other to tighten by means of a wrench or a 
thumb-screw. The common quilting frame 
clamps would answer very nicely. If a survey 
has beeu previously made, and the depth at 
each point is given, the cross-bars are set. by 
measuring up from the surface so as to l>o a 
uniform distance from the bottom. They 
should be seven or eight feet apart, where 
they will not interfere with tile laying. Over 
the center of the ditch on the cross bars pull 
the line: with a stick whose length is equal to 
the hight of the line above the bottom, say 
seven or eight feet, the bottom can bo readily 
tested. 
If no survey has been previously made, we 
can use those to determine the fall und the 
grade line. For instance, at 1 in Fig. 200, we 
set our first cross-bar and stakes, say so as to 
give a depth of four feet. 
At the farthest distance that can be seen we 
is any current whatever, sand may be washed 
out clean by a flush of water. It is a good 
thing in such soils to keep a long iron rod in 
the tile, to be worked ahead occasionally to 
prevent the sand from settling on the sides of 
the tilo. l'lio joints of tile in quick-sand and 
muck should he made as close us possible; for 
this purpose a wrapping of tarred paper is 
excellent. Collars might in such soils servo a 
good purpose. Where the soils will stand well, 
the tiles can be laid from the surface with 
good results. A pole with an iron pin and stop, 
long enough to hold one tile, is commonly 
used. 
Fig. 2H1 is a view of the instrument usually 
used for this purpose. A much better arrange¬ 
ment is shown in use in Fig. 202. The rod on 
which the pipes are strung is sufficiently long 
to hold six tiles, and be inserted six or eight 
inches in those previously laid. They can be 
by rinss & bons. Sibley & Co., in their cata 
loguos of 1888-‘84, claim It to have been ‘-hy¬ 
bridized” by C. Cl. Pringle, of Vermont, and 
because they and Mr. Andruss both claimed it 
to ha vo been grown from seed hybridized by 
Air. Pringle, we included it. in our circular of 
novelties which had originated with us. At 
the time he sold the potato, Mr Alexander 
supposed it to have come from the seed which 
he bought from Bliss * Sons; but, later, lie 
found, upon examining his records, that it was 
one that he bad originated himself. Mr. A. 
did not inform us of this until our list had 
been scut out, and our claim wasmade ingood 
faith, upon the authority of Hiram Sibley & 
Co. and Mr. Andruss. 
Charlotte. Vt. f, h. horsford. 
nan eaten oua=, maae one feel like passing 
another way. The rose louse, red spider, 
slugs, and caterpillars are now somewhat un¬ 
der oar control. 
We are using the kerosene emulsion in this 
way-—Equal parts of sour milk and kerosene 
arc poured iu a two-gallon demijohn, and 
shaken for some time, the longer, the hotter. 
Then six parts of water are added, and the 
whole is well shaken before used. The re¬ 
servoir of our bellows is filled with this, and 
it is sprayed upon the plants the same as if one 
were blowing a fire. 
The pyrethram may be blown through 
bellows or applied iu a liquid form, in the 
same way as the kerosene emulsion is used. 
We dissolve a quarter of a pound of Buhach 
(California pyrethruru) in half a pint of alco¬ 
hol. To this three gallons of water are added. 
The powder has been tried on currant hushes 
w ith much the same effect as hellebore, except 
that the worms are not always killed, though 
they drop from the leaves at once. Confined 
in boxes, the worms died in 24 hours. A lot 
of potato beetles and currant worms were 
placed in a box, and the kerosene emulsion 
was sprayed upon them in the evening. The 
next morning half of the worms were dead; 
the others moved a little. Three-quarters of 
the beetles seemed dead, the others moved 
their logs, though unable to crawl- At 
night t he worms were dead, while most of the 
beetles were recovering. Cabhage fleas and 
lice (aphides) are driven off and most of them 
killed by either the kerosene emulsion or the 
Buhach, dry or liquid. When, however, the 
leaves curl over und shelter them, we have 
found both powder and liquids ineffectual—at 
any rate we can speak for the lice found upon 
ch rry trees and currant bushes. Our cab¬ 
bages lust year were kept free of the worm by 
occasional applications of the Buhach powder, 
extended with plash: 
THE EFFECT OF TIIE WINTER ON 
FRUIT TREES IN CENTRAL IOWA. 
