greater, and the flavor of butter is finer than on 
any other green pasture. 
When the above instructions are followed, the 
artichoke will replant itself, as there will, in all 
cases, be enough Bfod left in the ground for 
planting. The Brazilian artichoke can be de¬ 
stroyed or eradicated from the soil as easily as 
any other plant or root. To prove this, I have 
destroyed small patches of them every year since 
1871. They grow from the root in this climate, 
and never from the top seed. In July and the 
first days of August there are no roots or tubers 
in the ground, and If the tops are cut off and the 
ground plowed eight or ten incheH deep, the de¬ 
struction is completed. About six bushels of the 
tubers arc sufficient to plant an acre, if well cut. 
The Brazilian articboko does not soatter or 
spread, like the wild or common varieties. I 
have raised them on my place for several years, 
and see no signs of their spreading. 
Hogs will root for them, which saves labor in 
harvesting, and is of groat benefit to tbe hogs 
and pigs. Brood sows that can have the priv¬ 
ilege of the artichoke field In April and May, be¬ 
fore dropping their pigs, will not eat their young. 
Thousands of dollars could bo saved each year in 
this way as no corn is wanted during this season 
for brood Sows, unless it is soaked and Halted. 
The clover fields and other grass pastures are 
saved by having a place for your hogs to root and 
something to root for. The artichoke, when 
used as a feed, will clear from the hog all intes¬ 
tinal and stomach worms; the fever caused by 
corn feeding in winter will havo disappeared, 
leaving no predisposition to constipation or indi¬ 
gestion, which is the cause of nearly all the worst 
forms of hog disease. Tho Brazilian articboko 
will produce tho largest of any known crop, and 
cost less to produce and harvest. This artichoke 
is red in color, whilo tho common variety is white. 
I believe, from my experience with tho cultivation 
of this valuable crop, that one aero is of more 
value to a herd of hogs (if the articboko is prop¬ 
erly planted, and after the first year) than ten 
acres of average corn. I havo already made this 
much longor than I expected. 
Jarnt (Economi). 
MAPLE SUGAR MAKING AT THE WEST. 
Wkitkiis who essay to instruct the people in 
the art of nialuug butter, cheese, sugar, etc., 
usually begin with the necessity of cleanliness- | paU or , JUX of gravelj and uotlce that it instantly 
absolute cleanliness. We will let that be under- tutors through. L. D. Shook. 
stood as a matter of course, and merely tell how I y a tes Co.. N. Y. 
wo make maple sugar in Wisconsin, not how it __, 
should bo made. PACKING APPLES. 
Iu early days troughs, in which to catch the _ 
sap, were made by cutting blocks, tho proper Perhaps some of tho readers of the Rubal 
length and size, from a tree usually of pine or ma y think this a somewhat untimely season to 
ash, sometimes of basswood; the blocks were give any hints about how apples should be pack- 
split in halves, dug out, and sometimes charred 0(J . ,, c . t there is no better moment for impress- 
GRAVEL DRAINS. 
Stohe and tUe are mostly used in underdrain¬ 
ing, but when neither can bo obtained without 
considerable trouble and expense, we should not 
hesitate to use loam gravel for short or lateral 
drains, if it conld ho readily obtained. Gravel 
should only bo used in clay, or tenacious Boils, a new use for the Eastern Locust, which may yet 
lor reasons that are obvious. create a demand for those of our own country ; 
A sectional view of 6uch a drain is given in if so, tbe “ Hatefuls, as tho lamented Walsh 
Fig. 1. Tho drain is made of tho usual or re- UHed to call thorn, may prove » source of revenue 
quired depth, and not over eight inches wide at to tho Border States. The inventor of this new 
tho bottom—Hix inches would be preferable; way of disposing of Locusts is I)r. Morvan of 
then fill in with from five to seven inches of Lournez. Finistcrre, and it consists in preparing 
coarse gravel; by coarse, is meant small, round them in different ways an bait for fish. Ho also 
stones from three-quarters down to an eighth of says that in America, where swarms of grasshop- 
an inch in diameter. The small, flat, oblong, pers often do serious mischief, devastating largo 
and rounded gravel, usually found upon the bed tracts of country, traps have boon devised for 
of our rivers, lakes, etc., will answer equally as catching these insects; but, except iu a few in- 
well as all rounded specimens. stances where they havo boon used for manure, 
It is always host to Bcattor straw, sod, loaves, they have not been made to serve any useful 
or evergreon boughs over the gravel, ere the purpose. 
