636 
and, in favorablo situations, climbing to, and 
taking entire possession of the tops of the tallest 
trees, producing in their rich luxuriance a wild, 
weird and picturesque effect. 
Fruiting in three or four years from a layer, 
it increases in fecundity with its age—is wonder¬ 
fully prolific and subject to no disaster, never 
failing to bear good oropB annually, blooms late, 
and consequently is not liable to injury by late 
frosts, and ripens its fruit in September, render¬ 
ing the whole atmosphere around fragrant. 
Catherine Co., Ala. 
®{j£ 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Sorghum Sugar Ma'ring. 
C. J. Reynolds, Steuben Co., N. Y., asks how 
to manufacture sugar from the hybrid sorghum 
cane. He planted some at the same time he 
planted field corn, and both ripened nearly to¬ 
gether. He wishes to learn tho percentage of 
sugar it ooutains, etc. 
Ans.— Sorghum saccharatum thrives best on 
rich land deeply plowed. Oaloarious soils furnish 
tho best syrup. It does not flourish on soils 
abouudiug in black muck, on soils standing over 
cold, wet sub-soils, upon undrained lands, or in 
soils rich in soluble saline matters. Well ripened 
stalks yield about half their weight in juice, of 
which from fivo to ton gallons are required for a 
gallon of syrup. Tho saccharine matter, after 
being evaporated, is mainly in the form of glu¬ 
cose, and produces only a very email percentage 
of crystahzed sugar, so that tho plant is culti¬ 
vated chiefly for the syrup. A fair average yield 
is about 150 gallons to tho aero. Tho syrup 
varies greatly in quality, according to tho care 
and skill bestowed upon its manufacture, from a 
dark greenish-brown fluid, with an unpleasant, 
weedy flavor, to an amber-colored saccharine 
syrup, destitute of any characteristic flavor. 
Tho process of manufacture is very simple. 
Before the seeds are fully ripe, the leaves of the 
plant are stripped off, from two and a half to 
three feet cut off the top, the stems cut six or 
eight inches above the ground, and brought to 
mill whc-ro tho juice is extracted. The juice 
may be extracted by several mothods ; it is gen¬ 
erally effected by pressure, for which purpose 
machinery may be used similar to that used in 
tho South for tho pressure of tho sugar-cane. 
This consists of three horizontal rollers, two 
below and the third above. The cane is carried 
by an endless feeder, and passes downward be¬ 
tween tho upper roller and tho first lower, then 
upward between the upper and second side-roller, 
thus being squeezed twice. 
The cost of au outfit, for the manufacture of 
Byrup from the plants of 10 acres, is about as 
follows: 
1 . 2 -horso vertical mill.. $100 
3 Evaporators. 80 
Brick, etc., for furnaces. 30 
Skimmers, etc. 30 
Total. $240 
The stalks yield about G5 to 70 per cent, of 
juice. According to Dr. C. A. Goessmauu ( Trans. 
N. Y. State Ag. Boo, 1SG1), the fresh cane has 
the following composition: 
Water... 78.94 
Sugar. 9.25 
Gum. salts ami other soluble matter . 0.97 
Albuminous matter. 1.40 
Ceroslue (wax) und insoluble earthy com¬ 
pounds... 1.24 
Cellulose. S .20 
Total... 100.00 
The loaves contain of dry matter, 73 per cent., 
water, 27 per cent.; 100 pounds of fresh leaves 
are equivalent as food for cattle to 80 or 85 
pounds of hay. 
The albuminous compounds have the power of 
converting the cane sugar into glucose, which is 
uncrystallizable, and again to resoive the glu¬ 
cose into alcohol and carbonic anhydride. 
The froBh juice is greenish-yellow, and exhib¬ 
its a slight acid reaction. On standing, it de¬ 
posits a voluminous, slimy sediment, consisting 
of torn cells, ohlorophyl, wax, etc. 
According to Goessmann, the composition of 
the juice is as follows : 
Cane-Bugur. 9.959 
Gum. albumen, etc. 1.510 
Ac ' ds .Not determined. 
