SEPT 22 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
625 
10 cents. No. 2. A descriptive catalogue of 
ornamental trees, shrubs, hardy flowering 
plants, etc. Price 15 cents. No. 3. A descrip 
tive catalogue of strawberries and other small 
fruits. Free. No. 4. A wholesale catalogue 
or list for the trade. Free. No. 5. A descrip¬ 
tive catalogue of Roses. Free. No. fi. A brid¬ 
ged catalogue of select fruits and ornamental 
trees,grape-vines, small fruits,etc. Free. No. 
7. A descriptive catalogue of new and rare 
Roses. Free, 
David Landreth & Sons, Philadelphia, 
Pa., Pamphlet of Winter wheats. 
T. C. Robinson, Owen Sound, Out. Catal¬ 
ogue of strawberries. 
Eighth Annual Report of the American 
Veterinary Hospital,—P rof. A. Liautard 
M. D., H. F. R. C. V. S.. Dean of College, 141 
West 54th St, N. Y. City. 
Little and Ballantyne, Carlisle, Eng 
land. Catalogue of flower roots, roses, clem 
atis and herbaceous plants, 
T. S. Hubbard, Fredonia. N. Y., Circular 
of grape-vines with colored cut of the popular 
Prentiss. We see in this the * ‘Cottage.” This 
is a black grape which has fruited with us two 
years. The vine is hardy and vigorous—the 
grape of better quality than Concord,ripening 
at least one week earlier. 
Manufacture of Sorghum Sugar at 
Champaign, III.—Among the foremost sor¬ 
ghum sugar works are those at Champaign- 
Til. The following is their process of manu¬ 
facturing, as published by the Department of 
Agriculture : 
The cane is run through the first mill, and 
its begasse is saturated with hot water, and 
then run through the second mill. The juice 
from both mills flows into the same pan or 
tank, and is from there, pumped into a juice 
tank in the top of the building; from that 
tank it flows into another juice tank, and from 
there is drawn into the defecators as desired. 
The expressed juice is treated in the defeca¬ 
tors with milk of lime until it shows a neutral 
reaction, this being determined with litmus 
paper. 
After neutralization the liquor is heated to 
boiling and skimmed. After skimming the 
liquor is allowed to settle for half an hour 0 r 
more. At the end of this time the liquor 
becomes clear, and a sediment collects at the 
bottom ol' the defecators, which is prevented 
from running when the liquor is drawn off by 
placing au open plug, four or fi ve inches loug.in 
the outlet at the 'bottom of the defecators. 
After the juice has settled it is drawn off into 
au evaporator, where it is evaporated to a 
density of 25 degrees Baume. The semi-sirup 
thus obtained is run into set tling tanks. 
A sediment of feculent, matter collects at 
the bottom of these tanks on standing, and is 
separated from the semi-sirup by means of 
open plugs as used iu the defecators. From 
the settling tanks the semi-sirup is run into a 
reservoir or tank, and from there is filtered 
through bone coal. It is then conveyed to the 
vacuum pnu, and in it is evaporated to malada 
or mush sugar, it is then drawn off into crys¬ 
tallizing cars or wagons, and swung out as 
soon us possible with the centrifugal. 
The molasses, swung out by menus of the 
centrifugal, is again put in the vacuum pan and 
brought to tho desired density of 4rt degrees 
Baumd. 
The office of lime in the raw juice is twofold. 
First, it aids in defecating the juice ; second, 
it neutralizes the acids normally present, and 
prevents the inversion of the cane sugar, 
which would otherwise, tuke place on heating. 
The chief olllce of the bone-black is to free 
the raw semi-sirup from the nitrogenous and 
gummy matter still in solution. By this 
menus the crystallization of the sugar is read¬ 
ily and surely accomplished in the vacuum 
pan, and the sugar and molasses thus obtaiued 
are of a superior quality and entirely free 
from objectionable sorghum taste and odor. 
- - 
Requirements for Making Sugar from 
SORGHUM.—At the meeting of the Cane-Grow- 
ers Association, held in St. Louis, Mr. H. B. 
Blackwell, of Boston, remarked that for the 
profitable nmkiug of sugar from sorghum two 
conditions are needed : 1. The cane should 
not be worked until nearly ripe. The seed 
should he hard before the cane is cut. 2. The 
same processes so successfully applied to the 
beet in Europe should bo applied to the 
sorghum. These processes are briefly as fol¬ 
lows : 
1. The juice should be treated with a very 
considerable excess of lime, so as to make it 
decidedly alkaline, at a temperature uot ex¬ 
ceeding 160 degrees F. Without this excess of 
lime, a perfect defecation is impossible. 
