AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
349 
MAKING MAPLE SUGAR- 
The icy bonds which have hitherto con¬ 
trolled the waters of our streams and lakes 
are beginning to dissolve, slowly and reluc¬ 
tantly, in the genial warmth of our midday 
suns. The swelling buds, and the rosy rays 
of parting day which with every succeeding 
sunset linger to a later hour upon the sum¬ 
mits of our hills, announce to us that spring, 
in all her glorious beauty, comes bounding to 
greet us from her Southern home. The de¬ 
lightful season of sugar making is at hand. 
The nourishing sap has already sprung from 
the earth and begun to course through the 
veins of the forest trees, and the farmers and 
their families, in many sections of New- 
England, will soon be occupied in gathering 
from the abundance of their maple orchards, 
generous supplies of the delicious liquid. 
Sugar making is one of the most profitable 
occupations of our New-England farmers, 
and is carried on to a considerable extent in 
all of our Northern States. In 1850 there 
were manufactured in the United States more 
than thirty-four million pounds of maple 
sugar, and forty million gallons of molasses. 
Of this amount New-York contributed ten 
million pounds of sugar, Vermont five mil¬ 
lion, and New-Hampshire one and a half 
million pounds. 
The manufacture of good, white maple 
sugar, simple as it seems, is perhaps not so 
generally understood as it should be. One of 
the most important points of the process is 
to keep all the apparatus which is used in 
the manufacture, perfectly sweet and clean. 
The most approved method of boiling down 
the sap is in shallow tin pans, placed in a 
sugar house ; and the quicker it is boiled to 
syrup the better. 
“ Then (says a practical manufacturer) 
take it off the fire, and put it in wooden tubs, 
to cool and settle over night; then pour off 
all but the settlings ; strain through a fine 
cloth strainer into a brass kettle, and put it 
over the fire. The fire should only come to 
the bottom of the kettle ; this prevents burn¬ 
ing on the sides of the kettle. The natural 
color of sugar is white, and if kept clean in 
the manufacture, and not burned, it will be 
perfectly white. Add to the syrup, when 
warming, two eggs well beaten, and one 
pint of new milk, which is sufficient for 
fifty pounds; skim well just before it comes 
to the boiling point; then boil to tub sugar; 
put it in wooden tubs ; let it stand a few days, 
until the grain has done forming ; start the 
plug in the bottom of the tub and let the mo¬ 
lasses drain off; keep a wet cloth on the 
top of the sugar while draining; and the 
operation is done. Sugar is made in this 
way equal in color and whiteness to double 
refined loaf sugar. For most families, it is 
preferred without draining. Sugar made 
this way is free from the rank, nauseous 
smell of cane brown sugar. The sap of the 
maple varies in sweetness. Two and a half 
to four gallons will make one pound of 
sugar.” 
Pope’s Skull. —William Ho'witt says that, 
by one of those acts which neither science 
nor curiosity can excuse, the skull of Pope 
is now in the private collection of a phrenol¬ 
ogist. The manner in which it was obtained 
is said to have been this : On some occa¬ 
sion of alteration in the church, or burial of 
some one in the same spot, the coffin of 
Pope was disinterred, and opened to see the 
state of the remains ; by a bribe to the sex¬ 
ton of the time, possession of the skull was 
obtained for the night, and another skull was 
returned instead of it. Fifty pounds were 
paid to manage and carry through this trans¬ 
action. Be that as it may, the skull of 
Pope figures in a private museum. 
iSMds. 
Remarks— Flour of the lower and middling 
brands is unchanged, but the fancy stand 25 
to 50 cts. per bbl. higher than at our last. 
Wheat no change. Corn has fallen 2 to 4 
cts. per bushel. 
Cotton, Rice, and Sugar, a small advance. 
There is at last a great ease in the money 
market, and loans can be now made outside 
of the banks, all the way from 6 to 15 per 
ct., dependent entirely upon the securities 
offered, and the length of time for which the 
cash is wanted, good stocks are gradually 
advancing. 