dirt is thrown back, to prevent a possibility of Dr. Morvan dries the Locusts iu the sun, presses 
of the earth settling in the gravel. For an them into barrels, and subsequently mashes them 
outlet, take a box with both ends open, six into a paste, which iH made into small balls and 
inches sqnaro and four to six feet in length ; and thrown into tho sea during fishing operations, 
before the top is nailed on, nail a piece of a Another way is to boil the Locusts before mak- 
cohrso mesh Biove across the trough upon it in- ing them into a paste. This bait iB of an oily 
side, as at the dotted lines B, which will keep the nature, and is said to be eagerly devoured by the 
sardine or pilchard. Large quantities of 
otherwise disposed of, on the farm whore they 
die. The penalty is a flue of $80 to S'100. The 
purpose of tbe Jaw is—First, to prevent the car¬ 
casses from being carried along tbe roads to ren¬ 
dering establishments, impregnating the air with 
parasitic germs; and in the second place, to pre¬ 
vent the manufacture of lard out of hogs that 
died of disease, which is sold as pure loaf lard. 
This sort of business has been carried on for 
several years in Illinois, shameful as it is. If 
the carcasses of hogs were burnt or interred, we 
think cholera would abate. As to making lard 
out of them, the man who does it ought to be 
shot. 
A USE FOR THE LOCUSTS. 
Puok. Rii.ky has assured us that the Grass¬ 
hoppers or Locusts are passably good food when 
properly cooked, but the Druggist’s Circular 
adds that it is difficult to make our people try 
these insects in a culinary way, probably owiDg 
to the want of a proper education iu that direc¬ 
tion. A French physician, however, has found 
a new use for the Eastern Locust, which may yet 
create a demand for those of our own country; 
if so, the “ Hatefuls,’’ as tho lamented Walsh 
UBed to call thorn, may prove » source of revenue 
to tho Border States. The inventor of this new 
way of disposing of Locusts is Dr. Morvan of 
Dournez, Finistcrre, and it consists in preparing 
them in different ways an bait for fish. Ho also 
says that in America, where swarms of grasshop¬ 
pers often do serious mischief, devastating largo 
tracts of country, traps have been devised for 
catching these insects; but, except iu a few in¬ 
stances where they havo boon used for manure, 
they have not been made to serve any useful 
purpose. 
Dr. Morvan dries the Locusts in the suu, presses 
them into barrels, and subsequently mashes them 
into a pasto. which is made into small balls and 
thrown into tho sea during fishing operations. 
Another way is to boil the LocuBts before mak¬ 
ing them into a paste. This bait iB of an oily 
Cod’s roe are used on tho coasts of 
— r ' .“21 Brittany in tho prosecution of this fish- 
i ' "r- «i.. »- try; but the increasing high price of 
_ . this bait has lately boon a serious addi- 
' \ - tiou to the expenses of tho fishermen, who 
u. havo moBt eagorly availed thomwrfves of 
gravel from working out by action of water. To the novel substitute. Bait is not generally used in 
prove the water-carrying capacity of gravel, you ) the English pilchard or sardine fisheries, differ- 
have but to throw a few quarts of water into a j ant modes of fishing being adopted by those oni¬ 
on the inside to make them more durable ; they 
were made to hold about a pailfull of sap. and 
when sugaring was over wore turned bottom-up 
by the side of the tree, and there left until tho 
next season. The store trough is made from a 
large hollow log—tho larger the better—sawed, 
and a piece of plank spiked on at each end. 
After the sap is gathered into filestore trough, 
either by hand or with a team, it is boiled in a 
pan made by naming a large sheet of iron to two 
ing a man with his folly tli&n when it is fresh iu 
his memory and experience. Just about this 
part of tho year there is doubtless many a man 
who, priding himself on following in the old ruts, 
may bo soon staggering from the collar under a 
load of half-rotten apples, while loudly complain¬ 
ing, “ I don’t see what ails these plaguoy apples; 
they rot faster thau I can carry them out." 
To avoid the cause of such complaints in fu¬ 
ture, it would ho well to bear a few hints in 
ployod in France ; but in those instances where 
God’s roo has been tried, it has been found to at¬ 
tract largo numbers of fisb. Tho increased do- 
mand for pilchards which the operations of tho 
Cornish B&rdine Company of Falmouth are likely 
to create, for the purpose of preserving fish in 
oil in the manuor which has found so much favor, 
will probably lead to tho more extended use of 
bait, and Locusts or Grasshoppers will no doubt 
come into requisition in Cornwall, as well as in 
France. 
Tho experiments of Dr. Morvan were consid¬ 
ered so important by tho French Government, 
that 100 barrels of LocuBts were Buppliod by the 
Governor-General of Algeria and transported to 
Brittany to be tried on a larger soalo at the cost 
of the State. The results were so satisfactory, 
that during the ensuing fishing season the Lo¬ 
cust bait is expected to be largely used. 
pieces of plank, the iron forming tho bottom and mind:—First, good clean barrels are necessary; 
ends, and the plank tho sides or the evaporator. Q ]d, damp, musty ones should never bo used. 