The lime should then be almost wholly 
f precipitated in the juice, by the injection of 
carbonic acid gas. 
3. The slightly alkaline thin juice should 
1 then be filtered through cloth by filter presses, 
i or otherwise. 
4. It should then be passed through bone- 
black, and thoroughly decolorized. 
5. It should then be boiled down, either by 
open evaporation, or, far better and cheaper,hy 
exhaust steam in a double-effect vacuum pan, 
to about 25 degrees Baum<$, 
H. It should again be filtered through fresh 
bone black, to remove all color. 
7. It should then be grained in the vacuum 
pan. 
8 . It should bo purged in a centrifugal. 
The first product should be standard granu¬ 
lated sugar; the second product should be 
bright yellow ; and the third product, light 
brown refined sugar—a total product of about 
75 per cent, of the boiled juice. The process 
described will be substantially adopted when 
the manufacture of sugar from sorghum is put 
upon its permanent business basis. It. will be 
done, if at all, on a large scale, and with large 
profit. 
— -» ♦ » 
Down Sheep.— Henry Stew a: t says that 
the “ups” are now in favor of the “Downs,” 
ns that class of sheep with dark faces and 
medium wool are called, of which the South 
Downs are the progenitors. These sheep are 
all excellent, but vaiy in size, from the smaller 
South Down to the Shropshire, Oxford and 
Hampshire breeds. For mutton these breeds 
are unapproachable, and the wool is of that 
class known as flannel and clothing wool, the 
great staple of the manufacturers. But the 
Merinos have their place as “wool-bearers, 
from which they can never be pushed, while 
these Down breeds will be the farmers’ sheep 
for wool, mutton and lambs. 
— - —- 
Food Value of a Dairy Cow.—The Dairy 
paper estimates that a dairy cow produces 
seven times her own live weight of milk 
yearly, and half her weight in cheese, besides 
a large amount of butter. The cheese and 
butter are worth as food three times as much 
as an equal weight of beef. And this product 
is kept up for 10 years. The comparative 
value of a dairy cow, is then, equivalent to a 
beef animal of three times her weight every 
year, and if such a steer could be killed every 
year for 10 years, it would be worth as much 
as a low aud no more. So that one cow is 
really worth, os a producer of food, as much 
as 10 fat beeves of 2,500 pounds each, and her 
calves and her own beef at the end of her use¬ 
ful life are thrown in. 
- 
A Puzzling Mother.— The Philadelphia 
Press says that a full-blooded Jersey cow, 
named “Daisy,” 25 years old, owned by Mr. 
John S. Jewell, residing near Princeton, N. 
J., dropped a fine calf on July 23, but had no 
milk for it. On August 1, she dropped a 
second calf, weighing 80 pounds, and the de¬ 
layed milk fountain was then developed, so 
that both calves have now a supply. Taken 
altogether, this is an extraordinary case. The 
cow’s age is itself out of the common, as well 
as the twin calves, while the cause for a dif¬ 
ference of nine days in their ages and the de¬ 
lay of milk until the birth of the second, must 
form puzzles for the veterinary students suffi¬ 
cient to employ them for some time. Mean¬ 
while it is pleasant to know that old “Daisy” 
was at last, accounts in a fair way to raise her 
babies, which are doing well and greatly re¬ 
semble each other. 
- —-— 
BOILED DOWN AND SEASONED. 
T he Live Stock Indicator aptly remarks 
that the gentlemen who write communica¬ 
tions containing teu cents’ worth of news in¬ 
terlarded with ten dollars worth of deadhead 
advertising of themselves and then- stock, are 
familiar to ©very newspaper man, and these 
people seem to think the newspapers are their 
legitimate prey. Why stockmen should be | 
privileged in this way the Rural has never 
comprehended. 1 
Mr O. M. Hovky tells the Massachusetts 1 
Ploughman that ho would as soon think of 1 
rubbing off tho buds of a tree of any kind, 
and then expect it to make a good growth, as 
that n potato, with its buds broken off, would j 
produce a full crop. .. 
Mu. J. B. Armstrong thinks that the worst i 
thing to do with meadow land is to graze it t 
in the Spring, and the next worst is to graze it j 
closely in the Autuuiu. 
We are glad to see that Geo. W. Campbell , 
of Ohio, tells the Albany Cultivator that bo !; 
regards Shaffer’s Colossal with favor for its 1 
large size, productiveness and strong growth. \ 
He dooms its dull color its only fault—a fault t 
only in the seeming after all. s 
“Great fanners on small farms” the Bos- f 
ton Herald believes to be the true method for ]■ 
American farmers. a 
According to the Live Stock Indicator s 
Lewis F. Allen has kept Berkshires on his t. 
farm at Grand Island, in the Niagara River, g 
since 1837. He deems them the best breed of 
swine. Mr. Allen’s opinion carries weight 
with it....,... 
