448 
March 22, 
DITCHING WITH POWER MACHINE. 
M. K., Painesville, 0 .—Can you give me 
any information as to how satisfactorily 
tile draining is being done with gasoline 
traction ditchers? What is the cost per 
acre as compared with doing it the old 
way by hand? What is a reasonable price 
to pay to have clay loam, clay subsoil 
ditched three feet about 30 feet apart, 
three-inch or 3% -inch drains, job com¬ 
plete? Field nearly level all in one piece. 
Ans.^As the price and quality of 
labor in relation to work and results 
vary in one section of country from 
that of another it is difficult to give 
specific data which is applicable to all 
places and conditions. Steam and gaso¬ 
line traction ditchers are a success. 
There surely is a call and place for 
them and the field is large and still 
growing. Occasionally water and coal 
are difficult to obtain, and the drawing 
of same necessitates extra labor and 
cost; therefore gasoline power is usu¬ 
ally preferred. Whether or not power 
ditchers are highly profitable, doubtless 
more depends on the man and conditions 
than on the machine. Power ditchers 
of ordinary sizes vary in weight from 
five to seven tons and range in cost from 
$1,200 to $3,000. Owing to the neces¬ 
sary weight the round drive-wheel quick¬ 
ly mires on soft, unstable ground. For 
such conditions the apron (caterpillar) 
traction gives satisfaction. Apron trac¬ 
tion adds approximately a ton in weight 
and $200 in price. There are several 
makes of power ditchers. They are 
strong and well built. Their greatest 
hindrances are poor handling, stones and 
unstable ground. 
The daily cost of operating, not count¬ 
ing breakage, varies from $4 to $8 and 
trenching from 20 to 100 rods. With a 
power ditcher and men at hand the 
drainage work can go forward continu¬ 
ously and independent of farm work, 
while with a horse power machine the 
drainage operation must necessarily be 
a secondary matter when farm work and 
crops demand the attention of men and 
horses. Horse power ditchers do not 
trench deep nor wide enough. Power 
ditchers in competent hands and favor¬ 
able conditions are profitable and sat¬ 
isfactory to all concerned. 
As to comparative cost of trenching 
with power or horse power ditchers the 
former usually costs double or more 
than the latter. This must necessarily 
be the case owing to the great initial 
cost, together with cost of operator, 
fuel, breakage, oil and upkeep of the 
former over that of the latter. All 
hand trenching probably costs double to 
treble or more than power. Or to state 
comparative costs of all hand power 
or horse power trenching per rod and 
30 inches deep the cost would range 
respectivey around 25 to 60 cents, 15 to 
30 and five to 10.. Under favorable 
conditions on clay land, laterals 30 feet 
apart (1,452 feet or 88 rods of drain 
per acre), three feet deep, three-inch 
tile, hired power trenching ought not 
to exceed 25 cents per rod. Or for 
trenching $22, 1,452 feet of three-inch 
vitrified tile at $15 per 1,000 feet would 
cost $21.78. Add five cents per rod for 
laying tile and backfilling, all totaling 
$48.18 per acre, or .547 plus per rod, 
and $2,409 for 50 acres. Under same 
conditions, if laterals were placed 40 
feet apart (1,089 feet or 66 rods per 
acre), 1,089 feet of four-inch tile at 
$20, costing $21.78, trenching $16.50, 
and backfilling $3.30, totaling $41.58 per 
acre, or 63 cents per rod and $20.79 for 
50 acres, a saving of $6.60 per acre or 
$3.30 on the area would result. For 
Ohio prices on tile are a little high. 
For both the aeration and drainage of 
the soil four-inch tile has 33y§ increase 
over three-inch tile. Which is better, 
four-inch tile 40 feet apart, three feet 
deep or three-inch tile 30 feet apart, 
same depth, should be determined by 
the owner and crops grown. For in¬ 
tensive agriculture the drains should be 
placed closer than for general farm¬ 
ing. For nurserv work laterals 30 feet 
apart will give quicker and more satis¬ 
factory results. Power ditchers have 
one valuable advantage over horse 
power machines in the fact that at one 
passage over the ground a complete 
trench can be cut. By an adjustable 
sight gauge on machine and a line of 
stakes and cross-arms set ahead of ma¬ 
chine, any grade, however slight or 
heavy, can be cut, if the machine is 
skillfully handled, regardless of the sur¬ 
face of ground. There is no after 
“fussing” except to remove loose crumbs 
of dirt that may fall back. The bottom 
of trench is left true to grade, well 
rounded and ready to receive the tile of 
any ordinary size. T. e. martin. 
