MANUFACTURE OF MAPLE SUGAR.

EDS. Co. GENT. AND CULTIVATOR-I would like some of your numerous correspondents to give definite directions for making maple sugar. Will you please make the request, or give the information yourselves? A. G. G. Hamilton Co., Ohio.

iron to plank, so that the sheet-iron formed the bottom and ends, and the plank the sides-the sheet-iron was secured to the plank by two rows of closely driven nails. The pans were about 8 feet long, and four wide, and 6 The first great requisite is to have all the vessels per- inches deep. These would be cheap, and very good for fectly clean. Strict cleanliness should be observed through-making maple sugar. The fire place should of course be out the whole process. Tin vessels are better than wood a little narrower than these pans. The chimney should for this reason. If properly washed, they can never im- be high enough to cause a good draught. part sourness to the sap. Made large enough to hold nine quarts each, they would cost about $35 per 100, and sixquart-pails cost $30 per 100. They may be made square or round, but the latter are better to clean and to keep their shape. They should be largest at top, so as to pack away in nests when not in use. The top should be strongly wired, like a tin pan, and a hole made under the wire enables it to hang on a nail driven into the tree, securing it thus from swine and other animals, and preventing the sap from being blown away by the wind. Old horse-shoe nails, straightened and sharpened, are the best.

To make good syrup, the sap must be reduced to one twentieth or one thirtieth of its bulk, or be boiled twice as much as sorghum juice. The syrup is then to be strained through flannel, and placed aside to cool and settle 12 to 24 hours. Then return it to the pan, and to every gallon add and stir a beaten egg and a gill of milk to clarify it, keeping it carefully from boiling till the scum has risen and has been skimmed off. Then boil it carefully until it will harden, which may be known by dropping some from a spoon into cold water. When this takes place, the liquid sugar may be then poured into The best spouts are made of thick tinned iron. When proper vessels, and then the cakes placed in a box to the vessels are hung as above described on nails, the drain. To make the sugar perfectly white, lay a few spouts need not be more than three inches long. They thicknesses of flaunel on the top of the cakes while it is should be widest where they enter the tree. After the draining, these flannels to be wet and washed daily with sheet tin is cut up to the proper size, the concave shape cold water-they will thus absorb and wash out the coloris given to them by placing them between a convex and ing matter. a concave piece of wood and giving them a brisk blow with a mallet. Ground sharp at the wide end, they are easily driven into a tree.

Never allow the sap to stand in the pails twenty-four hours-the fresher it is when boiled, the purer will be the sugar. While boiling, large quantities should not be poured in at a time, as that will stop it, and make irregular work; but a reservoir should be placed above the boiler, from which the sap may be drawn in a stream through a faucet, just fast enough to supply the evaporation. A little practice will enable the operator to judge how large this stream should be. Two boilers are better than one if the fire is made to pass from under one to the other-the first or hottest being chiefly for boiling down to syrup, and the second or coldest for heating the sap and doing the first evaporating. The faucet of fresh sap runs into the first, and a pipe or syphon, with faucet, conveys it to the second. Cook's patent sugar evaporator is very valuable for boiling the juice of sorghum, as it reduces the juice to molasses in less than half an hour by a continued process, and would be very useful for maple sugar, but less indispensable. It is on a principle similar to that of the two boilers above described, but more complete and perfect; the sap enters one end and flows from one side to the other many times by means of intercepting partitions, till it reaches the other end, by which time it is reduced to syrup, the proper current being given by raising or depressing the end, as the case may require.

Kettles are poor boilers-they waste fuel and make poor sugar. Shallow sheet-iron pans are much better. They may be kept cleaner, they evaporate more rapidly, make finer sugar, and effect a great saving of heat. In all cases, the boilers should be so set that a thin sheet of flame may pass under them. For example,-a sheet of flame, two inches thick, under a boiler, is as good as if a foot thick-the same amount may therefore be spread over six times the surface, and consequently be about six times more economical.

A hundred good sugar maple trees will usually make in a season, from two to three hundered pounds of sugar, if well managed; and if every precaution is observed to ensure cleanliness, prevent souring, boil speedily and without burning, and to clarify properly, a larger quantity of sugar will be made, it will be more saleable, and command a higher price; or if intended for home use, the smiles of the farmer's kind wife, when she sees such a beautiful article make its appearance, will more than repay him for all the pains he has taken to secure such ex

cellent success.

