^flGRlCULTURr 
MOOBE’S BUBAL NEW-YORKER, 
AN ORIGINAL WXKKLY 
EUKAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER, 
siruping down and before boiling more, the pan 
or kettle should be thoroughly cleaned to pre¬ 
vent coloring the next sugar. 
Ilere, perhaps, I ought to state my reasons for 
omitting a process considered by many to be of 
the utmost importance to cleanliness,—that ot 
straining the sirup through one or more thick¬ 
nesses of white flannel. I omit it because it is 
useless. If the strainer is coarse the impurities 
go through with the sirup; if line the meshes arc 
soon clogged so that nothing will go through. 
If forced through the particles that clogged the 
meshes arc also forced through, leaving the pas¬ 
sage open for other like particles to follow 
without hindrance. The principal advantage of 
straining hot is, that the sirup has then greater 
power of carrying the Impurities through with it. 
Straining but half cleanses it at best 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
CHAS. D. BRAG DON, Associate Editor, 
To Correspondents. — Tr. Randall's address Is 
Cortland Village, CortIsn< Co., N. Y. All communica¬ 
tions intended lor this department, and all inquiries 
relating tff sheep, shJ-d be addressed to Mm as above. 
HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. D., 
.Editor ot the Department of Sheep Husbandry. 
SPECrAi 
P. BARRY, 
H. T. BROOKS, 
T. C. PETEES, 
CONTRIBUTORS 
c. i)EWEY,Ci,. b., 
L. B. LANGwStHY, 
EDWARD WEBSTER. 
NEW YORK ST^TE SHEEP BREEDERS’ AND 
WOOL (ROWERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
tyfor Terms and other particulars, see last page, 
while 
settling cleanses it as completely without strain¬ 
ing as with it. 
Sugaring Off. — This is by far the most impor¬ 
tant operation in the whole process of manufac¬ 
turing sugar, for upon the completeness and per¬ 
fection of this operation, more than any other, 
depends much of the present and more of the 
future value of the article produced. The 
arrangement should be such as to give the ope¬ 
rator complete control of his business. A 45 
gallon kettle hung on a erane, made by framing 
a piece of scantling 5 feet long into another 8 to 
10 feet long, with a long brace framed in, or 
strong boards bolted upon each side, and hung 
with hiuges to a tree or strong post, is a good 
arrangement. “ 
past 7 o’ciOfk, and the secretary, l). l). l. Moore, 
of the RubAl New-Yorker, read the following 
as the third subject selected for discussion. 
Goitre in Sheep—Its Cause ami Cure. 
The president, Dr. Randall, briefly alluded to 
the leading characteristics of the disease. 
He said, in the destructive form in which we 
were now principally to consider it, it was a 
disease of Iambs developed very soon afterbirth, 
if it was not congenital. In a great majority of 
cases, it was believed by those in whose flocks 
it had apeared to be congenital—that is to say, 
that it was found developed at birth. It was ex¬ 
hibited externally by sweiings on each side of 
the wind-pipe, under tin Meek. These swellings 
varied in size from an ^»aond to a butternut. 
MAKING MAPLE SUGAR, 
Having stated in a former article my method 
of obtaining sap, I will now describe the modus 
opermdi of reducing it to sugar. I shall pass 
over the subject of gathering sap with the re¬ 
mark that I use a team, and carefully avoid 
waste; and that of providing fuel, by sayiDg that 
I use tree-tops, fallen limbs, old trees that have 
lain many years or remnants or decayed trees, 
debris of fences or old buildings, or any other 
rough wood not lit for other use, housed the 
summer before wanted. In many sections this 
sort of economy might not pay. 
Apparatus. — to* w«JUig, i use — r - 
feet long, thirty-four inches wide and six d-p?i“ 
mad i ><• v lb ft. trot), and placed upon an 
arch, the walls of which are 12 feet long exclusive 
of the chimney, two feet apart at the bottom and 
widening near the top to two feet eight inches, 
and two feet high,—being 16 inches above the top 
of the grate-bar. For a better quality of wood 
than I use, this highth might be considerably 
reduced. Five foot from the mouth of the arcii 
the bottom rises, at an angle of about forty de¬ 
grees, to within ten inches of the top, and thence 
gradually to within two or three inches at the 
chimney. This keeps the flame well up to the 
pau. My chimney is three feet high, but a dif¬ 
ferent location might require a different higbth 
of chimney to secure the desired draft. The 
space at the mouth of the arch not covered by 
the pan is covered with sheet iron to prevent any 
flame from striking the end of the pan. This 
apparatus will answer well for 500 or fioty trees, 
and is not too large for 200, as it is better econ¬ 
omy to save time aud fuel every day you boil, 
than to save a few dollars in the first outlay. My 
The operation should ^ 
these conditions greatly facilitate the rapidity 
and /Kv/dctkm of the operation ; the latter being 
essential to tho good keeping qualities of the 
sugar. The sirup being properly cleansed by 
settling, I draw it from the barrel through an 
orifice one and a half inches from the bottom, so 
as not to disturb the sediment, carefully tipping 
the barrel when it runs low, and drawing out all 
that will run clear before letting it tip back. 
