Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1870-04-22
farm. eSartlen 4 luasehola.
From the New York TribEne.
WHAT 1 KNOW OF FARMiG6.

M HORACE aREELEY.

south 10 north-my part measuring some
fifteen acres, with ave acres more OF slightly
elevated dry land between it and the foet Of
the rather rugged hill which rises thence on
the east and on the south, and OF which
now own some fifty acres lying wholly east
ward az nv low land, and in good part
covered with forest. OF this, bought more
than half in 1858, aud the residue in bits
from time TO time as could afford it. The
average cost was between $3.50 and $40 per
acre: one snail and poor OLD cottage being
the only building found on the tract, which
consisted Of the ragged edges OF two adjacent
farms between the western portions of which
mine IS now interposed, while they stin ad-
ioin each other beyond the north and south
road half mile from the railroad on which
their buildEgs are located and which forms
my eastern boundary. My stony, graveily
upland mainly slopes to the west; but two
acres on my east line incline toward the road
which bounds me 10 tha. direction, while two
more on my south east corner descend TO the
little brook which, entering at that corner,
keeps irregularlY near my south line. until it
enerees, sreNed by Z smaller ruunel that en-
ters NV Iowland from the north and trayerses
/ to meet md pass of with the larger brook
LET aforesaid. have done some draining, to
no great purpose, on the more level portions
Of nov upland; but my lowland has challenged
nv best efforts in this line, and ] shall here
explain them for the encouragement and
possible guidance of noviees in draining.
Let me speak FIRST Of.
Ny Difficulties This marsh or bog con
sisted, when first grappled with it, OF some
thirty acres, whereof then owned less than
third. To drain it to advantage, one per
sen should own It all or the different owners
should cooperate; but had 70 60 it aloue,
with no other aid than freely accorded
privilege ofstraightening as well as deepening
the brook which wound its way through the
dryer meadow just below me, forming here
the boundary of two adjacent farms. l spent
500 on this Job, which is still imperfect; bat
the first decided fall 10 the stream occurs
nearly a mile below me; and you tire easily
Of doing at your own cost work which bene-
its several others as much as yourself Ny
drainage will never be perfect till this brook.
with that far larger one in which it is merged
sixty rods below me, shall have been sunk
three or four feet at a further expense Of at
least $500
This bog or swamp, when / first bought
it, was mainly dedicated to the uses Of
frogs, muskrats and Swapping turtles. A few
small water elms and soft naples grew upon
it, With swamp alder partly tringing the wes-
tern base Of the hill east of it, where the
rocks which bad, through thousands of years,
rolled from the hill, tbickly covered the sur
face, with springs bubbling up around and
among them. Decaying stumps aud imbed-
ded fragments of trees argued that timber
formerly covered this marsh as well as the
encircling hills. 4 tall, dense growth Of
blackberry briars, thoroughwort, and all man
ner of swamp weeds and grasses, covered the
center of the swamp eacL Summer; but my
original portion Of it, being too wet for these,
was mainly addicted to hassocks or tussocks
oi wiry, worthless grass: their matted roots
using in hard lunches a fewinches above the
soft, bare eacircling mud. The bog ranged
IN depth from a few inches to FIVE or SIX feet.
and was composed Of black, peaty, vegetable
mold, diversified by occasional streaks Of clay
o, sand, all resting on a suhstratum of hard,
coarse gravel, out Of which two or three
springs bubbed up, in addition to the half
dozen which poured in from the east. and
tiny rivulet which (except iu a very dry. hot
time) added the tribute of three or four more
which sprung from the base Of a higher shelf
Of the hill near the middle of what is now my
farm. Add to these that tie brook which
5rawled and foamed Iown my bin side near
my south line as aforesaid, had brought along
an immensity Of pebbles and gravel of which
1t had mainly formed my five acres of drier
lowland, had thus built up a petty swale.
wherein il had the bad habit Of filling up one
channel and then cutting another, more de.
7ioas and eccentric, If possible, than any of
It's predeeessors-aud you have some idea Of
The obstacles l encountered and resolved to
overcome. One Of NY first substantial i'm.
psoyements was the cutting Of straight
channel for this current and, by sall;uc ii
with large stones compelling the brook 10
respect necessary limitations. 1t was not nv
tault that some Of those stones were set nearly
upright, so as TO veneer the brook rather than
thoroughly constrain it: hence some of the
stones, undermined By strong currents, we're
pitched forward into the brook BY high Spring
fresheis, 20 as to require resetting more
carefully. This was a mistake, but not one Of
Ay Bt2e1aers.-These, the natural result of
InexpeEence and haste, were very grave. Not
only had I had no real experience il draining
when | began, but could hire no foreman
who kneg much more Of Is than did. /
ought to have begun by securing an ample
and sure fall where the water left nv land.
ard next cut down the brooklet or oren ditch
iuto which ! intended to drain to the lowest
practicable point-so low, at least. that NO
drain running into it should ever be troubled
with back water. Nothing can be more use,
less tban drain in which water stacnates.
choking it with mud. Then / should have
bought hundreds of Hemlock or other ctean
boards, slit them 10 a width Of four or five
inches, aud, having opened the needed drains
laid these in tie bottom aud the tile there
upon, taking care to break Joint by covering
the meeting ends Of two boards with the mid.
die Of tile. Laying tile in the soft mud Of
bog, with nothing beneath to prevent their
sinking, Is simply throwing away labor and
money. | cannot wonder that tile draining
seems to many humbug, seeing that so
many ale are laid so that they can never do
any good.
Having, by successive purchases, become
owner Of fully half Of this swamp, and by re-
peated blanders discovered tha: making stone
drains ia bog, while it Is a eapital mode of
getting rid Of the stone, is no way at all 10
make dr4IHs lciosed my series of experiments
Two years since by carefully relaying my gen.
efaliy useless tile on good strips or board.