1862.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
37 
“ Western Plantation Syrup.”— 
Tins name is adopted as the regular brand for the Sor¬ 
ghum Syrup, after being refined by the “ Chicago Su¬ 
gar Refining Company.” This Company offers to receive 
at any of the railroad stations in Chicago, the crude 
syrup, as boiled down in the country; to refine it, and to 
return to the depot 75 gallons of refined syrup for each 
100 gallons received. This includes the charges for cart¬ 
age, cooper work, and the barrels, etc. 
Relining- Sorglium Syrnp.— L. Martin, 
Sangamon Co.. Ill. Your queries are mainly answered 
on page 42. The process of refining the Sorghum Syrup 
is a principle somewhat like that practiced at the South 
for the common cane. The crude syrup is boiled with a 
small quantity of lime-water, to neutralize any acid 
formed. The juice is then passed through filters or 
strainers of bone-black (bones charred by burning so as to 
fall to pieces). It is then boiled to the desired thickness. 
Sorghum Syrnp.— Wm. Turke, New-Bre- 
men, has made 1,200 gallons of Sorghum syrup. He 
ground the cane and evaporated the juice for his neigh¬ 
bors at 25c. per gallon. His syrup sells in New Bremen 
at 75c. per gallon. The seed is not near as good as for¬ 
merly, only one half giving good canes. He asserts the 
need of a new importation of seed. 
Sorghum in Micliig'am.— Almon Maltby 
writes to the Michigan Farmer, that he manufactured 320 
gallons of good syrup from two acres of ground. This 
from Livingston Co., in latitude 42%°, is a favorable indi¬ 
cation of what may yet be expected from the “ Chinese 
Sugar Cane ” at the North. 
Couch, or Quack Grass.— “C.” Groton, 
N. H. The grass you send is the one named above. It 
is a detestable weed, but makes excellent hay. 
“ Skirving’s Improved Swedish 
Turnip.”— Some seed sent to us from the Patent Oflice 
was sown June 24, on good soil, by the side of other vari¬ 
eties. But after standing in the ground until Nov. 13, it 
had not a bulb the size of a finger, while the other kinds 
produced well. As this variety stands high in England, 
we think the fault must have been in the Department at 
Washington. We had hoped that after the dismissal of 
“D. J. B.,” no more mulleins would grow from “im¬ 
proved tobacco seed.” Perhaps some old purchases of 
seed may have been left behind. Whoever has charge 
there should gather up and burn the contents of the old 
seed drawers, and not trouble the country with them— 
and himself take warning from the past. 
kohl Raki.— The wife of a subscriber is in¬ 
formed that this vegetable may be cooked like a turnip 
or cabbage, and eaten in the same way. Cut in half inch 
slices to boil and change the water in boiling once or 
twice. Serve mashed with butter or cream, or not mash¬ 
ed but with drawn butter or cream poured over it. For 
Winter use they should be treated like a cabbage. Al¬ 
ways use them before the eyes in the axils at the base of 
the leaf stalks start to grow. 
Wire Worms.— W. F., of Warsaw, N. Y., 
has land materially injured by wire worms; by a course 
of cultivation, he has, as he thinks, rid his land of the 
pest. After giving an account of three experiments to 
the American Agriculturist, he writes: “My opinion is that 
three crops of buckwheat, potatoes, beans, or peas, will 
entirely starve out the wire worm. I have found, some¬ 
times, that Fall plowing was best—not always. If land is 
to be sowed early, then plow in the Fall: if late, it will 
make little difference, so far as worms are concerned.’' 
Rose Rugs on Grapes.— B. H. S., South 
Yonkers, N. Y. Your trouble with rose bugs on grape 
vines is nothing new. This little beetle genus, Melolon- 
tka, appears annually, sometimes in countless numbers, 
attacking roses first, but extending their ravages to cher¬ 
ries, plums, grapes, and other plants. The laying and 
hatching of their eggs, and transformations, are an un¬ 
der-ground work : done out of sight and reach of man. 
They can be attacked only when in their perfect state, 
and at their mischief. The females, which constitute 
about half the number, deposit some thirty eggs each. 
Like other insects, they have their natural enemies; 
so every person who crushes a hundred may consider, 
that he is working with the other Heaven-appointed in¬ 
strumentalities to hasten their disappearance. Poultry 
destroy a good many, but when abundant these soon be¬ 
come satiated. 
Lime lor Lice on Cabbages.-Wm, W. 
Bailey, a lad, writing to the Agriculturist from Genesee 
Co., N. Y., says he was whitewashing a fence by the side 
of some cabbages badly affected by plant lice, (aphis,) 
and to try the effect of lime upon the insects, he sprinkled 
whitewash upon the leaves and stalks, which entirely de¬ 
stroyed the lice. 
