520 



Vtder — 0?i the Preservation of Roofs of Buildings. Vol. II. 



. tent. In some places she has been more 

 ■i bountiful than in others. In Pennsylvania, 

 * she has blessed man with exhaustless quanti- 

 ties of lime for the promotion of vegetation, 

 and other uses of no less importance. In New 

 Jersey, she has bestowed upon us immense 

 quantities of marl, to aui,''ment our knowledge 

 of the scienceof husbandry. She has placed the 

 kingofvegetation(marl)beneath .sterile banks, 

 not to the disadvantage of the owner, but to 

 his profit in the end. After the marl is dug outj 

 he fills the holes up with the sand taken there- 

 from, and converts it into the best of meadow. 

 It is found to run in veins for many miles in 

 length, but very seldom more than two in 

 width. One would suppose all the vallies in 

 the country round would be filled with it. It 

 is not the case. Observation has taught ma- 

 ny of us better than that. There are two val- 

 lies in the neighborhood of Pemberton, Indian 

 Valley and Mud Valley. They run parallel 

 with each other, and not more than two miles 

 apart in the farthest place. While Indian 

 Valley abounds with inexhaustible quantities 

 of marl, the other is left void of the same. — 

 Thus it is found, and only found to exist. 



In a subsequent number I will endeavor to 

 give the quantity per acre on different soils, 

 and the effect on grass, grain, &c. 



Yours, respectfully, 



J. F. 



Clover Ridge, July 14, 1838. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Cider. 



Cider is a refreshing and wholesome be- 

 verage, and highly useful for many domestic 

 purposes, as well as of importance in the arts. 

 It may also be set down as true that the 

 man who makes good fine pa/atab/e cider, is' 

 generally a good farmer ; and it is equally true 

 that he is also well paid for his care and labor. 

 Why is it that Newark or Burlington cider 

 has not merely a high reputation, and is ea- 

 gerly sought after, but brings double the price 

 of the article called cider, commonly sold. — 

 The answer is at hand. Its superior qual- 

 ity. But to what is this superior quality and 

 fine flavor, which have established it in the 

 market and stamped it with a double val- 

 ue, owing? This is a question worthy of 

 consideration. It is certainly not to bo at 

 tributod to the superior quality of the fruit. — 

 We iill grow the same. What then T In my 

 opinion simply to the manaoement observed 

 in its manufacture, preservation, and refine- 

 ment. It was a remark of an old friend, 

 probably Wm. Penn, that "cleanlinpss was 

 near of kin to godliness." Now in my opinion 

 pprfcrl clccmlinrss is absolutely ess<Mitial to 

 the making of f^ood vidrr. I annex a few 

 rules which I have followed of late years, to 



the pleasure and profit of my family. Some 

 of my neighbors are adopting the plan, and 

 those who give it a fair trial, are much pleased 

 with it. They are as follows: 



Use water freely in making every thing' 

 sweet and clean before you begin — but very 

 sparingly afterwards. 



Put your apples after being gathered for a 

 few days in a dry place, exposed to the sun. 



Let your cask be perfectly sweet. 



See that the straw used be clean and 'iright. 

 Throw all the rotten, or rotting apples to your 

 pigs. Keep the several sorts of apples sepa- 

 rate ; if ground together they will not be so 

 good. 



When the liquor has undergone sufficient 

 fermentation to throw off the impure matter 

 in it, and while it is yet sweet, take a clean 

 cask, put into it a bucket of eider, set fire to a 

 clean rairthat has been dipped in brimstone — 

 let it burn inside the cask so as to fill it with 

 the brimstone — shake the cask well and then 

 fill and bung it tight. 



This mode is highly recommended to pre- 

 serve the cider sweet, while it will yet be 

 pure. The crab apple should be more exten- 

 sively cultivated for cider. Liquor, as deli- 

 cious as wine, may be made from it. 



In refining my cider I last year adopted the 

 plan recommended by your correspondent, 

 Andrew C. Ridgeway, published on page 122 

 of the first volume of the Cabinet. I found 

 it to answer well. I tried it on a small scale, 

 not wishing to hazard much. But the coming 

 season it is my intention to refine sufficient on 

 Mr. Ridgeway's principle, for my own use 

 and some of my city friends, and among them 

 the Editor of the Cabinet shall not be forgot- 

 ten. With my best wishes for the abundant 

 prosperity of the Farmers' Cabinet, I enclose 

 a dollar Jbr the third year's subscription, and 

 subscribe myself 



Your friend, 



T. L. W. 



Marcer Co., N. J., July 25, 18:!8. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet 

 On the Prescirt-atioii of Roofs of Iluildiiif^s. 



The expense of roofing buildings is so great, 

 and the decay of wooden roofs so rnpid, as to 

 render any cheap and simple method of pre- 

 serving them an object of much importance. 



A friend of mine, who imites nuich close 

 observation with large experience in building 

 states, that the best preservative of shingles 

 th-at has come within his knowledge, is to soak 

 them in an alkaline solution of ([uick lime be- 

 fore thoy are put on. The plan adopted by him 

 for the purpose, is to prepare a box in which to 

 disolvo tho liinf, similar to that used hy plas- 

 terers, and have it elevated, so as to permit the 

 lime water to be drawn from it, into another 