CRANBERRIES ON HIGH LAND.

The editor of the N. E. Farmer not long since gave his experience in the culture of cranberries "on dry, sandy loam land," full of weed seeds of various kinds. "The plants grew well enough, but the incessant pulling of weeds so often disturbed the runners that they did not have time to get a firm hold on the soil," so the plot was finally abandoned.

The experiment was then repeated on underdrained "swale" land, which before draining "would have been good corn land in a moderately dry season." The treatment and result are stated below; and we think them worth copying for the encouragement of interested readers:

The process was to cover the rushes and meadow grass with coarse gravel, so that none of it could be seen. A little fine meadow muck, say fifteen bushels to the rod, was spread over the gravel, and the plants set about one foot apart in each direction. The plants were taken from a common cranberry meadow, and set from the middle to the last of April. The only thing done to them since has been to keep out all weeds and grass that have made their appearance; and this must be done with care, so as not to disturb the sod or plant, which was originally set,

or the "runners" which have started out from it.

"On the single rod where the plants have been set three years, in the first week in September, we gathered one bushel of cranberries, and we have seen but a single lot in market that compares with them in size. On a rod set two years, eight quarts were gathered. These amounts were in clean, sound cranberries, with probably not an We have some good home-made pans, used for boiling imperfect one among them, as they were gathered by sorghum successfully, made by nailing good thick sheet-hand."

HINTS ON FARM IMPROVEMENT.

Farmers are generally anxious to improve their farms, or at least to reap the results of such improvement in bet ter crops and greater profits, but very many of them have yet to learn the most direct road to prosperous agriculture. It lies rather through careful management of abundant labor and capital, than in stinting these to the lowest possible amount-the saving is in the prudent use of every means of progress, rather than in the miserly neglect of all which seem to be indirect aids, but which are really the trifles which ensure that increase above the cost of production which alone counts as profit.

Let us look at one of the simplest axioms of the better farming. "There is no way," says John Johnston, "that land can be so profitably improved as by grass kept in a vigorous state of growth." To grow large crops of grass we must have rich, drained land-naturally fertile or enriched by manure and thorough culture before seeding down, and by frequent top-dressings afterwards. It must be drained land-artificially drained if subject to stagnant water-or the best grasses cannot be grown, nor can it be brought into profitable rotation with grain crops. It must be thoroughly seeded-economy in grass seed "gaves at the spigot to lose at the bung," in the less quantity and poorer quality of the product. And it must not be overstocked. The best pasture land, especially while young, can be ruined by feeding too closely and unseasonably late in autumn and early in spring time.

But farm improvement by this method requires labor and care. Autumn top-dressing comes at a busy season, and requires previous attention to provide the requisite composted manure. Hence too many neglect it, even though convinced of its importance and of the greatly increased crops which follow the practice. Our better farmers do not practice economy of labor, striving to get along with as little as possible. They have found that plenty of help for all the operations of the farin is the only way of productive and profitable farm management.

A hint or two on getting better grass from our meadows and pastures next season. Let no mild weather tempt us to allow a hoof upon them during the winter. Better buy additional forage for our stock. Where a mixture of clover prevails we should give a top-dressing of plaster in the early spring time. It has been found profitable to mix ashes with plaster for this purpose, and we should never sell a bushel of ashes from the farm, but rather buy instead. If intended for pasture, let the grass get a good start before turning on stock; the product will be much larger than when fed closely during the whole season. Low land pastures may be fed early with less loss, and especially any containing the swamp grasses. We have found it good policy to change pastures quite frequently, benefiting both the pasture and the grazing animals. Farms so situated that they may be irrigated at small expense, should enjoy this great means of enhanced productiveness. Meadows should be top-dressed with fine manure after haying-certainly whenever the crop falls below two tons per acre. If the grass land is to be plowed up for tillage another year, top-dressing in autumn will be found the best means of applying manure for the future product. But we need not extend these hints farther in this connection-we have dwelt upon them freely heretofore.

