484 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
AUS § 
structed by myself consisted of a board three 
inches wide, 1 ]/£ inch thick, and four feet four 
inches long; on top of this was nailed a board 
four feet 5 )£ inches long, six inches wide, and 
three quarters of an inch thick, which projected 
134 inch beyond the bottom piece (Fig. 247). 
A pointer, called “grade bar, - ’ made of pine 
13 ^ inch by }y inch and four feet 3 )4 inches 
Jong, was fastened with a small bolt, as a 
pivot, one inch from the end, and half an inch 
beyond the bottom piece. (See B C, Fig. 347.) 
From the center of this pivot to the end of the 
pointer is exactly one quarter of a rod. A 
line parallel to the t>ottom of the pointer was 
drawn, as shown in the cut at A, B, C. At 
end A. was fastened a sight, made by bending 
a piece of tin at a right angle, and punching a 
small hole through the projecting part. At 
end C, was fastened a needle in the line si»oken 
of, fora sight. A tin tube with a flue wire 
across the end would lie preferable. On the 
upright board A. P, N, a straight line was 
drawn. R; on this line, starting at the bight of 
the lino A, C, were marked subdivisions of an 
inch, each quarter being called one inch; for 
the reason ttiat since the pointer is one quarter 
of u rod loug, from pivot to oud, if the instru¬ 
ment be horizontal, each quarter of an inch 
the pointer is raised, would correspond to a 
full inch per rod. A pin was set in the end of 
Then elevate the front end of the pointer by always-been, since sugar was made in Louisi 
sliding under it a block of wood until you ana, a very small part of the sugar product 
reach the grade your ground will atFord, the eveD of the United States, In view, however, 
reading of the pointer will be the fall in inches of the late rapid progress of the licet sugar in 
l>er rod; each quarter inch on board equalsone dustry in Europe, and the favorable outlook 
inch of fall. (This instrument may be made for sorghum sugar in the United States, the 
twice, or even four times, as long with an in tropics will have to look well to their laurels, 
crease of accuracy, or the pivot may be put Sorghum, in climate, as in soil, will thrive 
at the center.) The grade that will best lit whe re Indian corn docs. It differs from corn 
the ground can easily be determined by the , n thfej however: it demands more warmth 
use of the rod and target. Knowing the bight ai)fi less rno j Ktun ,, Sorghum, indeed, will 
of the pivot at the first point, if the target l*s grow njr * fc ] uxnr iantly in a wet season; but 
set at that hight, above the ground, and the the development of a maximum of crystal- 
rod held at any place, and the pointer be ele- lis!able sugar in its juice requires a hot and 
vated to it, you will have at once the grade moderately dry July, August, and half of Sep- 
that would give a uniform depth. tember 
By lowering the target you would secure a j bave said that sorghum requires leas mois- 
greaterdepth, by raising it a Jess depth. The tur0 than corn> This js apparently, but not 
principle of this construction is, t<> gi ve a line really ext . opt j n the sense that in a very 
of sight parallel to the line of the ditch hot- dry season it suffers less than corn; hut this 
tom at once, without any reductions. 1 his ar j ge8) | J( ,t so much from its requiring less 
line is everywhere the same distance atxive moisture for its proper growth, as from its 
the ditch bottom, and the cut at any place abi ] ity to go farther and deeper for it. I have, 
would lie the difference lie tween this distance jn another pla( . et ett)lo d sorghum “the camel 
and the rod reading. If the instrument is q{ g0 ^ am | starch-producing plants”-and 
moved, it will lie, probably higher or lower it certainly appears exceedingly well adapted 
than at first, as compared with the grade line. ^ fche aHd plaiug of the West. 
This amount is easily determined, and then How far north cun sorghum lie grown? This 
you proceed as lief ore. jg a question which can be answered in many 
how TO use the lansxng LEVEL. ways. Wherever Indian corn will ripen, 
Set the instrument at A, Fig. 349. Ha ving there the Amber Cane will most likely mature 
determined the outlet to beat O, we find by its seed. When the only object of the cul- 
Fig. 249. 
the pointer in lino A, C, that projected far 
enough to reach this line when the pointer is 
elevated. A small bolt hole in the upright is 
made in the editor—shown at K. 
