1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FAE:MER. 



21 



same. The curse of flowing a man's land without 

 his consent, rests heavily upon many of the citi- 

 zens of Massachusetts. That curse must be re- 

 moved, and we earnestly hope that every farmer 

 in the State, at least, will help on the good work. 

 Let us hear from Norfolk soon, and give notice 

 of a public meeting. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 EXPLAlJJ-ATIOJSrS ABOUT SHINGLING. 



Mr. Editor : — Your correspondent wishes me 

 to be more explicit as to mv mode of shingling. 

 I will try. 



After laying the first course, I line with red 

 chalk. Then I whitewash down to the line, or a 

 little lower. I do not intend to put a nail more 

 than one inch from the centre of the shingle. If 

 the shingle is more than four inches wide, I put 

 two nails in it and I do not intend to drive the 

 nails down so as to sink the heads. I do not care 

 how the nails are placed if more than one is used, 

 whether one above the other, or side by side; but 

 if side by side, not more than two inches apart. If 

 the roof is boarded up and down, be sure that both 

 nails — if you put in two — are driven into the same 

 board. I have never been troubled with the snow 

 blowing in through the roof, although I lay the 

 roof as open as I can, and have good nailing for 

 the shingles. After I have shingled I whitewash 

 the whole roof. 



My object in putting the nails near the middle 

 of the shingle is, if the shingle is dry to keep it 

 from huffing, and if the shingle is wet or green, 

 to keep it from splitting. I am speaking of wide 

 shingles. My object in not driving the nail quite 

 down is, to hold up the butt of the next shingle 

 so that there will be a free circulation of air. 



If we were to sow a coat of slaked lime or fine 

 salt, or both, over the roofs of our buildings once 

 in two or three years, it would add greatly to the 

 time the shingles would last. I like to have my 

 whitewash made with brine, or salt put into it. 



Your correspondent proposes to run a straight 

 edge. I have tried that, but you do not see as 

 readily whether you are breaking joints well with 

 it, as you do with a line. 



ASHES ABOUT YOUNG APPLE TREES. 



Now is the time to put ashes around j'oung ap- 

 ple trees exposed to mice in the winter. About a 

 half a shovel full piled up around the body of a 

 tree has always been a sure preventive to mice 

 girdling them even when set by the side of a 

 wall. Ed. Emerson. 



Jlollis, N. H., Nov. 12, 1860. 



Agricultural Implements. — The Country 

 Oentleman notices the fact that the official tables 

 of our exports published at Washington, throw 

 no light upon the value of agricultural implements 

 sold to other countries ; for, strange as it may 

 seem, while they descend to such items as 'print- 

 ing presses," "candles," and "combs," — plows, 

 horse-powers and hoes are left in the heterogene- 

 ous mass of "manufactures of iron," or "manu- 

 factures of wood." 



For the New England Fariner. 

 SUGAB AND SUGAR-MAKING. 



I have a camp on a side hill, 30 by 40 feet, 

 with a wall on one side about 12 feet high. A 

 cement cistern is situated in the bank above the 

 camp by which the read passes. I have two haul- 

 ers, or tubs, holding twenty-five IC quart pails 

 full each, with an India-rubber hose, one and 

 three-fourths inches in diameter, connected with 

 each hauler by a cast iron tube, made for the pur- 

 pose. While gathering, I hook the other end on 

 top of the hauler. I drive by the side of the cis- 

 tern and let down the hose and the haulers are 

 soon emptied through a strainer into the cistern. 

 A one-inch lead pipe leads from the bottom of the 

 cistern, through the wall, over the top of a caul- 

 dron kettle, with a faucet to draw sap out when 

 needed, and also for filling. There is also a self- 

 acting faucet of my own contrivance, which keeps 

 the kettle just so full. There are three arches, 

 with four pans, all passing around the cauldron 

 to one chimney. The cauldron sets so as to have 

 the sap 12 inches higher than the sap in the pans. 



I use a syphon made of half-inch pipe, running 

 from the cauldron to each pan, with the same 

 self-acting faucet attached to each, that keeps tho 

 pans at the desired height all the time while boil- 

 ing. After heating in the cauldron, I use the gal- 

 vanized pans to syrup down and sugar ofi" in. I 

 have a crane to which is attached an apparatus 

 for raising the pans on a level, so that I can easi- 

 ly take off" the syrup without putting out the fire. 

 But the greatest advantage is in sugaring off". 



I usually sugar about sixty pounds at a time. 

 When I first put in my syrup I build a good fire 

 which will not need replenishing. As the sugar 

 advances from one stage to another, I commence 

 raising the pans from the arch, say four inches, 

 then twelve inches or twenty-four inches, accord- 

 ing to the fire, so there is no danger of burning, 

 for a cool breeze of air will pass freely under the 

 pan. I can then swing it off" and let it down on 

 to the floor, where I use a tray 2 feet by 6 feet, 

 and a new hoe for stirring. My sugar land is 

 mostly level, and I tap 1100 trees. I should pre- 

 fer galvanized pans, 2 feet 2 inches by 5 feet 10 

 inches, in one sheet. 



If any one wishes for more information I will 

 freely give it. 



MOWING MACHINES, ETC. 



I bought one of Ketchum's mowers, the past 

 season, and am well satisfied with it. I shall fix 

 it so as to cut my grain next year. I use a one- 

 horse power for threshing, also a circular saw, and 

 I attached last June, what is called the lazy man's 

 saw, on a new plan. It runs on a level and works 

 well. It also runs a grater for making cider. I 

 grate from ten barrels to fifteen barrels per hour. 

 Also, I lead my horse in and wash every week. I 

 can do a common washing for five or six persons 

 in from twenty to forty minutes ; I do not mean 

 boiling and rinsing. It does not wear the clothes, 

 though wristbands and collars need some rubbing. 

 I am one for improvements. 



Sutton, Vt., Nov., 1860. Erastus Wat. 



Large Cheese. — A cheese weighing 1,620 lbs. 

 was exhibited at the Wisconsin State fair. 



