EXTENSION OF THE SUGAR REGION OF LOUISIANA. 
351 
varieties of apples and peaches be obtained 
with equal advantage ? 
Gathering and Storing Winter Fruit. — Much 
loss arises from the slovenly manner in which 
this is done. There is no labor-saving, and 
certainly no fruit-saving implement, of so little 
cost, that possesses so much value as the " fruit 
gatherer," figured in the September number. 
My plan of storing fruit in the fall, is in linen 
bags. It will stand a greater degree of cold, 
inclosed in linen, than in any other situation. 
Before cold weather sets in permanently, I over- 
haul and pack away all the sound fruit in bar- 
rels or boxes, and thus have it sound all winter. 
Hedge Plants of India. — If there are any 
plants in India, or any other part of creation, 
that will make fence, in mercy let us have them, 
for as yet, they are as angel's visits to America. 
Premiums on Entire Flocks of Sheep. — Glad to 
see the suggestion ; for at present the " old ste- 
reotype edition of premiums," has nothing like 
it. Giving premiums for the "best buck" that 
maybe exhibited, perhaps without a single com- 
petitor, is of about as much value to the country 
as would be a premium for a pig with a cute 
curl in his tail. Let us have whole flocks and 
herds in competition. 
Value of Roadside Products. — Did you intend 
this as a severe rebuke upon the unprofitable 
manner in which the fields are cultivated? Or 
did you intend to make a strong show of the 
folly we are all guilty of in the enormous waste 
of land along the roadsides, given up to the spon- 
taneous growth of elderberry and dandelion 
blossoms, blackberry and whortleberry bushes, 
and briers? Oh, my countrymen! When will 
you learn how much you tax yourselves, to 
fence these same " profitable roadsides," for the 
benefit of some piratical pig or prowling cow, 
or the accommodation of the " outside barbari- 
ans " of our city suburbs, who claim a pre-emp- 
tion right to everything that grows " by the 
roadside," including all your loose rails and 
stakes, besides some that are not loose ? 
Storing Winter Cabbages. — All right but the 
straw, and that is all wrong. Do not use a bit 
of it, unless you have a particular desire to es- 
tablish a winter nursery for young mice. Wrap 
the loose leaves around the head, and set it on 
the ground, and haul the loose earth around it, 
so it will not touch its next near neighbor, and 
thus you will show that you are no cabbage 
head yourself. 
English vs. American Girls. — Why, you incor- 
rigible bachelor. Would you recommend our 
delicate damsels, and gossamer girls, to " ride, 
drive, walk, row, run, dance, play, sing, jump 
the rope, throw the ball, pitch the quoit, draw 
the bow, and play the shuttlecock," and thus 
give their cheeks a natural roseate hue, instead 
of an artificial one, which is obtained with so 
much less labor? It must not be. 'Twill spoil 
trade in drugs and paints, and paper shoes, and 
drive physicians to physical labor. What! 
prefer English beauty to ours. Like begets like. 
If there are no wax doll- mothers, where shall 
we get wax-doll children? 'Twill spoil the 
EXTENSION OF THE SUGAR REGION OF 
LOUISIANA. 
The district capable of producing the sugar 
cane, or what was at first believed to be only 
capable of producing it, has been greatly ex- 
tended since the commencement of cane cul- 
ture in Louisiana. Then, it was thought the 
rich banks of the lower part of the Mississippi, 
where frost was but seldom seen even in mid 
winter, could only be cultivated for sugar. But it 
gradually worked its way up to the neighbor- 
hood of Baton Rouge, and over the Attakapas 
region, and along the banks of Red River. 
While the culture was thus slowly marching 
northward, those at the south cried out "prepos- 
terous," and those still above the sugar limit, ex- 
claimed, wonderful ! and in some instances they 
abandoned their cotton plantations upon the 
hills, and came down to meet the more profita- 
ble culture of cane upon the river. Who then 
would have dared talk of making sugar upon 
the red hills of an old cotton plantation, in 
East Feliciana ? Who dares now say that any 
more profitable sugar lands are cultivated in 
the state ? Baton Rouge, instead of being far 
above all the sugar plantations, is becoming a 
central point. The march of the cane has 
passed her many miles, and leaving the over- 
flowing banks of the uncontrollable Mississippi, 
has taken position far back among the hills, 
where, although the growth of cane is not so 
large, the yield of sugar is as good as on the 
coast ; and, as the cane is better matured, the 
juice is boiled with less fuel, which is cheaper 
and more easy to obtain. Such has been the 
sucess of the last two years, that many new 
mills are being erected, and vast quantises of 
land brought into cultivation in places where it 
would have been thought madness to talk of 
making sugar ten years ago. 
Who shall set limits to the productiveness of 
the earth, or what man shall say to his fellow, 
"Thus far canst thou go, and no farther?" Who 
knows but the discovery of Melsens shall be im- 
proved — that the bi-sulphite of lime shall be con- 
verted into steam, and whole crops of cane pre- 
pared by that process so it cannot undergo fer- 
mentation, and may be ground at leisure? There 
will be no fear of frost, then, and sugar may be 
made as high up as Vicksburg, perhaps. Who 
knows? 
breed. 
Reviewer. 
Portable Steam Engine for Farm Pur- 
poses. — This engine is a beautiful piece of me- 
chanism of half-horse power, working io a 
charm. It was operated in the hall, and at- 
tracted great attention. It propelled a grind- 
stone, lathe, straw cutter, &c, working with 
ease at from 500 to 800 revolutions per minute. 
With it, a farmer might saw his wood, cut his 
straw and hay, grind his tools, steam his pota- 
toes and other feed with the surplus steam, and 
while thus operating, save the labor and board 
of two or three men. It is well worthy of care- 
ful attention, and if durable, of general encour- 
agement. It requires from 1 to \\ cents' worth 
of fuel per hour, to propel it, and costs only 
$75.— Trans. N. Y. Ag. Soc. 
