Year: 1876

Tie dam. DO not dig the grouni away too
close to the dam, thus weakening the bank,
much tronble has been caused in this way.
The sides and bottom OF the creek being
prepared, as described, put in apron to &C.
ceive water from sluice box, or flood gate,
(as We may please to term it,) so as to keep
the water from Outlying under or around
the dam. To do this, spike the p'anks to
cross timbcrs by 4 or by so as TO make
the apron or it. wide, or even more as
the case may require; place it in the bottom
of the creek, drive down good and sccnrc
stakes, to keep it from floating, then spike
on plank on each side to contne the water
rn the apron, make the dam little higher
than the apron, before putting on sluice box,
so that the box will not settle on the apron,
when the dam is finished be sure that the
box is set in good clay and perfectly level,
then build up with mud and brush, use line
or coarse brush as the case may require.
After pntting abort one foot of clay, then
put in brush with large ends out, extending
past the stakes and reaching twothfIds ofthe
distance across the dam; put in anothY foot
OF clay, then brush on opposite side % dam
so as to make good lap and prNdlt my
water from following the brush through the
dam lay large poles across the ends OF the
brush, and again set stakes bring some OF
the branches around the poles toward the
center of the dam and throw on mud, this
will keep The poles to Their, place. Do
not build part of the dam Mt a time, but
altogether, keeping it level from bank
TO bank. Ii the tide should come over
the dam before it is finished it will do no
harm; the poles and brush will keep it from
washing away. Leave tie sluicc box open
until the dam is made above high wafer.
Building the dam perpendicular, OF course,
makes it tire sane width on top rs is at the
bottom eco f,,) 'fhis will make good bridge
it necessary; would recommend making dixie
in like manner where it is necessary to have
it high and where there is much cnrrcnt;
also when the river is high, and logs are like
" to come against it, would have the brush,
if not the poles; brush makes dam very
strong. When there is likely to sbe much
surf, would drive good strong stakes little
way outside of dixie, and put in brush and
poles between the stakes and the dixie; stones
put on the brush, if they can be procured
without too much expense, will make II
much better job.


Making gates or clappcrs for sluicc boxes
Cut the box little angling, about five dc
grees, making it longest on the bottom;
make gate or clapper of three inch plank, (be
sure it fits wcll,) and nail one inch boards
across opposite way of grain, so that the sun
will not work or twist it out of shape when
the tide is out; use brass or composition
hinges, If they ary not too expensive put on
with good strong screw or riyets, Wooden
hinges can be made to answer the purpose
quite well, by having the gate long enough
to spike it on to a piece Of hard wood, three
or four inches square, then make journal or
roller on each end, spike pieces of scantling
on each side of sluiCe box, bore hole to suit
roller; this if properly done will answer
every purpose. Sluicc boxes should not be
made more than one foot in the clear, except
when in small rivers or creeks, to let out the
water W hen there is freshit, but can be
made any required width, by putting 8 3by II
or 4 by II inch plank II inches apart, and
planking across them. In this manner no
framing is necessary, but when the box has
to be two feet or more in height, make a
frame of by scantling, not more than two
feet apart; plank on outside anil line the
inside with one inch boards, both sides and
bottom; this will keep the frame from hold
holding grass, tuleys or any other drift that
is likely to get into the box, 1t sometimes
happens that old snags, logs &c., grounds
on the gates and break them; to prevent
this, make perpendicular cut in the bank
put in plank at the end Of each cut, drive
the end down in the mud, secure it to tle
bank then float in small log that will reach
from bank to bank, drive,a long stake on
each side SO that the log can not float out :
this will rise and fall with the tide, and
keep out all such intruders.


We ore much troubled here with the
muskrats digging holes through the dams
they commence to dig under water, any little
gulley hole that may be made by the water
coming out of sluIce boxes gives them a
favorable starting point To prevent this
would recommend scow load or two of
stone or gravel, to be put along the bottom
and sides of the dam, they will not dig
through gravel. The muskrats and mice
are oul worst enemies here, consequently
would warn all persons having marsh or
diked lands, against killing minks; they are
deadly enemy to the muskrat, if it was not
for the mink, in my opinion, it would be
hard to do anything on this kind of land
also against killing weasles, skunks, and
owls and hawks, they are all good mousers
and hunt them night and day. 1t is true
that they, like many other animals, are fond
of chickens, but with proper chicken house
there will be no trouble on that score


SAMUEL CALHOUN.





New YORK, April 17-The floating ru-
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