1899 
THE RURAL 
new-yorker: 
ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS. 
How Rock Becomes Soil. 
The "hardheads” at Hope Farm, page 753, presuma¬ 
bly break down eventually to supply potash and other 
elements to the plants living near the dying rocks. 
Those of us who have been reared on the glacial 
drift know that stony farms are fertile, though not 
always popular. Where one can observe plants grow¬ 
ing on rock-bottom it is learned that soil is being 
formed—trees are the vigorous sappers and miners of 
the plant kingdom. Their roots push along rock fis¬ 
sures, and by their insistent growing, make the open¬ 
ing yet wider. The accompanying illustration, Fig. 
298, shows where trees are growing close to the edge 
of a little precipice made by a joint plane in the shale 
rock at Ithaca, N. Y. Roots were observed along the 
seams, having apparently come through s'ix feet of 
solid rock from the trees of which they are a part. 
It is plain that these trees get roothold below the 
surface soil, and it is likely that they draw food and 
moisture from the rock, which is for them a sub¬ 
stantial hardpan subsoil. In moist climates a very 
thin layer of detritus 'Is sufficient to serve as soil. I 
have noticed a little patch of moss and grasses grow¬ 
ing upon the flat outcropping of the shale. Upon 
stripping it up—it made resistance—it was seen to 
be a felted turf an inch in thickness. The under sur¬ 
face was white with fine roots, blind fingers groping 
for crannies in the rock and finding every one. The 
place on the rock was seen to be a little depressed and 
quite damp. Perhaps the depression gave the first- 
comers their chance, but the colony in possession 
had widened and deepened the place, for several frag¬ 
ments of the shale were found to have been fetched 
# 
away, when the turf was lifted. The roots had pried 
these off with the help of frost, heat and moisture, 
then grown around them. Even this thlin soil is 
growing; the old adage is reversed. The moss gath¬ 
ers the rock. iiowabd b. cannon. 
Drained Swamp; Blackberry Culture. 
There is about an acre in the whole piece. Last 
Spring, we were able to plow and plant the lower 
part (one-quarter of an acre) without draining. This 
yielded 20 bushels of the finest seed corn I have seen, 
thus far, this year. As I am obliged to hire all the 
work done, I can give you the exact items. There was 
a large oak tree in the middle of the swamp. 
Mowing of swamp grass. $1.25 
Cutting 11 rods of ditch at 40c. 4.40 
Cutting down tree and splitting wood, at 50c. a cord.. 3.00 
Filling ditch with stones. 2.00 
Plowing swamp . 1.50 
Total .$12.15 
Credit Side. . * 
Swamp hay for mulching strawberries. $2.00 
Six cords of wood at $1.00. 6.00 
Total . $8.00 
This makes cost but $4.15. Seems to me that is 
cheap for three-quarters of an acre of black muck 
land. About iy 2 foot below the surface one strikes 
gravelly ground. I sowed Canada peas among black¬ 
berries. This was in the old patch, about half an 
acre, the first patch of Snyders we evir set. Well, 
this Fall I have been trying another experiment with 
them. We mowed the whole patch with a scythe, 
raked up brush with a horse rake, burned brush, 
plowed between rows, plowing under pea vines, drag¬ 
ged crossways of the field and sowed with rye; will 
plow between the rows in time to plow under rye and 
seed with Crimson clover. By this means we have 
cleaned out all the grass and weeds in the rows. We 
shall give them a year’s rest, and hope to get a new 
vigorous growth-renewed fertility at less expense 
than setting a new bed. We have a fine new patch of 
Snyders that bore for the first time last year. In 
spite of heat and drought, they brought me about $90 
—clear of all expenses—a little over half an acre. 
Slaterville Springs, N. Y. 
The Secret of the “ Water Witch.” 
The article, Work of the Water Witch, on page 734, 
recalled an experience with on of these "diviners” 
while I was in the oil regions of Pennsylvania. We 
had sunk a number of “dry” wells, and one day an old 
man came to me with an order from our secretary 
to allow him to “locate” one or more wells for us, 
and to pay him $10 each for the service. I had no 
faith in the twig, but the order left me no recourse, 
so he went to work; walking backward and forward, 
each time the twig would turn he would say “Drive 
a stake thar.” I paid him $30. 
