The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-09-07
AGRICULTURE.

UNDERDRAINING WITH SrONE.-The
pest time to construct underdrai is
IN the spring of the year, when the
lana is soft. When made Of stone. thew
not only last for all tune, but carry off
any surface water much sooner than
tile. In cutting ditch for drain.
tho most expeditions way is to fret run
! turroW with two horse plough, as
straight as possible, where drain is to
be, and Oh this first turrow backfurrow
another Of equal width. Then, after
shovellthg to one side the earth of
which this double furrow is composed,
repeat the ploughing and shovelling
Dy attaching u short chain between the
doubletree and clovis, to increase the
distance between the two, and thus
cause the plough to run the required
depth: BY this means, /. g., Is by re-
peated ploughing and shovelllng out,
depth Of from fifteen to twenty In
ches may be obtained, and Of the prop.
er width the drain IL to be. This much
done, hitch the two horses, one in front
OF the other CAMDEN fashlon), to sim
gle-coulter plough, with which rip up
The sub-soil and throw out as before
repeating the operation until the prop
or depth d had. In finishing the bot
tom OF the intended drain, care should
ness throughout its entire length, on-
ly sufficiently incllning towards the
mouth to cause the water to flow with
equal freedom through every part of
the drain; otherwise little depressions
Will be left III the bottom of the drain,
III which sediment will accumulate to
such all extent as to Obstruct the free
passage of the water, and thus choke
up the drain and render it useless.
Tho next thing then is to prepare the
stone tor constructing the drain--should
be broken inte pieces not larger than
goose eggs, the smaller ones TO take
their place i'll tho bottom OF The drain
and tho larger ones to De thrown in
promiscuously until to within loot
Or so OF the surface, and, covering the
same with tew leaves from the woods
&c 81! the balance of the drain with
the excavated earth. Where low pla-
ces occur III field, OH which water is
Inclined to stand so as 10 Interfere with
their cultivation, and for which no
outlet can be conveniently had by
means Of Il drain, very good substi-
Lute will bc found by digging hole
through the clay, some three or four
feet III diameter, filling the same with
stone to within few inches of the top,
and covering with leaves and earth az
above directed. BY this means the wa
ter Will lind a ready outlet and perfect
drainage will be secured.
A WASH FOR FRUIT TREES insects
aid mllucwS, injurious TO The leaves
OF seedlings and gratis, can be kept In
suDJcctlOn or destroyed by Il free use of
combination Of lime and sulphur.
Take Of quick or unSlackcd lime four
parts, and OF common flowers Of sulphur
one part fOur pounds Of sulphur to one
peck OF limc); break up tho lime in
small bits, then, mixing the sulphur
with 1t IN thick vessel ron is the besD
pour on them enough boiling water to
slack the lime to powder, cover the yes
sci close as soon as the water Is poured
on. This makes also Il most excellent
whitewash for orchard trees, and is
very useful as 4 preventive of blight OIL
pear trees, to cover the woods In form
OF Il paste when cutting away deceased
parts: also for coating the trees in
April. 1t may be considered as the
one specific for many nOXious Insects
and mildew in the orchard and nurse
ry; Its materials should be quite fresh
rs it would IN time become sulphate Of
lime and 30 lose its potency. Whercv-
or dusting with lime is spoken Of this
should be used. This preparation
should be sprinkled over tho young
plant AS soon as, or before, any trouble
from aphldcs, thrips or mildew occurs,
early in the morning while tho dew Is
on trees. This lime Of sulphur combi-
nation is destructive to these pests in
this way First, by giving OFT sulphuric
acid gas, which Is deadly poison to mi
mute lite, both animal End fungoid;
and the lime destroys by contact the
same things, besides its presence is
noxlous to them; neither is it injurious
to common vegetable life, except in ex-
cess, unless the lime to tho foliage or
cvorgreens.
MATERIALS FOR MULCnING.-Profes-
sor W. j. Bcal, OF the Michigan ugri-
cultural college, gives the results of
several experiments to determine the
best materials to mulch Strawberries
and other plants, and arrives at the
conclusion that the best is chopped
straw. lie iluds a thick coat Of manure
excellent tor bedding plants. He tried
old clover hay, and had fine crop of
clover plants to kill the next spring.
Lay gives Il similar result in a young