Now that; all new growth is miahiner ranidlv 
set another cross-bar and stakes, so as to give 
us the required depth at that point, say three 
feet. To fiud the fall between these two, wo 
have only to sight over a level of any con¬ 
struction, from over first cross-bar to our 
lost, aud measure the distance of the in¬ 
tersection of this sight lino to our cross-liar; 
this last method is a rough one, and will only 
serve t,o show whether we have any fall or 
not. After we find there is sufficient fall be¬ 
tween the two cross-bars by sighting, any 
numborof intermediate ones can lie set, and 
accurately too. Leave these in until the tiles 
are laid under any given one, aud you will 
find your work done with all the accuracy 
needed, and in very much less time than if 
you hail attempted any method which depend¬ 
ed on leveling the bottom itself. This method 
will substitute certainty for uncertainty, and 
give you success, where by laying tile by the 
laid and the joints wrapped, if neecessai-y, 
while on the pin. After the tiles are laid, they 
are at once covered sufficiently to hold them 
firmly in place, and the pin is pulled out witli 
the rope attached to it. An old scythe handle 
is the best form for the handle to tho long pin. 
The diameter of the pin should be such us to 
slip into the tilo easily, hut not much smaller. 
In filling, care must be taken, when the dirt is 
first thrown iu, not to move the tiles laterally. 
After they are covered to a depth of about a 
foot, if tho ground is sufficiently solid, tho fill¬ 
ing can be done with a team and scraper very 
cheaply. Use a long chain and keep the 
scraper on one side and tho team on tho other, 
After trying about every way, I feel safe in 
saying that this is tho only satisfactory way. 
mi » immuu'- , *.n y i i 
Wirk Cover for Small Plants. Fig. 204. 
cult. There were two weeks of steady cold 
weather, with dry winds in the latter part of 
January. Luring this time the bark on young 
apple trees in the nursery was badly shriveled, 
looking as it does on branches that have been 
cut an«l allowed to dry for some time. Except 
in color, the young branches resembled, aud 
would break like, dead twigs. The whole ex¬ 
ternal appearance was that, of dead trees. It 
is the cold air and dry winds which produce 
this result, and prevent us from successfully 
transplanting trees iu the Fall. In the 
January cold snup the fruit buds of the 
cherries were injured, Of the immense num¬ 
ber of Early and Late Richmond flower-buds 
that had formed last Kail, lass thun 10 per 
cent grew this Spring, and the largest part 
of these dropped. The few Morcllos on the 
ground have done even worse. Their fruit 
buds were all killed, and, altogether, I have 
seen but two cherries On these trees. Tho two 
young spoolmens of the Leib Cherry are in a 
nice, healthy condition; but have not pro- 
r. The Tent Caterpillars 
are set perfectly crazy by the faiuest whiff of 
the Buhach, and drop from the branches to the 
ground. Whether they recover or not, we 
cannot say further than that in our tests they 
did not return to the trees. Blown iu a room, 
every fly or mosquito drops to the floor iu a 
few minutes, and may be swept out. We are 
experimenting every day, and hope soon to 
give our readers more explicit information. 
The above notes are hastened before them in 
the hopes they may bo turned to useful ac¬ 
count at once. 
WIRE OITARD FOR SMALL PLANTS. 
We are indebted to Mr. B. W. Ramsden 
eye or running water you would be likely to 
fail. 
LAYING THE TILE. 