Ash . 0.309 
Water. 88.231 
Total. 100.000 
The juice is neutralized by slacked lime, and 
boiled in evaporators with constant skimming to 
a density of 18° Ban me. It is then drawn off 
into a tank and allowed to deposit suspended im¬ 
purities, and then introduced into a second evap¬ 
orator and boiled down to from 35° to 40° B. 
If the herbaceous flavor has not disappeared, 
a fresh addition of Blacked lime is made and 
boiling repeated. The yield of syrup may vary 
from GO to 180 gallons per acre. 
[In our answer to H. O. Smith, on page 442, 
we said that his specimen of the gigantio Rhinoc¬ 
eros Beetle—Dynastes tityus—if sound, might 
bring five cents. We should have said that, iu its 
damaged condition, it might bring that price. A 
THE RURAL 
perfect specimen is worth considerably more to 
a collector of beetles who has none.— Eds. j 
Choice Roses. 
C. J. S., Fowler, St.. Lawrence Co., JY. Y., 
asks, 1, whether there is a white Rose or ono of 
any color that will stand the winter there and 
blossom monthly during the summer ; 2, also 
whioh two varieties of Roses are tho most desi¬ 
rable for wintor-blooniing. 
Ans. —The only winter-blooming Rose that is 
hardy here is La France. Whether it would be 
equally hardy in at. Lawrence Co. is doubtful. 
The best white Rose, Madame Plantin, blooms 
only in Jane. A good Remontant, blooming two 
or three times in the Beason, is Madame Gustave 
Bonnett. 
Miscellaneous. 
T. G., Naples, N. F, asks (1), Whether there 
are in this country any establishments for dying 
silk skeins, and if bo, is the operation porformed 
by hand or machine. (2). How will apple and 
pear tree cuttings have to be handled to insuro 
success in making them strike root ? (3). When 
should these cuttings be made ? (4). Have they 
to be preserved in dry sand wholly, or partly ? 
(5). Which variety of pear brings the highest 
market price. 
Ans.— (1). It is the practice of some dyers in this 
country to dye silk skeins by hand and wring 
them out by machine. We would refer to Jacob 
New, 448 Broome St., of this city, for full par¬ 
ticulars of his practice, and that of the large 
factories in Paterson, N. J. 
(2) . Make cuttings tho same as from any other 
plants and strike them in sand. 
(3) . Now, if you havo bottom heat—in the 
spring if you have not. 
(4) . The cuttings may be made in the spring. 
(5) . Bartlett, in its season. 
G.R., Sturgeon Bay, TIT*-., asks (1.) Will Jerusa¬ 
lem Artichoke sucoeed as far north as Green Bay, 
Wis., latitude 45° ? Onr winters are usually very 
severe, but the ground is well covered with snow. 
We do not raise corn, except the earlier varie¬ 
ties. Onr seasons are too short and cool. (2). 
Would the tubers of the Artichoke winter safeiy 
iu tho ground ? (3). When and (4). how should 
they bo planted ? (5j. Where can seed be ob¬ 
tained ? 
Ans.—( 1). Yes. (2). Yes. (3). As early as 
the ground can be worked. (-4). riant in rows 
three or four feet opart and two feet apart in 
the row. (5). Of any prominent scedB'nen of 
Chicago or New York. 
A"• R., Akron, O., asks how and at what 
season he can straighten the leader of a young 
Weopiug Spruce which is bent over towards the 
grouud. 
Ans. —It ought to havo been straightened in 
the summer of tho first year of its growth. We 
know of no other way than by placing a stake be¬ 
hind it and, by a thick cord, drawing it up grad¬ 
ually. Or, the buds of this leader may be rub¬ 
bed off so as to induce another to start, leaving 
the first to form a part of the body of the tree. 
A. L 8., Queens Co., L. I., says:—“You havo 
said that the Thwack Raspberry is among the 
promising new varieties. In a late Rural you 
say that Mr. Roe denounces it as a weed. I 
should like to know which to believe. 
Ans.—T he Rural of next week will have much 
to say respecting Raspberries. We shall tell all 
we know of the Thwack. 
1). Foote, Geneva, Ohio, asks for the names of 
the best works on the care and culture of fruit 
both large and small. 
