1914. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
1341 
Concrete for Barn Cellar. 
I AM filling in the bottom of our barn 
cellar with l]/ 2 foot rock and one-half 
foot gravel, and I am trying to find 
out how thick a layer of concrete it will 
need on top of the gravel. This cellar 
is used for storing manure during the 
Winter and the concrete must be firm 
enough to stand v under a team and 
manure spreader. What would be the 
best proportions of cement and clean 
sharp gravel for such a floor? c. J. b. 
Ilallowell, Me. 
A floor of that character is usually 
made about four inches thick, this depth 
of concrete permitting the use of a con¬ 
siderable number of good-sized stones in 
the gravel and saving a proportionate 
amount of cement. These stones, whether 
those naturally occurring in the gravel 
or placed in the concrete as it is put 
down, should not be allowed to come 
within less than one inch of the surface, 
however. With clean, sharp, gravel hold¬ 
ing a certain amount of sand as it is 
taken from the bank a mixture of one 
part Portland cement to seven parts of 
gravel should give a sufficiently rich 
mixture. The standard mixture for barn 
floors, as commonly advised, is one part 
cement, two and one-half parts sand 
and five parts of gravel and if one is 
doubtful about the results he can screen 
the sand from his gravel and mix them 
again in definite proportions. This is by 
no means always done, however, and the 
natural bank mixture of sand and gravel 
may easily be tested by mixing a small 
batch and waiting twenty-four hours to 
see whether it sets hard or not. M. B. D. 
Tile for Sub-irrigation. 
1 HAVE been growing strawberries for 
50 years, and during that time there 
have been several seasons that exces¬ 
sively dry weather has materially inter¬ 
fered with my success. Both this year 
and last we have had distressing 
droughts, notwithstanding I am in as 
good a part of the great State of Illinois 
as there is. Neither year have we had 
half an average annual rainfall. Straw¬ 
berry plants put out in April died in 
spite of all the watering I could do, un¬ 
til I have not more than 10 per cent, 
living out of all I planted. I want some 
information about sub-irrigation. I want 
to start with a plot of ground 30x60. 
I expect to plant eight rows, the whole 
60 feet in length. IIow shall I sub-irri- 
gate this plot of ground? I had thought 
that if I put a line of tile under each 
row of plants that would be sufficient. In 
the run of the 60 feet there is a fall of 
2Va feet. The soil is a black friable 
loam. It is as good soil as can be found. 
We have in our town a large factory of 
drain tile which I can buy at a reason¬ 
able price. The tile I should use is the kind 
that just butts up end to end, and hence 
Xhere is always opportunity for water to 
run either out or in at every joint. The 
tiles are just a foot long. Would it do 
to put a row of three-inch tile under 
each row of plants, or would it be bet¬ 
ter to put a row on each side of each 
row of plants? This would take twice as 
many tiles, but I do not care for that if 
it is better to do that. The tiles I would 
use have a round three-inch hole. I pre¬ 
sume that is larger than needed for so 
small a plant as I am considering. The 
water I shall use will come from our 
city water system, and I would run it 
into each row of tiles at the highest point 
and let it flow by gravity to the other 
end. I would use only a %-inch hose 
to conduct the water to each pipe. How 
deep should the tile be laid for best re¬ 
sults? L. b. c. 
Illinois. 
It would seem to me that you are 
planning a very expensive method for 
irrigation, especially with city water. 
You would need a head line of tiles 
across the upper end of the plot so that 
the water could run into the whole sys¬ 
tem at once, and a line of three-inch tiles 
down the middle between the rows would 
be enough, having of course the lower 
ends stopped. But then you would have 
a permanent arrangement for that plot 
only, and strawberries need frequent re¬ 
planting. To irrigate in this way every 
plot planted would be very expensive, es¬ 
pecially as the succeeding crops may be 
such as would not thrive with sub-irriga¬ 
tion as well as overhead. I think that it 
will be far cheaper and as effective to use 
one of the overhead systems, which can 
be extended or moved at will. There are 
three of these, the Skinner, the Manaway 
and the Campbell, all good. In this 
method of irrigation the perforated pipes 
are run overhead and have specially de¬ 
signed nozzles for spraying, and one line 
of pipe will water a width of 40 feet. 