The weather has been intensely cold for 
several days past. The thermometers of 
our city marked all the way from 3 to 10 
degrees below zero this morning, which has 
not happened here we believe for many years 
past. At Ogdensbnrg, it is said to have fall¬ 
en 33 degrees below zero. We intend to 
give Mr. Merriman’s official statement as 
soon as it appears. There is still great suf¬ 
fering for want of work among the laboring 
classes in all the northern cities of the 
Union. 
PRODUCE MARKET. 
Tuesday, February 0, 1855. 
The prices given in our reports from week to week, are the 
average wholesale prices obtained by producers, andnot those 
at which produce is sold-from the market. The variations in 
prices refer chiefly to the quality of the articles. 
The weather of late has beenexeceedingly cold and ap 
pears to have come to a climax to-day. The market, in 
consequence, has been more lively than last week, though 
the supply is about the same. Owing to the state of the 
money market, it is not thought possible for produce to 
rise higher ; at the same time, should this weather con¬ 
tinue, the supply of good potatoes will be limited, it being 
now impossible to bring them to market. In fact, it is 
dangerous to move potatoes now, lest they be frozen or 
chilled, which always gives them a sweet taste. Pars¬ 
nips, it will be seen, have advanced considerably, being 
frozen into the ground. Beets and Carrots, loo, are some¬ 
what higher. 
Not much is doing in the Apple market in consequence 
of the weather ; the supply is abundant for the present. 
The supply of Butter is'a little short, and tendency up 
ward. Eggs and Cheese remain about the same. 
Veoetabi.es. —Potatoes. New-Jersey Mercers, $3 75® 
$4 00 bbl.; Western Mercers, $3 25®$3 75 ; White 
Mercers, $3 50 ; NovaScotia Mercers, $1 10 ^ bush.; N. J. 
Carters, $3 50®$3 75)f>’bbl.; Washington Co. do., $300® 
$3 25 ; Junes, $3 50; Western Reds, $2 75®$3 12 ; 
White Pink Eyes, $3 25®$3 50 ; Yellow Pink Eyes, $2 75 
®$3; Long Reds, $225®$2 50; Virginia, Sweet Pota¬ 
toes, $5 50 ; Philadelphia, $4 00®$4 50; Turnips, Rus¬ 
sia, $1 50®2 00; White, $1 00®$ 1 25; Onions, White, 
$4 50; Red, $2 50®$3 00; Yellow, $3 25; Cabbages, 
$4®$8 ip 100 ; Beets, $1 75 ip bbl.; Carrots, $1 75; Pars¬ 
nips, $2 25. 
Fruits.— Apples, Spitzenbergs and Greenings, $2 50® 
$3 00 ip’bbl.; Russets and Gilliflowers, $2 25®$2 50. 
Butter, Orange Co . 23®26c. pit).; Western, 18®20c. ; 
Eggs, 21c. ip 1 doz.; Cheese, 10c.®llc. ip lb. 
NEW-YORK CATTLE MARKET. 
Wednesday February 7, 1855. 
There is only a moderate supply of cattle on hand to¬ 
day, which, together with the favorable weather of late, 
continues to give the market an upward tendency. The 
animals, with a few exceptions, are merely ordinary quali¬ 
ty, though ranging in price mostly from 8c.®llc. lb lb. 
The best lot of cattle were from Hardy Co., Virginia, 
owned and sold by Joseph Williams. They were inferior 
to those spoken of last week, though in excellent condi¬ 
tion, and selling from 11c.® 12c. We noticed, also, three 
choice animals from Columbia Co , fed and owned by P. 
J. Conklin. They were thoroughbred Durhams, purchas¬ 
ed in Kentucky, two years ago; a pair four year old, for 
$400, and one three-year-old for $100. Since that time 
they have been fed by Mr. Conklin at a cost, he estimates, 
of $1,000. The three-year-old weighed 3,200 lbs., and 
the other two, 7000. When we came away they were 
unsold. 
The cattle spoken of last week as coming into market 
to-day, were detained on the road on account of the snow, 
and will probably be on hand next week. 
The following are about the highest and lowest prices: 
Superior quality beef is selling at.101®llc.P 1 lb. 
Extra quality at.llc®12Jc. 
Fair quality do. .9®101c. do. 
