742 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
October 14, 
WATER SUPPLY FOR THE FARM. 
Will you give me some advice about a well which I had 
drilled on a hill as iu Fig. 315? 1 want to syphon the water, 
if possible, to the house. If this cannot be done will you 
suggest the cheapest and best way to get the water to the 
buildings? I have a spring at the foot of the hill where I 
have it piped to the buildings but in a dry season it fails. 
When driest the water in the well is 67 feet deep, but is 
now 82 feet when it is wet, the well being 113 feeet deep. 
Pennsylvania. J. n. o. 
It is not possible, from the information given, to 
know what the geological structure is where the well 
is located. I have made a rough diagram, correspond¬ 
ing in a general way with the sketch enclosed by him, 
and have assumed that the hill which is represented is 
a uniform sandstone, which is open and water-bearing, 
or a sand and gravel formation into which the water 
readily sinks. If the geological structure is anything 
corresponding to these conditions, and the water stands 
in the well permanently between the levels of 67 and 
82 feet above the bottom, and if the spring, which I 
have supposed to be located where marked in the dia¬ 
gram, flows nearly all of the time, it would be reason¬ 
able to suppose that the ground water level between 
the well and the spring may flucuatc between the lines 
so marked in the diagram. With the level of the water 
in the well on the hill ranging from 31 to 46 feet below 
the surface there is no possibility of syphoning the 
water over the top of the well, as the syphon will not 
work continuously through a height much greater than 
nine feet; it is probably also out of the question either 
to dig or tunnel from the brow of the hill to the well 
at such a level as would permit a syphon to be used. 
There seems no alternative, if the water in this well is 
to be used, except to put in some pumping arrangement. 
With the elevation of the well there is probably a 
good wind exposure, and a reservoir cistern could read¬ 
ily be constructed below’ frost near the well, where the 
water could be stored and allowed to w’aste back into 
the well when full. This arrangement would require 
conveying the w'ater 400 feet through a pipe, which 
would be quite expensive when the necessary digging to 
place the pipe below frost line is taken into consider¬ 
ation wdth the cost of the pipe itself. 
If the structure of the hill is such as we have sup¬ 
posed, and the contour is as outlined, it would be very 
much cheaper either to tunnel into the hill or to dig 
a well far enough down the side of the hill so that 
the w’ater in the well could have been syphoned out of 
it, as your correspondent evidently contemplated doing. 
In view of the utilization of the water from the spring, 
w’hich is capable of supplying w-ater part of the year, 
it is worthy of investigation to see whether it is not 
feasible to increase the capacity of the spring itself un¬ 
til it will meet the needs. 1 f the w’ater coming from 
the spring has its source in the body of ground water 
which the well penetrates, it*is not improbable that the 
digging of a well three to four feet in diameter, 10 or 
12 feet deep, might increase the capacity and perma¬ 
nency of the spring so as to make it sufficient. If deep¬ 
ening it in this way does not accomplish the purpose 
then digging a ditch nearly horizontally into the hill 
15 or 20 feet back from the spring, or as far as this 
could be done economically, should increase the capacity 
of the spring, provided the ground w’ater surface rises 
rapidly backward from the spring, as is suggested by 
the level of the water in the well, and indicated by the 
line in the diagram marked ‘‘ground water surface in 
dry season.” 
To ascertain whether the conditions indicated in the 
diagram really exist, and whether it w'ould be feasi¬ 
ble to increase the capacity of the spring as has been 
suggested, it would be necessary, or desirable, to ex¬ 
plore for water in the direction indicated. If the ma¬ 
terial is loose and of the nature of soil or sand, this 
could be most readily done with the aid of an auger 
provided with an extension handle. An ordinary wood 
auger, cutting a l 1 / or two-inch hole, will answer this 
purpose if the ground is not too stony or gravelly. If 
it is found in this way that a supply of water is possi¬ 
ble, which would drain directly out of the ground, then 
after the trench had been dug ordinary tile could be 
laid in the bottom of it leading to the spring reservoir 
and the trench filled in. If too much digging is re¬ 
quired to reach the distance at which water will flow 
out directly, and the exploration indicates that a dis¬ 
tance of 20 or 30 feet more would realize the condi¬ 
tions, it w’ould not be impracticable to drive a perfor¬ 
ated pipe into the hill beyond the end of the ditch, pro¬ 
vided the material is not rock or very stony. A piece 
of tw’O-inch pipe perforated with one-eighth-inch holes, 
w'hich could be done with a nail-bit at the shop, could 
be driven back quite readily at least the full length of 
such a piece of pipe. It is quite possible that even a 
smaller pipe—say an inch and a quarter—would answer, 
and the working of it back would be facilitated by pro¬ 
viding it with a shoe, causing it to cut a hole a little 
larger than the outside of the pipe, reducing the fric¬ 
tion on the outer wall of the pipe thereby as much as 
possible. It would, of course, be necessary to remove 
the dirt from the interior of the pipe as it is driven 
forward, but this could be readily done with a long, 
narrow scoop attached to the end of a slender rod like 
the steel piston rod of an ordinary pump. 
