1914. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
Farm Engineering. 
Questions About Radium. 
Can you give me any information con¬ 
cerning radium, where it is found, how 
produced, and what are the character¬ 
istics by which one recognizes it? Could 
it be found here among our Connecticut 
rocks? We have a variety of stone, 
plenty of silica, also garnets, etc. 
Bethel, Conn. f. h. 
Your question was referred to an ex¬ 
pert who is thoroughly acquainted with 
recent developments in Connecticut. His 
reply is that radium has been found in 
the State, and probably will be found in 
greater quantities. There are some pe¬ 
culiar rock formations there, as you say. 
Radium could not possibly be detected by 
any but the most expert chemist or geolo¬ 
gist. It is usually found in pitchblende 
or in carnotite. The carnotite deposits 
of Colorado and Utah are among the 
most important in the world. Carnotite 
is either a yellow or brown ore found fre¬ 
quently in sandy shale or in the cracks 
in sandstone. Pitchblende, you probably 
know, is a jet black, shiny mineral. A 
ton of the pitchblende contains only a 
very small fraction ot an ounce of pure 
radium. It would take about 300 tons 
to produce an ounce. Yet this mineral 
has a greater radium content than any 
other. The radium is separated by mul¬ 
titudinous chemical processes. Solutions 
are repeatedly formed and crystallized in 
order to separate the barium and radium. 
It requires extreme care, patience and 
skill, and the process is a very long one. 
At present there is only about oneninth 
of an ounce of radium in the United 
States. It will probably be -a great many 
years before there is an ounce of pure 
radium in existence. r. P. c. 
Pumping from Well. 
I have a dug well at my home 34 feet 
deep about four feet in diameter: it is a 
very strong well, and always plenty of 
water, averaging from 10 to 15 feet; 
could not be pumped dry unless you 
would attach a fire engine and larger 
hose. I would like to work out a plan 
to have running water without using an 
engine or motor. L. A. H. 
Harrisburg, Pa. 
Get a branch pipe force pump. It 
will have to be set over the well in or¬ 
der to get the cylinder down within 15 
or 20 feet of the water surface. The 
best plan is to put it right in the water. 
The branch pipe opening is connected to 
a supply pipe which leads up by the 
kitchen sink to a storage reservoir of any 
kind in the attic, or even in the pantry 
or kitchen, so long as it is above the 
sink level so that a faucet may be 
placed in the pipe at the sink. Below 
the faucet place a check valve so that 
no water can run back from the storage, 
but the pipe below can empty out. Then, 
each morning, or as frequently as need 
be, you can pump the tank full and it 
will run out at the sink faucet as you 
need it. The pump may also be used to 
deliver water at the well, if wished, by 
turning the three-way cock to close the 
branch pipe and connect with the spout. 
If you desire a hot-water front in your 
stove, you can supply hot water tank 
from the storage reservoir, tapping on to 
the pipe anywhere above the sink faucet. 
R. P. c. 
Freezing Water Supply. 
During the cold snap around the first 
of the year our water pipe on the farm 
froze, and we had to disconnect the en¬ 
tire system from the spring so as to 
save as much of the pipe as possible. 
The water main has a length of about 
1,600 feet, the first 200 feet being %-inch, 
then about 1,000 feet of one-inch and 
then about 400 feet of %-inch; have one 
branch of %-inch to feed home, one %- 
inch to milk-house, one %-inch to horse 
barn, and the main (%-inch) i home. 
We kept the four laucets open about 
their full capacity, and at 10 p. m. every¬ 
thing was all right, but at seven a. m., 
frozen up tight, as the water from some 
unknown cause must have either stopped 
or slackened. My farm is situated in Ul¬ 
ster Co., N. Y., and often the tempera¬ 
ture is as low as 28 to 30 deg. below 
zero. I would like to have an expression 
of your views as to the cause of freez¬ 
ing. I think that perhaps there were 
too many outlets, thereby drawing off 
the water faster than the %-inch main 
at head of spring could supply it, there¬ 
by probably creating a vacuum some¬ 
where in the one-inch pipe, and the frost 
then had a chance to freeze some part 
where exposed. The main is not buried 
the entire length. As we shall have to 
put in a new main, would you advise 
a small or large one. provided there is 
sufficient water to fill the main at all 
times. w. c. h. 
New York. 
