276 



THE ILLIISrOIS FA^mVIER. 



is danyer of its scorcJiing itself in the 

 cooler^ from its own heat confined within 

 the mass by the cooling at the top crust 

 or scum. This should not be lost sight 

 of by any person who attempts syrup or 

 sugar making. Before taking leave of 

 subject it may be well to add that the sy- 

 rup is followed through the filter with hot 

 water, admitted in same careful manner 

 and when the stream issuing from below 

 has too little saccharine for profitable 

 concentrating, the balance so long as 

 any sweet at all remains in it is used in 

 the "blow up.'' The coal is now remo- 

 ved from the filter tubs and returned, 

 a few inches from the top being previ- 

 ously washed in hot water thoroughly. 

 The coal retorts are usually t.ipering 

 iron pipes set in a brick chamber into 

 which the fire is achiiitted. The setting 

 of these pipes is best accomplished in 

 such a manner that their tops and bottom 

 may be approached while the fire is go- 

 ing on inside the furnace and around 

 their sides. When the coal is sufficient- 

 ly burned remove the bottom of the re- 

 torts, and let the contents fall out. Af- 

 ter closing the bottom again fill up anew 

 from the top and close and burn again 

 without disturbing the fire. About ten 

 per cent, loss is experienced in the re- 

 burning if I have been correctly in- 

 formed. 



It should be borne in mind that good 

 plantation Molasses is requisite for ma- 

 king good golden or refined syrup. I have 

 the honor to submit herewith three sam- 

 ples of syrup made by E. S. Rickcr Es.j., 

 of Clermont co., Ohio. 1st. Made last 

 year (1857) and refined. 2d. Made in 

 '58 and also refined. 3d. Made in '58 

 and not refined. It will be perceived by 

 the first that no deterioration takes 

 place from age; it yet retaining its mel- 

 low and agreeable taste. The two lat- 

 ter show the very marked improvement 

 in manufacture of '58 over '57, as well 

 as the improvement by refining. I also 

 accompany these with a sample boiled 

 to a chrystalizable consistency, which I 

 have taken from the refinery without 

 affording time for thorough chrystaliza- 

 tion. Mr. R. has enough o£ this, as he 

 assures me, for 1000 pounds of sugar. 

 I beg to point your particular attention 

 to the specimens of the manufacture of 

 '58 refined, as it is a fair sample of a 

 crop, consisting of 22 barrels made by 

 Mr. E. S. Richer and boiled in open 

 cast iron pans, which entire lot was late- 

 ly sold, in this city by Mr. R. at 

 sixty cents per gallon the round lot. — 

 The sample and sale at those figures 

 demonstrate, it seems to me, very clear- 

 ly that good syrup may be made from 

 Northern grown cane, and when well 

 made it can compete on equal terms with 

 Southern or Cuban syrup in our mar- 

 kets. 



I also lay before you three samples of 



spirits. No. 1, is pure Sorgho brandy, 

 14 months old, distilled by Messrs. In- 

 graham k Son of this city. The pro- 

 cess consisted in first fermenting the 

 juice and then running twice in copper 

 stills. No. 2, is the same mixed with 

 an equal quantity of CataAvba brandy. 

 No. 3, is pure Catawba brandy. It will 

 be observed that the mixture is no less 

 delicate and pleasing so far as aroma, and 

 delicacy of flavor are concerned, than 

 the pure Catawba. It is the opinion 

 of wine merchants here that the Sorgho 

 rum or brandy will prove of much val- 

 ue for admixture with other liquors. I 

 was induced to make this comparison by 

 observing a paragraph in Mens Hue's 

 very excellent work, "Travels in Tar- 

 tary Tidbit and China;" on page 97, in 

 speaking of the productions of Eastern 

 Tartary or Manchooria, (a province ex- 

 tending from about 41 ° to 52 or 53 ° 

 N. Lat.) He observes, "they have also 

 abundant harvests of Millet of Rao-Le- 

 ang or Indian corn, [Ilolncs Sorghum 

 from which they distill excellent 

 brandy.'' 



