Connecticut western news., 1877-08-10
AGRICULTURAL.

DRANING.-For digging the ditches we have seldom been so situated that we could make use of anything but a man and shovel. When the nature of the ground will permit of it's use, a common blow, drawn by steady team, will materially reduce the expense, but in soft ground or with short lines of drains the time lost in turning and lia- bility to accident will fully counterbal- ance any gain. After fair trial of both plans, we must admit that we are not prepared to decide whether it is best to obtain the labor by the day or pay for 1t by the rod. There are many and good arguments upon both sides of of the question, but in all cases when the work was done by the rod, it ended in our employing man by the day to make changes and do work "not in the contract" In some cases we have con- tracted for the job all in one sum, and find 1t the most objectionable of the three plans.
 If the area to be drained is of con- siderable extent, and it seems certain that the digging will run about the same over the whole tract it will probably be found most satisfactory to put it out by the rod, and the bargain may or may not specify for the filling in, but in all cases the owner of the land, or trusty hand employed by the day should lay the ties and cover them with few inches of earth In all cases,, whether done by the day or by the job, do this myself, and would not feel safe to include it in the contract by the rod. The proper width for the trench will in a great measure depend upon the workman employed, especially if he works by the rod; in either case it is to his or his employers interest to move as little dirt as possi- ble, and hence dig narrow ditch. In all cases of work by the rod always stipulate that the ditch shall increase in depth from the outlet as rapidly as is consistent with the proper fall, to the depth previously decided upon, and then be carried at this depth as nearly even as the surface will allow. As As to the width at the top, make no contract, and only stipulate that com- mon fence board shall lay in the bottom with no springing sideways; this prac- tieally gives me eight inches, which is as narrow as most men can work. When there is much variation of the surface the average depth should be taken, and may vary from two and one- half feet upward. .....- -
 In some sections 1t is customary to throw considerable mystery around the operation of draining, and to hold out the idea that an engineer should be em- ployed at considerably increased ex- pense. In our operations we have never felt the need of such aid, and our only motto has been to always keep the water running down hill; with this .ob- ject in view, almost any ordinary farm hand is able to dig the drains.
 q
 COAL TAR FOR CATERPILLARs.-As these insects will soon be at work, we desire to state among other remedies, that coal tar, rather liquid and warmed, applied with a swab or pole, will in stantly kill every caterpillar that particle of it touches. A correspondent of the Prairie Farmer gives the follow ing mode of using 1t, which appears to be efficient: Put the tar in a pan, to which a wooden handle, 4 or 5 feet long has been nailed or screwed, set fire to the tar and the smoke will roll up in dense volumes. After one or two min- utes' smoking under each tree, no in- sect will remain. The smoke will con- dense on the limbs and leaves and until washed oil by rains will prevent insects from returning. There is but one objec- tion to this mode of using the tar-it does not necessarily kill the insects-a condition that we always prefer, as we have the old notion that after they are killed they will not be likely to do any harm.-Country Gentlemen.
 IN GERMANY corn IS grown as an or namental garden plant; in Switzerland 1t is started in beds, and afterwards transplanted to the field with three plants in a hill, the latter three feet apart each way; in France it is sown in drills with the plants two feet apart. England's climate is too cold and wet for its auceesaf,,l cnltnre