The farmer, anxious for improvement, is never at a loss

for employment upon his farm in winter. There are a thousand things he can do to enhance the comfort and thrift of his stock, and to increase the amount and value of his manure. And it should not be forgotten that the richer and better our stock are fed, the more rapid and profitable their growth, and the far greater value their

manure.

Preparations for the labors of the coming seed time can be largely made-fences, tools, seeds, and, no less important, plans for the work can be got in readiness in this time of comparative leisure. Too many are engaged off their farms at this season-in work, perhaps, bringing in more ready money-but practically of far less advantage to themselves as farmers. Others idle away the winter to grumble at bad crops and the hurry of farm life during the summer and autumn. With the new year there is room for all to "turn over a new leaf" in the volume of

progress.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.

THE UNITED STATES AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY held its

Annual Meeting at Washington, Jan. 9, re-electing President Hubbard, Secretary Poor, Treasurer French, and nearly all the old vice-presidents. The executive committee was re-organized, and consists of Marshall P. Wilder of Massachusetts, Frederick Smyth of New-Hampshire, Isaac Newton of Philadelphia, Charles B. Calvert of Maryland, Legrand Byington of Iowa, J. H. Sullivan of Ohio, and M. Myers of California. President Lincoln's commendation of the establishment of an agricultural and statistical department was warmly commended, and he was elected an honorary member. There was a decided expression of opinion against a National Exhibition, unless it can be held at Washington.

VERMONT.-The Annual Meeting of the Vermont State inst. The President, Hon. H. Henry Baxter, being abAgricultural Society was held at Bellows Falls on the 3d sent, Hon. Edwin Hammond of Middlebury, called the meeting to order, and after the usual reports, the following gentlemen were elected officers for the ensuing year:

President-H. HENRY BAXTER of Rutland.

Vice-Presidents-Edwin Hammond, Middlebury; J. W. Colburn,

Springfield; Henry Keyes. Newbury; John Jackson, Brandon.
Recording and Cor. Secretary-Daniel Needham, Hartford.
Treasurer-J. W. Colburn. Springfield.

Directors-Frederick Holbrook, Brattleboro; K. B. Chase, Lyndon;
H. S. Morse, Shelburne; D. R. Potter, St. Albans: Henry G. Root,
Bennington; David Hill, Bridport; John Gregory, Northfield;
Elijah Cleaveland, Coventry: Nathan Cushing, Woodstock; George
Campbell, Westminster.

CONNECTICUT.-The Annual Meeting of the Connecticut Agricultural Society was held at Hartford, Jan. 8. The treasurer reported a balance of $6 on hand, and an executive committee was appointed, with instructions to report next May what town presented the greatest inducements to have the Fair held in it. The old officers were reelected as follows:-President, E. H. Hyde, 2d, of Staf ford; Corresponding Secretary, Henry A. Dyer of Brooklyn; Recording Secretary, T. S. Gold of Cornwall; Treasurer, F. A. Brown of Hartford; Chemist, Prof. Jolinзon of Yale College.

KENTUCKY.-The Seventh Annual Meeting of the Kentucky State Agricultural Society, was held at Frankfort, Dec. 4th, 1861, the President, Hon. L. J. BRADFORD, in the chair, who was subsequently unanimously re-elected to fill the same position for the ensuing year (1862,) with the following Board:

Vice-Presidents-1. P. Swigert, Franklin; 2. J. B. Q'Bannon, Jefferson; 3. John G. Holloway.

Directors-1. O. H. Burbridge, Bourbon; Zeb. Ward, Woodford; Dr. L. P. Tarleton, Fayette; Caleb Walton, Harrison; and J. H. G. Bush, Clarke-2, G. Mallory, Jefferson; S. T. Drane. Shelby; Geo. Denny, Garrard; Alf. Allen, Breckinridge; and Felix G. Murphy, Nelson-3. John P. Campbell, sr., Christian'; R. B. Ratliff, Caldwell Edward Rumsey, Muhlenburg; R. C. Harrold, Union; and J. J. Towles, Henderson.

Treasurer-J. W. Tate, Franklin.

Secretary-Col. J. S. Wallace, Louisville.

