114 



THE GEOTISEE FARMEE. 



IMPKOVINQ OUK HIGHWAYS. 



The article on roads in the January number I 

 like much. Years ago we tried small stones, put- 

 ting those on toj) that would break easiest to the 

 size and shape of a goose egg, taking special pains 

 where the wheels run, but it was too rough. They 

 would not pound as well as lime stone. We find 

 we can gravel eight inches deep and draw a mile 

 for one dollar per rod, and thus make a road A No. 

 1. We sometimes turnpike one year, and early 

 the next summer put on from five to eight inches 

 of gravel. We lay our roads well up, first making 

 them as narrow and rounding as Ave can comforta- 

 bly use ; and allow no water to stand at the sides. 

 The best road I ever saw is the one running through 

 Weedport to Auburn — a blue hard gravel on top 

 of plank. The company tried taking out plank 

 and putting in gravel, but thought best to let the 

 plank remain. Plank roads — say what you will of 

 them — have given the country some idea of what 

 a good road may do for us, and we are not con- 

 tented now with a poor one. 



If our experiment in plank roads induce the im- 

 provement I hope for, it will yet be better than 

 money spent at the tavern — though what could 

 induce us to show so much folly I can not tell. 



HANNIBAL. 



^ I ^1 



CniNESE StJGAE Cane. — The Chinese or African 

 Sugar Cane can be raised in Canada West as easily 

 as Indian Corn. Notwithstanding the unfavorable 

 season last year, I raised a vigorous crop of the 

 African Variety, from nine to twelve feet high. It 

 was carefully housed with the intention of trying 

 to make at least molasses, but the diificulty of get- 

 ting a suitable pressing machine, unless at great 

 expense, prevented me from testing its saccharine 

 qualities. I shall raise a quantity this year with 

 this \new, hoping that a cheap and efl:ective 

 machine may be introduced by the fall, or that 

 others will join me in purchasing one from your 

 locality. As a forage plant I think it must prove 

 a valuable acquisition. Mine was fed to cows in 

 the stable, uncut, and not a particle could be found 

 in the manager in a short time after being fed. 



Plant early. It will bear considerable frost in 

 the spring, but the late sown will suifer from 

 slighest frost in the fall ; being in full vigor. The 

 sudden check prevents the stalk from curing and 

 it mildews immediately. — R. W. S. Woodstock, C. W. 



CcRE FOB Murrain in Cattle. — Having been 

 for many years a reader of your valuable paper, 

 and having derived much useful information there- 

 from, I wish to ask you to reprint a recipe, for the 

 ^ benefit of your numerous readers who wore unac- 

 quainted with its columns in 1841. The recipe I 

 first fuimd in the June number in tlio year 1841; 

 and have since tried it and know it to be good. 

 Give li ounce pearlash, (s.ileratus,) dissolved in 

 two quarts of iron water (from blacksmith's 

 troughs.) If not better in five liours, give one-half 

 ounce more in one quart of wat«r. The water 

 should be warm. Give no drink but warm water 

 lor two days. Give warm mash to eat. To pre- 

 vent murrain, give a small quantity — .say a tea- 

 spoonful — saltpetre and sulphur occasionally. — J. 

 IL, Clarence, K T. 



BUTTER-MAKING. 



Opr January number contained a prize essay on 

 butter-making, and we now ofi'er our readers a 

 portion of one of the essays submitted, containing 

 some details of a practice not common among 

 American dairy- women, but which, to some extent, 

 especially during winter, will be found very ser- 

 viceable. It is as follows: 



Strain the milk into tin vessels, and let it stand 

 for twety-four hours; then set it on a moderately- 

 heated stove until the milk heaves a little; after 

 which, set it away for twenty-four hours mora 

 Then skim otf the cream into a common cream- 

 crock, which makes the best kind of a churn. It 

 would be well to keep the cream-crock in a warm 

 place — say in the kitchen — not too closely covered. 

 When you churn, take a potato-masher, or some- 

 tliing similar, (which should be first dipped intX) 

 boiling water and then into cold, to prevent the 

 butter from sticking to it, also anything that is used 

 in working the butter,) and turn the cream around 

 with it until the butter comes. In warm weather, 

 the time taken in churning is usually from two to 

 five minutes; but in cold weather it takes longer, 

 especially if the cream gets frozen, which it should 

 not. In doing it thus, you not only save a deal of 

 hard labor, but the milk will keep more than as 

 long again by being scalded ; besides, the cream is 

 delicious on stewed fruits, pies, or as a substitute 

 for butter. Just try it. The cream is fit for churn- 

 ing as soon as it is skimmed otf, and the butter is 

 much sweeter if made before the cream sours. 



Morgantown, Wellington Co., C, W. E. C. 



This method is nearly the same as that practiced 

 in Devonshire, England, of which county our cor- 

 respondent has been a resident. With them the 

 milk is strained into tin or earthen pans holding 

 ten to twelve quarts, and allowed to stand twelve 

 hours. The pans are then heated untU a thick 

 scum rises to the surface, and until air-bubbles will 

 appe.ir in parting the scum. The milk is then 

 cooled, the cream removed, and is ready for churn- 

 ing, which may be done in a few moments, as 

 stated by our correspondent. Thus is made the 

 celebrated clouted cream of Devonshire, well known 

 all over England. 



Every one knows how much cream adds to tho 

 good qualities of coffee, though not every house- 

 wife knows that when she gets a quart or two ol 

 milk it should be put in a tin pan and placed upon 

 the stove until heated as beford described. Set 

 this away until cool, and cream enough will be far 

 nishcd for a family of half a dozen persons to use 

 in connection with tho milk from which it was 

 taken, scalded and used hot. 



We have no doubt that for butter-making in 

 winter, the method detailed by our correspondent 

 would answer a good purpose ; but for summer 

 practice in large dairies, it would be too nuich 

 labor for tho additional benefit. 



