New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-10-29
THE GREAT TILE-DRAlNER.
HIS HsToRy-ms PARM-HIs PRACTICE-AND
HIS FEEDING.


HIS HsToRY-ms PARM-IIs PRACTICE-AND
HIS FEEDING.
Mr.. john Joknstos, near Gsnevs, N. T., q. one
time esteemeds fanatic by his seghbors, ass come
Of late yesrs to be generally known "the father of
tile drainage in America After thirty years Of pre-
cept and twenty-five Of example, he has the sstsfac-
ton Of seeing bis fsvorte theory fully accepted and
to come extent practically applied throughout the
country. Not without labor however, nor without
much skepticisn, ridiculs, and controversy has this
end been attained and if, now that his head is
wbened, and his course all but run, no finds himself
respected and appealed to by persons in every State
Of the Union, he does not forget that it has been
through much trbulation that he has worked out this
exceeding great weight Of glory. Mr.. Johnston is
Scotchmsn, who to this county thirty nine years
ago, ard purchased the farm he now occupies on the
easterly shore Of Seneca Lake short distance from
Geneva. With the pertnacity Of hs nstion he stayed
where he first settled through i'll fortune and pros
perty, wisely concluding that by always beterng his
farm he would better himself, and make more money
in the long run than he could by shifting unsasy from
place to place in search Of sudden wealth. He was
poor enough at the commencement but what did that
matter to frugal, industrious man, willing to hive
within his means ard work hard to increase them?
Ard with unfaggipg zeal he has gone on from that
day TO this.
HIS FARM.
His first purchase 1l2 acres Of land well sit.
uated but said to be the poorest in the county. He
knew better than that however, for although the pre-
yious tenant had all but starved upon it, and the
neighbors tod him such would be his fate, he
had seen poorer land forced to yield large crops in the
old country, and he concluded to try the chances
for life Or death. The soil was heavy gravely clay,
with tenacious clay subso, perfectly tight reser-
yoir for water cold hard baked and cropped down to
abe ut the last gasp. The magician com nenced his
work. He found in the ban-yard great pile OF ma.
rme the Accommodations Of years, well roted blsek as
ink, ard as mellow as an ash-hesp' This he put
on az much land possible at the rate Of serenyre
loads to the acre. powed it in deeply sowed his grain,
cleaned out the weeds as we'll ss he could, and the
land on which he to starve gave him about twen.
tyfve buthels of wheat per acre. The result was, a.
usual attributed to luck, and anything but the real
cause. To turn over such deep furows was sheer
folly, and such heavy dressings of manure would not
fail to destroy the ssed. But it didn't and let our
farmers remember that it never will; and it they wish
TO get rich let them cut out this article read 1t often,
and follow the example Of our anatca Scotch friend.
This system Of deep blowing and heavy manuring
wrought its results in duo time Paying of his debt,
putin up buildings and purchasing stock each year
to atten and SELL Mr. Johnston after seventeen years
of had work at last found himself ready to incur
Lew debt and to commence laying tile drains. Of the
benefits to be derived from drainage he had long been
aware; for he rscolected that when he was only ten
years Of age, his grandfather, thrifty farmer in the
LothaLs seeing the good effects OF some stone drains
laid down upon his place, had said, "Vsriy believe
the whole arth should be drained" This quaint cay
ing which needs but little qualification, made last
ing impression on the mind Of the boy, that was to be
tested by the man, TO the permanent benefit of this
country.
Without suiciest means himself he applied for aloan
to the Bank in Geneva and the President, knowing
his integrity and industry, granted his request.
In 1886 tiles were not made in this country, 30 MIR.
Johnston imported some samples, ard quantity of
tho "hore- pattern were made in 1885, at Wat
erloo. There was machine for producing them, 80
they were made by hand and nodded over stick.
This slow and laborous process brought their cost to
t24 per thousand but even at this price Mr.
Johnston determined to them. HE bitches were
opened and his tile laid and then what sport for the
neiphbors! They poksd fun at the deluded man
they came and coupseled with him, all the while
watching his bright eye and intelligent face for signs
Of unacy they went by w,ggpg their heads and say
ing "Ahs!" and one and ell said he was most cor
sunmate ass to put crockeIy under ground and bury
his money 80 frulessly. Poor Mr.. Johnston! he says
be really felt ashamed of himself for trying the new
PLAN ard when people riding past the house would
about at him, and make contemptuous signs, he was
core hearted and almost ready to conceal his crime
BIT WHAT WAS THE RESULT Why this: that land
which preyously was sodden with water and utterly
unfruitful in one season covered with luxursnt
crops, and the jeering skeptics were utterly con-
founded that in two crops all his outlay for tiles and
labor was repaid and he could start afresh and dram
more land that the profit manifest asst induce
him to extend his operations each succeeding year,
and 80 70 on until 1856 when his labor was flushed az
ter having laid 2lO 900 tiles, more than fifty miles in
length And the fame Of this individual success go
ing forth one and another duplicated his experiment,
ard were rev arded according to their deserts
1t was not lorg after the manufacture OF the hrst ot
Of tiles that machine was contrived which would
make them quite well, and faster and by lis ala
thew were afforded at quite low price as after an
English machine was imported. The horseshoe tie
has bsep used by Mr. Johnston almost exclusively, for
the ressOn tina, they were the only kind to be pro-
oured at first and on his hard .ubso finding them TO
do AS well a. he could wish he has not cared to make
new experiments He has drains that have been in
function for more than twenty years without needing
repair and are apparently efficient now a. they were
when first laid. In soft land pipe or sole tiles would
be preferable or if horseshoe were used they should
be placed on strips of rough board to prevent their
sinking into the trench bottom, being thrown out
of the regular fall by being Undermined by the running
water. he has not used the plow for opening his
trenches for the reason that all his work has been let
ont BY contract and the men have opened them by
the spade; charging from twelve and half to hteen
| cents per rcd for opening and making the bottom