Ans.— Barry’s Frnit Garden, $2 50 ; Thomas’ 
Amer. Frnit Oulturist, $3.75. For small frnit, 
Fuller’s, $1.50. All to be had at this office. 
Communications received for the week ending 
Saturday, September 2Stii : 
“Farmers’ Wife”—W. E. B.—P. n. R_A. II. M. 
-J. C. N.— G. P.—E. L. T.—T. II. II.—J 3 , p. jtf.J 
L. A. R. — D. E.S.—A. L. J.—E. W.— M. B.— K.— 
L. E., (Clinton) many thanks— iff. B. B.—“ Hector 
Bertram”—An Old Subscriber — G. U. F.—\v. s„ 
thanks for all such Information. — B. C. D. — 
M. E. A.—“ May Maple—L. G.—S. H. B.—N. W. B. 
K. D. A.—H. T. J.—E. P. It.—F. D. C.—G. M. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Alachua Co., Fla., Sept. 20 ,1S7S. 
Why do not some of the well-to-do, yet con¬ 
sumptive, asthmatic, or bronchitic readers come 
to this section of Florida—South and West Ala¬ 
chua County—and engage in sheep-raising ? Why 
go to the wilds of tho far West, upon barren 
wastes lacking water and fuol, braving the win¬ 
try cold, the wolves and Iudiaus, when here, ouiy 
ft few miles from a railroad, are extensive prairies 
covered with rich grasses, well watered, plenty 
of timber, cheap labor, and in a climate unap¬ 
proachable in America or elsewhere With but 
little expense, sheep may be kept here. They 
need no shelter, and, doubling in numbers fre¬ 
quently every second year, they soon beoome a 
Bouroe ;of rovenuo. One gentleman in twelve 
years raised 1,400 from the small beginning of 
ten, and that with yery slight attention,[and he 
HE W-YORIKER. 
told me that he has never seen the least sign of 
scab, rot or other disease. 
Let 11 s compare our climate, 29° north, and that 
of Australia, 28° South, and ail will admit that 
Australia is the greatest sheep country of the 
world. I would refer the reader to Department 
of Agriculture’s Report for 1864, pp. 204-223. 
In Australia wo find: Price of land, $5 to $50 
per acre. Cost of border $200 per annum. CoBt 
of rations, $130 per aunum. Yield of wool, three 
to five pounds per sheep. Nine months of dry 
season, and range of temperature, 100° to 120-. 
The land an arid, treeless plain, brackish water, 
often only obtainable by expensive wells, costing 
over $1,000 each, and so little grass that “the 
piDy barrens of the North are gardens in com¬ 
parison,” and “ sheep are compelled to subsist 
for weeks aud months on the remains of the 
parched up grass.” 
Land here rates from $1.25 to $2.50 per acre. 
HerderB $150 per annum. Rations $50 per an¬ 
num. Yield of wool,’ two shearings, four to 
ten pounds per sheep. LandB heavily timbered, 
well-watered, and permanent grasses. All the 
facts and reasons for sheep-raising so ably given 
by the Commissioner of Agriculture of Georgia, 
apply with equal or even greater force to Flor¬ 
ida, as our climate is superior, If a permanent 
pasture is wanted, Bermuda-grasa, at a trifling 
cost, will soon supply it. and eo will peas. Flor¬ 
ida olover and turnips make an agreeable change. 
If fat sheep are required, a few buBhela of cot¬ 
ton-seed can bo used. No expensive sheds, racks 
or barns are ever needed. We are only a few days 
from the metropolis, and freights by rail and 
water are quite low. 
Medical and ailing readers are interested in 
the healthfulness of this region, and when I say 
that I can eoucoive of no place where medication 
is less needed, they may perhaps understand its 
salubrity. Tho winters aie dry, the tempera¬ 
ture from 45- to 70°. Tho summers, during 
June, July, August and September, have almost 
daily showers, and the day temperature ranges 
from 75° to 95°; night temperature from 65° to 
75°, and there is a constant sea or Gulf breeze. 
The barometric pressure is pecularly stable. 
