The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-09-30
Construction of Tarm-Yards.

Construction of Farm Yards.
The time has now arrived when al
most all farmers have their farm-yards
clear of manure, and no better oppor-
tunity can be found than the present,
to turn their attention to the remodel
ing the yard, and so constructing the
surface as to effect the saving of all the
most valuable portions of the manure
that are usually lost by drainage
Your farm yard must first be graded,
and to do this efiectually all manure
must be entirely removed, and the yard
carefully and thoroughly shovcled over,
ali surface mould must be turned up
into heaps, and at once carried out on
the grass lands. Then make meas
urement and survey of the yard by
driving short stakes every twelve feet
all round the outside of that part to be
appropriated for the purpose, taking
care SO to plan the yard that any build
ings you erect in future may be now laid
out, so far as ground plan is concern
ed, the object being to make the yard
into the form of a square or objong,
with depression in the center. When
all round the edge is staked out as
described, al every twelve feet, you may
commence to level. To do this, how
ever, requires level, and one must be
had. y simple and efficient one may
very quickly be made by taking board
about six inches wide, perfectly straight,
| nd
take similar one, three feet long, and
screw it firmly with four wood screws
ON to the face of the long piece, and at
right angles from it, attaching a brace
on each side, with screws well entered,
and jointing through the lower end of
the brace, whilst the upper part is firmly
screwed down. Then draw line down
through the centre Of the upright piece,
and cut three saw cuts about an inch
deep into the upper end. Now hang
on weight by piece of Irvine attached
to the top of the upright piece, and rest
the end of the long piece of board On
two pegs exactly twelve feet four inches
apart, driven into the ground and
allowed to project somewhat. You will
now proceed to test you level by putting
it on the pegs so as to allow the centre
weight or bob" technically so called,
to hang down. Rack the upright piece
and tap in one or of the pegs, until by
reversing the level, that is turning it
end for end, you find it absolutely level
and true. When the string with the
"bob" attached to it hangs perfectly
down the line, whether the level is one
way or reversed end for end, then you
have an absolutely true level, and must
now screw the screws of the braces
firmly into the main portions of the
level, and there will be no danger of its
getting out of "truth;" but should it
do so, you can easily test it in the same
way; though hereafter you must alter
it by taking little off at either end, as
required to adjust it.
You are now ready to level all round
the yard, at the upper edge, or outside,
moving your level from peg to peg, as
you go on, until you get back to the one
you started from. If then, after going
all round, you find much variation, just
go back again, and be more accurate,
tapping in the pegs as you proceed
When this is corrected, measure to the
center, as nearly as convenient, from
the pegs all round, and the middle will
be the place for your reservoir or tank.
Now say you are laying out farm yard
$50 feet by 100 feet, or any size and
shape that may suit your premises or
locality; you now commence. at any
one of the pegs on the longer side, and
place one end of your level on it, point
ing at right angles towards the center
line, and drive another peg into the
earth at twelve feet distance, just so
deep that block of five inch scantling
resting on the second peg will cause the
level to appear to be correct. Again,
place one end of the level on this second
peg, and directing the other end along
the same line, towards the center, drive
a third peg into the ground, just deep
enough to make the level true when
placed upon it with the intervention of
the five inch block, In the same manner
as before. Repeat this process as often
as necessary till the center line is reach
ed. This will give you just five inches
fall in every twelve feet, or in the fifty
feet about twenty inches fall to the
center. Do this at each peg, all over
the yard sides and ends, driving in each
peg firmly into the earth. Your yard
will, when finished, be correctly sur
veyed and levcled, forming a square or
oblong basin, as the case may be, with
twenty inches depression in the center
Your pegs being all driven in firm, now
commence with pillow and scraper, to
move just one-half the earth SO survey
ed, and haul it away to the upper side
all around, until the pegs show you have
depressed ten inches in the middle, and
raised ten inches on the outside. Then
when all is carefully and correctly lev
eled, according to the pegs, your work
will be near done so far
You may now remove all the pegs,
and the first wet time that nothing else
can be done, get all the animals you can
| into the yard and drive them round and
round until the surface is entirely and
thoroughly puddled, being all trodden
into mud, about ten inches deep. Your
yard will now be water-tight, or nearly
so, if the soil is clayey. In few days
it will be dry and solid, and may now
lie narrowed smooth, and the cattle feet
marks all leveled in.
Now ran boy drain along the line
in the center of the yard, and leave a,
space of about twelve feet in the center,
into which you must now proceed to
sink your tank A full description of
this. and the way to construct it, with
manure pump and power applied to
empty the tank Occasionally, will be
given in another communication.
| american Stock Journal,
WINTERING CALvEs-In a letter
from Ogden Farm" published in the