1904 . 
TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
555 
THE ESSENTIALS OF TILE DRAINING. 
Part I. 
There are two genera! classes of land requiring nndcr- 
drainage, and there are few farms on which one or tl;c 
other of these conditions do not .occur. There arc the 
“springy” spots, where the water from higher ground 
comes up from beneath, as well as by the surface. They 
are usually unfit for cultivation, and would not be if 
they did not lie surrounded by tillable lands. The way 
to go at these spots when draining them is to cut a 
ditch between the wet portions and the bottom of the 
slope, and, in a rainy time, to watch where the principal 
veins come to the surface and tap them with drains. 
There is another class of lands whose need of drainage 
is not so obvious, but which, nevertheless, show a 
wonderful improvement when underlaid with tile. They 
arc the flat lands where the water has no easy way of 
getting off. They are regularly cropped, but scarcely a 
season passes but that the crop is cut short by adverse 
water conditions. The soil is perhaps of a close, clayey 
nature, through which water movements are slow. Sur¬ 
face drainage will do something for these fields, but for 
their complete reclamation the means must be applied 
whereby the water level can be kept down, and an ex¬ 
cessive fall of rain be got out of the way before it can 
do injury to the crops, Such soils are warmed and 
ameliorated by a system of under-drainage and by im¬ 
provement in the water circulation; not only is the 
surplus water got out of the way more quickly, but in 
dry times more moisture will move towards the sur¬ 
face where the plant roots may get it. 
It is usually the case that those lands needing under¬ 
drainage possess more inherent fertility 
than the other portions of the farm. Less 
plant food has been taken away by the liar 
vest removed. Greater deposits of mineral 
salts occur where water evaporates, rather 
than percolates to the subsoil, and the soil 
has become filled with vegetable matter by 
the growth and decay of water-loving 
grasses and weeds. 
LOCATION AND SIZE Ob' TILE. - 
No one can tell so well about locating the 
drains as the farmer who has cultivated the 
place and is familiar with the various fields 
and their behavior as to the water supply. 
It is not often the case that any complete 
system of drainage is planned and executed 
at once by the farmer. More likely lie will 
start by deepening some open ditch and 
laying a line of tile to reclaim some wet 
place which it is almost impracticable to 
cultivate. In most cases, however, the bene¬ 
fits of this beginning will be so signal and 
gratifying that the work will be extended 
from lime t<> time, as means and oppor¬ 
tunity permit. This method of procedure is 
all right provided the farmer looks forward 
to it. on the start and gets the assistance of 
some experienced drainage engineer to lay 
out a proper system and to begin properly. 
The line of tile he lays in the wet place 
will be the main of the future system, should 
be straight rather than follow too closely 
the lay of the ground, and should be laid 
with larger tile than what immediate needs demand. In 
general for farm drainage the size of tile in the mains 
should be four inches, and laterals, if long, 2/< to three 
inches. Short laterals and the upper portions of long 
laterals may be two inches, the size of the tile always 
depending upon the amount of surface to be drained, 
and the fall that can be obtained. It is sometimes desir¬ 
able to drain Hats where no greater fall can be had than 
l inch per loo feet, and in such a case no smaller 
tile should be laid than four-inch, and they should be 
put down with the greatest care. 
DISTANCE APART AND DEPTH.—This is a 
matter which does not admit of any definite answer, 
being dependent upon the texture of the soil, the subsoil, 
the slope of the ground and rainfall. In clay soils, 
through which the water moves slowly, it is generally 
recommended to lay :t() to 40 feet apart, and at a depth 
of three feet. This distance apart may be increased to 
too or 150 feet in more open soils. I have found it to 
work well in practice to lay the drains about double the 
distance apart that is usually recommended. It meets 
with the approval of those who are footing the bills, and 
/ future Jesuits will determine the advisability of put¬ 
ting in another row between. The benefits resulting 
from this plan are proportionate to the lessened cost of 
the work, and a little more so. Drains HO feel apart in 
a clay soil may not quickly take away all the surplus 
water lying between, but the general water level will be 
lowered much sooner than where there are no drains at 
all, and a subsequent rain will be disposed of more 
quickly in consequence. In recommending depth to dig, 
those who write on the subject do not give prominence 
enough to the factor of subsoil. It is quite often the case 
that at a depth of 20 inches to two feet there is a stratum 
of impervious clay subsoil, and in this case it is a useless 
expense to make the ditch three to four feet in depth. 
