96 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
considered cheapest in the end,) would cost nearly double the above ac¬ 
count, which expense is a great obstacle in the way of the general use of 
cisterns, in obtaining one of the greatest comforts, not to say luxuries of 
life, an abundance of pure rain water. 
Objections to the utility of such a cistern are, that the common lime, 
unless the water lime facing be entirely impervious, will affect the water 
by creating hardness, as it is generally called, for a long tine ; and more¬ 
over it is difficult to make a cement of that material that will hold water, 
especially when united with brick or any substance, that so readily con¬ 
ducts w'ater. 
And the bricks extending quite through the wall, as in the case of the 
thinnest wall, f do not believe it could be made to hold water by any 
means, without facing, there being so many crevices under the bricks oc¬ 
casioned by the settling of the mortar from underneath them when the 
wall is constructing ; then the dependence for holding water must be up¬ 
on the water lime facing, and this is very uncertain, for a slight frost, and 
frequently a few months standing and use will cause such a facing to 
cleave off from any other substance that may be plastered or faced by it; 
and this facing being necessarily so thin, it is often the case, that for one 
or another of these causes the cistern cannot be made to hold water. In 
the vicinity of this village there have been made many cisterns of stone 
and water lime in various methods, and this has been done for many 
years. But an improvement made by two respectable mechanics of this 
place, about two years since, has superseded every other plan attempted 
among us, and reduced the cost to a sum that any householder can afford, 
for the certainty of enjoying the common use of rain water. They have 
procured a patent for the improvement, but there is no secret in the ope¬ 
ration of constructing their cisterns. A false curve is made of staves that 
fasten or link together in some way, and this is setup like atub in tne pit, 
which is dug in a well-form, that is circular to the proper depth, and about 
one foot in diameter larger than the curve, and after placing the curve in 
the pit, the space between it and the bank or earth is filled with fragments 
of stones, cobbles, brick-bats, cinders or almost any hard material crum¬ 
bled into pieces of four inches or less diameter ; a quantity of water lime 
is then mixed with sand in the usual proportions for making mortar, but 
of a consistency of grout or puddle, and the compound poured into the 
space. It runs through the whole to the bottom, and fills all the crevices 
and the entire vacuum left between the curve and the earth. When this 
becomes set, as they term the partial induration of the mortar, the curves 
is removed, and the wall while yet in a green or soft state, is faced or 
smoothed, and the bottom made with nearly the like materials. It is then 
covered and completed, and in a few days is fit to receive the water. 
Now there is no quick lime used in the construction, which obviates 
one difficulty above mentioned, there is nothing to conduct the w'ater 
through the wall to make it leak, no stone or other substance extending 
through it. It soon becomes hard as stone, and must endure, with pro¬ 
per care to guard against frost, (which will break locks) as long as time. 
Cheapness and utility are great desiderata of this age of improvement. 
This cistern is certainly equal if not superior to any other ever made for 
holding and preserving the purity of rain water ; and one constructed 
six feet in diameter and the same depth, holding about 35 barrels, costs 
here 15 to $ 17. Besides, the builders warrant them to hold water; and 
all know who are acquainted with the nature of hydraulic cement, that 
when it once holds water for a short time, it is forever. Indeed out of 
200 cisterns ar.d reservoirs that have been built upon the “ pattern curve” 
plan, as it is called, not one as I have hoard has failed to hold water from 
the time of its completion hitherto. 
The expense of this kind of cistern it must be perceived, is compari- 
tively small, and that will of course vary according to the price of water 
lime where it is used—a cistern of the last named dimensions requiring 
about three barrels in all. They may be made with equal convenience 
of any shape or size, and the proportional expense is diminished in build¬ 
ing large resorvoirs. I have a cistern built upon the old plan, with a 
thick stone wall, of about 35 barrels capacity, that cost $40. I have ano¬ 
ther built upon the “ pattern curve” plan of the same capacity, and most 
perfectly finished, that cost about $15. They are both good cisterns, and 
I do not hesitate to use the water (when conducted into them clean) for 
family purposes, cooking, &c. And I think I could give some good rea¬ 
sons, why it is better for such uses than spring water of this limy region. 
But this may perhaps be done hereafter. Yours, 
A FRIEND TO IMPROVEMENT. 
JVote .—To know how much a cylindrical or circular cistern of given di¬ 
mensions will hold, multiply one-half the diameter into one-half the cir¬ 
cumference, and that product into the depth, or the square of the diame¬ 
ter into the decimal 7,854—which will give the number of cubic or solid 
feet. By statute, one cubic foot of distilled water weighs 62^ lbs., and 
ten pounds make a gallon, so that multiplying the number of cubic feet by 
62J and dividing by 10 will give the gallons. 
ON SEEDING. 
