THE CULTIVATOR. 
Water Pipes. 
il X am degiro us of ascertaining at what expense X 
can best bring water from a spring to my house,barn,&c., 
a distance of about 200 rods; Can pipe of water lime 
be laid for the purpose, so as to be permanent, and if 
so at what depth, and at what expense per rod 7 Where 
can it be obtained 7 And what is the most economical 
mode of bringing water 7 Yours, S. D„ T. Fergu- 
sonsmUe , Jan. 9.” . 
Water-pipes have been made of* water-lime mortar 
laid in the bottom of a ditch, round' a cylindrical rod, 
which is gradually and carefully withdrawn as the 
mortar hardens, and as the work progresses. This, 
when well hardened, is eminently durable,- and we do 
not see why it may not last forever. The only objec¬ 
tions are, when withdrawing the rod, there is danger of 
causing slight cracks in the mortar; and, like all other 
underground pipes, sediment may be deposited at the 
lowest plaees, which after a time will choke the tube. 
To prevent the deposit of sediment, the slope should 
if possible be uniform, and if the descent is considerable, 
this care will prevent all danger. Great care should 
be taken, also, that the water runs clear into the upper 
and of the tube, which of itself will nearly remove all 
liability to this difficulty, especially if it is mode to fil¬ 
ter through a partition of coarse sand. 
To prevent the cracks in the water-cement, an im¬ 
provement has been lately introduced, which scarcely 
if any increases the cost, and renders the construction 
of the channel easy, rapid, and certain. It consists 
simply in bedding tubular tile, such as is used for 
draining, in a bed of water-lime mortar, laid in the bot¬ 
tom of the ditch. Two-inch tile is sold for about 15 
cents per rod at the' manufactory. A sufficient quan¬ 
tity for the 200 rods would weigh nearly three tons— 
from which our correspondent may estimate the cost of 
conveyance by railway and team from the nearest tile- 
factory. Digging the ditch will cost more or less, ac¬ 
cording to the nature of the soil, and the depth required 
to descend beyond all possible action of the frost, bub 
may be estimated at an average of 20 cents per rod. 
The water-lime may be had at any considerable 
market town ; and if sand is convenient, the cost of the 
mortar will not usually exceed 20 cents more per rod, 
enough to encase the pipe an inch in thickness. From 
fifty to seventy-five cents a rod would doubtless cover 
all expenses—varying with soil, climate, cost of tile, 
cement, and sand. This is scarcely a third or a quar¬ 
ter-of the cost of a lead-pipe channel, sufficiently large 
for safety, and which would have the additional objec¬ 
tion of danger from a solution of the poisonous material. 
The bottom of the ditch should be cut with a narrow 
ditching-spade so as not to exceed "four -or five inches 
wide, as this would contribute to both convenience and 
economy, in depositing the mortar around the tube. It 
should be understood that the tile should be complete¬ 
ly imbedded in ibe cement; and if from crossing low 
places, any degree of pressure from a head of water 
should occur, greater thickness in its application should 
be used ; for the tile is not only in" some measure po¬ 
rous in its textqre but is not strong enough to resist 
much internal force. Where the head is great, as for 
example in crossing a deep vally, strong lead pipe may 
become indispensible. 
Reels for Reapers. 
Having bought a reaping machine last season with¬ 
out a reel, and finding it desirable to have one, and 
no one in this vicinity having any knowledge of them, 
I would inquire through the Cultivator, how fast the 
reel should revolve, i. e., what should be the relative 
velocity between the circumference of the reel and that 
of the driving wheel. 
If it is not too much trouble I should like to see in 
the Cultivator a description of the new reel with sliding 
arms, what are its advantages, &c. I am unacquain¬ 
ted with the practical working of the reaper, but be¬ 
lieve it is common for rakers when raking the grain 
from the machine to make it (i e. the grain,) describe 
a quarter circle, so that the bundle lays across the 
swath instead of lengthwise. Why is this necessary 7 
P. P. P. 
The backward velocity of the outside of the reel, 
that is, of the horizontal bars or blades which strike 
the standing grain, should be nearly the same, but a 
little greater than the velocity of the whole machine for¬ 
wards. It will thus hold the grain to its place while the 
blades are shearing it off, and at the same time give it a 
stroke backwards, so as to throw it, when cut, upon the 
platform. The 'precise difference in these two velocities, 
for the best practical effect, we are unable to give, 
but suppose it should be about £th increase. 
The advantages of the new reel with sliding arms 
carrying the rake, as we understand it, are in keeping 
the rake in close contact with the platform while sweep¬ 
ing the newly cut grain from it—as a circular motion 
of the rake would not clean the flat platform. 
The revolving of the rake upon the reel, is for the pur¬ 
pose merely of depositing the heaps more neatly, and 
is especially necessary when the heaps are to be thrown 
ff at the side instead of directly behind. 
Posts heaving by Frost. 
I have observed in clayey soils that are so hedvy 
and .tenacious as to prevent the water from draining 
off, the <frost has more power on fence posts, by draw¬ 
ing them out of the ground. Is there no remedy 
against the frost, by playing some substance round the 
post, such as coarse sand, gravel, coal, ashes, or tan¬ 
ner’s bark 1 F. McKay. /Nova Scoti». 
Placing gravel or coarse sand around the post would 
lessen or obviate the evil, if it were not that the clay 
about these subsiances holds water like a tub, and 
keeps them filled, so that in freezing the difficulty is 
not removed. If an underdrain were cut directly un¬ 
der the fence, or close at its side, the moisture from 
this sand and gravel-packing would of course be im¬ 
mediately carried off. and the remedy prove efficient. 
Tan would affect ready drainage into the ditch, but 
would not bold a post firmly. Such a drain would pay 
for itself by its improvement of the adjacent land, be¬ 
sides its beneficial use to the fence. Where this reme¬ 
dy cannot be properly applied, and indeed in all eases 
whatever, a most effectual help in preventing the up¬ 
heaval of posts, is to bore a two-inch auger-hole near 
the bottom, and into this drive a pin of durable wood, 