Divide this depth by two and double the number of the 
drains, and results will be better and expense will be 
less, as the last half of the ditch on the bottom is much 
more expensive to dig and will more than overbalance 
the extra number of tile required. In speaking of depth 
of the ditch, average depth is always meant, and the 
ditch will be deeper at some points than at others. The 
grade line should be always straight, a point which is 
sometimes neglected by the “rule-of-thumb” ditchers. 
GRANT DAVIS. 
TEACHING A MAN TO MILK. 
What la the host way to teach a man to milk ? This may 
I)e a comparatively easy matter when one has old, quiet and 
(trying-off cows for him to practice on, but as I am situated 
I only have one good Jersey In full milk, and I fear the 
results If I turn him loose on her. j. w. FORD. 
Hrltlsh Columbia. 
From the letter one would perhaps assume that the 
inquirer did not know how to milk himself. If so it 
will be a little difficult to teach anyone else, but if lie 
knows the principle nr theory Ihe practice will soon 
make perfect. From the way some men who have been 
milking (?) cows for years go at il one would be led 
to think they had never got hold of the theory. Yank¬ 
ing the cow’s teat is not milking, and good milkers do 
not pull the teats, and move them but very little. The 
milk works down into the teat during the process of 
milking, and a little muscle known as the sphincter 
contracts and stops the milk from running out of its 
own accord. If we simply took hold of the teat and 
squeezed it instead of forcing the milk out we should 
probably force it back up into the udder, and this is 
wliat happens usually to the new milker. What we 
want to do is to prevent the milk from going back into 
the udder, and force it into the pail. In milking we 
grasp the teat with the full hand, and usually the thumb 
will encircle the teat and he just above the forefinger. 
Then we close on the teat with the thumb and forefin¬ 
ger; this slops the milk from going hack into the udder, 
then we close with the second, third and little fingers 
one after the other, and as the forefinger and thumb 
prevented the milk from going hack and the pressure 
of the others is enough to force the milk out by ex¬ 
panding or opening the muscle at the bottom of the teat, 
the milk flows into the pail. It is unnecessary to stick 
the nails into the teat, as so many do, but better to en¬ 
circle all possible of the teat with the fingers. There 
are really two motions in milking; a slight up and down 
motion that brings the milk from the udder into the 
teat, and this doesn’t mean pulling the teat; then the 
motion of contracting in order the fingers that forces 
the milk out of the teat. If one could get hold of one 
or two Small’s calf feeders that were at one time on 
the market the man could practice to his heart’s con¬ 
tent, and could get milking down fine without drying 
up the cow or spoiling her disposition. These had nip¬ 
ples of good size, and working on similar principle 
to the cow’s teat. We should rather hesitate to let a 
greenhorn try a new milch cow, as they are not apt to 
milk clean or quick enough, so that il has a tendency 
to dry up the cow. If the man is impatient or ill tem¬ 
pered he may demoralize the cow before he learns how 
to milk her. The poor milker may he blamed for many 
nervous or troublesome cows. h. o. m. 
AMERICAN APPLE CONSUMERS' LEAGUE. 
I'he following letter from the Pomological Depart¬ 
ment of the St. Louis Exposition has been received: 
I have an Inquiry from the Conca d’Oro-Chlnsso Fruit 
Commission and Export House, Chlasso, Switzerland, for a 
copy of the constitution and by-laws of the League of Apple 
Consumers, and have written them telling them I tint I have 
asked you to send them a copy, as you are the original 
charier member of Hits organization. Address Hoclela Agru 
maria della Conca d’Oro, Chlasso, Switzerland. 