Of all the practices constituting good husbandry, none are more replete 
with beneficial effect, and which better repay the outlay than that of seed¬ 
ing. It has become an established practice with good farmers to seed 
frequently with clover and timothy, a practice that should be adopted by 
all. It is high time that the practices and opinions of our ancestors_those 
which derogate from our best interests I mean—should give place to more 
modern and more rational views. That there has been great advance¬ 
ment in the science of agriculture will be conceded to by all; then why 
do we cling so strenuously to ancient practices when those of more mo¬ 
dern date are infinitely superior. 
I rejoice in the improvement that has been already made. Agricul¬ 
ture has become the theme of the day. The most enlightened of our citi¬ 
zens are embarking in its pursuits, which give assurances of its being ul¬ 
timately established upon a basis concomitant with its merits. Then it 
behooves us to follow those practices most clearly demonstrated to be be¬ 
neficial—and believing seeding to be one of these, I proceed briefly to 
detail its utility. 
The practice of seeding is too much neglected by many of our farmers, a 
practice, which, could they be induced to adopt, I am confident in believ¬ 
ing would not be relinquished. The natural grasses yield less of quantity 
and nutriment than either clover or timothy and some others of more re¬ 
cent introduction. Double the quantity of pasture may be obtained from 
a given piece of ground well seeded, than it would otherwise afford ; and 
for mowing there will be a still greater difference. 
Independent of this, its fertilizing properties to the soil must be conside¬ 
red. A good sod preserves the soil from the too great influence of the 
sun, renders it porous, and consequently pervious to atmospheiic nou¬ 
rishment ; hence we observe that meadows newly laid down almost inva¬ 
riably bear the greatest burden. 
Whereas grounds not seeded, by being too much exposed, soon become 
of so compact a nature as to render them in a degree impervious to either 
heat or moisture, without which they cannot be capable of the least pro¬ 
ductiveness. 
Autumn we considered the most proper time for sowing timothy, and 
the spring for clover. We have generally made it a practice to sow our 
timothy immediately after the last harrowing in of the wheat, having a per¬ 
son to follow each harrow, which leaves not a particle of ground without 
seed, and never have perceived the wheat to have been injured in con¬ 
sequence. 
The time for sowing clover must depend altogether on the season whe¬ 
ther early or backward. We have oftener sown too early than too late, 
and I am inclined to believe that others have fallen into the same error. 
In my opinion, it should not be sown until the ground begins to dry and 
become settled, when it will be observed there are enumerable small cre¬ 
vices produced by the contraction of the earth, which will receive the 
seeds, and which the first rains will close, theieby producing immediate 
vegetation. Respectfully submitted, by 
GEO. WILLETS. 
Skaneateles, Ond. co. 8th mo. 17th, 1835. 
TICKS UPON SHEEP. 
J. Buel, Esq.—Sir—In the July number of the Cultivator you gave 
some directions for removing ticks from lambs. To this method there are 
objections: there will always be some ticks on the sheep, which will there 
stay, or remove to the lambs after the first few showers of rain; and I have 
known it when the liquor was strong, to kill the lambs as well as the ticks; 
besides, the lambs must suffer a great deal before the bathing. 
My object is not to find fault, but to give you the method I have follow¬ 
ed for seventeen or eighteen years. Take, (say for 50 sheep) two 
pounds tobacco, damaged tobacco will do, or the stems or liquor pressed 
out at the tobaconists; soak in two gallons stale urine for four or five days, 
squeeze out and strain the liquor off, put into a pot over a moderate fire 
five quarts good tar, ten quarts damaged lard, butter, orclean soap grease, 
stir with a stick until well mixed or melted, then pour it into the tobacco 
liquor, mixing it thoroughly; have in reserve about thirty quarts old but¬ 
ter-milk or urine, which pour into the first mixture, and when about blood 
warm, take a sheep, lay it on its left side on a broad bench before you, 
the head towards you, make a shed, or opening of the wool about four 
inches from, and parallel with the back bone, the whole length of the ani¬ 
mal, commencing at the head; then let a boy pour a little of the mixture 
on the skin all along this opening, beginning at the head; then turn the 
sheep a little more on the back, and make a second shed or opening four 
or five inches from, and parallel with the first, and pour on as before; re¬ 
peating the shedding and opening until you come to the back bone on the 
other side, always smoothing up the wool and keeping the animal in that 
position that the liquor will run to the skin, and not out on the wool: when 
finished, let the animal stand up, and make a cross shed about the middle, 
when if properly done, you will find the liquor has run all over the skin. 
For dipping up and pouring I use a tin quart measure with a lip or spout 
like a pitcher, covered about half over, leaving an opening at the point of 
the lip large enough to admit a goose quill, to prevent its pouring too fast 
or spilling all over the wool. A quart on an average is enough for each 
sheep. The proper time for this operation is the first warm dry day from 
the middle of Feb. to the middle of March, allowing the ewes to lamb the 
15th or 20th of April. 
There arc many reasons in favor of this mixture, and time of applying 