Inferior do. do. . 7)®9c. do. 
Cows and Calves.$30®$60. 
Veals.. . 41c.®6c. 
Sheep. . $3®$7 50. 
Swine.3fc.®6c. 
Washington Yards, Forty-fourth-street. 
A. M. Allerton, Proprietor. 
received durino the week. in market to-day. 
Beeves,. 1498 1109 
Cows,. 40 - 
Veals. 207 - 
Sheep and lambs,. “740 - 
Swine.— 1657 - 
Ofthese there came by the Erie Railroad—beeves.. 319 
Swine.1657 
By the Harlem Railroad—Beeves.. 387 
Veals. 207 
Cows. 47 
Sheep and Lambs.594 
By the Hudson River Railroad. 530 
By the Hudson River Steamboats. — 
New'-York State furnished.429 
Ohio, “ 417 
Virginia. “ 34 
Connecticut, “ 25 
The report of sales for the week, at Browning’s, are as 
follows: 
Sheep and Lambs.2116 
Beeves. 397 
Veals. 73 
Cows and Calves. 25 
The following sale were made at Chamberlain’s : 
389 Beef Cattle.,8®llc. 
65 Cows and Calves.$20®$60 
3,747 Sheep. $2®$6. 
34 Calves.44®7c. 
SHEEP MARKET. 
Wednesday, February 7, 1855. 
The market during the last week has been on the im¬ 
prove, and appears equally favorable to-day. The supply 
has been limited—good sheep especially being very scarce, 
and bought up immediately. Ohio dealers can now bring 
on their stock with almost a certainty of good profits. 
The following are the sales by Samuel McGraw sheep, 
broker at Brownings : 
23 Sheep and Lambs.$143 75 
3 do. do. 16 00 
6 do. do... 35 00 
10 do. do. 57 50 
10 do. do. 60 00 
7 do. do. 55 00 
10 do. do . 75 00 
69 $443 25 
PRICES CURRENT- 
Florida. 
7-j. 
Si 
91 
10 
Mobile. 
8 
91 
101 
11 
Produce, Groceries, Provisions, 4c., <Jc 
Cotton- 
Upland. 
Ordinary. 71 
Middling. 84 
Middling Fair. 91 
Fair. 91 
Flour and Meal- 
state, common brands. 
State, straight brands. 
State, favorite brands. 
Western, mixed do. 
Michigan and Indiana, straight do 
Michigan, fancy brands. 
Ohio, common to good brands — 
Ohio, fancy brands. 
Genesee, fancy brands .... 
Genesee, extra brands . 
Canada, (in bond,). 
Brandywine . 
Georgetown. 
Petersburg City . 
Richmond Country . 
Alexandria . 
Baltimore, Howard-Street. 
Rye Flour. 
Corn Meal, Jersey . 
Corn Meal, Brandywine... 
Corn Meal, Brandywine 
IV. O. 4 Texas. 
8 
91 
101 
11 $ 
.. 8 
25 
® 
8 
37 
.. 8 
37 
®- 
— 
8 
37 
®- 
— 
... 8 
37 
— 
.. 8 
75 
® 
9 
— 
.. 8 
93 
®- 
— 
.. 8 
621® 
9 
— 
— 
— 
® 
9 
12 
_ 
— 
® 
9 
50 
. 9 
00 
® 
9 
75 
. 10 50®12 
00 
.. 8 
62 
® 
8 
75 
... 9 
— 
®- 
— 
. . 9 
— 
® 
9 
— 
.. 9 
— 
(as- 
— 
_ 
_ 
(a) 
8 
75 
_ 
_ 
(a) 
8 
75 
_ — 
— 
(a> 
8 
75 
. . 6 
50 
(as- 
— 
.. 4 
75 
®- 
— 
. . 4 
75 
®- 
— 
Grain- 
Wheat, White Genesee. 
Wheat, do. Canada, (in bond, 
Wheat, Southern, White. 
Wheat, Ohio, White. 
Wheat, Michigan, White. 
p punch. 
.p 1 bush. 
2 50 ® 2 55 
-® 2 20 
2 25 ® 2 — 
- ® - 
2 40 ® 2 32 
