THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
business to override the claims of the laws of 
health. In the first place, he should not push 
his labor to the extent of physical exhaustion; 
and, in the second place, he should, most 
scrupulously, insist upon resting a few min¬ 
utes before eating his meals. . . Mr. John 
R. Garretsee said he had ventilated his cellar 
by accident. When he married, his wife had 
always been accustomed to baking iu an oven, 
and so he made au oven in his cellar. She 
used it for baking once, but it always served as 
an excellent ventilator. We hear every year 
of sickuess in farmers’ families from decaying 
vegetation in the cellars. . . Mr. Glass said 
that some years ago, while digging a canal in 
Pennsylvania, every one employed had the 
ague, excepting the superintendent, and he 
never went out until after breakfast. 
Mu. Me chi’s Notes. —The following are 
among the recent notes of the distinguished 
Tiptree Hall (England) farmer to the agri¬ 
cultural press: 
“ Manured our laud for mangel direct from 
the covered yard where each young man filled 
twenty carts in ten hours. Six acres were 
thus quickly manured without the interven¬ 
tion of a dung heap and twice handling. 
The manure is now beiug spread, after which 
the land will be plowed and subsoiled. . . . 
In our thirteen acres (chapel land) the power¬ 
ful steam plow In 1874 left us a legaey of 
hard work in every subsequent tillage. It was 
a great and unprofitable mistake to bring to 
the surface so much of the glutinous yellow 
plastic subsoil, and many have had to regret 
their Indulgence in disturbing too deeply these 
tenacious soils. . . . We suffered less 
where the land was only steam plowed, and 
then next year again steam plowed, so that 
the bad soil was sent down again; but where 
after steam plowing, the land was steam cul¬ 
tivated, the bad subsoil got inextricably mixed 
with the better soil, much to the injury of the 
crops." 
Causes of Diseases.— Mr. Vick says in the 
April number of his magazine, that our wisest 
physicians are now looking more to the cause 
and prevention of disease thuu to its cure. A 
few years ago, on the arrival of the pby sician, 
after inquiring for the symptoms, the next in¬ 
quiry was, “ Let me see your tongue." Now it 
is, “Let me see your cellar.’' He tbluks that 
one-half the diseases of the world arc caused 
by bad ventilation and want of proper drainage, 
aud uearly all the other half by improper food 
eaten in an unreasonable manner, and by iusane 
pleasure-seeking, foolishly called recreation. 
Again he remarks, that if air changed color 
when impure aud unfit for breathing, and be¬ 
came red or blue, what a revolution would be 
made in our houses, and how uneasy and 
Lightened the people would become in some of 
our public halls and churches. In such cases, 
Mr. Vick thinks that many long-talkers would 
be left to teach wisdom to empty seats. 
$anu ®o|Us. 
SUGAR FROM SORGHUM. 
Present Condition of the Industry. 
A wonderful interest in the manufacture 
of sugar from sorghum is arisiug throughout 
the leugtli and breadth of the United States, 
and the production of sugar from this source 
now bids fair to become one of our most im¬ 
portant industries. This subject not only at¬ 
tracts the attention of farmers, but it is a ques¬ 
tion of national importance; for when we 
reflect that the enormous sum of $ 100 , 000,000 
is annually paid by this country for foreign 
sugars, it may well be desired that the industry 
should assume such dimensions as will enable 
the country to retain at least the greater por¬ 
tion of this sum. And apparently there is no 
reason why this cuunot be done. 
Competent gentlemen in many different 
States have, by repeated trials, produced from 
sorghum, especially from the variety known 
as Minnesota Early Amber, sugar that is 
pronounced as good as the best quality of 
New Orleans sugar. Moreover, cultivators of 
this caue assert that the production of leaves 
and seed per acre, Irrespective of the stalks 
from which the sugar aud sirup are manufac¬ 
tured, is equal both in quantity and quality, 
for feeding purposes, to that, of corn. 80 . if 
the cane is grown as a fodder crop, the sugar 
aud sirup, which may be bad for the manufac¬ 
ture, are thrown into the bargain. 
The great drawback that has prevented an 
earlier rise of this industry, has been the in¬ 
ability to crystallize the sugar. This difficulty 
seems now also to have been obviated, inas¬ 
much as Prof. F. L. Stewart, of Pennsylvania, 
has discovered a solution which he claims will 
every time produce crystalization of the sugar 
both of sorghum aud corn-stalks. Moreover, 
he asserts that by his method of manufacture 
9,000 pounds of sugar can be produced per 
acre. Whether this is substantiated by facts 
we are not prepared to say, though as yet, we 
are not aware that it has been contradicted. 
