time, with far loss attention and less risk o 
scorching. Having no Interests hut truth and 
the best welfare of fruit growers in general to 
subserve, I wish to give each contrivance its 
Oxact due. Any device for fruit evaporation 
needs to keep in view several important points : 
1 . The shortest possible time in removing nat¬ 
ural juices to prevent surface oxidation or 
decay. 2. The absolute necessity that the 
fruit be kept in a moist atmosphere until the 
natural juices are expelled, or until only about 
twelve per cent, of the natural juices remains. 
The fruit should be kept in this moist atmo¬ 
sphere until it Is removed from the evaporating 
chamber. 3. A strong current of air entering 
at the bottom of the chamber and passing off 
at the top, being forced through the fruit as it 
lies on the hurdles or trays. Hot air in motion 
in a moist atmosphere, is the true secret of 
philosophical evaporation. Wherever this is 
secured, there is a philosophical evaporator, 
and no where else. An oven or kiln simply 
dries fruit, but does not evaporate it. In dry¬ 
ing fruit the surface is dried, while the interior 
remains moist, and as soon as the surface is 
dried, the chemical action of converting the 
starchy into saccharine matter ceases, while 
so long as the surface i6 kept moist and the 
natural moi-ture is being rapidly removed, 
this chemical change goes on the more rapidly 
as the heat and the moisture increase, so that 
philosophically evaporated fruit contains from 
five to fifteen per cent more glucose and often 
clirystalized grape sugar, than sun or oven- 
dried fruit, where no sulphurous acid is 
used in bleaching. When bleached with sul¬ 
phur, the amount Of sugar is somewhat les¬ 
sened. 
The perfection of an evaporator, as regards 
its philosophy and convenience in operating, 
would be a sort of endless chain, like the third 
device alluded to in this article. The fruit 
should lie carried up in the hot-air chamber 
filled with moisture, fanned by a strong current 
of air which passes out at an opening in the 
top. saturated with the moisture extracted 
from the fruit. The latter, when the natural 
juices are expelled, should return in a tight 
cold-air chamber so as to be taken out at the 
bottom, and immediately pul up in hermeti¬ 
cally sealed packages. All danger of scorch¬ 
ing is thus avoided, as fruit can never be 
scorched in moisture-saturated, heated air, 
unless the temperature is raised beyond any 
probable limits. The danger of cver-dryiug 
is also avoided by removing the natural juices 
iu moist air. The fruit is taken out when it 
feels ijuite moist to the baud, but before it 
cun be removed from the hurdles it rattles 
from, dryuess. And yet, as lm9 been repeated¬ 
ly proved by analysis, there remains only 
about 12 per cent, of moisture; whereas, sun- 
dried or kiln-dried fruit may appear hard aud 
dry, yet the analysis shows from 16 to 24 per 
cent, of water iu it, the outside being hard, but 
the inside soft. Evaporated fruit is of uniform 
moisture. 8- 
-» ♦ ♦- 
ROAD AND DITCH SCRAPER. 
The cut shows au implement used for level¬ 
ing roads and scraping out ditches. The team 
beiug hitched to the chain, the side—a—is 
drawn straight ahead and holds the scraper 
in place, while the side—b—in hard gronud, 
cuts off the high places, fills the holes and 
throws some dm away from the scraper. 
In leveling roads the scraper is drawn down 
one side of the road with the plank—a—next 
to the gutter, and back on the opposite side, 
leveling a strip on either side five feet in width, 
leaving a ridge of earth at the inner side of 
each strip. It is then drawn around again so 
that, the point, will run just outside of the 
ridge left the first time, and so on till the 
whole road is gome over and the earth gath¬ 
ered aud thrown to the center, when the road 
will be loll highest at the middle, causing 
water to run off quickly. This scraper does 
excellent work iu filling up ruts aud holes, 
and would pay for its cost iu one year in any 
road district. 
The graveled roads or drives on the college 
grounds, nearly two miles iu length, are kept 
in order almost entirely with one of these 
scrapers. It is run over the drives after a 
rain or whenever the weeds start, and keeps 
these down and the roads hard and smooth. 