POINTS OK CONSTRUCTION, 
The horizontal piece is intended simply as a 
bottom or support for the vertical one, and 
its width is immaterial; the vertical board is 
longer than the horizontal on** to allow room 
for the back end of the poiutor when eleva¬ 
ted, The center of the pivot above B, is the 
point from which everything is reckoned. 
The sight A, is on the end of the pointer m 
line with the Center of tbe pivot. The width 
or thickness of the boards is immaterial. The 
holeS, is for a half-inch holt to fasten to a 
stake. This bolt should have a thumb-nut, 
that can tie loosened or tightened. An excel¬ 
lent method of supporting would be obtained 
in the following way: take a round stick 
neatly turned, two inches in diameter and 
five leet long; sharpen the lower end and have 
it iron-shod, so that it will staud driving into 
the ground. Make a ring with a projecting 
bolt and thumb-nut, so fastened to the stake 
as not to move, ns shown at 8 , Fig. 347. To 
use it, drive the stake as uearly vortical as 
possible; then, by use of tbe thumb screw, 
the instrument can be leveled in any direc¬ 
tion. as described in detail further on. This 
instrument is to lie used with a rod rnurked 
wit.li feet and inches, or feet and tenths. 
A very good rod could be made by taking a 
strip of inch board two inches wide and 10 or 
13 feet long; nail a piece of tin on 
the bottom to prevent brooming, then 
mark off from tbe botton into feet aud 
inches, or tenths, as desired. A sliding target 
or vane is quite necessary; and is made by 
taking two pieces of inch board, each eight 
inches long and four inches wide, cutting a 
half-inch slot in eueh to allow- the rod to slide 
through; cut the ends diamond-shape, as 
shown in Fig. 248. A tbuinb-sorew or wedge 
on the hack side will 
hold this at any desired 
point. The reading will 
lie made t 0 the center by 
calculation, which is 1% 
inch lower than the top; 
or a hole can be cut out, 
as shown. 
HOW TO USB. 
To use it, drive the 
stake 3, Fig. 347, over 
the line of the drain, 
and as uear the outlet 
as possible; put the in- 
Fig. 34S. struuieut on the thumb¬ 
screw. as shown at S, in t he lower part of the 
cut, sighting it in the direction of the drain, 
aud leveling it by means of a detached level 
held on, or against, the horizontal line in the 
pointer. When properly leveled, it should 
be clamped tightly by means of the thumb- 
nut S, as the accuracy of the work depends 
upon its remaining horizontal. 
measurement that the pivot B is 5.7 feet above 
the outlet O. Next send the rod aud target 
past the elevation to any convenient distance, 
as far as it seems desirable to continue the 
same grade; my at m, we raise the pointer, as 
before directed, until the desired grade is in¬ 
dicated on index R. Sighting at the turget, 
we find the raiding at in, Stations, to bo 8.0 
feet; subtracting this from 5.7 feet, we have 
3.7 feet, the depth of ditch at ft. By placing 
the rod at the different stations 1, 3, 8 , 4, we 
find tbe rod readings at. each, which we record 
on our note book, as shown further on. We 
next place the level at B, near station 5, so 
that the pivot comes at a, 3 1 feet above the 
surface; by adding to this 3 7 feet the depth of 
ditch, we find it tube 4 8 feet Above the grade. 
Again, sending the rod and target forward to 
S, and finding the ground at 18. so low, wi- 
place the pointer at the very least grade at 
which wo consider it safe to lay t.lie drain— 
one inch per rod—aud find it will be only 1.5 
feet lielow the surface at 13. In the same way 
as la-fore we ascertain the rod readings at sta¬ 
tions 6 , 7, 8 , etc. 
A convenient form for recording the notes 
is as follows: 
NOTES. 
Number [ 
of 
Station. | 
Sight Line 
above 
Grade. 
Rod 
Reading. 
U 
X3 £ 
* 521 * % 
X <2 2- 
O P <3 
U* 
Remarks. 
0 
5.7 
3.2 
2.5 3 Inch. 
1 
3.0 
2.7 
2 
2.5 
3.2 
3 
0.8 
4.11 
1 
1.2 
4.5 
5 
3.0 
2.7 
5 
4.8 
2.1 
Second set- 
ft 
2.5 
2.3 1 inch 
ting of level. 