Some rather imperfect experiments, I 

 have made satisfy me, that a palatable 

 beverage may be made in the following 

 manner ; Express the cane juice 

 prior to frosts, and reduce with water 

 to about 5 ° B. To 5 gallons of this 

 add one pint of the juice of cither cur- 

 rants, goose or cran-berries, or even of 

 the common rhubarb plant, and half 

 pint of yeast. Set this in a room 

 warmed to summer heat, uncovered un- 

 til well fermented, then pour it off" care- 

 fully from the lees or sediment. Sus- 

 pend m the centre of the vessel con- 

 taining this, a bunch of isinglass, until 

 the remaining sediment is fully precipi- 

 tated then again decant and bottle. Lay 

 away in a cool cellar 6 or 8 months and 

 you have passable wine. 



In conclusion, I deduce the following 

 Bunmiary. 



1st. A crop of cane the juice 

 of which shall mark 10 ° B, may 

 be relied on generally from good dry 

 Soils, either upland or bottom, but hea- 

 vy rank and wet grounds are not favora- 

 ble to saccharine development. 



2nd. Both quantity and quality jus- 

 tify the continued culture of the cane in 

 latitude even as high as 45° if not 

 50°. 



3d. There should be system in the 

 management throughout, and the great- 

 est possible simplicity of machinery con- 

 sistent with efficiency. 



4th. Get everything ready as early 

 in the season as possible then prosecute 

 your work vigorously to completion 

 whenever you have made a commence- 

 ment. 



5th. Sugar boiling is a trade and 

 experience your best teacher; study care- 



fully the experiments of others, and ex- 

 ercise your judgment. 



6th. Thin syrup is liable to ferment 

 which is not the case with thick. 



7th. Alkalies are preservative but 

 do not possess great advantage in clari- 

 fying. 



8th. Frosts succeeded by warm wea- 

 ther, prove injurious to the cane. Pre- 

 caution would therefore suggest that it 

 be previously cut. 



9th. Rapid boiling and thorough clari- 

 fication are cardinal virtues. 



10th. The immature upper portion 

 of the stem are best rejected and only 

 the lower part should be made use of. 



11th. Stir the syrup in the cooler 

 after having made your strike. 



12th. Acquire sufficient skill to pro- 

 duce superior syrup and sugar uuill 

 make itself. 



Isaac A. Hedges. 



Cincinnati, 0., 1859. 



Sliccp in Spring. 



A. D. NichoUs writes to the Country 

 Gentleman: 



Sheep should always be " tagged" before 

 they are let into pastures. "By tagging, I 

 mean cutting all the wool from around the 

 tail, thus preventing the sheep from getting 

 dirty and diseased. The first grass always 

 has a laxative cliect upou the sheep, and un- 

 less they are tagged, a couaiderable propor- 

 tion of the flock will become dirty. The 

 "taggings" arc to be put away until shear- 

 ing, when they can be washed in soap suds, 

 and after being dried can be put into the 

 fleeces as they are "done up." This is our 

 practice, and we always inform the wool- 

 buyer of the fact. There can thus be no 

 loss in tagging the sheep, and the buyer 

 cannot complain, as it is as well washed as 

 the fleece. Two or tliree pounds are thus 

 saved from every 100 sheep, which would be 

 lost if they were not tagged. 



The lambs should also all be docked and 

 all the ram lambs be castrated, (unless the 

 breeder wishes to reserve the best for sale or 

 use,) as they do not bleed as much as when 

 they are neglected until washing and shear- 

 in}; time. There is no danger from flies at 

 this season of the year, and the lambs are 

 all healed by the time the flies come, so that 

 no turpentine or other insectrepeller is need- 

 ed, to the evident discomfort of the lamb. 

 It is also necessary that the pastures be suf- 

 ficiently grown to furnish the flocks with' 

 sufficient iood. Isothiug is gained by turn- 

 ing out a week or two before the grass is 

 good, as the sheep will lose flesh, and the 

 pastures will be eaten so close as to injure 

 them. It, is always better to buy a ton or 

 two of hay, and a few bushels of corn, than 

 to let the flocks half starve on short, poor pas- 

 tures ; or as some do, to turn their sheep into 

 the road to save hay by annoying their 

 neighbors. Lastly, sec that you have not 

 too many sheep for your pastures. This \i 

 apt to be the case, no allowance being made 

 for the lambs, and in reality they cat as 

 mucii in proportion to their weight as tho 

 older sheep, while the milk they get is need. 