After he left I tried the thick, holding the twig as 
he had done, and with the same manipulation had the 
same results, finding it difficult to hold the point per¬ 
pendicular until I wished it to turn. Any one can 
do it. Select a forked twig of Witch hazel or peach; 
the branches the size of pipestems; grasp each branch 
with the hands, palm upwards, the fingers encircling 
the twigs, thumbs extended under the projecting 
ends; the hands will naturally seek a comfortable 
position, the thumb side rising; if the operator can 
keep the top from going down it will twist off or 
break at the little fingers. I noticed that the “di¬ 
viner,” in walking to and fro, always found the true 
location in little depressions, or gulleys, that could 
be traced from the top of the hill with smaller 
branches, like natural streams; this led me to think 
that Nature had marked on her bosom the place to 
look for the source of her greatest boon. In valleys 
water may be found anywhere. The “diviner” had, 
doubtless, found this out, and located accordingly. 
About nine years ago I built a house on the moun¬ 
tain-top, and “located” a well on this principle; after 
the diggers had gone down 3514 feet, 30 through blue 
trap, I discharged the men. No water in sight, but I 
had faith, for I had seen the water veins in the rock. 
Two months later two feet 11 inches of crystal water 
was there. It has constantly increased, and to-day, 
after our unprecedented drought, it contains 10 feet 
of water, and blesses five families whose wells are 
dry. b. f. o. 
New Jersey. 
End Posts in Wire Fence. 
In driving through the country one can but notice 
the little interest farmers take in having the end 
posts in their wire fences well set. Where you will 
see one set properly you will see several that have 
been poorly set, and the fence all out of shape. The 
beauty, if not the actual service of a wire fence de¬ 
pends almost entirely on the end posts; a few inches 
give at these points will make many rods of fence 
look tired. The end posts should be set at least 3% 
feet in the ground, and have three-inch planlc, eight 
HOW ROCK BECOMES SOIT.. Fig. 298. 
or 10 inches wide by two or three feet long, spiked 
firmly across near the bottom on the opposite side 
from the fence, another of the same near the surface 
across under the fence. This effectually prevents the 
post turning around, or lifting from the strain of the 
fence. Be sure to stamp the earth well when filling 
around the posts; when you think it has been tamped 
enough, glive it as much more, as there is no danger 
in getting the earth packed too solid. 
Now set another post about 10 or 12 feet from the 
end post, and if this is set the same way, so much 
the better. At any rate, it should be of good size, set 
at least three feet in the ground, and well tamped. 
Cut a good stout brace, so that it will fit in between 
the two posts, from a point near the ground at the 
brace post, and two-thirds the distance from the 
ground to the 'top of the fence, on the end post. When 
this is fastened in place, draw a good large wire, No. 
7 is none too large, around them from near the 
ground on the end post, to near the top of the fence 
on the brace post. Fasten both ends securely to¬ 
gether, and staple so as to prevent the wire from 
slipping up or down on the posts, then place the ham¬ 
mer or a stout stick between the wires and twist them 
into a cable until very tight. If no large wire is at 
hand, several strands of smaller wire will answer, 
providing the operator is very careful to get them all 
the same length before twisting, so that the strain 
will be equally divided. If the work be well done, the 
result will be an end that will hold any wire fence, 
and cannot possibly give so long as the cable does not 
break or stretch. Do not make a very common mis¬ 
take in placing the brace too high on the end post, as 
the high bracing many farmers use will not hold as 
well as When set low. Never set higher than two- 
thirds the height of fence; if any change is made, it 
should be lower. The higher the brace is set against 
the end post, the greater the tendency to lift when 
the heavy strain comes from drawing the wire. 
J. E. STEVENSON. 
799 
COLORED MEN AS EDUCATED FARMERS. 
The R. N.-Y. has often referred to the work done at 
the Tuskegee school for colored people. What becomes 
of the farm graduates? Is there any chance In the 
South for educated farm labor? Will the creameries 
employ colored buttermakers? These questions have 
often puzzled people who do not fully understand the 
Industrial situation at the South. Prof. G. W. Carver, 
of Tuskegee, sends this note, which indicates the way 
matters are turning: 
The demand for our students along agricultural and 
dairy lines is so great, that as yet I have been unable 
to keep any ol my students as long as I desired. Four 
have received certificates from the two years’ course 
in agriculture. One of these is in Indian Territory, 
managing a large farm of his own, and doing well, 
so much so that he sends his brother here to take the' 
same course of study, in order that he may assist him. 