For ditching, from where the ditch ia wanted 
three or four furrows are turned out each way 
with a plow; then running the scraper through 
and back will throw out the loose dirt down 
to the bottom of the furrows. By repeatedly 
plowing and scraping, a ditch two or three 
feet deep may be worked out without any 
hand-digging, and the dirt may be thrown back 
a rod ou either side, if desired, so that a wagon 
or a mowing machine will run over anywhere. 
In putting iu tile drains, 1 have done more 
than half the excavating, and all the filling 
after the tiles were laid, except the first five 
or six inches, with a plow and this scraper. 
The sides are of 2x12-inch plank, eight and 
teu feet in length, the front cuds beveled and 
bolted together, and the back ends spread to 
cover five feet. The bottoms of both sides 
should be shod with a steel band 3-16x3 or four 
s id width as shown in the cut, fastened 
on with rivet-headed bolts, counter-suuk. to 
preveut catching or holding dirt. Where they 
can be procured, old saw-mill saws are very 
good for this purpose. The steel bands should 
project half au inch lower than the planks to 
prevent slipping. The chain is fastened about 
18 inches from the point. The driver stands 
able and regular production of the best butter, it 
would seem that the centrifugal creamer is al¬ 
ready one of the prime necessities. The sweet¬ 
ness and purity of the cream and skim-milk 
produced by this machine add largely to the 
value of this method of separation fefi facto¬ 
ries and dairies situated near cities, where sweet 
cream and sweet skim-milk are in demand; 
ROAD AND DITCH SCRAPER.—FIG. 76. 
on the cross-piece and by shifting his position, 
can change the angle of draft. For nice work, 
trimming borders, etc., it needs another man 
to guide the scraper by the handle behind. 
F. A. Gulley. 
Agr’l. ColL, Lansing, Mich. 
Iteu lusbanDm 
THE CENTRIFUGAL CREAMER. 
RICHARD GOODMAN, JR. 
Turn machine promises 'o improve our but¬ 
ter in two ways: the separation of the cream 
in twenty minutes from the milking reduces 
to a minimum the danger of injury from outside 
odors and Internal decomposition, aud the ne¬ 
cessary cost of themachiue and of the power 
to run it being too groat for small dairies, 
will increase the number of factories. 
It would be difficult to over-estimate the im¬ 
mense value of this escape from all systems of 
“setting.’' We 6ave the expense of a milk- 
room, pan-room, stove to heat and ice and 
water to cool, and have all at once become 
nearly independent of heat, cold, diyncss, 
dampness, dust, odors, insects and decay. 
But the cream and skim-milk obtained by 
tills machine arc not only better, because uoifi- 
ing foul has got into them, but in every case, 
and from the milk of the most carefully kept 
dairies this separator is sure to remove a con¬ 
siderable quantity of offensive greenish mat¬ 
ter, which even the healthiest cow deposits in 
her milk while yet in the body aud bag. We 
have, then, from this separator, cream which 
may be Baid to be both negatively and positive, 
ly purer than that obtained by the methods of 
setting. 
It would also seem to be true that a larger 
quantity of butter is made from ** separated” 
cream than from “set'’ cream. The Germans, 
Mr. Burnett says, have, with lheir repeated 
experiments, invariably found again of from 
three to six per cent. The cream from the 
separator churned in 17 minutes, while that 
from deep, cold setting required 53 minutes. 
This was in Mr. Burnett’s dairy, and it isiu Mr. 
Burnett’s address before the American Dairy¬ 
men's Association that we have the most valu¬ 
able contribution to the literature of this sub¬ 
ject, which has yet been made. Dr. Sturte- 
vant reports that the butter made from the "ma¬ 
chine” cream is distinguished for its absolute 
purity aud its firm grain. Coutrary to expec¬ 
tation, it appeared that the great centrifugal 
pressure had not ruptured any of the globules. 
This outward pressure, when the machine is 
revolving rapidly, is very great. At 2,000 rev¬ 
olutions to the minute the pressure is over 200 
pounds to the square inch. Hence it would 
6 eem probablo that the expense of making a 
machine which will endure such rapidity of 
motion and intensity of outward pressure will, 
always be very considerable. The motive 
power will also be a large item. From this it 
would seem probable that this centrifugal 
creamer will not be available for small dairies, 
but just in the same ratio will it become the 
most desirable mode of cream raising in the 
larger dairies and in butler factories. And iust 
as fast us butter-making is takeu out of the 
hands of tho farmers’ wives and out of the 
farmers’dwellings, and put into the hands of 
men and women and into buildings devoted 
entirely to this one purpose, just so rapidly 
will the quality and uniformity of the butter 
product of the country improve. 