There are often days or even weeks during which 
the variation will not roach 3-10 inch of mercury. 
This fact renders this region particularly suita¬ 
ble for asthmatic, bronchitic or hemorrhagic in¬ 
valids. Let the invalid try the sheep industry 
on some of our beautiful prairies, living mostly 
out-of-doors, enjoying the 240 clear days of our 
year, inhaling the warm sea-breeze, aud the pure 
air. These, together with sunlight, even tem¬ 
perature and air-pressure, will bring the boon of 
health aud a certain income from his flock. 
The wonder is, how sadly neglected this pleas¬ 
ant branch of industry has been. 
Jas. C. Neal, M. D. 
Middlebury, Vt., Sept. 23,1S7S. 
Altogether we have had a singular season. 
First, the spring was cold aud dry ai.d back¬ 
ward; then, extremely wet, till the hay crop was 
assured, then, severe drought till the eclipse of 
the sun; then, rain and thunder almost inces¬ 
santly, till within a short time back; and now, 
as delightfully dry weather as any one could ask 
for. Hay crop heavy; potatoes almost a failure, 
early ones rotting badly on moist land; corn a 
medium crop, and is ripening off nicely; wheat 
aud oats pretty fair, especially wiuter wheat; 
fall feed never better. Apples plentiful ; in 
short, wo havo much cause for gratitude for a 
bountiful harvest; and while many places have 
been devastated by severe storms, we have been 
spared—not even a hail-storm of any severity 
haring visited us just here. Severe frost this 
morning—the first one here this fall. m. h. a. 
Door Co., Wls., Sept. 21 ,1STS. 
The season has been unusually diy until re¬ 
cently. Wheat, oats and barley are not yielding 
more than half the usual crop. Potatoes are al¬ 
most a failure. They are worth now 85c. in 
market. Corn was never better. Fruit is grown 
only on a small scale, but tho orop of apples is 
good. Wiuter wheat was much better this sea¬ 
son than usual, and iu consequence, a larger 
breadth than usual is being sown. A very wet 
spring gave us a good hay orop, and recent rains 
give promise of an abundance of fall feed. 
_ G. P. 
Athens Co., Ohio, Sept. 24th. 1S7S. 
The hay crop in this county is good and has 
been saved in fine condition. Of peaches and 
plums there iB an immense crop. AppleB are 
falling aud rotting badly. Wheat is above an 
average in quality. Corn will be a short orop, 
especially in hills. It was badly injured by the 
storm of the 12th and the previons night. At 
least six inohes of water fell within twenty-four 
hours. David Putnam. 
Angyi.e, Washington Co., N. Y,, Sept. 18. 
I fear that the failure of the potato crop in 
this section will cause a scarcity of money during 
the coming wiuter, as farmers now are poorer 
hereabouts than I have ever seen them. The 
white worms have done more damage than the 
potato bug. J. J. McN. 
Naples, Scott Co., Ill., Sept. 27 ,1778. 
Our crops hero were very good with the ex¬ 
ception of corn aud late potatoes. Wheat aver¬ 
aged about 25 bushels per acre and hay about 
two and a half to three tons. Wheat-sowing is 
progressing rapidly, some sown the first of this 
month, is already looking green. e. m. 
fnhstrial Implements, 
The Pacific Rural Press has been piqued by 
the inefficient buzz of a puny railroad journal, 
the Railway Age, that assumes to shed a glim¬ 
mering light on the subject of plows. The Age 
says: “ The largest plow in the world, singularly 
enough, is one just built, not for a “ large far¬ 
mer ” but for the granger’s hete noir, a railway 
company. The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. 
Paul has ordered it to use in ditching for rail¬ 
way construction in Iowa, and it is to be drawn 
neither by horse, ox nor mule, but by a locomo¬ 
tive. The dimensions of this Bteam-puUed 
ditcher are given as follows: The share weighs 
382 pounds, the mold-board, 180 pounds; the 
beam, 900 pounds; the coulter and clasp, ISO 
pounds; the clevis, 60 pounds; the standard, 
134 pounds. The sizes of the principal parts 
are : Beam, 16>* feet long, 10 inches wide, and 
19 inohes thick; land slide, 9 feet by 5x2 inches, 
standard, 40 inches by 7x1 >2 inches ; mold board, 
8 feet by 26 inches; share, feet by 12 inches. 