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] Agricultural Notes in Monroe Co., N. Y.---No. V.

city on the Erie canal; but since the potato disease appeared, this kind of vegetable has not been cultivated except to a very limited extent.

The Cultivation of Wheat

Monroe County is one of the most beautiful portions of the Empire State. The climate is very salubrious; the In the county, thirty or more years ago, was attended soil usually very productive; and there are very few re- with remarkably good success. Indeed, wheat was the pulsive and undesirable localities-and even such places great staple with farmers, for many successive years, may be easily reclaimed by a judicious system of under- Many old farmers with whom I have conversed, have pointed out to me whole farms, here and there, and many draining and a proper system of husbandry, and thus ren- large fields, where the yield was seldom less than forty dered very desirable and valuable for agricultural purposes. bushels of most beautiful wheat per acre; and in many So far as my observations extended, I found it very well instances, the yield would be fifty bushels. But at the adapted to all kinds of fruit that will flourish well in any present time, on the same soil, the yield is expressed by other county; and the numerous flourishing orchards in any number from eight to thirty bushels per acre. "We cannot raise wheat now, as we could once," was full bearing, and the still greater number of young ones, the oft repeated expression among old farmers; and the which are usually well cared for, and are growing rapidly, reason assigned, usually, was, the insects-the wheat and the vast nurseries of the choicest varieties of every midge makes such ravages in the crop." Thirty or forty desirable kind of fruit trees, and vines and bushes, which years ago, they had all the advantages of a most excellent are cultivated in the vicinity of Rochester, which is the virgin soil, which was as well adapted to wheat as any county seat, and one of the most beautiful cities in West- with reference to keeping the soil in a good state of ferother crop; and had there been proper care exercised ern New-York, assured us that farmers are by no means tility, by making and applying as much barn-yard manure indifferent in reference to good fruit trees and good fruit, as was practicable, there never would have been such a I took notes of vast numbers of objects of special inter- decrease in the number of bushels per acre, as farmers est to farmers, which I must pass by unnoticed, for want now talk of. Old farmers have told, that "here on these fields we once could raise three crops of wheat in succesof room in the columns of the Co. GENT. But I cannot sion, and the third would be fully equal to the first." Of forbear to record a cordial reception and pleasant inter-course, under such a system of farm management, the view with D. D. T. MOORE, the Editor of the extensively most productive soil that can be found in the country, circulated, and ably conducted, and doubly welcomed would fail to produce a remunerating crop, after so many agricultural and family periodical, about whose premises, years of hard cropping. I was assured that thirty years both at his residence ard office, every thing exhibited ago, they were sure of a good crop of wheat, even when the soil was very poorly cultivated. But, at the present signs of order, neatness and prosperity. We called also time, at the office of Mr. J. HARRIS, Editor of the Genesee Farmer, which I have met with wherever I have visited, both in New-England and in Ohio.

Omitting details of the system of farm management at the Western House of Refuge for Juvenile Delinquents, or unruly boys-which by the way is one of the most use ful institutions in the State-we pass on to the far-famed and very extensive nurseries of Messrs. ELLWANGER & BARRY, which occupy about 500 acres, and everything appears to be executed in real Genesee farmer style. Probably there is not another nursery in the world which equals or surpasses this Mount Hope nursery for reliable varieties of choice fruit trees and vines, and for the space which it occupies. It is truly amazing to see what vast fields are devoted to nurseries of choice fruit trees on almost every side of the "flour city." We meet with more nurseries than anything else, and the wonder is, where will they ever find a demand for so many fruit trees, vines, shrubs and flowers?

The Soil of Monroe County Is usually remarkably fertile, and perhaps for real agri cultural purposes--for carrying out successfully a good system of mixed husbandry-it is second to no county in the State, while it is far superior to many others. In some towns we meet with a reddish loam, partaking of rather an argillaceous character; while in other localities we meet with calcareous clay; and then we meet with gravelly loam, and sandy loam. In most places that I passed through, there appeared to be a sufficient quantity of lime and gypsum, or plaster, in the soil to render it a good soil for the production of wheat and coarse grain. A large proportion of the soil of this county is of such a character that it could not be improved by underdraining, as there is no necessity for it; but there are thousands of acres, which are cultivated from from year to year, which do not produce half as much per acre as they would, were the surplus water carried away in underdrains. The soil of this county will produce almost anything that a good farmer desires to raise, including fruit, vegetables, grain and grass.