In fact the Campbell system claims that 
50 feet apart are sufficient for their ro¬ 
tating nozzles. The overhead systems 
are put high enough to work teams un¬ 
der. and can be moved easily to other 
plots or expanded over more ground. 
They will take less water than the un¬ 
derground tiles, which are not effective 
till completely filled. Another advan¬ 
tage in the overhead plan is that in the 
early Spring, when frost threatens, you 
can turn on the water and spray all 
night and prevent damage from frost. 
Large growers of strawberry plants for 
sale are now using the overhead system. 
Sub-irrigation may do very well in green¬ 
houses, but in the open ground the un¬ 
derground system of tiles will cost as 
much as or more than the overhead pip¬ 
ing, and will take a quantity of water 
that would make it very expensive to use 
city water, and could only be made eco¬ 
nomical where one could have a natural 
flow of water. One line of pipe suffices 
for my garden 50 feet wide, and adds 
but $1 a month to water rent. 
w. F. MASSEY. 
Water Flows Both Ways. 
T HE Geological Survey gives the fol¬ 
lowing singular facts: 
“In Northern Minnesota there is a 
great area of land so flat that its waters 
sometimes flow into Hudson Bay and 
sometimes into the Gulf of Mexico. 
There are times when certain lakes dis¬ 
charge at both-ends, the northern outlet 
carrying water through Red River or 
Rainy River to Lake Winnipeg and 
thence to Hudson Bay, while the south¬ 
ern outlet carries water to the Missis¬ 
sippi. Because the dividing line between 
the Mississippi River drainage basin and 
that of Hudson Bay is indefinite and in 
many places cannot be determined, the 
consideration of these two basins in con¬ 
nection with their water supplies and the 
uses that can be made of this resource 
must logically be taken up together.” 
Septic Tank. 
I wish to construct a septic tank for 
sewage disposal on the farm. Do I 
need water connections to flush out 
bowl of closet after use? w. N. M. 
Ohio. 
Septic tanks require water connections 
of some kind to flush closet bowls and 
carry the wastes from sinks, wash basins, 
etc., to them. Where running water is 
not at hand, large storage tanks to be 
supplied from the roof may be built in the 
attic. There is a type of small septic tank 
designed to receive its supply of water 
from the kitchen sink where water is 
used freely there. This is described in 
a bulletin entitled “Sewage Disposal for 
Country Homes” issued from the College 
of Agriculture at Cornell University, 
Ithaca, N. Y. A copious supply of water 
is needed for the operation of a septic 
tank, as it depends upon frequent flush¬ 
ing to dispose of the wastes after they 
are digested in the tank. M. B. D. 
Very black, very small and very much 
impressed with the importance of her 
mission, she stood before the kindly lady 
of the house. “Well. Ophelia?” “I’s de 
washerwoman’s little girl and mommer 
she says please to len’ her a dime. She 
got to pay some bills.”—Kansas City 
Star. 
Blast Stumps 
Now! 
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I I I I I I I I I I I I 
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Send me your illustrated book, "Better 
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RN-N14 
for_ 
Name. 
.work 
Address. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
Rural New-Yorker and you'll get a quick 
reply and a "square deal." See guarantee 
editorial page. :::::: 
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If information regarding: complete 
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The New GREENWOOD LIME 
and FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER 
TOP FEE0-N0 RUSTING-NO CLOGGING 
Accurate indicator for 100 to 3,500 lbs. per acre, 
whether material be wet, dry, sticky, lumpy, heavy 
pr light. Write for booklet R to 
GREENWOOD MFC. CO., Lawrence. Mass. 
-Take Orders for Chemicals- 
$1,500.00 Earned Last Winter by an 
Agent Selling Fertilizer Materials for 
HOME MIXING 
Anyone Willing to Work Hard 
(no others wanted) 
Can Establish Permanent Paying Business. 
Write Today for particulars 
^ NITRATE AGENCIES COMPANY 
106 Pearl Street, New York City 
—the most frequent and dangerous. 
Protect it against the ravages of rain 
and snow storms by roofing with 
Kanneberg 
Metal Shingles 
“ We Pay the Freight " 
You can now buy direct from us at 
factory prices and save money. 
These long-life shingles are fire-resist¬ 
ing, weather-proof, cold and heat-proof. 
Cheaper than wood shingles and easier 
and quicker to lay. Do not rot, curl-, 
crack, buckle nor fall off. 