If it is not practicable to reach the water in this way, 
so that it shall flow out directly, it may be possible, 
after digging horizontally as far as practicable* to sink 
a well at this point and reach a sufficient supply of 
water at such a level that a pipe may be laid in it so as 
to syphon the water out. If, however, the well has 
been drilled into hard or fissured rock instead of such 
a material as supposed, the suggestions made will not 
be likely to be applicable. So, too. if the spring which 
has been used gets its supply of water from some other 
higher ground than supposed; or. if the water comes 
from a deep fissure which leads from more distant sup¬ 
ply, then even deepening the spring would not be likely 
to affect its capacity in any material way. 
_ F. H. KING. 
“THIS WORM HAS FEATHERS.” 
Under this heading the daily papers have printed the 
following note: 
ASHEVILLE, X. C., Sept. 19;—A feathered worm has 
made its appearance in different parts of the State, and a 
number of people have been made very ill by its bite. The 
Insect is not unlike a white earth worm, but has a covering 
of brown down, similar to that of a young bird. Its bite 
is so poisonous that iti a few seconds after receiving the 
wound the victim swells enormously and displays symptoms 
not unlike those of snake bite. The worm feeds on maple 
trees and rose hushes. Its presence on the latter accounts 
for the number of women victims. No one is able to classify 
the insect. Several specimens are being prepared for ship¬ 
ment to Washington for examination to establish its identity. 
The following good guess about this creature is made 
by Prof. Slingerland 
“This doubtless refers to a caterpillar, which is ‘first 
cousin, to the ones pictured. The picture, Fig. 316, 
represents the caterpillars of the Crinkled flannel-moth, 
scientifically known as Lagoa crispata. The more com¬ 
mon species in the South, and the one doubtless referred 
to in the clipping, is Lagoa opercularis. Nearly every 
CATERPILLAR OF CRINKLED FLANNEL MOTH. Fig. 316. 
year I receive accounts of people being serioush in¬ 
jured by these harmless, downy-looking, pussy-like cat¬ 
erpillars. They do not bite, but underneath the downy- 
like, hairy covering there are many short, sharp bristles 
or spines, which are easily detached, so that when per¬ 
sons touch or handle the creatures some of the spines 
often work into the skin and act something like a bee 
sting. I doubt if there are any authentic records of 
people having been killed by them, but sometimes the 
arm swells nearly full. It is astonishing what tales the 
newspaper reporters concoct regarding strange insects, 
and it is not often so easy to make a good guess as to 
just what insects they are talking about, as it is in this 
case.” 
SOD CULTURE AND RESULTS FROM IT. 
I have picked 4,000 baskets of peaches, with mariy 
now on the trees; have sent to cold storage about 900 
barrels of No. 1 Greenings, arid will have about 1,000 
barrels of the finest Ben Davis I have ever seen. I 
have also picked and stored 75 barrels Haas, the same 
number of Wealthy and Gravenstein, about the same 
of York Iiriperial; almost ready to pick Winesap. about 
100 barrels; Baldwin, 5&0 barrels; Wagener, 100 bar¬ 
bels: The remainder is made up of King, Rome Beauty 
and Sutton. All this from an orchard seven, eight and 
nine yeabs old. All but the Haas can be picked with 
an eight or 10-foot step-ladder. So much has been 
said in The R. N.-Y. as to culture on sod, I have been 
tempted many times to giVe my views, but thought I 
would wait for results I have them in both conditions, 
and will now seed them all down to grass. Last year 
the orchards that were in grass nearly filled a barn 
50 by 30, with posts 10 feet high, with hay; this year 
the same fields cut nearly as much, making the third 
crop of hay taken from these orchards, not counting a 
second crop taken the first year they were mown. The 
difference in apples from sod or cultivated ground is 
mostly color, those from sod being much finer color. 