Another is in Aikin, S. C., teaching agriculture and 
organizing farmers’ conferences, etc., in connection 
with the Schofield Negro and Indian School. His 
conference work is conducted much after the Tuske¬ 
gee plan. The president of the institution says that 
“he more than fills the bill,” and his salary is good. 
Another is holding a similar position in an agricul¬ 
tural school at Christianburg, Va. He began his work 
with $35 a month and expenses, with a promised rise 
as soon as warranted; he is giving entire satisfaction. 
One of my undergraduates has complete charge of 
one of the largest dairies in Florida. His employer 
says that he turns out the best dairy products in all 
Florida, and likes him so well that he has raised his 
wages and does not wish him to return to school. 
For two years another of my graduates has been con¬ 
nected with the Elgin butter works at Rockford, Ill., 
holding a trustworthy and paying position. One 
young man was with me last year for six months 
only, and is now receiving $35 a month in this same 
dairy. 
Mr. Isaac Ross, president of the Alabama Dairy¬ 
men’s Association, writes in the Southern Dairyman 
thus: “Mark my prediction, that Booker T. Washing¬ 
ton’s negro school at Tuskegee will furnish more 
competent men in a very few years from now than 
any school in the South, white or colored. I would 
have no trouble in placing 20 men at good salaries at 
once, if I had them, and the demand is steadily in¬ 
creasing.” 
FARMING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. 
On page 622 of The R. N.-Y. for September 2 we gave 
a picture of a weeder outfit on a British Columbia farm. 
Several of the tools were fastened together, so as to 
cover a wide section of the field. Farming In that coun¬ 
try is a wholesale business. To show how different it la 
from the operations in older sections, we give this letter 
from a subscriber: 
We work about 500 acres of land that is not sur¬ 
passed in fertility, pleasure of working and conveni¬ 
ent situation, by any land I have seen. To enable us 
to have work during the whole season, we keep about 
30 cows, and sell the milk in the town. This, as most 
people well know, gives plenty of work the year 
around. We Summer-fallow about 100 acres each 
year, on which we put our manure direct from the 
stables every day but Sunday. This Summer-fallow 
furnishes the pasture for our cows, as all our land is 
cultivated. We plow. Summer-fallow early and turn, 
after which we sow to wheat for pasture. This sup¬ 
plies the cows until the corn is ready, or the frost 
kills the young plants. We enclose the fallow with a 
wire fence, which is removed to another portion the 
following year. Our last year’s Summer-fallow gave 
us 25 bushels per acre of No. 1 hard wheat, and 18 
acres on which we grew corn last year gave us 30 
bushels per acre this season. The remainder of the 
wheat crop only averaged 17 bushels, and we should 
be glad to be able to use more corn. 
The ordinary farming is by plowing in Fall; we 
have six teams at work to-day turning the stubble 
under. In early Spring we harrow, and sow 1% 
bushel wheat with press drill, after which we cross¬ 
harrow and go over twice with weeders. We cut with 
Deering binders, using three; thrash from the stook 
as soon as dry enough. Wheat goes direct to ele¬ 
vator (half mile distant) from thrashing machine. 
The straw is piled up with a cyclone stacker on the 
thrasher, and the portion not required for stock is 
burnt as soon as the machine pulls away from the 
stack. The thrasher furnishes all help, boards men, 
and gives us the grain in bags, charging 6% cents 
per bushel. 
This finishes the season, and we begin to plow again 
for another year. We mostly work four-horse teams, 
but find three a convenient team. We use Farmer’s 
handy wagons. Success potato diggers, and Planet Jr. 
scuffiers, in fact, a R. N.-Y. outfit, and work our teams 
from seven until six, with one hour noon, when we 
are busy seeding or harvesting, but from eight until 
five at jobs like Summer-fallowing, and the men who 
milk quit at five always, put their teams away, and 
milk until six, or until finished. 