.HUIN T. STINSON. 
All we can do is to tell the story of the origin of the 
League. Its great success has been partly due to the 
fact that it has no written constitution and only one by 
law. Six years ago the writer entered a well-known 
restaurant. He was “apple hungry," and called for a 
baked apple without looking at the bill of fare. As we 
remember it, about the following dialogue was spoken: 
“We ain’t got no apple.” 
“What, no baked apple? I thought this was a first- 
class restaurant!” 
“Sorry, Boss, but we ain’t got no apple!” 
Pretty soon the manager approached. 
“I hope there is nothing wrong with the food,” be 
said. 
“I am fond of baked apple-—T prefer it to pie or pud 
ding. There arc others who want it. You ought to 
serve apples. It will pay you to do so.” 
A few days later, on visiting the restaurant, we found 
this line written on the bill of fare: 
Baked Apples and Cream, to cents. 
The dish quickly became a standard one. Hundreds 
Called for it, and before long plates of baked apples ap¬ 
peared in the windows as an advertisement. 
'The success o! the little experiment led to 
the formation of the American Apple Con 
sumers’ League. We called attention to it 
in The R. N.-Y., and asked for volunteers 
who would agree to call for apple in some 
form when eating a dinner at a public table. 
The idea took well, and soon hundreds of 
people were “talking apple.” The writer 
spoke of the League at a meeting of the 
Western New York Horticultural Society. 
The members found that it was practically 
impossible to find a baked apple at a Roches¬ 
ter hotel. They “talked apple,” however, 
and at the next meal the apples came on 
piping hot. Before this League was started 
few, if any, leaning hotels served baked 
apple for breakfast. Now it is made a spe¬ 
cialty, and careful investigation proves that 
the majority of guests prefer a good apple 
to an orange, This serving of apples is (In¬ 
direct result of the constant and emphatic 
call for them which members of the League 
have made. At a meeting of commercial 
travelers this idea of “talking apple” was 
suggested. The "knights of the gripsack” 
saw the point at once, and they have proved 
worthy members of the League. 
No constitution of the League has ever 
been necessary. There are no dues or as¬ 
sessments ; it has never been necessary to 
hold a meeting. 'I he following pledge lias 
been suggested: 
“/is a member of the American Apple Consumers' 
League, l agree to eat, during the season, the equiva¬ 
lent of two good apples daily. / agree that apples shall 
be found daily on my own table, and whenever l eat a 
meal at any public table l agree to call for apple in some 
form. Should apple be missing from the bill of fare 
I will do my best to show the landlord that it is to liis 
best interests to put it there!” 
It is easy to see that the objects of the American 
Apple Consumers’ League are patriotic and business¬ 
like. Ihe apple is the standard American fruit. In¬ 
creased consumption not only brings money to country 
districts, brings new sections of country into profitable 
business, but reduces competition for other food pro¬ 
ducers. Good apples are health promoters, and an in¬ 
creased consumption of lliis fruit will surely help to 
keep the people healthier and happier. While the League 
has already accomplished much,- its work lias hardly be¬ 
gun, and every man, woman and child who loves an 
apple should take its pledge at once. There is a vast 
field for the League among our 80,000,000 people. 
When the idea was first suggested most people smiled, 
and thought it a good joke. The joke has now become 
a very serious business, for this persistent calling for 
apples has more than doubled the restaurant trade in 
this city alone. It is now becoming fashionable to eat 
an apple, and the good old country plan of bringing up 
from the cellar a pan or basket of fruit for the evening 
consumption is being adopted in the cities. The time 
seems to have come for a thorough organization of the 
League -with officers and possibly some form of con¬ 
stitution or agreement. The writer is satisfied with act¬ 
ing as “Original Charter Member.” He will leave the 
organization to abler hands. 
HYBRIDS OF ROSA WICIIIJRAJANA MUCH REDUCED IN SIZE. 
Fig. 2411. See Ruralisms, Page 558. 