It is pretty hard to guess what hap¬ 
pened without having seen conditions. 
The water probably flowed pretty slow¬ 
ly in some of the branches. Probably 
the faucets froze first, if they were ex¬ 
posed. If not, there may have been a 
gradual freezing through the half full 
pipe on the house end. Running water 
will freeze, you know, if exposed long 
enough to a low temperature, unless it 
runs very swiftly. I would bury the ] 
whole pipe, and where it is exposed else¬ 
where, encase it in a box of sawdust or 
wrap it with wool, etc. Don’t trust just 
to the fact that it is running. If you 
have shut-offs in the ground near the 
outlets, you can shut the water off nights, 
drain out the pipe between the shut-off 
and faucets, and sleep sound. You can 
also, if you wish, shut off the whole 
thing at the spring and drain the pipe 
every night. You will need an air inlet 
at the spring in this case. If you don’t 
like the walk up to the spring each 
night and morning, arrange two alarm 
clocks, one to release a drop weight 
automatically which closes the valve, at 
night and then in the morning the other 
releases a larger weight which opens the 
valve. If none of these remedies is to 
your liking, the one-inch pipe all the 
way would be preferable to the %-inch. 
R. P. c. 
Construction of Wet Battery. 
I understand that there is an open 
circuit wet battery made with the use of 
sal-ammoniac. Can you tell me how 
they are made and how they compare in 
strength with a dry battery? L. H. 
Illinois. 
The liquid in a dry battery is sal-am¬ 
moniac, but it is soaked up in sawdust 
or blotting paper so that it will not spill. 
A wet battery of the same kind can be 
made by immersing a strip of zinc and 
a piece of carbon in a solution of sal- 
ammoniac. Usually the zinc is rubbed 
with mercury until coated with a mer¬ 
cury surface. This is called amalgama¬ 
tion, and it prevents rapid local deter¬ 
ioration of the zinc. The top of the car¬ 
bon (where the binding post is) and the 
top of the glass jar in which the liquid 
is, should be dipped in paraffin, or be 
greased so that the sal-ammoniac will 
not creep up and form a coating. The 
strength, that is, the voltage of the dry 
and of the wet cell is about the same. 
When the dry cell has run out it must be 
thrown away. The wet cell can always 
be renewed by a new zinc or by fresh 
sal-ammoniac. The carbon from an old 
dry battery makes a good carbon for a 
wet cell. It needs cleaning, but does not 
need waxing usually. A new zinc bat¬ 
tery pencil, as they are called, all amal¬ 
gamated and ready for use, costs only 
about seven cents, while a package of sal- 
ammoniac sufficient for one battery costs 
only five cents. r. p. c. 
Waterproofing a Cellar. —Can any 
of your readers tell how to prevent water 
from coming up through a six-inch con¬ 
crete cellar bottom, or how to make a cel¬ 
lar water-proof? I am troubled with 
water coming in my cellar up from the 
bottom. How do they keep water out in 
the Subway? There must be some way 
to make a cellar water-proof. A. s. 
Leaky Tank. — I wish some of the 
readers would tell me what to do with 
my water tank to make it hold water. 
It is made of 2x4 pine planks, 10 feet 
diameter, four feet deep. The staves not 
matched. Could it be lined with cement, 
say one inch thick? Perhaps some of 
your readers have had experience with 
leaky tanks and can give some practical 
information. The water is pumped by 
windmill to tank and supplies barn and 
house, also henhouse. The tank is lo¬ 
cated over the barn floor and keeps the 
floor wet. w. H. m. 
Place a board over a mudhole. It will 
hold you up—if it’s long enough and 
wide enough. The Caterpillar tracks 
hold the Caterpillar up—on any soil, wet 
or loose or sandy. It is all a question 
of area, or—to put it another way— 
traction surface. 
Lays its 
own track 
and rolls 
over it. 
Can’t slip 
can’t pack 
the soil 
See the solid steel rails- 
Greater traction surface means better distribution 
of weight. Result—no miring and no soil packing 
on any soil. A round wheel tractor’s weight is all 
carried on a very small area. The Caterpillar's 
weight is carried on a very large area. It can 
never slip—pack-stall—when it is needed most. 
Notice the track spread out in the picture above 
a smooth, firm support. Eight truck wheels, four on each side, carry the 
tractor’s weight. They roll along like the wheels of a freight car—and are as 
strong. 