Every shingle guaranteed. Made of full 
28-gauge steel, painted or galvanized, and 
come single, eight to sheet or in clus¬ 
ters 2 ft. by any length 5 to 10 ft. 
Send for New Big Catalog. Shows how 
to get full protection at a very low cost. 
KANNEBERG ROOFING & CEILING CO. 
E*t. 1886 1423 Douglas Street, Canton, Ohio 
BIG VALUE FOR $ 
STRONG SERVICE 
RUBBER BOOT 
Gl'ARASTEEI). Extra fine quality, 
made by new patent process, reinforc¬ 
ed, insuring long service: double thick- 
soles: heels can’t come off: flexible ami 
well fltting. \ wonderful value for 
in all sizes. Every pairsold with 
an absolute guarantee of satisfaction 
Send and we deliver a pair of 
these boots free to your home. Our 
Guarantee insures perfect satisfaction 
or money refunded. Our enormous 
business lias been built up by selling 
only the beat merchandise at prices 
that will save you money. 
Send for free citalo, of other 
bargains in Men's wear. 
A. WEINBERGER A CO. 
112-113 South St.. - New York City 
TY 00 FTIDEAS 
$9,000 offered for certain inven¬ 
tions. Book “How to Obtain a Patent^* 
and “What to Invent'' sent free. Send 
rough sketch for free report as to patent¬ 
ability. Patents advertised for sale at 
our expense in Manufacturers’ Journals. 
CHANDLEE & CHANDLEE, Patent Atty’s 
Established 16 Years 
057 F. Street, Washington, D. C. 
GALVANIZED SKI? 
Write for Oat. “C” and price del. your station. 
GRIFFIN LUMBER CO.. Box 99. Hudson Falls. New York 
~ Heiv z/foUand ~ 
Stone Crusher 
The finest machine made for crushing all 
kinds of rock for road making or concrete 
work. Easiest running and most durable. 
Equipped with Pulverizer to grind rock fine for 
building and land purposes. A moneymaker 
for contractors or farmers having 4 to 12 
h. p. A chance to increase value of your 
own farm and establish a big money making 
business. Write today 
for catalog, facts as to 
value of raw lime¬ 
stone on land, and 
free trial offer. 
NEW HOLLAND 
MACHINE CO. 
Box 41, New Holland, Pa. 
Ground Limestone 50c 
Per 
Ton 
The day of cheaper lime i« here. No need to let your 
«oil stay sick and sour because of the lack of lime if you 
hare lime rock available. No need to let acid land keep 
you from growing clover or alfalfa. With a Jeffrey Lime 
Pulver yo« can grind lime-rock right on your farm at a 
cost of 50c per tonl This does not include quarrying 
cost, which varies, but in some sections is almost nothing. 
Ground limestone is better than burnt lime. It doesn’t 
burn up the humus or waste the Nitrogen in the soil. 
Dig out those lime rocks that prevent your cultivating your 
fields. Feed the rocks to the Lime-Pulver, as large as you choose 
—any size up to 4 inches thick and 11 inches long. The rocks 
disappear in the hopper. Out of the funnel pours a stream of 
ground limestone—ground either coarse or fine. It’s like turn¬ 
ing rocks into dollars—"making bread from stones." 
Grinds 2 to 3 Tons Per Hour 
Grinds Rock for Road Work Too! 
A 
2 in 1 
Crusher 
and 
Pulverizer 
Grinds 
the Big 
Rocks— 
Big 
Capacity 
Home Grinding 
of Limestone 
PAYS \A 
W The Jeffrey Lime-Pulver is the machine that will take the big rocks 
r that come from the quarry and grind them to a powder that will go 
through the spreader. It is both a crusher and a pulverizei—with twice the 
capacity of other crushers. Grinds from 2 to 3 tons per hour. Grinds rock for 
road work and concrete work—grinds corn on the cob, tobacco stems, bone or 
any similar material—a universal grinder, portable—as easily moved from 
to place at a wagon. Built to last a lifetime—with pulverizing ham¬ 
mers of Manganese steel—ball bearing pulverizer. Sold on a guarantee 
of satisfaction or your money back. Write us today for our free booklet 
giving price and full information about the Lime-Pulver. Write NOW. 
She Jeffrey Lim 