Security lrosu Ree Motks.—“ M,” Tip- 
ton Co.. Ind., thus writes to the American Agriculturist: 
“ The bee-hives of all my neighbors, and my own also, 
suffered considerably from worms. I got rid of them by 
following the advice of a friend, viz.: Don’t put the hives 
of young swarms on boards, but on bricks, closely laid to¬ 
gether, fill the space between the bricks with wood ashes, 
brushing off all that may lie on top. The moth does not 
lay her eggs on stones, as the sun does not hatch them 
out there, but always on wood. My hives have been 
free from these worms ever since.” 
Swans at tlie Central I®ark.— It will 
be recollected that the free city of Hamburg presented 12 
pure white swans to this City, two years ago, for the 
beautiful sheet of water in our Central Park. Unfortu¬ 
nately, several of them died soon after they arrived here, 
but more were subsequently sent. They appear very 
much at home, sailing gracefully about in the water, and 
are one of the chief attractions to the thousand visitors 
daily enjoying the fine scenery of the Park. The swans 
commenced breeding, for the first time last season, 
four nests having been made in nooks near the water. 
Two were deserted after a severe thunder-storm, but 
from the other two broods of cygnets were hatched. The 
young might be seen swimming by the side- of the old 
ones, or raising their long necks from the grass which 
concealed their nests.' 
Poultry—Weight of Workings.—W. 
J. of Westchester Co., N. Y., referring to the 7 to 8 lbs. 
weight of “ crammed poultry,” (January Agriculturist, 
page 9,) says he was led to weigh his grey Dorking pul¬ 
lets of 1861, and found them to run 7% lbs. each. The 
young cocks of same breed weighed 8 and 8% lbs. Of 
the older broods, the hens weighed 8 to 9 lbs, and the 
^oeks 10 lbs. each. They were in ordinary condition. 
He esteems this breed the best for general use, for, be¬ 
sides their heavy, weight, they are good lavers also. 
Ckickems.— S. K., Dayton, Ohio. Chickens 
do better to have a range, but if the crops are likely to 
suffer by them, they will do very well in the hennery, if 
allowed but a limited run—enough to secure plenty of 
fresh air. They should at least be let out awhile morn¬ 
ing and evening, and have green food of some kind— 
grass in summer, and cabbage sprouts, etc., in Winter. 
Frozen Eggs. — Sophia J. Damon, of Ply¬ 
mouth Co., Mass., s iys frozen eggs should be kept in that 
state until wanted’for use, then put in a dish of cold wa¬ 
ter, and set on the fire to thaw gradually. When the 
water will just bear the finger, they may be broken, and 
will be found as fresh as when first laid. 
Nest Eggs isi Winter.—“ J. B.” If the 
glass or porcelain eggs can not be had, make imitations of 
wood and paint white, or make them of chalk. By break¬ 
ing a small hole in each end of an ordinary egg, the con¬ 
tents may be blown out with the mouth, and the shell used 
for a nest egg. They will be perfect if filled with plaster, 
or rosin, or any substance that will set hard, and will 
not melt by the heat of the hen. 
John Sanderson’s Large Ox.— Z. D. 
Bardwell, of Franklin Co., Mass., sends the measurement 
of a large ox, owned by John Sanderson, in that County, 
and asks if any of the readers of the American Agricul¬ 
turist can report a larger animal,—“ Age of ox, 8 years; 
girth back of shoulders, 10% feet; largest girth forward 
of hips, 11% feet; hight, 6% feet; length from between 
the roots of the horns to the root of the tail, 9% feet; 
breadth across the hips, 3% feet; distance from point to 
point of shoulder, 3% feet; greatest distance through 
shoulders, further back, 4% feet; length of span, 8 feet; 
inside distance between the fore feet, as he stands eating 
naturally, 26 inches ; live weight, 3,500 pounds, in 
October, 1860, since which time he has not been weighed. 
[Are there no scales large enough in those parts ?— Ed.] 
He has been fed 12 quarts of meal per day—a mixture of 
com and oats—and eats as well now as ever. He has 
the range of the yard, and lies under the barn opening 
to the East.” 
A Great Hog.— We have to-day (Jan. 17,) 
seen a pure Suffolk hog, at 90 Cedar street, worth look 
ing at. He pretty well fills a one-horse wagon box, and 
weighs dressed 1,053 lbs., or more than half a tun. 
Live weighton the 14th inst. 1,393 lbs. Age 19 months. 
Fed and slaughtered by W. H. Libby, on his farm in 
Madison, N. J. Was imported at 3 months old, from 
Suffolk, England, by Frank Lathrop, for breeding but be¬ 
came too large and was castrated at 9 months old. Fed 
on corn meal, milk, etc. 