In many of the townships, vast quantities of Irish potatoes were formerly raised, and shipped to New-York

The Manner of Preparing the Soil for
Wheat
Is very different, and costs more than double what it then
did.

I alluded in a former communication, to one of the ways of preparing the soil for wheat in this county, which was by sowing or drilling in, after a crop of peas had who adopt this course, always calculate to have a good been removed. But, I found that all progressive farmers supply of rich and well-prepared barn-yard manure to apply to the soil before the wheat is put in. In some instances, the manure is hauled to the field as soon as the wheat put in as soon as it is practicable to do it after the peas have been removed, and is plowed under, and the first of September.

Another mode, which is preferred by some good farmers, is to remove the peas as early in August as practicaand then, about the first of September, spread the manure ble, and plow the ground from six to eight inches deep; very evenly and thin over the entire soil, and then plow it under with a gang plow, adjusted to run about four inches deep, after which the wheat is drilled in.

Another practice which is adopted more or less, is to haul the manure from the barn-yard in the former part of the season, and pile it up in the field during the summer, forking it over sometimes, in order to have it well rotted and finely pulverized; and after the ground has been plowed once with the common plow, and sometimes crossed with the gang plows, the manure is neatly spread on the surface and the ground thoroughly harrowed, by which the manure is about all covered with more or less earth near the surface of the ground.

Growing Wheat on Sod Ground Is adopted with good success in many parts of the county, by good farmers, who assured me that as a general rule this practice returned them about as good crops-when the soil had not been greatly impoverished by injudicious management-as any other practice which they could approve.

About the first of September the sod is neatly plowed about eight inches deep, with a lap furrow, after which a roller is passed over it, when a thin coat of good barnyard compost is spread evenly over the surface, and is

either well harrowed in, or is turned under very shallowly with the gang plows, which usually cut from three to four feet in width at once through. The wheat is then put in about the fifth or tenth of September.

either give way at the lower ends, or be severed just below the frozen earth. It is easy to perceive, when such is the case, why and how readily the wheat plaut is injured and thrown out by freezing and thawing in the winter or spring.

Growing wheat on clover lay is practiced in many instances. When the clover is in full bloom, it is turned Reasoning from analogy on the subject, most good farunder with the furrow about six or seven inches in depth, mers in Monroe county, who have a reputation for raising during the latter part of July; and if the clover is the the best crops of winter wheat, adopt the practice of large kind, which is considered preferable, it is not plowed Manuring the Surface for Winter Wheat, in until the former part of August. Of course, circum-In preference to mingling the manure thoroughly with the stances will determine the most proper time for plowing soil, as deep as it is plowed. By plowing the soil to a it under. If the clover is pastured for several weeks in good depth once, and by work only a few inches in depth the spring, it will not have attained its full growth until of the surface-rendering it fine and mellow-and by after the middle of summer has passed. The soil is spreading finely pulverized compost on the surface, and afterwards plowed with gang plows, sometimes twice simply harrowing it in about the time the grain is sowed before the seed is put in. I met with no instances in the or drilled in, the roots, for the most part, will strike out county, where a top-dressing of barn-yard compost was horizontally, or nearly so, and will become so thoroughly applied to the soil, when a crop of clover was turned interwoven with each other near the surface, that they are not drawn out at the surface, as they are when they strike down nearly vertically; but the entire soil rises and settles back in the same manner as sod ground does, without heaving out the plants.

under.

The kinds of soil where these practices are mostly in vogue were where sandy and loam predominate, and some gravelly clay, with a slight mixture of clayey loam. On such soils-which seldom need any underdraining— most good farmers appeared to agree in this opinion, that they would get no better crops by plowing the soil with the common plow, the same depth of the first plowing, than they now do by simply working over a few inches in depth of the surface with gang plows.

