NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



95 



when it should be carefully skimmed, or, if it is 

 wished to have it very pure, strained through a 

 woolen strainer, and then placed over the fire and 

 the boiling finished. It is usually boiled until it 

 becomes quite hard, by stirring until it is cold ; but 

 the nicest sugar is made by evaporating until it will 

 grain, and then, after letting it stand several weeks, 

 draining oft" the molasses. 



For the purpose of " sugaring off," as it is called, 

 a sheet-iron pan is as much superior to any thing 

 else, as for boiling the sap; but it should be made 

 smaller, say three and one half feet long by two in 

 width, and nine inches in depth, and put together in 

 the best manner. 



I almost forgot to allude to the article in No. 3 

 of the second volume of the Farmer, in which a cor- 

 respondent of the Ohio Cultivator recommends pans 

 with plank sides. Such pans were "all the rage" 

 here a few years since, but those who made them, 

 after using them a year or two, threw them aside, 

 and obtained those made wholly of sheet iron. 



AV. F. B. 



AsHFiELD, March 4, 1850. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



My dear Sir : For some days have I been anx- 

 iously waiting the action of the legislature in rela- 

 tion to the contemplated modes of promoting instruc- 

 tion in agriculture. I hope no local or sectional 

 prejudices are to be brought in to waiver the minds 

 of any in relation to it. I care not luherc the exper- 

 iment is to be commenced, if it can be done under 

 auspices most favorable. Let it once be fairly started, 

 and some Lyman will appear to help it onward. If 

 not, the state itself is abundantly able, and the yeo- 

 manry of the state should not be otherwise than 

 willing. 



I have been hoping to witness a more distinct 

 expression of opinion from the hard hands them- 

 selves than I have yet seen. In the reports of the 

 discussions at your agricultural meetings, it appears 

 that the remarks are usually made by those who are 

 more distinguished for speaking than for working. 

 We want something from both. I care not how 

 rough are the blocks, when first taken from the 

 quarry; three chances to four, the roughest exterior 

 covers the smoothest internal substance. Gems of 

 purest water are often found surrounded Avith the 

 most forbidding accompaniments. 



Is it not true that one half or more, of those who 

 occupy the seats in the halls of legislation, are ranked 

 under the denomination of farmers ? But have one 

 half of these yet favored the public with their opin- 

 ion ? Ask any of these gentlemen, at their own fire- 

 side, and they will be ready to give you a reason — and 

 oftentimes very sound ones too — for the faith that is 

 in them. Why should they not be equally ready to 

 give their reasons at the meetings mentioned ? It 

 cannot be that they are ashamed of their reasons ; 

 but it is that they arc afraid they shall not express 

 them with so much ease and propriety of phrase- 

 ology as some of their more favored associates. 



Whoever hesitates to give utterance to what he 

 thinks, for this cause, fails in the duty he owes to 

 himself and to the public. Of what use is a man's 

 knowledge, if he will not let it be known ? I would 

 not be the advocate of much speaking, nor would I 

 have any one presume to s]>cak before he is prepared 

 with something to say. But what I wish is, that 

 each one would think for himself, and frankly and 

 freely communicate what he thinks. In this way 

 many valuable suggestions will be elicited, that can 

 readily be moulded into form for use. 



In some instances I have noticed, where gentlemen 

 have turned their eyes from their lesson, and haz- 

 arded a remark that did not chime with all our 

 notions, some have been disposed to sneer at their 

 eccentricities. I doubt exceedingly the poUcy or 

 propriety of any such movement. If a man makes 

 his suggestions honestly, let him be commended, and 

 aided in so doing. No true gentleman will ever pre- 

 sume to do otherwise. I fear that I have already 

 prated too long, and perhaps some will think I have 

 only been preparing an apology for my own condi- 

 tion. Truly yours. 



Feb. 28, 1850. 



For the Neto England Farmer. 

 PROFITS OF ORCHARDING IN MAINE. 



Friend Cole : It may not be altogether uninter- 

 esting to the readers of the Farmer to learn some- 

 thing about the profits of this part of husbandry in 

 Maine, in which, as a whole, such inattention has 

 until recently been manifest. Notwithstanding the 

 great majority of farmers in this state, who have 

 paid any attention to the cultivation of fruit, have 

 taken so little care of their orchards, as to receive but 

 little, if any, profit, it is not the case with all. A 

 neighbor of mine, who has a young orchard of about 

 one acre, that has been well taken care of, informed 

 me that he should realize about two hundred dollars 

 for his crop of apples raised the past season. His 

 trees have not yet come to maturity ; consequently a 

 greater amount of income may be looked for ; yet it 

 is difficult to conceive what other branch of hus- 

 bandry, in this vicinity, could be made equally profit- 

 able, with so small an expenditure. 



Another farmer in this county has a young orchard 

 of about two hundred trees, of choice fruit, who, as 

 I was informed, offered to sell his farm, valued at 

 three thousand dollars, for what apples would grow 

 upon it for fifteen years, to be transported from twelve 

 to twenty-five miles, and the orchard kept in a flour- 

 ishing condition. 



Much more interest is now apparent among farm- 

 ers in Maine than formerly, in the cultivation of fruit 

 as a souree of profit ; and with many, less fears are 

 entertained of the business being over-done. 



D. TABOR. 



Vassalboro', 2d Mo.., 1850. 



For the Neio England Farmer. 

 "NATIVE TREES, SHRUBS, AND PLANTS." 



Mr. Cole : I have been very much pleased, of late, 

 to see the communications in the Farmer from Mr. 

 Fowler, of Danvers, on the above-named subject. I 

 think our native trees and shrubs have been neg- 

 lected quite too long. I made up my mind last year 

 that I would cultivate every native flowering tree or 

 shrub that I could Ihid ; and having been em])loycil 

 some time in collecting them for nurserymen, I know 

 where to find many of them ; but there are some that 

 I do not know where to find. Now, my object in 

 writing at this time is, that, if there are others en- 

 gaged in making such collections, that we can cor- 

 respond with, and assist each other, by exchange or 

 otherwise. I'erhaps this may appear to some too 

 much like an advertisement ; if so, I hope they will 

 take the benefit of it. I shall be gkid to buy those I 

 want, or sell those I may have to spare, or can pro- 

 cure. You may say to your correspondent N., of 

 Danvers, that the hemlock here thrives well on poor, 

 gravelly soils, and bears the shears as well as the 

 buckthorn or arbor vit;e. B. F. CU'lTER. 



PiiLU^v-M, N. 11., Feb. 25, 1850- 