7 
2.2 
2.6 
s 
0.6 
4.2 
!l 
1.2 
3.6 
10 
2.3 
2.5 
11 
2.8 
2.0 
12 
2.6 
2.2 
IS 
3.3 
1.5 
14 
3.0 
1.8 
A study of the cut will fully explain the 
reason for this form of notes. 
SORGHUM; 
ITS GROWTH AND THE MANUFACTURE OF 
SUGAR AND SIRUP—THE WHOLE STORY.—II. 
PROF. H. W. WILEY. 
CLIMATE. 
Man's influence over climate, or eveu his 
knowledge of its laws, is very limited. Clima¬ 
tologists are not even agreed as to the influence 
of forests on rainfall, some asserting confident¬ 
ly that the destruction of our forests has been 
productiveof vast floods, separated by jieriods 
of drought; w hile others as confidently deny 
this. All are agreed, however, that an even 
distribution of heat and moisture throughout 
the summer months is calculated to give the 
largest yield of crops. Sugar has been gene¬ 
rally looked on as a tropical product. Indeed, 
until within a quarter of a century the per¬ 
centage of the world's sugar growu iu the 
temperate zones, was very small. The quan¬ 
tity of maple sugar made in the North has 
tivation is to make sirup in a small way, sorg¬ 
hum can be growu in Central aud Northern 
New York, aud in Wisconsin and Minnesota. 
Now and then a season like that of 1883 will 
kill corn and cane iu these regions. Such 
seasons we can neither foretell nor prevent; 
but we can be certain they will not come often. 
If sugar be the object of manufacture, then 
the climatic conditions must lie studied more 
carefully. I fear it will be found that the 
area of successful sugar production is not co¬ 
extensive with that of sorghum growth. If 
sugar could be made in a small way like sirup, 
the preceding sentence would lose its signi 
ficance; but heretofore the manufacture of 
sugar in a small way has not met with that 
degree of success which promises a brilliant 
future. The difficulties which attend its man¬ 
ufacture will be pointed out hereafter. In 
saying that the cane and corn climates are the 
same, I mean a climate that permits the full 
ripening of corn and not those, in which, the 
earlier varieties are grown for edible pur¬ 
poses. 
FERTILIZERS. 
Unfortunately experience in the use of fer¬ 
tilizers with sorghum is limited; farm fertil¬ 
izers are to be used with the same care aud 
judgment as are exercised with other crops. 
A generous application of fresh stable manure 
iu the Spriug followed by a dry Bummer, 
would probably prove fatal. On the other 
hand, the application of well decomposed 
manure or mucks and marls would prove of 
the same ad vantage os with other crops. In 
the West where sorghum has been grown for 
nearly 30 years, systematic fertilizing of any 
kind is unkuown. At most, the corn jiatch 
gets a few loads of stable manure—put ou 
rnoie to get it out of the way than with any 
expectation of increasing the yield. In New 
Jersey, where large fields of cane are grown, 
fertilizing is a necessity. Lime, marl, muck, 
especially salt muck, barn-yard manure, 
scums and sediments from the sugar factories 
and commercial fertilizers are all freely em¬ 
ployed. The sorgum plant appears to be 
omuiverous as respects fertilizers; it thrives 
on all kinds. As regards commercial fertilizers, 
however, there is much difference of opinion. 
According to the careful experiments of the 
New Jersey Experiment Station, commercial 
fertilizers have little effect in increasing tbe 
yield of sugar. On the other hand, it is the 
opinion of such eminent practical men,as Prof. 
Weber, of Illinois, Prof. Seovel, of Kansas, 
and Mr. E. W. Deeming, of iudiaua, that 
commercial fertilizers do secure larger yields. 
All agree that they hasten the maturity of the 
crops. This alone would justify their use. 
With regard to the kind of commercial fertil¬ 
izer best suited to eane, my own experience is 
thut superphosphate having approximately 
the following composition, is the best: phos¬ 
phoric acid soluble iu water aud citrate of 
ammonia (reverted) 11 to 12 percent.; available 
ammonia, 3 to 2)4 per cent; potash is not essen¬ 
tial. The influence of this fertilizer is espe¬ 
cially seen on the young plant, but in many 
cases persists till tbe cane is in head. 