In one of our carriage excursions we passed a large farm of about 300 acres, with large fields, where vast quantities of heavy oats were being harvested, and the soil, crops, and everything else, exhibited unmistakable signs of thrift and good management; and I was assured that the system of management which was adopted here was to manure the soil in the spring for an oat crop, and as soon as the oats were removed the soil was plowed and afterwards gang-plowed, and the wheat drilled in, and that in this way that farm had been made to pay for itself three times, and now was in a good state of fertility, and a most valuable farm for wheat or any of the cereals. The Philosophy of Shallow Culture for Winter Grain.

When a piece of woods is cleared off and the ground simply harrowed thoroughly, without plowing, and it is sowed with winter wheat, the soil must be uncommonly wet, and the winter must be very unfavorable indeed if that wheat is much injured by freezing and thawing. And there is a very cogent and philosophical reason why winter wheat is injured less by freezing and thawing on such soil than it is on old ground.

We all know that when we set a stake or post perpendicularly in the ground about one foot deep the frost will soon heave it to the surface; but when it is set at an angle of forty or forty-five degrees, it will remain about as deep as it was originally set until it is rotten; because as the soil freezes and thaws it is lifted with and settles back with the soil.

The sod of grass ground is and gettles back bodily when the roots are not all lifted out ing in winter.

raised by the frost bodily,
thaws, and for this reason
by the freezing and thaw

I have made particular inquiry of those farmers who have adopted the practice of manuring on the surface, in every locality where I have travelled during the past season, and I have found that in most instances they are satisfied that winter grain will not suffer so much injury ted and spread thin on the surface, and harrowed in about from freezing and thawing, when the manure is well rotthe time when the grain is put in, as it will if the manure is plowed under.

This subject is a very important one to farmers in those regions where winter wheat is one of the great staples, or even where but little is raised; and I am satisfied that when our wet soils have been well underdrained, and when a good supply of compost is made for surface manuring in autumn, there will not be so many failures in winter wheat, providing the wheat midge does not injure it.

S. EDWARDS TODD.

[For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] EXPERIMENTS IN DEEP PLOWING. The subject of deep tillage has for several years engaged the attention of many practical agriculturists, and the agricultural papers have often called the attention of their readers to it. I have reflected much on this subject, and have been gradually gauging my plow deeper and deeper till I reached the maximum depth for an able team, with a single furrow-but I did not stop here. The soil of my farm is a clayey loam resting on a tenacious subsoil, whick passes off the surplus water too slowly for a healthy vege tation in a wet season.

Two years ago I bought one of Starbuck's subsoil plows, for the purpose of making an experiment in deep plowing. I operate with one pair of horses, using the Peekskill plow, No. 22, gauging it six inches for the first or sod furrow, and following this with the subsoil plow at a gauge of eight inches, making fourteen inches in all, plowing large lands, and alternating plows every round.

Last year I took a field of five acres, and plowed onehalf of it as above stated, and half with the Peekskili plow alone, going twice in the same furrow at a six inch guage, making twelve inches in all. I did not perceive any difference in the crops this year, on the parts differently worked. The subsoil plow is quite narrow, and does not stir the earth as wide as the first plow cuts, nor does it bring any of its furrow to the surface.

Now when wheat is sowed on new land that has never been plowed, the roots spread out almost horizontally on the surface of the ground, and thus form almost a complete mat, so that when the soil is expanded by freezing, it is raised bodily, roots and all, and thus it settles back, when it thaws, to its original position, without severing any of the roots of the plants. In new land that has not been plowed a large proportion of the vegetable matter and the elements of fertility are near the surface of the soil, and consequently the roots spread out horizontally much more In working with the Peekskill plow alone, I did not duthan they do vertically. But when the soil is deep, and plicate the furrow till after I had cut two sod furrows, the vegetable matter is thoroughly incorporated with it, The outer edge of the third sod furrow, and so the whole and when the elements of fertility are more abundant six of the piece, falls into the deep furrows and lays, not fiat, or eight inches below the surface than near the surface, the but at an angle of about forty degrees, and the sec roots will strike almost perpendicularly downwards. There- ond or subsoil furrow is turned over on the sod furrow, fore when two or three inches of the surface of the soil so that when the field is done it will present alternate laycomes to freeze, the plants are lifted, and the roots musters of sod and subsoil furrows.