In February last, sugar-makers from many of 
he inland States, and gentlemen [interested in 
the business, to the number of nearly forty, 
met in convention in 8 t. Louis, Mo., for the 
purpose of organizing a permanent society. A 
society was formed, to be known as the Mis¬ 
sissippi Valley Cane Growers’ Association; a 
constitution was adopted, officers elected, and a 
general exchange of views took place. Great 
interest was manifested by the members iu 
the subject of their meeting, and many of these 
practical men, who had made sugar and sirup 
from sorghum for upwards of twenty years, 
expressed the belief that the industry would 
speedily assume colossal dimensions. 
This convention, in connection with the in¬ 
terest taken in the subject by the Agricultural 
Departmeut at Washington, tho perfection 
reached in the necessary machinery and Prof. 
Stewart's discovery, all uuitc to give an im¬ 
petus to sugar-making, that we trust will prove 
most wholesome to the country. A staple com¬ 
modity like sugar, if of good quality, will 
always find a ready riiarket, and so far. cane 
growers have been able readily to sell their 
sugar and sirup at considerable profit. To 
attain the best results requires, however, ex¬ 
perience and some considerable outlay iu 
crushing mill, evaporators and other apparatus. 
The 
Cultivation of the Cane and the Manufacture 
of the Sugar 
appear to be in brief, the following: Though 
sorghum will grow on any soil, it prefers a 
rich, sandy, upland one. The land is prepared 
as for corn, and the cultivation of the crop 
throughout does not deviate materially from 
that of corn. The seed is plauted either in 
drills three feet and a half apart, or in hills at 
the same distance. If planted with a drill, it 
should be set to drop about six or eight seeds 
to the foot. Later on the rows are thinned to 
three or four plants to the foot, and ten to 
twelve canes may grow in a hill. While the 
seeds are still soft, just before they ripen, the 
leaves are stripped from the stalks, the seed 
clusters cut off, and the canes brought to the 
mill for the extraction of the juice. At this 
stage of maturity the stalks have been found 
by experiment to contain the most cane, or 
crystallizable sugar, while tlie proportion of 
glucose, or sugar from which only sirup can 
be made, gradually decreases during the 
growth of the plants, till at this period it is 
smallest. The percentage of sugar varies 
much with the variety of sorghum, and. the 
soil upon which it is grown; aud the relative 
proportion of the two sugars will also vary 
with the same causes; but ordinarily, the 
Early Amber contains, at this period of growth, 
while the seed is iu tho dough, about 13} 
per cent, of sugar of which eight to ten per 
cent, is cane sugar aud the rest glucose. It is 
also found that the crystallizable sugar grad¬ 
ually chauges to glucose, if the caues stand 
for some time after they are cut before the 
juice is extracted. The juice should therefore 
be pressed out soon after the canes are cut, if 
it i 6 desired to make sugar. During the whole 
process of manufacture, the juice should he 
exposed to the air as little as possible, as such 
exposure accelerates souring and hinders crys¬ 
tallization. 
When the canes have gone through the mill, 
the juice is conveyed to a tank large enough 
to hold as many gallons as can be handled at 
one time. For the reason stated above this 
conveyance should be either through pipes or 
a covered wooden conduit, and the tank should 
also be covered. A sufficient quantity of 
juice having been extracted, it is brought 
into the heater, a large kettle of irou or 
copper, and here heated to 170“ or 180“ F., as 
ascertained by immersing a thermometer in it. 
As the heating proceeds, part of the albumen 
in the juice coagulates, rises to the top and 
is removed by constant skimming. But another 
portion is held iu solution by the free acid in 
the juice; so, in order to coagulate this, 
the Jacid must first be neutralized. This is 
done, at the temperature named (about 180 c ) 
by adding milk of lime, from 6 ix to Beven 
pints to every 100 gallons of juice. This being 
thoroughly stirred in, another layer of scum 
will soon be formed. 