The 1914 60-h. p Caterpillar is guaranteed to do the work of 32 good-sized 
horses. Every part is carefully inspected. From foundry to paint shop, noth¬ 
ing is overlooked that will prevent delays in the field. Forty-three years of 
manufacturing experience have taught us to be thorough. 
Reg. US.PatOE 
The Caterpillar is a utility tractor. It does all things well—rather than a few 
poorly. You get more days work a year—you don’t have to wait for dry 
ground. You can rush your work when it means better crops. You can plow 
deep on any ground—hard or soft. Deep plowing and ..better tillage mean 
good farming. 
The Caterpillar is built in several sizes. Send for Catalog AI 19. It describes 
1914 construction. Get it now. 
The Holt Manufacturing Co. 
Stockton, Cal, 
Portland. Or., 
617 Lumberman’s Bldg. 
Spokane, Wash. 
Calgary, Alta. 
San Francisco, CaL 
Dallas, Texas. 
Los Angeles, Cal 
New Orleans, La. 
Wichita, Kansas. 
New York, N. Y. 
50 Church Street. 
Lininger Imp. Co. 
Omaha, Neb. 
BRANCHES 
Fargo, N. D. 
x ^\nns- • \N\sy - 
A Constant Water Supply 
is easily maintained without expense 
RIFE RAM 
with three or more 
gallons per minute from a 
artesian well or spring, and 
or slanting fall of three or 
on request. 
RIFE ENGINE CO., 2429 Trinity Bldg., New Tork 
Made of Asbestos and Trinidad Lake Asphalt— 
all mineral. Contains nothing to deteriorate. Never 
needs coating, gravel or other protection. Cheap- 
est-per-year roofing. Gives perfect fire protection. 
Write for Book No. 3248. 
H.W. JOHXS-MAXVILLE CO.. New Tork and in Large Cltle« 
Planet Jr 
Combined 
Hill and Drill 
Seeder and 
Double Wheel 
Hoe, Cultiva¬ 
tor and 
Plow 
A capital implement for large-scale gar¬ 
dening especially. It has steel frame, and 
complete seeding and cultivating attach¬ 
ments. The hoes run close to row without 
danger to leaves or roots. Two acres a day 
can be easily worked with this 
tool. 
You need these scientific soil- 
tillers to save time, lighten labor 
and get bigger crops from your 
farm and garden. Planet Jr 
tools are backed by more than 
40 years’ experience. They 
range from $2 to $100, and are 
fully guaranteed. 
fWf’P’ Our new 72-page illustrated cata- 
logue of 60 of the latest tools, for 
all cultivation. Write postal today. 
S L ALLEN & CO 
Box 1I07V Philadelphia 
Planet Jr Combined 
Hill and Drill Seeder, 
Wheel Hoe, 
Cultivator 
and Plow 
This is a practical every day time-, labor-, 
and money-saver. It combines in a single 
implement a capital seeder, an admirable 
single wheel hoe, furrower, wheel-cultiva¬ 
tor, and a rapid and efficient wheel garden 
plow. Sows all garden seeds in drills, or in 
hills 4, 6, 8, 12 or 24 inches apart. 
Planet Jr Single 
Wheel Hoe, 
Cultivator, 
Rake and 
Plow 
Planet Jr 
Horse Hoe 
and Cultivator 
Planet Jr 
Double 
Wheel Hoe, 
Cultivator, Plow 
and Rake 
The highest type of Single Wheel Hoe 
made. It is light, handy, and adapted to 
use by man, woman, or child. Has leaf 
guard for close work, and a durable steel 
frame. A most useful tool in the family 
garden that makes the work really a spare- 
moment pastime. 
The best-known cultivating implement 
made. It is so strongly built that it with¬ 
stands incredible strain, yet it is light and 
easy to handle. Has new steel wheel—will 
not clog with stones or trash. Cultivates to 
any depth and adjusts to any width. Opens 
and closes furrow, and hoes right up to 
plants without danger of injuring them. 
The greatest cultivating tool in the world 
for the grower of garden crops from drilled 
seeds. It has steel frame. The plow opens 
furrows for manure, seed, etc. and can be 
reversed for covering. The cultivating teeth 
are adapted for deep or shallow work and 
for marking out. _ Crops can be worked both 
sides at once until 20 inches high. 