The Massachusetts Ploughman reminds its 
readers that a light sprinkling of lime upon 
potatoes when stored is a preventive of rot... 
Owing to greater rainfall, Colorado will he 
able to sustain twice as many cattle next 
year as it has this. 
The editor of the New England Fanner 
can't understand how one can write about 
that in which he is not personally interested. 
To write for farmers upon farm matters, is 
seems to him, requires that the writer shall, in 
some way, be more or less closely connected 
with the soil, and have a real sympathy and 
familiarity with farm work as well as with 
farm workers. 
The Husbandman reports that gas-lime,after 
lying two years, had given proof of value as a 
fertilizer, though the first year it appeared to 
injure the wheat. 
TnE N. Y. Experiment Station finds by 
analysis that there is very little difference in 
nutritive value between the Narrow-leaved 
Plantain and Timothy. The objection to the 
Plantain must be. therefore, says the Bulletin, 
that it occupies more space in growth than 
would the same nutritive value in the form 
of grass....... 
More than 500 stallions are now annually 
being imported from France to the United 
States. The wealth they are adding to the 
nation will be better understood from the 
estimate that the first cross of a Percheron 
stallion with a native mare is said to double 
the selling value of the colt when mature. 
The greatest importer of this breed is M. W. 
Dunham, of Wayne, Ill., who has imported 
this year 300: the next largest importers are 
the Dillons, of Normal, Ill., who have im¬ 
ported 38 this year. 
Col. Chase says that the custom in the 
New England .States in the olden time, as it 
is said, of sending the dull boys to college and 
putting the bright ones to work on the farni- 
was a sensible one. A boy of ordinary mi n r) 
can be educated to the standard of the so, 
called learned professions, or to follow the 
routine of the professor's chair: but it takes 
a bright brain and au energetic hand to so 
manage the soil as to make it a willing, profit¬ 
able servant.... 
Do not leave the potatoes exposed to wind, 
sun or light. Spread them out. as we have 
said, in a darkish, airy place to drv... 
W e may count on potatoes rotting and 
shrinking ‘25 per cent, between now and next 
Spi ing. If you can get a fair price, sell now. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
A rItalian*. 
Beebe, White Co., August 28.—The early 
planted corn is harvested and makes more 
than an average yield Late-planted corn is 
not doing well on accouutof the dry weather. 
The cotton crop looks tolerably well, but if 
the dry weather continues two weeks longer, 
the crop must fall considerably short of au 
average. Picking is going on in many fields. 
The oat crop was good aud other small grains 
fully up to the general average for this State. 
Taken altogether, you may set Arkansas 
down for good average crops, L. w. B. 
Poteau, Scott Co., August 28.—Owing 
to the drought in early Summer early 
corn is very light—uot more than half a crop. 
But since the last of July there has l>eeu plenty 
of rain—enough to make late corn u full crop. 
Cotton is lookiug very promising, and if the 
season holds out favorable a very large crop 
will tie the result. Wheat made about half a 
crop; oats, a full crop. The fruit crop is 
sorry iu these parts. The trees are full 
enough, but the fruit is of inferior quality. 
The most is pretty fair this year, but hardly 
as good as last. Prices of the principal pro¬ 
ducts are : Wheat. $1.00 per bushel; coni, 50 
cents; rye, $1.00; oats, 50 cents. H. c. b. 
Canada. 
Cornwall, Ont., Sept. 5. —The crop reports 
for this part of Ontario arc very favorable. 
Hay and potatoes are excellent, in fact, the 
best for years. Fall wheat only is a little under 
the average, some of it being winter-killed, 
{spring wheat good. Oats aud burlev are 
good, Rye, not much growu here.; Apples, 
rather a poor crop, as this is the '‘off' year. 
Strawberries and raspberries were an excel¬ 
lent crop. I myself have a splendid crop of 
White Elephant and Beauty of Hebron I\>ta 
toes. The Perfect Gem Squash will be con¬ 
siderably better thaul last, year, also the 
Perfection Heartwell Celery, all of which I 
have to thank the Rural for, and 1 never lose 
an opportunity of saying a good word for 
such au excellent paper. The seeds alone that 
the Rural has stmt out are worth the price of 
subscription. Longlife to the Rural! \v. t 
Indiana. 