It will out a furrow 37 inches wide. 
And is handsomely taken up by the Press as 
follows: 
“ This puny, one locomotive implement is 
then put forth as “the largest plow in the 
world,” and the agriculture of the country seems 
to have kneeled in silent acquiescence in the 
railroad’s claim! We have waited in the hope 
that California prowess would not be needed to 
crush Buch a tiny upstart, but if the rest of the 
oouutry holds its peace, California does not. 
The fact is that California agriculture can so far 
overlie this mooted monster in tho plow line, 
that if the Iowa plow should fall into the Cali¬ 
fornia farrow, they would have to get a lantern 
to find it with. 
A few years ago a plow was bnilt on the Liver¬ 
more ranch in Kern Connty, according to tho 
design and under the supervision of Mr. W. H. 
Souther, which, if it should meet this Iowa plow, 
it would serve it as a locomotive might a hand¬ 
car. It is oallod the “Great Western.” and 
these are its weights and measurements : Beam, 
18 feet long, 18 inches deep, aud 10 inches thick; 
landslide, 17 feet long, 5 inches wide, and 1 and 
inches thick; standard, 3 feet highmold 
board, 12 feet long, and 3 feet high. This plow 
weighs one ton, and is swung by a heavily ironed 
wooden arch, between two wheels eight feet in 
diameter, and with tires six inches wide. The 
attaching of the body of the plow to this arched 
axle of the wheels is accomplished by running 
two heavy fenders back from the arch, and fast¬ 
ening them to the back ends of the beam and 
mold board. A 14-foot lever runs from the mold 
board across the back end of the beam, aud on 
this a man stands to adjust the pk»w as to depth 
of out, etc. The “ Great Western” cuts a fur¬ 
row four feet wide, and three feet deep, and is 
drawn by 80 oxen, yoked to a wire cable one 
inch thick. This cable weighs 1,140 pounds. 
There follows tho plow an A shaped scraper, 
drawn by a chain from its apex by 80 mules. It 
is 12 feet wide, and 3 feet high at the open end. 
The sides are heavy iron. This, following the 
plow, shoves the furrow out 10 feet from the 
place where it is left by the plow. 
With the ‘ Great Western’ and its soraping 
follower, the Kern Island canal and many of its 
branches or sub-canalB were built in one quarter 
the time in which it could be done with any other 
machine now in use, and for a much less sum of 
money. 
Such are the facts in brief, for we have not 
aimed to describe tbe machinery in full. The 
lesson which onr Chicago contemporary ^ould 
draw, is the beauty of speaking with becoming 
modesty, and when an Iowa railroad constructs 
a little cultivator to scratch along the sides of 
its tracks, do not again call it “ the largest plow 
in the world." 
-- 
A workshop is as indispensable on a farm as 
a repair shop is to a railroad. Tools and farm 
machinery are constantly breaking and getting 
out of repair. How often do we hear the farmer 
say, as he hitches up his team to go to town, 
perhaps seme five or ten miles distant, for some 
trifling job either to the carpenter or more likely 
to the blacksmith, “ It I only had the tools, I 
could fix thlB myself in a few minutes." 
The Empire Portable Forge Co., CohoeB, N.Y., 
has perfected a forge designed especially for 
farm use. It is guaranteed to weld three-ineh 
iron, and as it has no belts or bellows, and is 
made of iron and brass entirely, it must be very 
durable. This company now offers the farmer, 
at small cost, just the “ kit of tools " he most 
needs to keep up his repairs. The illustrated 
catalogue is sent free to applicants. 
- 1 *♦- 
The Towanda Eureka Mower Co. has sold to 
Knapp, Stout &, Co., Menominee, Wis., thirty- 
one of their six-foot Eureka mowers for use on 
their farm. This firm is ono of tho largest 
farmers of the north-west, and this sale-is a 
solid recognition of the merits of the Eureka, 
and a pleasant introduction to north-western 
territory. 