Fourteen or fifteen gallons of syrup will make 
100 lbs. of sugar, which is a convenient quantity 
to do at once. If I have 150lbs. I do it at once; 
if more I divide it. As it approaches the boiling 
point I remove with a skimmer whatever collects 
upon the surface. As soon as it begins to boil, 
1 drop in a lump of butter as largo as a walnut, 
and If it shows a disposition to rise in the kettle 
I drop in more until it will boil steadily, always 
partially removing it from the fire rather than let 
it. rise. I then boil it rapidly until done, which 
usually ia about one hour. When the sirup be¬ 
gins to boil lazily, like a “hasty pudding,” I assist 
the escape, of the vapor by stirring from the bot¬ 
tom of the kettle with a skimmer having a long 
wooden handle. When a portion of the sirup, 
spread on snow, will become so hard as to break 
like glass when struck a sharp blow, it is nearly 
done. When a portion, dipped into a saucer aud 
stirred, will become dry and break clown into 
separate grains in about two minutes, and while 
yet hot, it is doue, and should be removed from 
the lire. These tests are suggestions and not 
dcfiuite rules. No ouo can put his skill upon 
paper. The practical observation of the operator 
is necessary. The boiling should be brisk as 
long as it is continued. If molasses is desired 
instead of sugar, the boiling must be stopped be¬ 
fore the grains will come; for, if granulation 
begins, it will proceed until the molasses be¬ 
comes too limpid, thereby seriously injuring its 
keeping qualities. 
The extreme poiut to which boiling may bo 
carried wIthout burning, is indicated by a change 
in the appearance of the escaping vapor. It be¬ 
gins to lose the dense and fleecy appearance of 
steam and to assume the more rarified, glimmer¬ 
ing aud slightly bluish appearance of smoke. In 
this condition of things not an instant is to bo 
lost in removing it from the lire. The kettle 
being removed from the lire, I proceed at once 
to dip the sugar into a sink kept for the purpose, 
six feet long, tweuty inches wide and nine deep. 
Here constant and rapid stirring with a hoe is 
necessary to keep it down, the cool air so 
strengthening the film of the babbles raised by 
the escaping vapor, that they will not burst with¬ 
out the application of force. As the grain begins 
to form upon the bottom aud sides, I remove it 
with the hoe, keeping it well mixed with the 
whole mass. When the whole has become gran¬ 
ulated I draw it to one end of tho sink and work 
it over with the hoe, after the style of working 
mortar, so as to break all the lumps; removing 
it at the same time to the other end. This I re¬ 
peat until it is suttieiently cooled and the whole 
mass becomes dry and lively. When cold it is 
ready to be stored. If, when grauulated in the 
menU of the thyroid g‘ ’<ds. 1 .ey.nr ygener^ 
aJlv MCOffimn.vU by a feeble, debilitau-v/tystem 
and the laino soon wiicre thtath re¬ 
sulted immediately and directly from goitre, 
the goitrous enlargements pressed mechanically 
on the wind-pipe and produced suffocation. Dr. 
Sprague of Middlebury, Vt., had by a surgical 
operation, repeated in a number of instances, re¬ 
moved one of the enlarged glands, and thus 
saved the life of many lambs. This would do 
very well if the lamb was worth saving where 
sucli skill was available; but it was not a practi¬ 
cal remedy for farmers. They had not the means 
of performing such operations. Applications of 
camphor, iodine, etc., had been recommended, 
and to some extent resorted to. He would like 
to hear from those who had resorted to these 
aud other remedies. 
Mr. Wilcox of Onondaga—My flock has been 
troubled with this disease, and I have applied 
camphor, turpentine and iodine, but with no good 
effect. The applications were made by rubbing 
them on and about the diseased parts. Have 
never attempted any surgical operation. 
Mr. Sweet of Onondaga—Ia this section the 
disease is very prevalent. It niade its appear- 
space upon this part of the subject, may be 
found in the opening paragraph. 