This is set on a primitive arch built for the occa- Over the bottom of the barrel scattor a layer of 
Sion of stone, laid in a mortar made of clay. 
Sometimes a large kettle is used, which is hung 
from one ond of a pole fixed to a post on apivot, 
so that it may bo turned off or over tho fire. Largo 
logs are placod on two 6idos of tho kettle and the 
fire made between them, wood beiug used freely, 
as there iB no objoct in saving it. When the sap 
has beon boiled to sirup it is taken off and sot 
away to cool and settle. This done, it is strained 
and sugared off, either iu a kettle iu the woods, 
or in tho house, iu a pan made to fit on the top 
of the cook-stove. Some use sweet milk aud the 
white of eggs for cleansing the sirup. These 
are poured in before it boils, and the whole skim¬ 
med just as the sirup comes to a boil. The hot 
simp should ho strained after skimming. The 
best sugar is made in t his way. 
When douo, the sugar is run into cakes or into 
tubs and jars, and if dry sugar is wanted tho 
tubs are turned down to drain. Common fac¬ 
tory pails arc now generally used instead of 
troughs, although many still use tho latter. 
Borne objoct to using kettles for boiling, on ac¬ 
count of the coals and ashes getting into the 
pap, while others seem to think that the coal and 
ashes improve the quality of the article by caus¬ 
ing tbe impurities in the sap to rise to the sur¬ 
face, when they can he skimmed off. For my 
Buckwheat chaff, one inch deep: then put in a 
layer of apples, so that they will just touch each 
other, taking care not to crowd them too much ; 
and if tho apples in each layer are of uniform 
size, so much the better. Now spread a second 
layer of chaff just enough to cover tho apples, 
and work it down between them by pressing the 
hand over each stratum a few times. Continue 
this operation until your barrel is full, fdways 
pressing your apples down tight after yon have 
inserted four or five layers. Apples picked, sorted 
and nicely packed in this way, will hardly ever 
rot; and bhould one do so, the chaff will absorb 
all juices, and those lying next to it will not he 
injured. Those who havo only a few trees, and 
these mostly bearing full fruit, cau koep their 
apples far into winter, if packed in this way ; and 
winter apples, indeed, do not get fit to eat until 
about mid-winter. No chaff except Buckwheat 
will do, as all others arc apt to gather dampness 
and mold. j. h. a. 
Tioga Co., N. Y. 
-- 
DISGRACEFUL, IF TRUE. 
— 
The Kentucky Live .Stock Record makes a 
charge against the farmers of Illinois which, if 
trun. should make even,- one of them blush with 
own part, I prefer to boil iu kettles, and if any- shame, and wo are incliued to think it is true 
body should usk me the reason why, I would an¬ 
swer, “It was the way my father made sugar 
forty years ago, iu Vermont. 
Freedom, Wis. John Kdstccus. 
from the fact, as our contemporary states, that 
a bill has been introduced into the Legislature 
of Illinois, requiring tho carcasses of hogs which 
have died of cholera, to be buried or burnt, or 
NUTRITIVE VALUE OF CATTLE FOODS. 
Ahecent paper by Dr. Voet.ckeii, iu tbe Jour¬ 
nal of the Royal Agricultural Society, has some 
valuable suggestions in regard to the theoretical 
and practical value of cattle foods, and especially 
concerning the nutritive value of tho carbon- 
hydrates of food—the oil, starch, sugar, etc.—as 
compared with the albuminoids or nitrogen con¬ 
stituents. 
Boijssingaclt was the first to construct a 
theoretical table of the nutritive value of articles 
of food, based upon the amount of nitrogen they 
contftiu, but in testing the correctness of his own 
tables by actual feeding experiments, Bolssih- 
oault often found the result of Die experiments 
at variance with tire theoretical indications of 
his table, aud he frankly confessed, says 
Voelckeb, that the amount of nitrogen iu a 
feeding substance mast be regarded as one fac¬ 
tor only iu estimating its nutritive value. It is 
uot denied that a certain amount of nitrogenous 
matter in food is essential for the support of life, 
for it has beon proved that animals exclusively 
fed on starch, sugar, fat, aud other foods en¬ 
tirely destitute of albuminous compounds, rap¬ 
idly lose flesh and die at tho end of the fifth or 
sixth week or but little later thau they would 
have died if uo food at all had been given. A 
certain amount of the nitrogenous element iu 
food is required, hut above a certain point the 
food is not made more nutritious by increasing i 
the percentage of nitrogen. “ Presuming," he 
says, “ that the proportion 'of nitrogenous sub¬ 
stances in the food given to fattening stock is 
about the same as that in which wo find them to 
exist in cereal grains, it may he asked what will 
i bo the effect upou the animal when it receives in 
addition, materials rich in nitrogen; or on the 
other hand, when it is more liberally supplied 
with food which is, comparatively speaking, 
poor iu nitrogen and rich in readily-digestible, 
starchy, or sugary compounds ?” 