I do not mean to say that “ the best butter ” 
cannot he made by the farmer’s wife in the in¬ 
tervals of her other domestic labors, aud iu 
the old-fashioned milk-room or spring-house, 
aud by the old-fashioned methods of setting ; 
but there is little profit iu butter bo produced, 
little certainty of Its being uniformly good, 
aud much anxiety all the time. For the profit- 
I the consumption of these two articles is 
large to-day and is steadily increasing, and 
inay, at no distant day, be in itself sufficient 
for the employment of many creamers. 
Yokun Farm, Lenox, Mass. 
♦ » » 
WHITMAN AND BURRELL’S CENTRIFU¬ 
GAL CREAMER. 
While on a late visit to the central part of 
the State, I took particular pains to look into 
the success or failure, whichever it might be, 
of the Messrs. Whitman aud Burrell’s expe¬ 
rience with the machine they took with them 
from the International Dairy Fair to experi¬ 
ment with. I found these gentlemen quite 
sanguine of its ultimate success, but they 
thought they had suggested some improve¬ 
ments that could be made in the machine. 
The owner, therefore, took it back East with 
him, and it is supposed he is now embodying 
in it the suggestions of Messrs. Whitman <fc 
Burrell. The present machine costs 4500 and 
only separates at the rate of one hundred gal¬ 
lons au hour. This work is hardly rapid 
enough for a paying basis, so Mr. Burrell has 
suggested that a deeper cylinder be made for 
holding the milk. 
There is also a very serious objection in the 
difficulty of cleaning the present machine, 
owing to its elaborate and covered mechanism. 
This it is proposed to remedy by removing 
the cover altogether, which can be done by 
raising the sides of the cylinder so high that 
the milk will not fly out. All parts of the 
machine can then be easily reached for clean¬ 
ing. It was also thought that the price, owing 
to the simplifying of the machine, could be 
lowered, so that more than one machine could 
be used in a factory. I could not find that any 
elaborate experiments or extended use of the 
machine had been made, though it was run 
for a while in the. city of Syracuse while the 
American Dairymen’s Convention was held 
there, for the purpose of showing visitors this 
new method of separating cream from milk. 
In this connection it may be well to add that 
in a note received from Mr. F. B. Thurber, tbe 
other day, he called my attention to the neces¬ 
sity of warning the dairymen to be on their 
guard as to the quality of the (ream from 
these centrifugal machines for butter making, 
and inclosed a letter to him from Mr. Thomas 
Nuttali, of Loudon, concerning the test trial 
made at the last London Dairy 8bow between 
this machiuc and shallow setting. I quote 
Horn Mr. Nu nail's letter: 
“The exact figures of the analyses by Prof. 
Voclcker I have mislaid, but I have written for 
them again, and will let you have them. But 
the milk that had passed through the separator 
contained the most fatty matter, and proved 
that the cream globules had been so broken 
into the watery part that they would not again 
collect by standing, and so were practically 
lost for butter purposes.” 
This is simply put forth as a warning, aud 
may be a fault confined solely to the machine 
tested iu England, bnt the matter should be 
carefully investigated in this country before 
all doubts of the practicability of the machine 
are removed. L. S. Hardin. 
-- 
THE FAIRLAMB SYSTEM OF GATHERING 
CREAM. 
In the Rural of January 24th G. E. N. asks, 
“ Of two patrons of a creamery, if oue brings 
richer milk than the other, does he get a larger 
proportion of the butter made ?” Iu yout an¬ 
swer you say, “ No; all patrons of a creamery 
or cheese factory share in the aggregate pro¬ 
duct in proportion to the quantity aud not the 
quality of their milk. It isn't exactly just, 
but where is the remedy?” 
