard of is sulphur mixed with the dough. 
-*-*-♦- 
Chicken Pox.— We have had several inquiries 
for u euro for chicken pox in fowls. We have 
always washed the sores with a stroTig solution 
of chloride of ixrtassium two or three times a day. 
Have never had it fall. 
-♦-*-*-- 
Will Shipped Eggs Ilaich f-I would like to in¬ 
quire of some one who knows from experience 
whether eggs that have been shipped will hatch 
or not?— A Subscriber, Springdale, Iowa. 
