276 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



June 



$55 ; copper, same size, $65. As to the evapo- 

 rator, I have to say that I have used it the second 

 year, and am thoroughly convinced of its utility. 

 I have reconstructed my sugar-works, and as now 

 arranged, heat the sap from the fire of the evapo- 

 rator. I have a sheet-iron pan, 5-J feet long, 3A 

 feet wide, that receives the fire from the evapora- 

 tor, which is set with a partition underneath, so 

 that the fire goes twice the length of the pan 

 before it reaches the chimney. 



"With this arrangement I can boil from 30 to 40 

 bbls. in 24 hours, and at the same time make the 

 best quality of sugar, I should not be willing to 

 undertake to make sugar without one of "Cook's 

 evaporators." Gko. Campbell. 



West Westminster, Vt., April 15, 1861. 



TIME FOR PRUNING — THE BORER AND CURCULIO 

 — A COVERING FOR WOUNDED LIMBS. 



I wish to inquire the best time for pruning ap- 

 ple trees, and the reasons for the ditferent opin- 

 ions upon the subject ; and for the best varieties 

 of apples, for a limited number for New England 

 cultivation. Also, information upon the habits 

 and ravages of the borer and curculio, as connect- 

 ed with the culture of apples. AVhat is the best 

 composition to apply to the stocks of apple trees 

 from which large limbs have been removed ? 



Remarks. — Prune apple trees in the middle of 

 June, or immediately after the fall of the leaf in 

 October. For reasons, see weekly Farmer of 

 April 13, or the forthcoming number of the 

 Monthly for May. 



now TO BUILD an ARCH. 



I wish to inquire through the Farmer how to 

 build an arch to set two pans, each 5 inches deep, 

 28 inches wide, 45 inches long, for boiling sap, 

 1. How should an ox-bow arch be built ? 2. 

 How high should the pans be raised ? 3. How 

 should the front of the arch be built and not have 

 the chimney in the way of the fireman. 4. How 

 high and large should the chimney be ? 5. Should 

 there be a door, if so, how made ; will it need a 

 damper, and how large ? I wish some of your 

 numerous subscribers would give the information 

 needed. An Old Subscriber. 



Addison Co., Vt., April, 1861. 



IS IT beneficial to the sugar maple to plug 



UP THE HOLES AFTER SUGARING ? 



There seems to be a variety of opinions in this 

 vicinity ; some say that it makes the tree rot 

 worse to plug it up than it does to leave it open. 



G. W. D. 



P. S. — We have just had another severe New 

 England snow storm, and it is very good sleigh- 

 ing to-day, the 18th. 



Windham, Vt., April 18, 1861. 



DRIVE PIPE FOR HYDRAULIC RAMS. 



I wish to inquire of you, or of any wTio can tell 

 me, through the Farmer, what pipe is best, inch 

 and one-fourth in size, to drive a No. 4 hydraulic 

 ram. I put one in operation last fall with twen- 

 ty-six feet of inch and one-fourth drive pipe — 

 weighs three pounds to the foot, with nine feet 

 head or fall. The water is raised and discharged 



sixty-four rods from the ram, at an elevation of 

 fifty-nine feet. I think the ram would work well 

 if I could procure a drive pipe strong enough to 

 drive the ram. E. C. Allis. 



Whately, April 15, 1861. 



PROSPECTS OF THE SEASON. 



Gloomy and forbidding ; all Nature harmon- 

 izes therewith — wars and rumors of wars, treach- 

 ery and rascality abound. No warm and sunny 

 dtiys as yet. No appearance of expansion of buds 

 on the trees. Grass hesitates in starting, begins 

 to yield a little to the drizzling rains now falling. 

 Must live on hope, if we live at all — always re- 

 membering, that "hope deferred maketh the heart 

 sick." Some are starting with their knapsacks 

 on their back, and guns in hand, not knowing 

 where their services will be required, nor why, but 

 always true to the spirit that animated their 

 grandsires, in times gone by, and while this feel- 

 ing survives, the country is safe — and the harvest 

 is sure. Essex. 



April 22, 1861. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 SHORT NOTES ON NEW THINGS. 



I perceive it is quite common for some of your 

 correspondents to make brief notes on sundry ar- 

 ticles in the Farmer — a good custom, by the way, 

 if only pursued disinterestedly. 



In the Farmer of the 9th inst, you give an ac- 

 count of a cylindrical Meat-Masher, which looks 

 really as though it would operate, and if it will 

 do what the proprietor claims, i. e., "make the 

 toughest meat equal to the most tender," it will 

 prove a decidedly desii'able institution. 



Next you have a Rotary Harroio. I have seen 

 several of these, of difl'erent patterns, and don't 

 think they will work well, unless upon soil decid- 

 edly free from stones and every other obstruction, 

 and would advise your readers to look well be- 

 fore leaping — here. 



Again ; you have Hungarian Grass. The wri- 

 ter raised this grass a year or two, and came to 

 the conclusion that it would not pay to plow up 

 grass land, that yielded even a medium crop, for 

 this grain, or grass, which we know is only an 

 annual. Look out for those who have seed to 

 sell. 



An article on Dogs and Sheep meets with my 

 most hearty approval. We want our laws more 

 stringent upon dogs and dog-raising, and giving 

 the man who has losses by them, some way in 

 which he can recover, or else we must give up 

 sheep husbandry entirely. Only a few days since, 

 a neighbor lost twelve or fifteen fine sheep in this 

 way ; caught the dog in the act, which, as usual, 

 was found to be owned by a man of no pecuniary 

 responsibility, and consequently he will get no 

 remuneration for his loss. 



Influence of Farm Employments. — The writer 

 says truly, "If anything, farming requires more 

 skill and science than any other pursuit." This 

 is mainly true, but enterprise and indomitable 

 perseverance accomplish much, here. Indeed, I 

 was about to say, a man can succeed in almost 

 any pursuit, if he only has a sufficient quantity of 

 Snap. W. J. P. 



Salisbury, Ct., April 18, 1861. 



