104 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



never make good sugar. Cutting the cane before it is ripe — cutting it too 

 long before grinding and boiling — not correcting the acidity — boiling 

 slow, are reasons why much of tlie product is, what this man calls it, poor 

 stuff. 



The form of the kettle is important to those who wish to make sugar. 

 It should not be round-bottomed, nor should the fire be allowed to come up 

 on the sides of the kettle, because the syrup burns and forms caramel, and 

 that prevents granulation, and colors the syrup, and gives it an acrid taste. 

 Vacuum pans are too expensive and too difficult for farmers to manage, so 

 they must use open pans, which should be made shallow and flat-bottomed, 

 and set on brick work, so as to be easily lifted off with a crane. What is 

 known as the " Perkin's process" could be conveniently used upon the 

 farm. A frame covered with wire gauze is made to fit into the pan, and is 

 floated on the surface of the boiling juice, and the portion that rises to the 

 surface, which is usually skimmed off, passes through the gauze as it rises, 

 and forms on the upper surface, and is then lifted by the crane all at once, 

 and does not disturb the liquid as the skimmer does, which if not very 

 carefully used, is apt to injure the granulating process. No one should 

 attempt to make sugar without the use of a thermometer. When the syrup 

 acquires such a density that it only boils at 240 deg., it may be put in 

 sugar molds to slowly cool and granulate, and will not only make good 

 sugar, but far better syrup than by continuing the boiling. 



It is almost uselesfs for any farmer to undertake to make sorgo sugar 

 wntil he has learned how from books or seeing others do the work. There 

 are plenty of books upon sugar-making and refining, the general principles 

 of wliich would suit the sorgo cane as well as the Southern cane sugar- 

 making. 



Do Peach Trees need Protection in Iowa ? 



Mr. Carpenter stated that a resident in Clarke county, Iowa, told him 

 that peaches could not be grown there without winter protection for the 

 trees, and this was accomplished by cutting the roots upon one side and 

 turning the trees down and covering them with earth. To do this much 

 easier, he had adopted the plan of setting the young trees so as to form 

 roots only upon one side. Trim off all one side when set, and place boards 

 or flat stones under that side, to prevent roots from growing into the ground. 

 In autumn the tree is easily bent over toward the rooted side, and any 

 small roots that have formed are cut away from the other side. 



Solon Robinson — It sounds very strange to me to hear the assertion that 

 peach trees need winter protection in the south part of Iowa, when I know 

 they do not need it in the north part of Indiana and Illinois, and I must 

 have more than one witness to make me believe that all this labor in pro- 

 tecting peach trees is necessary anywhere in Iowa, except in the northern 

 counties, and doubt whether it is there. 



Yellows in Peach Trees. 



Mr. John G. Bergen. — I have investigated the subject of Yellows in 

 Peach trees, but without getting any light on the subject. 



Dr. Tremble. — I do not think we have found the cause of the Yellows. 

 I have no doubt it is caused by an insect, but I have not discovered them. 



