340 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR 
#nce or twice changed, or well scalded, skimmed, and 
settled, to remove all impurities. This last practice Mr. 
Dennis condemns, but whether with good reason wedoubt, 
as at present informed. We have heard old and experi- 
enced packers say that scalded and purified old brine was 
better than that made from salt before it has been used. 
We have tried both practices and never saw any appreci- 
able difference in the result. By too much re-salting, a 
large share of lean meat may be dissolved, and separated 
as gelatin and fibrine. Cheese is often nearly ruined by 
an excess of salt; and butter some times fares no better. 
Poor feed for cows, and a warm and damp climate are 
tbe main obstacles in the way of producing first-rate but- 
ter and cheese at the Suth. Milk, cream and butter should 
be kept as cool as the coldest spring or well water will 
make them, in all hot weather. Salt ought to be thorough- 
ly worked into butter with a butter ladle, at the rate of an 
ounce of salt to a pound of butter ; while the milk, or fine 
particles of cured, should be worked out. When packed 
down to keep, both butter and meat should be as much 
excluded from the air as possible. A stone jar filled with 
butter, and that covered with thick stout paper saturated 
with beeswax, or suet, and tied down tight, will keep but- 
ter in a cool place, if it was properly manufactured. We 
are greatly in favor of dry wells deep enough to be used 
by the aid of a windlass, in place of many steps, and the 
labor of going down into a deep hole in the ground. The 
mean temperature of the earth is not reached in this lati- 
tude above 28 or 30 feet. We keep milk at 63 degrees, 
and find it cool and delicious to drink, yield cream or 
make butter; although we have as yet no well expressly 
for the purpose. With a trifle of surface salt, fresh meat 
may be kept a week at 63 degrees without the smallest 
injury. Our well for the supply of water is large, and 
nearly 60 feet in depth, and answers in place of a dry 
well till the latter can be conveniently arranged. 
^ There are many readers of the Cultivator who can fur- 
nish more valuable instructions for curing hams, and other 
lueon than the writer ; and they will greatly promote 
aeund domestic economy by giving the public the benefit 
of their experience. L, 
PLOWS — GRASSES, 
Dr. M. W. Philips : 
I see you speak in exalted terms of the “Brinley Plow.” 
Kease inform up where said plow is to be had , and at 
what price. 
As you are experimenting with the Grasses, I would 
call your attention to a winter grass in the possession 
•fDr. Taylor, of Montgomery, Ala. The Dr. says, it 
was brought from North Carolina many years since. It 
has no seed, but propagates from the roots like shallots, 
consequently has to be taken up and divided in order to 
spread it. It remains green both summer and winter, as 
Ibng as it is kept grazed or mowed down. If there is no 
established name for this grass, I propose to call it the 
"Taylor Grass.” 
As the Dr’s, plantation is near Mount Meigs, he or Col 
Carter could conveniently send you a few bunches for ex- 
periment. It is not for sale. Yours, 
J. L. Moultrie. 
Union Spring, Ala., Sept., 1857. 
The Right Spirit, — Editors So^ithern Cultivator — I 
have just read the proposition of Mr. G. D. Harmon, to 
enlarge the Ciillivatcr-, it fully meets my approbation, 
and you may put me down for one of the 5,000, or two if 
liecessary. I will try and see what I can do towards get- 
ling new subscribers. Yours, &c., 
R. G. Hewlett, 
Oxford, Miss,, Sept., 1857. 
BRANDY FROM THE CHINESE CANE. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — In compliance with 
your request, I send you an account of a small, but inter- 
esting experiment I have just made in distilling the juice 
of the Sorghum. On the 10th and HthSeptember, I ground 
75 gallons ofjuice, which was put to ferment in two or- 
dinary molasses barrels, of which the heads had been 
knocked out. The weather was extremely suHry — the 
thermometer rising to 90® in the middle of the day. On 
the 12th the fermentation was very brisk; on 14th and 
15th it seemed to be at its height ; on 17th it had subsided, 
I then drew the wine into a large close barrel, which was 
afterwards hermetically closed. The juice underwent a 
slight fermentation in this, for about 24 hours, when all 
was again quiet. On the 22d I commenced distilling. 
The wine had a fine vinous smell, but its taste was some- 
what sour; this is not the result of acetic fermentation,, 
but is probably the natural taste of the wine. The 75 
gallons gave 121 gallons of low wines at 30® of Gay-Lus- 
sac's Alcometer (the meaning of this is that the low wines 
contained 30 per cent, of pure Alcohol.) On the 24th I 
redistilled these low wines, and I give you the result ; 
The 1st half gal. (testedby G.L’s alcom.) showed 78 per c't. Alcohol 
“ 2d “ “ “ “ 
3d 
“ 4th 
” 5th 
“ 6th 
“ 7th 
“ 8th 
“ 9th 
“ loth 
“ 11th 
“ 12th 
Total, 6 gallons ; showing 63 per cent, of Alcohol. 
I will here state that proof brandy in England contains 
only 50 per cent, of alcohol; this, therefore, having 13 
per cent, more alcohol. The ordinary brandy of com- 
merce seldom contains more than 40 or 45 per cent., and 
common whiskey, although much more fiery to the taste, 
shows, by the same instrument, only 35 per cent, of alco- 
hol. By adding a gallon of water to these six gallons at 
63® we would have seven gallons of ordinary proof bran- 
dy. I am unable to say what it will be worth per gallon^ 
but even at Si these results will prove more profitable than 
molasses at 50 cents. 
Seventy- five gallons juice, at 7 gallons for 1 of molasses, 
will give nearly 11 gallons, which, at 50 cents, would 
make S5 50; while the brandy, at SL would be S7. 
But surely it would bring at least S2, which would 
then give a large surplus in favor of the brandy. Thus, 
when 1 acre of Sorgho would yield 200 gallons of syrup 
worth SlOO, it would give us in brandy 1*27 gallons, 
worth S254. 
Allow me, through your columns, to refer to an article in 
the Oct. number of the Cultivator, by John W. Reid, and 
to one by the same gentleman in Mr. Olcotrs late v/ork 
on the Sorgho, in both of which he affirms that the Sorgho 
syrup when fermented will yielA gallon for galUm of alco- 
hol ; that is, 1 gallon of syrup will yield you 1 gallon of 
alcohol. Surely there must be a mistake there ; for syrup 
must contain a certain proportion of water and of coloring 
substance which remain in the still after the alcohol has 
been extracted ; and how 1 gallon can furnish 1 gallon in 
bulk inspirits, besides a half gallon of residue, or literally 
become H gallons, I cannot understand. Will that gentle- 
man please explain! A. C. 
Woodward, S. C., Sept., 1857. 
Remarks. — With the above, we received a bottle of very 
excellent and stroug Brandy, or rather Gin, for which 
friend Caradeuc has our thanks. He is entitled to much 
praise for the very able manner in which he has conduct- 
ed this and many other experiments in rural economy ; 
m “ 
77 
72 
67Jr “ 
59 
55 “ 
40 ‘'■ 
40 
25 
25 and less. 