I believe that all farmers who raise even a 
small patch of cane would do well to apply 
from two to three hundred pounds of such a 
fertilizer per acre. 
Ctxtoma logical. 
THE STRAWBERRY CROWN GIRDLER. 
CLARENCE M. WEED. 
This new pest, for which I propose the 
above name, was first noticed on June 8 , by 
Mr. James Troop, in the College strawberry 
beds. As in form and mode of working, the 
larva is similar to the Crown Borer, it was at 
first supposed that this notorious pest had 
been introduced, but an examination at once 
showed that it was a different insect; nor 
could It be confounded with any other insect 
attacking this fruit. Its identity remained in 
doubt until, on June 11 , the writer found a 
newly transformed beetle which was kindly 
determined by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, of the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture, as Otiorhynchus 
ligneus. 
ITS NATURAL HISTORY. 
It is very probable that these insects pass 
the Winter in the beetle state, as I have col¬ 
lected them under boards and logs very earlj. 
in the Spring. If so, the eggs are probably 
deposited by the first of May, as in wine cases 
all the transformations have occurred before 
June 11. The time required for the larva to 
develop is prol»alily about four weeks. It eats 
the crown of the plant, but its mode of work¬ 
ing differs considerably from that of the 
Crown Borer. Instead of confining itself to the 
inside of the crown, and excavating it as does 
the borer, it prefers the outer part. It is on this 
account that I propose the name Crown 
Girdler. In many cases ; however, it eat* 
horizontally through to the center. It is ai 
apt to attack the lower part of the crown aa 
the upper. Its presence may be detected by 
its powdery brown droppings. As soon as the 
larva attains its growth, it leaves the crown, 
enters the soil, and forms an earthen cocoon; 
about two days later it becomes a pupa, which, 
in eight or ten days more, becomes a beetle. 
Whether it is single or double-brooded is not 
yet known. The latest date at which the larvae 
were found was June 29. 
All the larvae which were seen eating were- 
a pinkish color; but when compelled to fast, 
they became white. The full grown larva. 
Fig. 351, magnified very much, resembles the 
/ Crown Borer,and is three- 
-I'vNjrifwfc eighths of an inch long 
1 ' by one-eighth of an inch 
wide, white except the 
bead,whichislightbrown 
i „ with the mouth parts 
Lar\a. !<ig. 3->l. darker, and the edges of 
the jaws black. The head is smooth exce pt for 
four t, ran verse rows of light-brown bail’s. The 
body is arched; on each ring is a row of red¬ 
dish-brown hairs, curved at the tips on the 
liack, but shorter und not curved on the un¬ 
der side. The dorsum or upper part of each 
ring, Is divided iuto three transverse lobes or 
folds, except (he first and the next to the last, 
which are smooth. On the under side of the 
first three segments are tubercles iu place of 
feet; these possess stiff hairs. On the sides of 
each segment are two triangular tubercles, 
each bearing two hairs, one of which is but 
half as long as the other. A longitudinal fis¬ 
sure separates t he upper row of tubercles from 
the lower. 
When first transformed, the pupa. Fig. 252, 
is pure white, three- 
eighths of an iuch long 
by two-eighths of an 
inch wide. The head 
and snout are bent 
against the breast; the 
latter is not quite twice 
as long as wide, taper¬ 
ing slightly towards the 
Up, the jaws plainly vis¬ 
ible. The elbowed an- 
leume extend to the base 
of the wing cases; the 
abdomen terminates 
with a pair of incurved 
hooks. On each seg¬ 
ment of the head and 
thorax is a transverse 
„ V ) row of spinous, reddish- 
rUFA. *lg.w5-. browll hairfii termlnat . 
iug by recurved hooks. On the outer edge of 
each femur (thigh) is a pair of similar spines, 
the inner but half as long as the outer. On 
each segment of the abdomen is a transverse 
row of reddish-brown awl-shaped bristles. 
A day or two after transforming, the black 
eyes show through the pupal envelop at the 
base of the snout, and in a few days more the 
mouth parts and legs become brown. In 
lUdl Ol u 
d- 
m 
ml 
Pupa. Fig. 252. 