THE RURAL* 
! THE “ RECALL” BY POSTAGE STAMP. 
Some time since I wrote the editor 
of a western farm paper asking him 
to discontinue my subscription to his 
paper, intimating that I did not care 
to lend my support to a paper that lost 
sight entirely of the marketing end of 
farming. It seems that myself and a 
few other farmers who are getting dis¬ 
satisfied with the third of a dollar that 
falls to our share, are fools or some 
thing of that kind; at least the editor 
of the paper in question insinuates quite 
plainly that that is what we are if I 
am able to understand plain English. 
I asked him what was the use of rais¬ 
ing more than we could sell at profit? 
You will note what he says in reply in 
the copy of his letter which I enclose, 
See page 436. I did not discontinue 
my subscription because he advocates 
better farming and bigger crops but be¬ 
cause he advocates nothing else and also 
because of his stand on the parcel post 
matter. When legislation is proposed 
that will enable farmers to get a little 
better prices for their crops, a certain 
class of people jump and shout until 
they are black in the face for fear such 
legislation will mean that they will have 
to pay a little more for a few of the 
necessities of life. They appear to be 
obsessed with the idea that the farmer’s 
life is just one grand sweet song, and 
all he needs to do is press a button and 
the corn and wheat will grow big and 
fill his bins. 
If a manufacturer would deliberately 
set out to produce more than he could 
sell, he would be laughed at and called 
various kinds of a fool, yet that is pre¬ 
cisely what a good many of the farm¬ 
ers’ kind and loving friends would have 
him do. If the United States Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture would absolutely 
forget the producing end of farming 
and devote five years to the building up 
of a marketing system that would pre¬ 
vent the glutting of one market while 
a shortage exists at another, often not 
far away, more would be accomplished 
in the way of permanently lowering the 
high cost of living than can be brought 
about by trust busting, and costly in¬ 
vestigations that never seem to get any¬ 
where with anything, in a hundred 
years, or in a thousand years. The de¬ 
partment’s reports apparently are of no 
earthly use to anyone but commission 
merchants. Consumers in town, not be¬ 
ing directly interested in farming, will 
believe any kind of guff the dealer sees 
fit to tell them about short crops, and 
pay the high prices asked without ques¬ 
tion. If they knew what the grower 
received prices would tumble, it would 
be impossible for the merchants to main¬ 
tain them. No one thinks for a moment 
that it costs twice -or three times as 
much to sell crops as it does to grow 
them, yet the prices asked in the city 
show even more disparity than that. Cut 
out the useless middlemen, buy in quan¬ 
tities when the price justifies it, clamor 
for lower rates by parcel post, cooperate 
and last but by no means least, don’t 
be greedy yourself, for after all greed 
is the real underlying cause of the high 
cost of living. Some of us don’t like to 
admit it, but it is true just the same. 
If some one gets money for which he 
makes no adequate return, others are 
poorer by just that amount; the fact 
that a thousand or ten thousand may 
have contributed makes no difference. 
Charging more for a service than it is 
worth is extortion, and extortion is rob¬ 
bery. ROBERT RINKER. 
Nebraska. 
NEW-YORKEH 
Dr. Crabbe had almost succeeded in 
dismissing Mrs. Gassoway, when she 
stopped in the doorway, exclaiming, 
“Why, doctor, you didn’t look to see if 
my tongue was coated.” “I know it 
isn't,” said the doctor, wearily. “You 
never find grass on a race track.”— 
Judge. 
Mother ^ (after relating pathetic 
story) : “Now, Reggie, wouldn’t you 
like to give your bunny to that poor 
little boy you saw to-day who hasn’t 
any father?” Reggie (clutching rabbit) : 
Couldn’t we give him father instead?” 
—Tit-Bits. 
“Do I make myself plain?” inquired 
the suffragette, who was more conspicu¬ 
ous for pithiness than pulchritude. 
“Never mind tryin’ lady; it’s been done 
for you,” sang out a little man in the 
audience.—Credit Lost. 
What you want 
When you want it 
No farmer wants to 
buy a flash in the pan, 
the kind of fertilizer 
that starts and stops, or 
the kind that begins to 
work next year. What 
he wants for his crop is 
a supply of plant food 
that once applied in 
the right amount and form will feed the 
crop from seed to harvest. It is not a 
question of being available at the start, 
or available at the finish, but being avail¬ 
able all the way through. 
The A. A. C. Fertilizers are made that 
way, timed, to be available at each stage 
of the growing season. 
We have a number of factories, all located 
at convenient points, and wherever you live, we 
can reach you with the right fertilizers, the 
right service, and the right price. Write today 
for copy of “Plant Food,” a practical hand book 
on fertility. No advertising in it; sent without 
cost, while this edition lasts. 
