f56 BUSHES. 



(he sap. Keep the sap clean from dirt while boiling ; 

 and avoid leaving it long in an iron kettle. When nearly 

 boiled down to syrup (or thin molasses) a little lime 

 thrown into the kettle will be of use. At this stage of 

 boiling, as well as in sugaring off, avoid heating the top 

 of the kettle too hot, or burning the sugar in any other 

 way. When the syrup is well boiled down, turn it while 

 hot, into a clean wooden vessel, let it stand 2 or 3 days 

 and settle ; then turn it carefully from the dirt at the 

 bottom and strain it. Hang it over a gentle fire, and 

 when it is warm, stir in one pint of milk to 4 or 5 gallons 

 of syrup, which will rise as it begins to boil, and must be 

 taken otf. If you wish to make your sugar very nice, 

 cool it until one half or two thirds will grain, turn it hot 

 into a tight cask ; let it stand undisturbed in a cellar, 

 until it is grained at the bottom. Turn off the molasses 

 and turn the cask bottom upwards over some vessel to 

 catch what will drain out : let it stand as long as any 

 will drop, then set your cask upright, and the moisture 

 will settle to the bottom. If you wish to make dry su- 

 gar without draining, to ascertain when it is boiled 

 enough, drop some on snow and let it cool ; if brittle as 

 rosin, it is sufficiently boiled. 



BUSHES. 



Tn many parts of our country, the pasture grounds are 

 infested, and often overrun with noxious shrubs; this is 

 the most slovenly part of our husbandry, and ought to 

 be cured. 



Eradicating them, says Mr. Deane^ requires so much 

 labor, that farme»s are most commonly content with cut- 

 ting them orce in a iew years. But the more cuttings 

 they survive, the longer lived they are apt to be ; and 

 the harder to kill, as the roots continually gain strength. 



It is undoubtedly true, that cutting bushes in the sum- 

 mer will .lo more towards destroying them, than doing it 

 in any other season, particularly in August. Other cir- 

 cumstances being equal, the wettest weather is best for 

 destroying shrubs by cutting. Spreading plaster on 

 ground where bushes have been cut, may tend lo check 

 their re-sprouting, by encoura§^ing the growth of grass. 