Kin«l Treatment of Animals Profit¬ 
able.— The horse serves us with a superior ability and 
a better will, if treated kindly. On the sane condition, 
the sheep gives us a better fleece ; the ox, moie efficient 
labor; and the swine, a better carcase. The cow, that 
is dealt gently with and made contented with her lot, 
gives us, not only more milk, but of a richer quality, than 
if ill treated, fretted and made miserable. All animals 
make a better return, if cared for considerately. “ The 
merciful man is merciful to his beast.” He would be so 
if there was no reward. We owe it to the animals, which 
are put into our power; we owe it to ourselves : and we 
owe it to God, who has given us power over them, to 
make the brief space we intend for them, free from all 
unnecessary suffering. 
Remedy for Kicking Cows.— D. Parker, 
Jr., of Green Co., Pa., writes: When a boy, I saw an 
article in a paper stating that tying a cows head a little 
higher than she ordinarily holds it, would prevent kicking 
because a cow lowers her head and rounds up her back, 
when she kicks. My father tried it and found it to 
answer, except in the worst cases. The remedy has been 
used in the family ever since. 
Mad Itck in Skeep.— G. U. S., Luzerne 
Co., Pa., writes that “ a new disease has lately appeared 
among the sheep of his neighborhood, called the ‘ Mad 
Itch,’ ” and wishes information. We have never known 
this name applied to a form of the «scab,” to which it 
might, with all propriety, be given, but presume that this 
is the ailment—a subcutaneous disease, causing intoler¬ 
able itching, but not affecting perceptibly the surface ot 
the skin. Youatt says it is not contagious, and recom¬ 
mends housing, shaving, washing with soap suds, and 
then, every other day, washing with lime water and a de¬ 
coction of tobacco. We have never met with the disease 
but should we ever have to treat it, would surely admin¬ 
ister flour of sulphur pretty freely in milk, and perhaps 
turpentine, or tar in small doses, so as to bring the dis¬ 
ease out upon the surface, and then treat it like common 
scab. Diseased animals should be most completely sepa- 
rated from the rest of the flock. 
Too Much Opium for Skeep.— In the 
prize article last month, which was generally correct, a 
bad error occurred on page 13, which we did nut notice 
until too late to correct it. The writer prescribes a scru¬ 
ple (20 grains) of opium for a sheep. We suspect a sheep 
weighing 150 lbs. would require no more opium than a 
man of the same weight. One grain of opium, or 20 grains 
tincture ot opium (laudanum,) would be nearer the mark. 
Wky \ot Eat tke Heart?— On one of 
the closing pages of this paper, will be found two articles 
which have cost us a great amount of labor, and which 
will be well worth studying and saving for reference, 
viz.: “ New-York, Live Stock Trade, for 1861,” and “ Items 
in a Meat Bill." There are several items of a kind never 
before published together, such as ’those giving the aver¬ 
age weights, shrinkage, etc., of animals, and especially 
those referring to beeves’ offal. But we commenced this 
to speak of one item there noticed, viz.: that Beeves’ 
Hearts average 6 lbs., and yet sell for an average of only 
10 cents each, or 1 % cents per lb. We visited a large 
number of butchers, in order to get at the correct figures 
in the article, and they nearly all said it was difficult to 
find purchasers for beeves’ hearts at above 10 or 12 
cents each. Said one: “ If a poor woman comes to my 
stall to spend her last 20 cents for meat, she will take 1% 
lbs. of steak, and refuse two beeves’ hearts, weighing 12 
lbs., for the same money.” We can hardly account for 
this, when, pound for pound, the heart is as nutricious as 
any other part of the animal. Query.—VJhaX is the best 
method of cooking and serving a beef heart ? 
An Aged Cat.— We do not remember to 
have seen any statement of the age of cats. It seems to 
be the general impression that, at6 or8 years old, pussy is 
an “ old cat,” if not the old cat. According to the N. H. 
Jour, of Ag., there is in the family of J. G. Wilson, of Lee, 
a cat 25 years and 7 months old, as categorically demon¬ 
strated by the family register. This must be the very old 
cat. If anybody has an older one let it be recorded in the 
American Agriculturist. Can any one tell us the aver¬ 
age age of cats ?—that is, of those allowed to live out 
there natural lives.-It is commonly reported that some 
cats have “ nine lives.” Whafis the length of each life ? 
Tam Rark for Manure.— We do not 
think very highly of it, in its crude state. A farmer in 
our own neighborhood, is now (Nov. 13th) hauling it from 
the tannery, and spreading it over his meadows, confident 
that it will benefit them. Good luck to him ! For out 
