The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-07
evening state Salirmal.
THURSDAY EvE'G, MARCH 7, 1872.
AGRICULTURAL.

tHe. w III III 40 10 use D0aruS IN place OIL
stone or tiles, and if so in what way? IL
Illustrated Annual Register of Rural Affairs
for 1871, page 154, gives plan of board
drain for one rod as follows: For pinch
drain take 1.-TWO boards four inches by one
inch, l69 feet long, two boards two inches
by one inch, 164 feet long, nailed together
with just enough nails to keep the boards
in place. If there are not too many nails
put in the boards, there will be plenty of
room for the water to find its way into the
DRAIN" | fear after the ground became
compact, and the boards expanded or
"swelled" from moisture, that water would
not pass freely, if at all, into that drain.
Can you or any of your correspondents
give me information on the subject of
board drains? | have cut over 1900
yards ditch and will cut a good deal
more, and will soon be ready to commence
filling in or "blinding" as it is called here.
Will be obliged for an early answer from
yourself or some of your well informed
correspondents. My only doubt as
to the drain as described above, is
whether the water can penetrate it or
not after the earth becomes thoroughly
settled. Iperhaps ought to have stated
that the sub-soil here is very stiff and adhe-
sive, and free from sand or gravel. G. ].
j., Petersburg, Va. [The probability is
that there would be no difficulty, and the
water would enter freely. In a drain 90 or
100 rods long, there would be four Sits or
joints amounting altogether in length to
200 or 400 rods-enough to let in very
large quantity ofwater in that distance
Ii the wood is of some soft or spongy kind,
and is sawed straight, it would not be diff
ticult to make the joints nearly water-tight,
but with hard wood, which is usually more
durable and better, there would be free
chance for the water to enter. But in any
case, our correspondent may very easily
remove all difficulty by placing small pieces
of thin wood, shingles, or other substances,
between the edges of the boards where the
nails are driven, to keep them apart. The
experiment is easily tried of making
trough by ordinary mailing, filling it with
water above ground, and observing how
fast the water will leak out i Country
Gentleman.
WINTER PEARs.--A friend inquiries,
"What is the best winter pear, to follow
the Lawrence and Winter Nels ?n We
answer, unhestatingly, Josephine de Ma
lines. 1t is one of those sorts which wear
well on acquaintance. Although not quite
so sweet as the Lawrence nor so high fla
yored as the Winter Neis, we find it moro
agreeable than either. 1t is very iucy and
melting the most melting of any winter
pear we are familiar with it is never hard
nor gritty, but fine grained, and when the
teeth go in the juice pours out. A reason
that it is not more popular is the want of
attractiveness in appearance. We should
add that it scarcely ever rots-at least not
until it has been fully ripe long time. We
have now in our fruit-room lend of
january in covered boxes, side by side,
the Winter Nelis, Lawrence and Jo-
sephine de Malines-the temperature and
moisture being the same. The Winter
Nelis is more or less dried or shrivelled
the Lawrence, although fresh, has many
specimens more or less rotted, or with
small decayed spots on them; but the
Josephine de Malines remains in good eating
condition without any drawback. The
frult-room alluded to is an apartment in a
cellar, with hydraulic cement bottom and
sides, separated from the rest of the cellar
by brick wall, and capable of being kept
at low temperature, above freezing, by
good ventilation. The pears are in long,
flat, covered boxes. Kept without any
care, as too many do, the owner would fail
of success, and would probably pronounce
the three sorts we have mentioned as
worthless fruits and humbugs."
SALT FISH AS MANURE.-T have pur-
chased ten tons of old salt behring's some
are spoiled and from some the brine has
leaked off, leaving them bad. How can |
compost them so as to use them in my
early garden crops ? Will it do to use
lime to get up the heat required, with
plenty Of wood earth to retain the ammo
mia ? What are they worth 3sper ton as
manure There is at least half bushel
salt in each barrel they cost me 80 per
ton, barrel and ALL can get 30 cent apiece
for the barrels. | thought it good invest
ment. know they charge $40 per ton for
fish guano. Is this just as good? R.T. B.
[Salt fish are less valuable than fresh for
making guano, as they do not readily UNI
dergo fermentation, and the excess of salt
would render limited supply necessary,
for such crops as are injured by it. We
are unable to give the precise value, but
would recommend making the fish into
compost with alternating layers of muck,
turf, or loan, and after thoroughly work !
ing it over some months later, to apply it |
IN moderate quantities to land, so that there
may not be too heavy dosing with salt.
1t would doubtless be excellent manure for
asparagus, which can bear an abundance of
salt. Country Gentleman.
BRITISH IMPORTS OF WHEAT.-The
published statement of British imports of
wheat for 1871, shows that the quantity
received during the year was 50, 407 SAC
cwt., against 30,90l 1920 cwt. in 1870.
Russia furnished 1928, 435 cwt., and the
United States 1906, 057 cwt., but the two
countries are placed more nearly on an
equality when we find that ,794, 800 cwt.
of wheat -four was also brought from the
United States and none from Russia. In
deed the aggregate value of our wheat and
flour was 60 ,459, 740, against eS, $40, 597
for Russia wheat, SO that we actually ex-
ceeded Russia in our supplies for the British
market, and sent thither considerably more
than all other countries combined. The
aggregate cost of British purchases of
wheat and flour from other nations was
G26. 7S3, 9l4 in 1871, against SIS, 647 ,67S,
in 1970-an increase of over seven millions
pounds sterling, equal at present rates of
exchange to about $3S, 900, 000in currency.
VALUE OF STRAW FOR FoDDER.-In
the Elmira farmers Club, the question
lately arose as to the value of straw for
fodder compared with hay. The fairest
estimate, we think, says the American
Rural Home, was given by General Diven,