These orchards were sprayed in April with lime and 
Sulphur for scale and immediately after the blossoms 
fell with Paris-green and lime, no Bordeaux being 
used. C. R. 
Orange C., N. Y ± _ 
HIGH PRICES FOR CONSUMERS. 
If S. Friedlender, page 695, would get up a little 
earlier in the morning and go to market he would at 
least get fresh vegetables at reasonable prices, or if 
he would come to Long Island to live, for the same 
rent he would have a nice little house with some 
ground to make a garden Why do so many stay in 
the East Side? hie could have a few chickens, too, 
also ducks, geese, turkeys, etc.; fresh air. good neigh¬ 
bors, schools, churches. When he wants vegetables and 
fruits he does not go to the market place. The Italians 
who keep stands, also the large stores, do not do business 
for fun; they have to go to the market early, while the 
customer sleeps sound, yet they have to pay rent for 
their stands and stores. If there is so much profit, why 
does not he go into vegetable business himself and 
get rich? henri beaulieu. 
ALL HAVE THEIR TROUBLES.—S. Friedlaender, 
page 695, seems to have been having troubles of his 
own in eating vegetables, as well as the man at the 
other end of the line, who never becomes a millionaire, 
raising them. About August 25 I sent to a New York 
commission man 12 half-barrel baskets of apples. We 
measure all kinds of fruits and vegetables here by the 
54-bushel peach pasket, and these half-barrel baskets 
hold two or a little over of peach baskets. I received 
$1 each for three and 65 cents each for the remainder. 
They were all nice, sound, hand-picked apples, but the 
yellow ones, although the better of the two, only sold 
for 65 cents, while the red brought $1. At the rate Mr. 
Friedlaender paid for his they should have sold for 
about $6 each. So you can see the dealer must have 
made a living profit. To be exact and allow for shrink¬ 
age and measuring out in small quantities they would 
have brought $4 or $5 anyway. His price for peaches 
was not so high if he got good ones. The best have 
sold in New York for $3.50 to $4.50 per carrier of six 
baskets at times the past season, but the majority have 
sold for much less than half in many instances. Here 
are prices we have been receiving this season for most 
of oiir stuff at the station here! White potatoes, large¬ 
ly 12'/ 2 cents, though some brought 25; sweet, now 15, 
have sold for 30; watermelons, best lO'/L fair seven 
to eight; cantaloupes, in New York. 65 cents to $3 per 
crate; tomatoes have been high for us, owing to short 
crop. Prices have been from 15 to 35 cents per §4 
basket right at the station. They usually sell for 10. 
Eggs now 22 cents per dozen, which is higher than 
usual. Lima beans about 50 cents per 54 bushel basket 
at station. Very fine large bull-nose peppers are sell¬ 
ing 10 to 15 cents 54 bushel basket. I saw a lot plowed 
in last week where man was preparing for wheat. 
Pears, 1214 to 15 cents per basket; apples, 75 cents 
per barrel. Corn, sugar, about 10 cents per dozen in 
local market. Young chickens, 20 to 25 cents per 
pound, live weight. It is a shame that city people can¬ 
not get good things to eat at a reasonable price when 
they sell so cheap, and even if high they ought at least 
be fresh and of the best quality. All these goods leave 
here on the 11.40 a. m. train and are sold the next 
morning before day in New York, and should not be 
over a day old when the consumer receives them. T 
can only suggest that the complaining consumer 
come down to Delaware and buy a farm and see the 
other side of the question. He would no doubt have 
his vegetables, fruits and poultry fresh, but whether 
or not much cheaper, I am not prepared to say. 1 am 
also afraid his patience would be well nigh worn out 
by the time he had a few hens leave their nest, or 
