1862. 



THE ILLINOIS FARMEK. 



59 



Maple Sugar. — la view of the tariff on sugars 

 great preparations are being made among the far- 

 mers for making maple >ugar the coming season. 

 There are tens of thousands of maple trees in 

 our forests, and there is no doubt but they will 

 be made useful the coming spring. — Ifiles [Mich.) 

 Hepublican. 



The Waukegan Gazette, commenting on the 

 above, say? " the increased tariff on sugar, and 

 the consequent rise in the price, should induce 

 an increased ma'ufacture from the maple. The 

 forests of Vlichigan and Wisconsin abound in the 

 sugar tree, and if the proper attention was given 

 to the manufacture of the article, more than a 

 sufficiency could be produced in those two States 

 to supply the home demand. This would be a 

 great easing to the people; besides this, they 

 would get a far better article than the imported 

 sugar. 



"Even in these troublous times, we presume it 

 will net be considered an act of disloyalty to en- 

 gage in the business of making maple sugar. It 

 is true, it may somewhat affect the revenue, and 

 cause a falling off of funds to speculate on in 

 army contracts; but for all this, it is sound poli- 

 cy and wisdom to cultivate the sugar fields which 

 nature has given us, to the exclusion of the imx 

 ported article. 



*' The capabilities of the sugar tree in either 

 of those States, to yield, is over 10,000,000 ibs. 

 annually ; yet this great source of sweets is al- 

 most neglected by the people inhabiting those re- 

 gions, much to th(ir pecuniary loss." 



There is a singular fact in regard to the sugar 

 maple in the prairie groves, that the yield of sap 

 is not only very limited, but of an inferior qual- 

 ity. In some of our river bottoms there is some 

 improvement, but on the whole the sugar maple 

 in the groves and river belts of the prairies is of 

 little value for sugar. The making of maple su- 

 gar is a laborious and many times an unhealthy 

 business, inducing colds, etc. When a boy we 

 had ample opportunity to learn all about making 

 sugar in the sugar fields of New Tork, but we 

 prefer the sorghum, and have greater faith in a 

 supply from that source than from the maple. 



Gabdeners' Monthly. — We have received the 

 January number of the "Gardeners' Monthly," 

 edited by Thomas Meehan, published by W. G. 

 P. Brinklie, 23 North Sixth street, Philadelphia. 

 Truly does the above title apply to this number, 

 for should each succeeding one be as valaable, it 

 will be worth ten instead of one dollar a year to 

 persons interested in borticulture and its kin- 

 dred branches. 



Illinois Coffee. — We have a suspicion that 

 the Illinois coffee noticed in another part of the 

 Farmer is nothing more nor less than the Okra, 



that is 80 common in the gardens of the south, 

 and often mt with at the north. In our next we 

 shall be enabled to speak of it in more positive 

 terms, and in the meantime let people hold on to 

 their loose change and let the coffee wait further 

 development. Possibly it is the Japan pea. 



Ohio State Reqisteb. — This is a valuable lit- 

 tle hand book sent out by the "Field Notes;" is 

 both valuable and interesting to all Western men. 

 It is sent out at ten cents. Address " Field 

 Notes," Columbns, Ohio. 



«•» 



Illinois Tboops at Fokt Donaldson. — It 

 may be interesting to our readers to know that 

 among the troops investing Fort Donaldson, are 

 the follovring from this State, viz: Twenty- 

 ninth, Col. Reardon; Eighth, Col. Oslesby; 

 Seventh, Col. Cook; Eighth, Lieut. Col. Rhodes; 

 Eighteenth, Col. Lawler; Thirtieth, Lieut. Col. 

 Dennis; Thirty first, Co). John A. Logan; 

 Tvrentieth, Col. Marsh; Forty-eighth, Col. 

 Haynie; Eleventh, Col. Hart; Forty fifth, Col. 

 Smith, and some others impossible at present 

 to obtain. Batteries — Schwatz', Dresser's, 

 Taylor's, McAllister's, Richardson's, Willard's 

 and Buell's, in all thirty-four guns. Cavalry — 

 Col. Dickey's and part of Col. Kellogg's regi- 

 ments; Capts. Stewart's, Dollins', O'Harnet's 

 and Karmichel's companies, with Gen. Grant's 

 body guard, Capt, Edward Osborn Command- 

 er-in-Chief, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant; Com- 

 manders of Brigades, Gens. McCIernand, Smith 

 and Wallace. — Ex. 



contents: 



February 33 



Mrs. Partington on Pickets 35 



Woman's Rights and Washing Day 37 



Sand, Soap and Glass - 38 



Culture of the Sorghum and its Manufacture into 



Sirup 39 



Fruit Trees 40 



Plowing by Steam 41 



Bean Sorter and Cleaner 41 



The May Cherry 42 



" Keep Bees — Keep Bees" 45 



Should Farmers Study Law or Invest in Law 



Books? 46 



Annual Meeting of the State Horticult'l Soc 47 



To Make Good Winter Butter 64 



To Protect Trees from Rabbits 64 



Reduction of Soldiers' Pay 54 



Unpopular Measures 54 



Editor's Table : 



Flax — Cotton Seed — Coffee in Egypt 55 



Journal of the State Agricultural Society — Bum 



Com for Fuel 56 



Something New that is Worth Having — Illinoia 



State Ag. Soc'y, List of Premiums, etc 57 



The Legal Adviser — Recipes for Cooking 68 



Maple Sugar — Gardeners' Monthly — Illinois Cof- 

 fee — Ohio State Register — etc 59 



