1872.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
57 
strain is secured a stick placed between the 
stakes and the post prevents the roller from 
METHOD OF TIGHTENING FENCE WIRES. 
turning backwards, and allowing the strain to 
become weakened. When it is desired to 
slacken the wires, the stick is removed and the 
wires are unwound. A mode of tightening 
wires in common use, but which may be new to 
a beginner in this business, is also shown. A 
stout rod has two iron pins (strong hickory pins 
will answer) passed through one end six inches 
apart. The wire to be drawn up is passed be¬ 
tween these pins, and the rod is turned around 
until the wire is tight enough. A loop is then 
passed around the end of the rod and the wire, 
and it is secured. 
Protecting 1 Banks of Streams. 
The spring is a time when freshets often do 
Fig. 1.—PROTECTING BANKS OF. STREAMS. 
serious damage by washing away or undermin- j 
ing the banks of streams. Very often a point 
projects into a stream which throws the current j 
with great violence against the opposite bank, j 
Fig-. 2.—CRIB FOR PROTECTION. 
and renders necessary a sufficient protection 
to sustain the point attacked, lest it should give 
way and a permanent change be made in the 
bed of the stream. Very often the planting of 
willow-slips on such exposed banks makes a 
good protection, but we have seen banks and 
trees washed away, that might have been saved 
had a simple breakwater been built at the com¬ 
mencement. One method (shown in fig. 1) is 
to drive stakes into the ground, perpendicular¬ 
ly, at the edge of the stream, on to which 
planks should be spiked. A brace or two 
may extend backward against the bank and 
be pinned into the ground. The stones filled 
in behind will hold this brace tightly and 
prevent bulging outwards or pressure in¬ 
wards. At the foot of the planks a few well- 
chosen flattisli stones should be laid, over which 
the stream will flow, and washing of the bed 
will be prevented. The other method is to 
build up a crib with logs, or light timber, and 
fill it in with stone, as in figure 2. The logs 
should be pinned together so that the frame is 
tied. This should also be protected at the foot 
with stone. No bridge-pier should be built in a 
bank without such a protection as either of 
these on the upper side. 
A Barn Basket. —Little economies on the 
BARN BASKET. 
farm are worth considering. A reader sends us a 
description of a barn basket which costs nothing, 
and is as useful as one that costs a dollar. The 
ends of a flour barrel are cut off above the sec¬ 
ond row of hoops, and leather handles are 
nailed or lashed on with thongs. Here is a 
feed basket that is light, handy, and costs only 
a little labor. 
Making 1 Stone Drains. 
A “Subscriber” has a piece of land which he 
wishes to drain; drain-tiles are not to be pro¬ 
cured in his locality, buthe has plenty of round 
stone: will they answer a good purpose ?—It is 
probable that next to a tile drain, a well-made 
stone one is the best that can be laid. There 
are some rules to be observed in building them 
on which their permanency and efficiency de¬ 
pend. In making stone drains a double pur¬ 
pose is served; the secondary purpose, getting 
rid of the stone, being often quite an important 
one. Therefore, we can very well afford to 
make the drains wider than would be necessary 
with tiles. The first operation is to locate the 
drains. This should be done so that a regular 
fall can be had with the least digging. Then 
; commence at the outlet and work upwards. 
With the level described elsewhere, there will 
be no difficulty in getting a proper grade, so 
that the stone may be laid and the drain fin¬ 
ished as it goes along. The stone may be laid 
in three ways. Fig. 1 shows two stones sup¬ 
porting each other, and prevented from losing 
their position by bracing stones on top of them. 
Fig. 2 shows a stone in the center of the drain 
supporting two other stones which lean against 
the side of the ditch. Fig. 8 shows two stones 
supporting a flat one, which is laid on them. 
Where flat stones can be procured, this is the 
best mode, and we know of no reason that 
should prevent it from being as permanent as 
the best tile drain. The writer laid a drain of 
this character sixteen years ago, and it is in as 
good condition to-day as when first made. The 
two modes are subject only to injury 
from the caving in of the sides of the drain. 
Where the soil is at all compact there is little 
danger of this, and it maj r be guarded against 
by packing the filling of the drains carefully 
against the walls. When 
the water channels are 
properly built, stones 
may be filled in to within 
a foot of the top, taking 
care that they be com¬ 
pactly laid and small 
pieces laid carefully 
over any holes that 
may be left. The earth 
may be then returned 
to the ditch, with care 
that the stones are not displaced and that no 
earth be permitted to fall down amongst them. 
It is advisable to dig the drains four feet deep, 
two and a half feet wide at top, and twelve or 
fourteen inches wide at bottom. With one horse 
and, a light plow much of the work may be 
done more quickly than by hand. 
--- -- 
A Cheap Deep-Can Creamery. 
BT G. B. WARING, JR., OF OGDEN FARM. 
The severely cold weather of December has 
added the only test necessary to convince one 
that the deep-can system for creaming milk is 
suitable not only for warm weather, but equally 
so in winter. We have had the thermometer 
Fig. 1.—SECTION OF CRBAMERT. 
down to 6°, with a high wind blowing, forming 
a skin of ice in our water-tank—the water 
works having been frozen up by the sudden 