Agents wanted in unoccupied territory. 
Liberal terms and goods that sell. It pays to 
sell our fertilizers as well as use them. Ask for 
agency proposition. 
The American Agricultural Chemical Co. 
Maker* of brands with fifty years of quality and results behind them. 
925 Rose Bldg., Cleveland. 5 Rector St., New York. 
Bank Bldg., Cincinnati. 132 Lewis Street, Buffalo. 
1230 2nd 
$ 10 , 000.00 
Guarantee ProtectsYou 
If this Hertzler & Zook Grain Drill does not satisfy 
you in every way and wefail to return your money 
in full and pay freight both ways, we forfeit a $ 10,000 
local bond which our bankers hold to protect you. 
Mustn’t we be mighty sure that ours is the best 
all-round drill on the market, or would we dare 
backit up with a $10,000 bond? The matter is all 
one-sided in yourfavoi—you can’t possibly lose. 
We pay freight and send you the 
HERTZLER & ZOOK 
Grain Drill 
Oil 30 Days* Free Trial 
If it satisfies you, keep it at our low price. If it 
doesn’t, ship it back at our expense and we will 
refund all your money or forfeit $10,000 — our 
bankers hold it for you. This drill sows all kinds 
of grain, seed or fertilizer accurately Built for 
hard work. High, broad-tire wheels lighten draft. 
Large capacity .grain box. We also make a low- 
down and plain seed drill. We sell direct from 
factory—save you $20 to $50 dealer’s profits. Write 
for catalog, our $10,000 guarantee and low prices. 
Specialofferto every body whoanswers right away. 
HERTZLER * ZOOK CO., Box ioo, Belleville, Pa. 
SKIPPED HILLS RAISE 
NO POTATOES 
Every hill you miss in planting ^ 
means money lost out 
your pocket. No ma¬ 
chine can plant per¬ 
fectly unless there 
is hand cor¬ 
rection of 
of 
YOUR APPLES 
WILL NET YOU 
MORE MONEY 
After you have installed 
Monarch Hydraulic Cider 
Press. We are the largest 
mfrs. of presses, apple- 
butter cookers, evapora¬ 
tors, etc., in the country. 
A. B. Farquhar Co., 
Ltd.Box 103 ,York,Pa. 
Ask for our 
free 1913 
Catalog, 
telling 
why. 
A 
seed 
piece in 
every space 
. and one only. No 
pickers used—no in¬ 
jury to seed. Perfect 
placing of seed and uniform 
spacing. Can’t you see that 
it must pay for itself ? 
Write for new bookler, 
" ioo per cent potato 
planting ."'*!e make full 
line Potato Machines, 
Garden Tools, Sprayers, 
etc. 
BATEMAN M'F'G CO. 
Box 1025 Grenloch, N. J. 
A gents wanted-i •'aimers’ Directory, Account Book. Ex¬ 
clusive home territory. Easy seller. Big inducements. 
Particulars free. Write. NAYLOR, 943, Ft. Wayne, Ind. 
Or money back if mating out 
or deterioration occurs in 
INGOT iron roofing 
at any time within 30 years of purchase. No 
painting or repairs necessary. Our indemnity 
bond protects you. Costs no more than ordinary 
roofing. Easy to put on. Eire-proof; 
1 storm-proof; lightning-proof and 
time-proof. Look for trade-mark. 
Write for big Illustrated book FREE. 
Th e American Iron Roofinii Co. 
Stu. I>, ELYRIA, OHIO 
190.84% pirne 
Make Your Own Drain Tile 
THE FARMERS' CEMENT TILE MACHINE 
Makes tile 3 to 8 inches in diam., 1214 inches long. One man or boy operates it by hand 
or power. 500 tile per day by hand, 1,200 by power. Tile thoroughly cured by patent 
process. No tamping or use of pallets. This machine and tile used by Experiment Sta¬ 
tions of Agricultural Colleges and the U. S. Dept, of Agriculture. 6,000 farmers have 
doubled the yield of land by underdrainage, and saved 75% of cost by using our Machine. 
You can do the same. Save cost of hauling and breaking. Make perfect 
tile $3 to $5 per thousand. MACHINE SOLD DIRECT FROM FACTORY 
TO YOU. TEN DAYS’ FREE TRIAL. SEND NOW for 36-page Illustrated 
Catalogue. Tells you about great benefits of underdrainage, how to take 
levels and get grades, make and lay your tile at low cost. 
FARMERS' CEMENT TILE MACHINE CO., 
Box 664 . ST. JOHNS. MICH. 