“ Will the iuctoase in tho live weight be deter¬ 
mined by the excess of tho nitrogenous or by 
that of tho non-nitrogenous constituents (the 
| carbon-hydrutos) of food?" 
This is a matter which, of course, must bo de¬ 
termined bv practical experiments in feeding, 
and VoaXCKnn affirms tbat numerous carefully- 
conducted feeding experiments, as well as tbe 
experience of fatteuers of stock on a large scale, 
Lave clearly decided the fact that the compara- 
| tive feeding value of most of om- stock foods 
depends more upon tho proportion of the diges¬ 
tible non-nitrogenous substances (or carbon-hy¬ 
drates) which they contain, than upon their 
richness iu albuminous or nitrogenous com¬ 
pounds. 
This is an important question which farmers 
should understand, since correct knowledge con¬ 
cerning tho principles of feeding is of great as¬ 
sistance in tho practice of farm economy. Iu 
proof of the position taken, Voelckeb refers to 
to a comparison in regard to tho nutritive value 
of grass from irrigated meadow, or Italian rye 
grass grown with sewage, and the grass produced 
from dry pastures, or rye grass grown without 
manure. Tho former contains more nitrogen 
than the latter, and yot it is well known that tho 
irrigated grass; and the Howago grass are not of so 
much value for feeding as tho botter-matured 
grass, which contains loss nitrogen than that 
produced from a forced growth on land that has 
been irrigated. 
And again, tho same rule applies to tho com¬ 
parative feeding valuo of mangolds, swoods, 
turnips, and other root crops. Every expe¬ 
rienced feeder knows that those roots produce 
much better results than their reputed nutritive 
valuo, as laid down in the tables of food equiva¬ 
lents, would seem to justify; and Voelckeb 
explains this apparent discrepancy by tho fol¬ 
lowing remarks. He says : 
“ It is uot the proportion of nitrogenous mat¬ 
ter in roots, but their percentage ol' sugar and 
other equally digestible non-nitrogenous consti¬ 
tuents which regulates their comparative feeding 
value. Thus the percentage of nitrogen in 
monster roots weighing over 15 pounds, is larger 
than in roots of the same kind weighing but 
from 8 to -1 pounds, and everybody knows that 
abnormally big roots possess but very liltlo feed¬ 
ing value;" and ho adds further that, “If we 
compare the practical feeding value of beans aud 
peas, on the one band, with wheat or Oats on the 
other, wo do not find .the fattening qualities, or 
the power to produce butchers’ meat, of legu¬ 
minous seeds superior to those of tho cereal 
grains mentioned, although tho former contain 
about twice as large a proportion of nitrogenous 
compounds as tho latter. Tho fact, however, is 
j stated that the seeds of leguminous plants rich 
' in nitrogen constituents, are specially well-adapt¬ 
ed as food for young, growing stock or for milch 
cows. They contain more phosphate of lime 
J than feeding materials which are richer in nou- 
uitrogenons substances, and which are more 
suitable for fattening stools. Provision is thus 
made to meet tho extra demand of young stock 
for the mineral mutter of the bony structure, as 
well as that carried off iu milk. 
FAT. 
The fatty matter of food Voelckeb regards 
as a very important element. It is readily as¬ 
similated by the animal organism, and when 
given in excess, is stored up as animal fat. The 
proportion of carbon in fat amounts to about 80 
per cent., and is much larger than in starch or 
sugar. VoEJ.i'icr.u estimates that one part of fat 
or oil by weight-, is as valuable a feeding mate¬ 
rial as 2)^ parts of sugar or starch. Fat serves 
important functions iu the process of digestion. 
It has been shown, by actual experiments, that 
albuminous substances deprived of fat remain in 
the stomach and require more time for their 
conversion into cells and muscular fiber, than 
when associated with fatty matters. There is 
good reason, says Voelckeb, for believing that 
fat is lurgoly concerned in the formation of bile, 
aud that tho digestive power of the pancreatic 
fluid is due, iu a great measure, to its presence. 
Fat coi tainly possesses high digestive powers, 
and appoars to assist the solution of food aud its 
absorption into the blood. Colorless blood cor¬ 
puscles receive, perhaps, the first impulse of 
their formation from tho metamorphosis of fat, 
and thus it may be an important aid in the for¬ 
mation of now tissues, but it also provides and 
finally disintegrates the older structures, espe¬ 
cially when vitality is low. Iu this maimer, it 
helps in the solution of effete nitrugenous prod¬ 
ucts and their subsequent removal from the ani¬ 
mal body. 