It is of the remedy that I wish to speak; for 
there is a remedy, and so far as it has been 
tried, it works entirely satisfactorily. There 
has been more or less grumbling and fault¬ 
finding among patrons of creameries, aud in 
many cases very justly, too, because one patron 
took better care of his cows, fed them better 
and on richer food, and, as a result, produced 
richer milk, but received no more per hundred 
than his neighbors whose cows were poor and 
half-fed. There i6 no question but the one 
who produces the beet milk contributes to the 
share of the patron whose cows are half-fed 
and poorly taken care of. The question how 
all this could bo remedied aud every one get 
just what belongs to him and no more, has per¬ 
plexed many a wise head for years. 
The system which is known in Illinois aud 
Wisconsin as the “ Fairlatub System of Gather¬ 
ing Cream " hah solved this whole question, and 
it is so simple it is the wonder that some oue 
never thought of it before. The can which is 
used is made smaller at the bottom tbau at the 
top; is about twenty inches high, with a tube 
in tbe center for cooling the milk. The air¬ 
tight cover is put ou after the milk is cool. 
The glass gauge on the Bide of the can shows 
the number of iuches of cream to bo taken off. 
The milk is set at home, and the team from 
the creamery calls every day for the cream. 
The graduated glass gauge on the side of the 
can shows the number of inches of cream to be 
taken off, and this is set down in- tho patron’s 
book. At the end of every month the number 
of inches of cream is figured up, and the pat¬ 
ron paid so much per inch, or be allows the 
factory so much per pound for making, each 
inch of cream makiDg a pound of butter. 
For half a day or more, cream is gathered 
from the patrons before tho team returns to 
the creamery, each one getting just what he 
produces and no moio. 
This plan of running creameries has been 
tried the past year, and many more will follow 
the coming season. So far it has worked well, 
giving the best satisfaction. Cream has been 
carried twenty and thirty miles without ice 
during the hot weather, and the butter sold in 
New York at a price equal to that of the best 
creamery. d. w. c. 
CARPET WOOLS-THE SHEEP REQUIRED. 
COL. F. D. CURTIS. 
In former articles we have pointed out the 
profits which might be expected from a flock 
of combing-wooled sbeep. and suggested to 
dairymen the advantage of exchanging cows 
for sheep of this kind in order to relieve one 
industry over-worked and to build up one 
scarcely begun. Combing wools are almost 
entirely imported, and this fact leaves a field 
open for occupation lor all those who are 
willing to conple with a small investment for 
stock, painstaking and skill in the manage¬ 
ment of a flock of such sheep. When this 
shall be done, there is no class of sheep which 
will afford more income than they. They will 
require housing in this climate during all 
severe and inclement weather, to preserve 
the rich luster which ib essential with a fine 
class of combing wool, and also liberal feed¬ 
ing to make the length of staple as well as 
luster. Housing, or protection, does not 
make the luster but preserves it. 
There is another class of wool of long staple 
which can lie produced without so much ex¬ 
tra feeding and trouble, to wit, the carpet 
wools. The Mexican sbeep of the Southwest 
are the basis of this Btaple, and from the 
pastoral regions of the Southwest tbe home 
supply of carpet wools is mostly derived. 
These native sheep roam in large Hocks over 
the plains of southern Colorado, New Mexico 
and Texas. The cost of producing this wool 
is very small, and the freighting is also light, 
as it is done by Mexicans with ox teams, sev¬ 
eral wagons being bitched together and the 
whole drawn by several yoke which subsist on 
tbe grass fouud along the way, the drivers 
camping nlougslde. Fifty cents a hundred ia 
the usual price for hauling freight in this way 
for a huudred miles or more. So little de¬ 
veloped and utilized is this vast region that it 
is able to furnish but a small portion of the 
wool required for manufacture into carpets 
in this country. Tho millions of pounds 
which might be produced are now brought 
from South America and Australia, but prin¬ 
cipally from Africa. The Capo of Good Hope 
is the chief competitor with the Southwest iu 
the production of carpet wools. These wools 
are so low-priced that the protective duties 
ou them are the least of any wools brought 
into this country. They can be produced iu 
the United States cheaper than any other 
wools. A long, tough staple is required for 
carpets. Harshness and coarseness of texture 
are not objectionable iu carpet work, tint such 
wools ure scarcely adapted for anything else 
except rough blankets. 
In order to get the long staple required for 
their work, onr carpet manufacturers are 
obliged to select their wool from almost every 
wool-producing country iu the world. Russia 
furnishes considerable and so does Asia Minor. 
