BLIGHT IN PEAR TREES.—PRESERVATION OF FRUITS. 
59 
be taken to the shearing barn, or instead of this, 
many use a clean plat of grass ground enclosed for 
the purpose, which, however, is not as good as a 
clean, smooth floor. The confining of a sheep to 
the top of a table, to be shorn, or even cording the 
legs, as many do, is severe and unnecessary, as the 
sheep will remain far more quiet lying upon the side 
or back in the hands of the shearer. Shearing should 
be done with moderation and great care, making 
short clips—taking off the wool close and smooth, 
but never cut the skin, and especially the teats, or 
any delicate part of either sex. After sheep are 
shorn, they should be housed at night, for two or 
three successive nights, and at any time for several 
days after, should cold, stormy weather occur. 
Manner of doing up Fleeces at Shearing. —The 
doing up of the fleeces should be in the same manner 
as the folding up of a common neckerchief, and, as 
may be termed, inside out, then doubled end to end. 
Then commence folding from the ends to the centre, 
pressing it close, and yet avoid the stretching of the 
wool. This will present as good wool as grows 
upon the sheep, and if all is done right, it will ap¬ 
pear handsome and desirable. Small, smooth twine 
(and no other substitute), should be used for tying 
up the fleece, to be cast once or twice about it only, 
each way. Remove the wool from the shearing 
apartment, to a clean room, or a building designed 
expressly for it, and let it be entirely unexposed to 
dust. 
Separation, Classification , and Treatment. —Sheep 
having now been shorn, next comes the classification 
and separation. Tn the first place, take out all the 
bucks and put them by themselves, assigning to them 
such fields as have the most sure and perfect enclo¬ 
sures; placing special marks upon all such'as have 
given a large and desirable fleece, or have got strong 
and active lambs. Next, take out all old ewes, and 
such as have little wool on their bellies or give light 
fleeces. Mark them as such, and keep them in your 
best feed during the season of pasture. They will 
sell for some purpose, the better for having had good 
care ; but they should not be bred from. Other ages 
and kinds may be marked for any special purpose 
you choose, such as 3 years old—wethers. Put them 
in good keep, and urge their fattening all the season 
for market. Ewes and lambs should also have much 
care, as the first summer’s growth of the lamb, if 
well looked to, better ensures his life the following 
winter, gives him more growth of wool to protect 
him, and his maturity will be early effected. Lambs 
should be separated from their dams about the 20th 
of August, and put farther away than an adjoining 
field. They will early learn to take care of them¬ 
selves, if placed in good feed, and will be the better 
prepared to eat hay in winter. An early separation 
is also necessary for the ewes, that they may recruit 
for the winter, with plenty of flesh and wool. 
J. N. H. 
Bennington, Vt., Jan*y, 1845. 
Blight in Pear Trees.— Mr. Samuel Reeve, of Sa¬ 
lem,,N.J., writes us, Your article on blightin pear trees 
claims attention, in order that a preventive or remedy 
may be ascertained. I have been, an observer of this 
blight in pear trees for several years, and find that in 
those trees which have stood where the roots had an 
even temperature and moisture, the blight has not 
made as great destruction in the branches, as in those 
trees that have stood where the ground was subject 
to drought and sudden wet during the growing 
season. In addition to this from Mr. Reeve, other 
correspondents inform us that they think a blight is 
caused by intense cold. 
Dr. Kirtland, in the Western Farmer and Gardener, 
says, that the best remedy for blight is a bold and 
prompt amputation below the diseased parts, taking 
care to perform the operation as soon as the malady 
is manifested, and to burn the diseased limbs without 
delay. 
PRESERVATION OF FRUITS BY CARBONIC 
ACID GAS. 
It is a fact with which chemists have long been 
acquainted, but which I believe is not generally 
known, that carbonic acid gas possesses the pro 
perty of preserving fruits placed in it for a conside¬ 
rable length of time, in nearly all their original 
freshness and flavor. The process is most too expen¬ 
sive to be employed on a very large scale, and best 
adapted to the smaller fruits, such as cherries, goose¬ 
berries, &c. I have sent you a description of the 
mode of generating the gas, thinking that if you saw 
fit to insert it in your journal, it might prove a source 
of amusement to some of your young readers who 
are fond of such kind of experiments. 
The apparatus required is very simple. A common 
pint glass bottle, with a cork, through which passes 
tightly a bent pewter tube about half an inch in di¬ 
ameter and 12 or 15 inches long, another wide-mouth¬ 
ed pint glass bottle with cork (a ground glass stop¬ 
per is best), and a pail or other suitable vessel of 
water is all that is required. In the bottle with 
the tube, place 2 oz. of fragments of white marble 
(limestone), and pour over them sufficient muriatic 
acid to cover them; quickly insert the cork with the 
tube attached, and dip the end of the tube beneath the 
surface of the water in the pail. * A violent efferves¬ 
cence will immediately take place in the bottle, and 
numerous small bubbles will issue from the end of the 
tube, and rise through the water. These are bubbles 
of carbonic acid gas, which may be collected by tak¬ 
ing the other bottle and sinking it, mouth upwards, 
in the pail, so that the atmospheric air will escape, and 
water take its place. When the bottle is full of wa¬ 
ter, carefully turn it mouth downwards, and steadily 
lift it, with its mouth still under water, until exactly 
over the end of the tube, from which the bubbles are 
issuing. The gas will rise through the water in the 
bottle ; while the water in the bottle sinks into that 
contained in the pail. When the bottle is full of gas 
carefully insert the stopper, keeping the mouth still 
under water; when this is done, remove the bottle 
and place it upright on the table, then take the fruit 
you wish to preserve, and removing the stopper 
(the gas will not escape, it being heavier than air), 
drop it in the bottle until full or nearly so, stop 
tight, and place it in a cool dry place. 
The process is easily conducted, and the acid may 
be purchased at the druggists for a trifling sum. 
The fruit will keep good a long time if the gas is 
not suffered to escape, and will preserve its fresh¬ 
ness in an astonishing degree; and the satisfaction 
arising from the result, will amply repay the slight, 
trouble and expense attending the operation. 
Sing Sing, Dec. 10 , 1844. J. M K 