It is not a good plan, unless the bottom is 
unusually hard, to walk in tho ditch after it 
has been prepared for the tilo. If tiles are 
laid by hand, the better way is to keep about 
one foot of earth filled over the tiles, and 
standing on that reach over and lay tho tiles. 
This gives an excellent position for using tho 
push-and-pull tile scoop, and iu sandy or 
mucky soils when the tiles laid need frequent 
cleaning by band, it is certainly the best 
method. The bottom is tested in advance by 
measuring from the overhead string to see 
of Rockford. HI., for nsketch of the guard for 
small plants illustrated iu Fig. 204 Mr. Rams¬ 
den writes: “This guard for peas and all 
small plants is an effectual protection against 
the depredations of birds, mice, chickens, etc. 
By covering it with gauze it forms a com¬ 
plete protection from bugs. It is made 
of half Inch mesh wire, 12 inches wide, and 
round galvanized iron rods IK inches long. 
Weave the rods into the wire, one every 12 
inches. (Bee 1.) 1 make the guards in sec¬ 
tions M(i inches long, as that length is easily 
handled. When bent, it is as shown in 2 of 
Fig. 204. For the ends I use a wire door, as 
illustrated by 0 in the same figure.” 
1 ofm (tc.onomtj 
CONSTRUCTION OF UNDER-DRAINS, 
PROF. It C. CARPENTER 
As already noticed in a previous place, this 
part requires much care. It is usually neces¬ 
sary to test the bottom of the ditch in advance 
of laying the tile, aud also every tile after 
it is laid. As this work will be a permanent 
job, if done well, no pains should be spared 
in laying the tile, which is the least laborious 
part of the work. 
My method is—i 
be tried to be adopted by all 
and this method has only to 
_ _ l—to stretch a 
strong cord about three teet above the 
ground, and get this parallel to the required 
grade, as shown in Fig. 200. Now by support¬ 
ing this striug at intervals of :J0 leet (see Fig, 
200), the variation from line is insignificant, 
aud by measuring down the required distance 
one can determine the correct bottom of the 
ditch with exceeding accuracy and with great 
celerity. This method of preserving a true 
line for the tde I wish to call particular atten¬ 
tion to: for it may be used not only to pre¬ 
serve the grade liue, but to secure it, and hence 
be a substitute for a line of levels. Fig. 200 
shows, I think, quite clearly, how the string 
is carried, tho stakes or posts are driven on 
opposite sides of the ditch, aud then connected 
with a cross-bar. This cross-bar should be 
arranged so that either end can be raised so 
as to be made truly level. For this purpose 
three forms of clamps are shown iu detail at 
A, B and C. These, 1 think, will be under¬ 
stood without explanation. The clamp is 
formed by merely sawing a slot in the cross 
bar, in which slip the upright stake; two bolts 
are put through, one to prevent splitting; the 
Yorker 
■mm 
that the grade line is correct, and each tile is 
tested after being laid. In peaty or mucky 
soils great care is necessary that the ditch be 
not excavated too deep. No lilliug will give as 
good a bottom as the original undisturbed 
muck. It might be a good plan to excavate 
several inches below the grade lino and fill to 
the grade with gravel; but this is hardly ueces- 
sai‘y. In quick-sand, the side pressure Is more 
likely to cause the tiles to rise, aud the ditch 
should be filled at once to hold the tiles down. 
No board should be used for bottom in either 
case. In quick-sand no alarm need be felt if 
the tile fills one half or three-fourths full of 
sand when the work is progressing. If there 
ORIGIN OF THE DAKOTA RED POTATO. 
Iu a lute Rural Is a statement, to the effect 
that there are three who claim to be the origi¬ 
nators of the Dakota Red Potato, and 1 take 
this opportunity to explain this state of things 
so far as Pringle & Horsford are concerned: 
Mr. Alexander, of Charlotte, Vt., sold the 
Dakota lied to W. P. Andruss, of Rochester, 
N. Y., as a new seedling which he had raised 
from Pringle’s hybridized potato seed, sold 