Miscellaneous Remarks *—Before closing this ar¬ 
ticle I wish to notice one or two practices which 
are not uncommon. Of all methods of keeping 
sugar with which I am acquainted, that of drain¬ 
ing is the worst. The sugar, being necessarily 
stored loose, is much exposed to atmospheric in¬ 
fluence, always ready to absorb moisture in 
damp weather, and from the imperfectly drained 
parts, not free to part with it by evaporation 
in dry or hot weather; if covered at all, the mois¬ 
ture and heat soon induce acidulatlon, which, 
sooner or later, taints the whole mass, rendering 
it. Anally, worth little more than half price, and 
the drainings worth less;—worthless, except the 
first flow, for immediate use. Sugar kept in this 
way is in no way to be compared to well kept, 
sweet sugar. 
Sugar that is “ cleansed,” as it is termed, is 
not apt to keep sweet. The theory of cleansing is 
thisAlbumen, in the form of eggs, or milk, or 
both, is disseminated throughout the sirup while 
cold. As the sirup is heated, the albumen is co¬ 
agulated and comes to the surface, entangling in 
its meshes, and bringing up with it whatever im¬ 
purities are contained in the sirup, so that the 
whole may be removed together with a skimmer 
Practically, more sirup than anything else is re¬ 
moved, but this is not necessarily lost, for if 
allowed to stand it will mostly separate from the 
mass of filth, in which it is involved, so that it 
can.be saved. Now let us examine the other 
aide. Many particles of the albumen become eu- 
tangied iu the sirup and do not come to the 
surface at all, but remain in the sugar. Now al¬ 
bumen has strong putrefactive tendencies, and 
in warm weather sugar will not keep it sweet. 
In a state of putrefaction it is highly odoriferous 
aud this odor is readily taken up by the sugar, 
thus giving the sugar the peculiar and charac¬ 
teristic flavor of putrefactive albumen ; just as 
the juice of lernous, for instance, will give the 
peculiar flavor of lemons, to auy sauce into 
which it may be introduced. 
To determine whether this flavor is desirable 
or uot, procure an egg from a last summer’s Imn’s- 
nest, make an opening in the shell and apply it 
to the nose, and you will get, in a highly con¬ 
cent rated form, tLie peculiar odor, or flavor, 
imparted to sugar by “ cleansing.” If you find 
massive. Such sugar should be spread a few 
iuchcs in thickness, on a cloth in a cool room, 
aud turned occasionally, until it becomes light 
and lively, and then stored. Store sugar in as 
large quantities as yon can ; because, firstly, you 
will then have the sugar; secondly, it will keep 
the better. 
It it is desired to cool the sugar massive, or iu 
“cakes ” as it is called, although almost any dish 
may be used, suitable molds should be provided. 
Good ouos arc made in this way. For tho bot¬ 
tom, groove a piece of board of suitable width, 
near each edge, to receive the tongued edges of 
the sides. Slight channels in the sides will hold 
the ends and partitions, if two or more are made 
together. Light clasps across the top, the 
shoulders pressed down outside the sides, will 
keep them from spreading. Six or seven inches 
wide and deep, and eight to ten inches long, is a 
good size. The sugar should be stirred in the 
kettle until well grained, and theu dipped into 
tho moulds. As soon as it has firmness enough 
to keep its shape, the - ides and ends of the moulds 
should be removed; and as soon as the sugar 
will bear handling, - no matter what is used for 
molds, — it should be removed, and placed upon 
a rack to cool and dry, This is not au unimpor¬ 
tant matter. The moisture contained iu the 
mass, laden with partic.es of u«granulated sugar 
seeks the surface, where it is evaporated by the 
escaping heat, leaving its particles of sugar to 
seal up the iuterstiem between the grams, ren¬ 
dering the whole mass nearly impervious to 
atmospheric influence. If the molds arc large 
and the sugar not removed from them while hot, 
tho moisture, not finding free escape at the sides 
aud bottom, will collect, not only there, but 
often iu the center, tud when the sugar is cold 
will be absorbed by it, rendering the whole mass 
moist, and sometimes causing it to drain, and 
leaving a wonder-inspiring cavity within. 
Sugar, manufactured in tho way I have des¬ 
cribed, will keep swe-.t any reasonable length of 
time. By keeping mom! I mean, that it wilt re¬ 
tain the peculiar and distinctive characteristics 
of maple sugar, free from taint caused by the 
acidulatlon or putrefaction of anything con¬ 
tained in it. My reason for oeeunvimr so much 
— ms 
