1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



147 



on the top, and just over the east side of a hill, 

 and I tlunk it yields more sap and of better qual- 

 ity than on level land, and the leaves not only 

 keep the land on which the trees stand in the 

 highest state of fertility, but a nearly equal area 

 on the side of the hill below is kept in quite a 

 productive state ; and this land being sheltered 

 by a belt of timber on the south, and by high hills 

 oil the opposite side of the valley cast and north- 

 east, I have planted a small orchard of apple trees 

 upon it, and by throwing brush on the land to 

 catch the leaves, I succeed in getting a better 

 growth than on another orchard on good level 

 land well cultivated. I have another suggestion 

 for those who are planting sugar orchards, which, 

 though it may bo thought visionary, I offer for 

 what it is worth. Probably no one who has been 

 extensively engaged in the manufacture of maple 

 sugar has failed to observe a great difference in 

 the quantity and quality of the sap from different 

 trees, while occasionally a tree combines an abun- 

 dant flow of sap, with an extra proportion of sac- 

 charine matter. Now, if we are about to plant 

 trees for sugar making, the profits would be 

 doubled at once if by any means Ave could produce 

 a whole plantation like the best single trees. 



Does any one know what would be the effect on 

 the sap, if the young trees were grafted close to 

 the ground with scions from the best sugar trees ? 

 I think some of your Vermont correspondents 

 would confer a favor upon your readers by a full 

 description of the improved apparatus used in the 

 making of sugar in that State, including the tubu- 

 lar heaters, drawing off sap with a syphon, &c, 

 &c. The comi)arative value of maple sugar is an 

 item I would like to have decided by Dr. Jackson, 

 or some other chemist. On this subject, I take 

 the following ifpparently editorial from the Amei'- 

 icaii Agriculturist, (July, 1859,) a paper, by the 

 way, which I usually consider as reliable as any 

 other : "Three pounds of maple sugar are worth 

 as much for sweetening as two pounds of New 

 Orleans or West India sugar — not more. Maple 

 molasses also holds about the same proportion in 

 value. Such facts, we presume, no advocate of 

 maple sugar or molasses will deny." Now I had 

 supposed there were two kinds of sugar, "cane 

 sugar" and "glucose or grape sugar," and that su- 

 gar from the maple was identical Avith the former ; 

 if so, I cannot see why, when equally pure and 

 dry, it should not sweeten as much as cane sugar. 



The Lawton Blackberry. — January, 2lst. — 

 My first impression on reading the reply of your 

 New Bedford correspondent, was that he had "an 

 axe to grind," but on examination of Tucker's 

 Sural Itegister, I found no name corresponding 

 to his initials, so I conclude that either he is not 

 well acquainted Avith the best Avild varieties, and 

 consequently satisfied Avith a lower standard of 

 quality, or that the LaAvton does much better in 

 warm localities. That mine are true to name, I 

 feel sure, for they Avere obtained of a responsible 

 dealer, and correspond exactly to the description 

 and illustrations of that berry, and I certainly al- 

 loAvcd some of them fair time to ripen, for I tried 

 them at all stages, from the time they Avere Avell 

 colored until they began to decay. 



Coloring Matter for Butter. — January 28. 

 — I think I am safe in concluding that "South 

 Danvers" is not himself a farmer, and I imagine 



your farming friends Avill give him more credit for 

 respect to iiis mother, than for skill in the dairy. 

 Coloring butter in the summer months is not 

 practiced by any one, so far as I knoAv, but I never 

 yet saw coAvs of ordinary richness fed so "gener- 

 ously" in Avinter as to make very yelloAV butter, 

 and I have seen some that Avere well fed, too. I 

 am well aAvare there is a prejudice against the 

 practice of coloring butter, and I shared it myself, 

 until experience convinced me it improved not 

 only the color, but the quality of Avinter butter, to 

 add a little orange carrot juice, and I believe this 

 is the universal opinion of those Avho have given 

 it a fair trial. I Avould not, hoAvever, use sg large 

 an amount as some of your correspondents ad- 

 vise ; a little practice Avill soon decide the proper 

 quantity. To prepare the carrots, I take a small 

 milk-pan, a leaky one Avill do just as Avell, and 

 punch holes through the bottom, and holding it 

 inverted over a larger one, grate the can-ots ori 

 it ; then add a little milk and strain through a 

 cloth and mix Avith the cream. I select the high- 

 est colored carrots for the purpose. I doubt not 

 many of our Boston customers vise a large quan- 

 tity of butter prepared in this Avay, without once 

 suspecting the source of its beautiful color, and 

 they readily pay a higher price than for a similar 

 article minus the carrot juice. One of our dairy- 

 men, Avho happened to OAvn several coavs yielding 

 remarkably yelloAV butter, but Avho never added 

 any coloring matter, Avas informed by an exten- 

 sive commission dealer in your city, that he col- 

 ored his butter too much. 



Scalding Milk. — In a conversation vn\h one 

 of our best dairymen, he remarked that by a mod- 

 erate heating, the quantity of cream Avas increased, 

 but if heated too hot, it Avas diminished. His rule 

 Avas to place the pans over hot Avater until they 

 felt quite Avarra to the hand. I alloAV them to re- 

 main until the surface of the milk begins to 

 Avrinkle. Wm. F. Bassett. 



AshfieldyJan. 30, 1860. 



NATURAL OYSTEB BEDS. 



Along the Jersey shore, Avhere the rivers empty 

 into salt water, there exist large natural oyster 

 beds, Avhence are procured the seed oysters Avhich 

 supply the planted beds. In the spring, the oys- 

 ter in the natural bed deposits its spaAvn— a Avhite 

 gelatinous substance, Avhich adheres to whatever 

 it touches — and in this way spreads a large 

 groAvth of small oysters, some not larger than the 

 head of a pin. From these seed-beds, the oysters 

 are taken and laid in the shoal salt water, to be 

 easily taken up when wanted, and Avhere they re- 

 main for several years, till they get of sufficient 

 size for market. Thousands of bushels of the 

 small seed oysters are in this way distributed 

 along the shore on the planting grounds, or sold 

 to be carried away for planting to other States. 

 The practice is to take these seed oysters aAA^ay in 

 the spring and fall. If allowed to remain in theii* 

 beds over fall, they will separate and spread, but 

 if removed at that period of the year the young 

 oysters die by thousands. If they do not get bed- 

 ded early in the mud, the tides being bloAvn out 

 by the winds, leave them exposed, or, else, by 

 adhering to the ice in the winter, they are lifted 

 out of their beds, and either carried aAvay or 



