4.0 



THE ILLINOIS F-A.IIMEII. 



experience ol laat year, leaving to your dis' 

 cretionary power its disposal. 



I would recommend to those who design 

 raising the article this year, to put in six or 

 eight seeds to the hill, as my experience has 

 shown that the cane is not liable to sucker 

 when a large number of stalks come up to- 

 gether. As regards the amount of molasses 

 produced per acre, I find, from several acres 

 measured, that I made last fall only from 150 

 to 175 gallons per acre. Oloott's statement 

 of 468 gallon* per acre, I can hardly con- 

 ceive correct, though I am aware that my 

 cane last year was very inferior, yielding not 

 more than 17 deg. of saccharine matter; 

 also, my mill, though a good iron one, runs 

 too fast to extract the entire amount of juice. 



In making for other individuals, or oiTthe 

 halves, (as I did^) I was accustomed to note 

 down the comparative strength (amount of 

 saccharine matter,) in each separate amount 

 of cane, so that by the use of a scale I made, 



I was eDkbled to give to each individual (be- 

 fore boiling tho juice,) an estimate of molasses 

 his cane would produce. The variations, by 

 my saccharometer, were from 11 deg. (poor- 

 est) to 25 deg. (beat.) I obtained my in- 

 strument in Chicago. 



And not knowing whether it is graduated 

 as Beaume's, I am unable to tell whether the 

 cane in this neighborhood is as good as else- 

 where. As regards the quality of last year's 

 cane, compared with that of the year before, 

 it was not generally so strong in saccharine 

 matter, averaging not more than 20 deg., 

 while the year before it averaged 25 deg. 

 This, I imagine, may be accounted for by the 

 circumstance of its not having fully ripened 

 before the frost. v 



From 8,330 gallons of juice, which I 

 boiled down, I obtained 1,190 gallons of 

 molasses, or a trifle more, being in the ratio 

 of seven gallons of juice to one of molasses. 

 The best oane yielded in the proportion of 

 five to one, the poorest, thirteen to one. 



In reference to my mode of making the 

 molasses, for the benefit of those of your 

 readers who may wish to make this year, I 

 would state that my experienc* of last year 



waa altogether different from the preceeding. 

 I used wooden boilers with sheet-iron bot- 

 toms. I used no clarifying substance, simply 

 skimming the syrup as often as requisite, and 

 boiling down with the greatest rapidity. 

 The fire should not b« slackened in the least 

 until the sirup is nearly or quite finished 

 then, if possible, lift the boiler off the fire, 

 if this is impracticable, draw the fire in- 

 stantly. There need be no apprehension of 

 scorching it, if the fire is well kept up until 

 it is finished, but should the fire be allowed 

 to go down, and again replenished when the 

 article is nearly done, the molasses will be 

 inevitably spoiled. The quality I have 

 made has been universally of a very light 

 color, and much approved by all to whom it 

 has been furnished, being considered much 

 superior to what the merchants have on sale. 

 I have made but one attempt to obtain 

 sugar, and at the time was unsuccessful, the 

 sirup becoming glutinous. A small quan- 

 tity, which I allowed to stand for a time, be- 

 came crystalized in large firm crystals. 

 Should you ever gain any information con- 

 cerning tho process of making sugar, I shall 



be pleased to hear from you by letter or by 



DURHAM HEIFER— JUBILEE OF ALBION 



"'^Nt^>^\:i'b^>\»'b^ >j< 



Bred R. Aitchersox Alexander, of Woodford County, Kentucky. 

 The property of Hon. JOHN WENTWORTH, of Chicago, Dlinois. 



the number of the Illinois Farmer, con- 

 taining such information. 



Respectfully, Jas. Scripps. 



P. S. The disparity between Olcott's 

 statement of the amount of molasses pro- 

 duced from the acre, and my own experi- 

 ence, being so great, I should like to hear 

 through the statements of your correspond- 

 ents the amounts obtained by others. 



J. S. 



Remarks. — TVe have not seen a sample 

 of Mr. Scripps' simp, but have been in- 

 formed that his samples are very superior. 

 It will be seen that he uses no chemicals, 

 simply rapid boiling in a shallow pan, and 

 when done, turns out to cool. There is no 

 secret in this, no formula that any person 

 mav not successfully imitate. The wonder- 

 ful minute details of some of our professional 

 men have been laid aside as worthless, by 

 the good, practical, common sense of farmer 

 Scripps, and the whole process stripped of ita 

 chemicals and of its mystery. 



We have little faith in making sugar, to 

 any extent, from this cane in our latitude, 

 and shall spend no time over it, but for sirup 

 it must prove valuable. Ed. 



Vegetables tried by us in 1859. 



Japan Apple Pie Melon. — This melon 

 sustains its character established last year 

 and is destined to be grown in garden and 

 corn field thoroughput the prairie States 



Indian Bfan. — Thisbean, lately brought 

 from Kansas, where it was obtained of the 

 Indians, grew and ripened where the common 

 white beau was destroyed by frost. It is 

 equal to the Lima and produces luxuriantly. 

 We have some to spare. 



Hubbard Squash. — This needs no com- 

 mendation at our hands — its character is 

 established and known, and it speaks for 

 itself to all who eat of it. No one should 

 grow a poorer squash than this. 



Joseph's Corn. — This was grown by a 

 neighbor, and is very highly recommended 



by him. The seed came from California, 

 where it is said to have yielded 210 bushels 

 per acre. It grows upon a strong stalk, an inch 

 or more in diameter and eight to ten feet in 

 height. The head is compact, and when 

 ripe hangs down like wheat. It is good 

 cooked as rice, and is also good feed for 

 horses. It is we, believe, well worthy of 

 cultivation. i 



(We suspect this to be the well known 

 Doura com, which has figured on more than 

 one occasion. Ed.) 



Turtle Soup Beans. — This bean is 

 famous for soup. It grows well and is easily 

 cultivated. We have a fine parcel of them. 



The Neotarin« Squash — This is some- 

 thing new, The friend of whom we pro- 

 cured our supply of seeds was offered fifty 

 cents each for all his seeds last winter. His 

 seeds came from Honolula (Sandwich) Is- 

 lands. The flesh of this squash has been 

 eaten by such men as B. P. Johnson, Secre- 

 tary of New York State Agricultural Society, 

 Luther Tucker, Editor Country Gentkman, 

 and others, who pronounce it by far the 

 finest squash they ever tasted; ita flesh, with- 

 out any sweetening of any kind, more resem- 

 bling jujube paste than squaih. It must ba 

 tasted to be known. We will send sample to 

 all who will send us a letter stamp for post- 

 age. These seed we sell this winter at the 

 low price of fifteen cents each. They are 

 not ours — we sell them on commission. Send 

 and get the testimony of those who have 

 eaten of it and a sample. But one man has 

 the needs in the United States. 



An offer — We will send a package 

 containing of each of the above varieties of 

 seeds, except the last, to any one who will 

 join our club for either of the following 

 papers, thereby getting them at lowest club 

 rates and teeds in the bargain. Send on 

 singly or in clubs — 



The IlUnoli Farmor t T5 



The Prairie Firmer 1 50 



The Rural New Yorker 1 95 



The Oencsaee Farmer 40 



The Atlantic Monthly 8 00 



With two red stamps extra for each name, 



to pay postage on seeds. Addresi 



W. H. G-ARDNKR, 



Ldand, LaSalle County, 111. 



