INDIANA  FARMER.
Derated to Agriculture, Horticulture, Mechanics and tbe TJselul Arts.
D. P. Holloway, W. T. Dennis,]
B.T.Beed.—Editors.        j
RICHMOND, JULY 1, 1854.
(Holloway & Co., Pubtitkirt.
I    Vol.3 No. ltf.
Table of  Contents:
Page 290,291—Communication from R. T Brown.
"    293,293— From O. II. Kelly.
" 294—Sugar Beet, "fc.
" 895—iVmter Forage; To Grow a Beautiful Arbor.
" 293—Eittoria.1— Canada Thistles; Will Flax grow. &c.
" 297—Swill for Hogs; Nationul Cattle Show at Spring
field, Ohio.
" 298—Sowing Yellow Locust Seed, &c.
" 29a—Prolonging tha bearing   season of the  Straw
berry; Oultivasion of Flax, 4*c.
" 308-—Farrainga hundrel years ago
" 301—Balding and Autumn Grafting; Scare  Crows;
Shelter your Manure Heap.
" 392—Strawberries; Hints sbout avoiding Fires.
" 293—Agriculture.
" 3J1—IjaportiQt Saggestlons about Grasses, &c; Care
of Cows, Pradts, &e.
gJ-We expected to present an engraving, illustrative of the
article fromR.T. Bjown; but have been disappointed in having
it made.
Tor the Indiana "farmer.
Drains and Crops.
Messrs. Editors:—The many and drenching
rains which have fallen during the past winter
and spring, have had a very deliterious effect upon oar farms, by the washing of numerous gul-
lys in places never before injured; 83 well as
washing out, or filling up, many of our covered
drains. Upon examination, I discover my favorite plan for constructing under drains has not
mat my expectations. In some few instances the
covering is washed off down to the stone, and
as a matter of course the crevices or apertures
are generally all filled up in such cases; but, what
has led to my astonishment is, to find some
drains apparently unharmed from surface washing equally obstructed, and rendered almost entirely useless.
I should not refer to this matter at present, was
it not for fear some might try my recommendation, and be subjected to the same inconvenience
I have been the past spring, provided another
such season should occur.
The experience of the past winter and spring
plainly admonishes me of the great necessity of
guarding strictly against the surface wa.er passing immediately over, or close along the side of
newly covered drains. I deem it the part of wisdom, therefore, that each person upon the com-
ple.ion of every covered drain, proceed immediately t<3 throw up a ridge over such drain of
sufficient heighth and width, to keep the surface
water at the distance of at least five feet on either
side at times of freshets. It is a fact well known
that the Muskrat and Crawfish aro each disposed
to burrow holes from the drains to the surface of
the ground; and where the water is permitted to
pass over the drains, it will most assuredly carry
more or less dirt down through such holes, which
in process of time must clog and fill up all drains,
unless a larger open space is made for the passage of the water, than is possible to secure by
d?"-**ing to the width of 6 or 7 inches, and filling
in promiscuously, or setting on edge, as previously recommended.
The discouragements of the past should not in
the least cause us to relax our efforts in reclaiming our wet land; but for one, I feel admonished
to use more care in securing my drains in future
than has generally been thought necessary heretofore. 1 rom the schooling I have recently had
I am led to the belief that where stone is to be
used in the construction of drains, the plan of making walls on each side, and covering over in
the style of culverts, will be more durable, and
all things considered, the best calcula*«d to subserve the interest of the farmer.
We have had much to discourage and dishearten us in this vicinity, this spring. Generally
speaking, the prospect of wheat is decidedly poor.
Some fields were materially injured by the fly
last fall, others by the sudden changes and severe
freezing of winter, and yet more by the ravages
of the fly this spring. As a matter of course no
person can yet form a correct opinion of the approaching wheat crop; but sure it is,'the prospect now looks gloomy, and I predict an unusual short crop in this section of the country.
Owing to the copious and frequent showers,
many of the farmers barely got their corn in the
ground by the first of J une; whilst some few were
even at that late hour waiting for the ground to
get sufficiently dry for planting. Oats bid fair
at present for a beautiful crop, yet most of them
were sown when the ground was quite too wet,
and the result surely will be, lasting injury to
the ground. Flax and meadows each look well,
and of the former there is quite more sown this
spring than usual, ia this vicinity.
Respectfully yours,     John P. Brad?.
Whitcomb, Franklin co. June 12,1854.
Platstin-3 Fruit Trees for Others.—The
Spanish have a maxim, that a man is ungraceful
to the past generation that planted the trees from
which he ea.s fruit, and deals unjustly towards
the next generation, unless he plants the seed,
that it may furnish food for those who come after him. Thus when a son of Spain eats a peach
or pear by the roadside, wherever he is, he digs
a hole in the ground with his foot, and covers the
seed. Consequently all over Spain, by the roadsides and elsewhere, fruit in great abundance
tempts the taste and is ever free.
Let this practice be imitated in our country,
and the weary wanderer will be blest, and wili
bless Ihe hand that ministered to comfort and joy.
We are bound to leave the world as good or better than we found it, and he is a selfish churl
who basks under the shadow, and eats the fruits
of trees which other hands have planted, if he
will not also plant -trees which shall yield fruit
to coming generations.—New England Cvltiva.