LaGrange, LaGrange Co., Sept. 3.—I 
drilled my Fultzo-Clawson Wheat on a little 
less than one rod of well prepared, gravelly 
loam soil at the proper time last Fall. I did 
not count the number of grains at the time of 
sowing. It all germinated and grew well last 
Fall, and as nearly as I could judge about one- 
fourth of it winter-killed. I cultivated it 
twice. The stalks were from four to five feet 
high; the heads from four to five inches long; 
many heads had eight spikelets each with 
from three to four grains in a spikeiet. I 
thrashed it a short time since—yield, nine 
pounds of very fine wheat. Estimated’ yield, 
36 bushels to the acre. We harvested in our 
county very nearly an average crop of wheat; 
a full crop of oats aud an abundance of hay. 
The outlook for corn is dubious. Potatoes 
perhaps a full crop and of good quality. 
Apples few and poor in quality. Peaches 
none. Small fruits inferior in yield and qual¬ 
ity. We had a very peculiar season. April, 
May and June were excessively wet, and now 
it is just the opposite—very dry. n. s. 
Iowa. 
Milton, Van Buren Co., Sept. 3.—Com 
about half a crop; oats, 35 bushels to the acre; 
potatoes, good; apples, an average crop. 
From two ounces of Blush Potatoes I have 
dug 20}£ pounds, the five largest of which 
weighed three pounds six ouuces. Ground 
getting very dry. x x x 
Massachusetts. 
Ware. Sept. 5.—On April 19 I cut the Ru 
ral Blush Potato to one eye in a piece, making 
12 pieces. These I planted one foot apart, 
making nine hills of the lot. The soil was 
poor. I put in each hill one tablespoonful of 
Bradley’s Superphosphate. On September 5 I 
dug 21 pounds 15 ounces. The four largest 
weighed, respectively, one pound three 
ounces, one pound two ounces, one pound one 
ounce, and one pound. There were only four 
tubers not large enough to cook. We baked 
some for dinner and they were delicious—the 
meat was white and very mealy. A part of 
the vines were still green and measured ojt, 
feet in length. I am highly pleased with the 
result. C. s u 
M1chf$rnii. 
Holland, Ottawa Co., Sept. 7.—It has been 
a poor season for almost all crops here—cold 
and wet until the middle of July; since then 
dry and cold. Part of the Niagara Grape 
seed I scalded and planted in a flower pot 
which I kept in the house; none of them 
grew. The other part I put in a box and let 
them freeze. Eight of them are growing well. 
Of Blush Potatoes I have 80 from one! 
Wheat a failure. Cora from 8 to 10 feet high; 
doing well—late for this place. Of the water-' 
melons I saved three vines; none of the melons 
ripe yet. Some very nice flowers from seed 
from the Floral Treasures. H. b. 
MiNflouri, 
Opal, Sullivan Co., Sopt. 7.—I recoivecl ouo 
small Blush Potato which weighed ahout three 
oimces. I cut it into nine pieces with one eye 
to the piece, and planted one in a hill iu a row 
in the garden—soil a light, sandy loam, 
manured. It was planted as early as the 
ground was in good condition for planting. 
I dug on Aug. 15, 24 pounds of potatoes fully 
ripe—60 potatoes iu all: the largest weighed 
17 ounces; the smallest two ounces; I also 
plauted two specimens of Clark's No. I at the 
same time I planted the Blush. These weighed 
nine oimces. I dug on Aug. 15, fully ripe, 88 
pounds of fine tubers. I also planted the 
Black-bearded Centennial Wheat some time in 
March. I never saw wheat stool out so; 1 
thought it would do well; but too much rain 
during June caused it to fall down and rust. 
The season was very wet. cold aud backward. 
Corn will make about two-thirds of a crop. 
Oats will average about 25 bushels per acre. 
The hay crop never was better. Cattle are 
very dear. I am very much pleased with the 
Rural New-Yorker; its columns are a 
mine of information. The Rural “Mixed 
Garden Treasures” contained a great many 
desirable plants. l. n. t. 
New Jersey, 
Mount Pleasant, Hunterdon Co., Aug. 81. 
—We had a fine growing season until a few 
weeks ago when it began to get very dry. A 
good many now have to haul water, and every¬ 
thing is drying up. Our harvest was very 
good. The oat crop was fair. Cora is drying 
up very fast. It is almost lit to cut. l. l. ” 
New York. 
Big Indian, Ulster Co., Aug. 80.—Almost 
at the very close of the Free Seed Distribution, 
I received three Blush Potatoes, the combined 
weight o f the three being about l 1 ., ounce. 
They were planted in the garden on May 17, 
making in ail 18 hills, of which 11 bills con¬ 
tained a single eye each, the remaining two 
hills, two eyes in one piece each. Their 
growth has oeen watched with deep interest 
and not a little pride. Five of the hills were 
small iu top, and of these, four being appar- 