When all of this Is removed, the contents of the 
heater is run into another tank to settle. Here 
the lime and other impurities sink to the bot¬ 
tom, while the clear liquid is siphoned into the 
evaporator. This should all be done before it 
has cooled down below 150 r F. At this tem¬ 
perature the sulphurous solution discovered by 
Prof. Stewart, is added in sufficient quantity 
to neutralize the lime which otherwise would 
prove injurious, and to bring the juice back to 
a slightly acid state, as ascertained by litmus 
paper. Next, the juice is evaporated as rapid¬ 
ly as possible and put luto a cooler for granu¬ 
lation. To facilitate crystallization a machine 
called ft centrifugal mill, has been invented. It 
is worked by hand, and is similar in its action 
to the honey extractor. The sirup is put into 
pans with numerous small holes. These pans 
are made to revolve at a rapid rate, which 
throws the sirup out and the granulated sugar 
remains in the pans. 
One hundred and fifty gallons per acre are 
considered a good average yield, though, per¬ 
haps. it falls below this oftener than it rises 
above it. The Early Amber Cane is superior to 
the Chinese sorghum, inasmuch as it ripens 
earlier and furnishes better sirup. 
Inkslrial Implements. 
PORTER’S WOOD-TRACK CARRIER 
Porter’s Wood-Track Carrier, of which wc 
give an illustration, is light, strong and dura¬ 
ble. It runs on four rollers that work with 
the least amount of friction, as they travel to 
and fro over 2}x3} timber. The “ stop” may 
be placed at any point on the track, aud the 
construction admits loading either within or 
from the outside of the baru. The implement 
as will be scon, is not intricate ; there is 
little to get out of repair ; it cannot jump the 
track, and being made carefully of selected 
material, it will be found to meet all reasona¬ 
ble demands satisfactorily. Mr. J. E. Porter, 
of Ottawa III., makes an extended liue of hay¬ 
ing machinery which he would like to submit 
to the judgment of our readers. Circulars will 
be sent on application. 
METALLIC SHINGLES. 
Of the accompanying engravings, Fig. 1 
represents the form of an improved metallic 
shingle, which, when alternately laid, overlaps 
so as to form a double and water-tight metallic 
and therefore fire-proof roof. The method of 
this overlapping is represented in Fig. 2 . It 
is easily seen from these figures that the point 
of each shingle is held down by the slot or pro¬ 
jection at the shoulder of the two shingles of 
the next course ^ielow, while the elevated 
ridges fit into one another. It will also be 
seen that the point E of the shingle in each 
course passes under the raised projection H 
Fig. 3. 
made for it in the next course, below, while the 
corrugated edge A fits over the corresponding 
corrugation B in the body of the shingle, and is 
securely held iu place by the point E in the 
projection II, aud also by the mauuer of nail- 
Fig. 1. 
ing, it is impossible for storms to beat under 
while the poiut E being settled down, the thick¬ 
ness of the iron fits closely on the central rib 
of the shingle underneath it. Thus the roof is 
storm-proof, as the shingles lie closer, have a 
full three-inch lap, aud are fitted to oue anoth¬ 
er. The edge C of the shingle fits closely to 
the central rib D, while the upper corner of 
the shingle J, being flattened, servos as an ad¬ 
ditional guide in layiug the roof, as the shiDgles 
touch looselj r when rightly laid. The corruga¬ 
tion I serves to strengthen and stiffen the 
shiuglc. The pitch may be the same as for 
slate or ordinary shingle roofs, but two inches 
to llie foot are sufficient. 
The advantages of such a roof over slate are 
that it. is lighter; being less than one-fourth 
the weight of an ordinary slate roof, it allows 
ihe use of much lighter roof-timbers, and pro¬ 
duces much less strain on the frame of the 
building. It is made of wrought metal, and 
readily adapts itself to the formation of the 
roof without breaking, and from the peculiar¬ 
ity of its construction, lies much tighter and 
closer. It is more thoroughly fire-proof. If 
slate be heated by fire in an adjoining building, 
it flies into pieces, leaving the building exposed, 
and this is especially the case if water is thrown 
upon it while hot. This shingle, being of 
wrought metal, will not crack or come off, hut 
immediately cools when water is thrown upou 
it, thus continuing its protection to the build¬ 
ing. It will not crack from the action of frost, 
nor will the nail-holes become worn and bro¬ 
ken from the action of heavy winds; neither 
will it break from the falliug of any weight 
upon it. It requires no solder in laying, as does 
a tin roof, aud, being of thicker and heavier 
material, will last as long as the building. 
The shingles are made of iron and prepared 
for use in two ways: One is h<y covering them 
before they leave the factory with a coat of 
metallic paint. Experience has shown that 
they will uot rust ou the under side, nor in the 
laps, and if, when they are laid, they receive a 
coat of paint, to make good any scratches that 
may have occurred to them while laying them, 
they will last for years without further ex¬ 
pense. An occasional coat of paint will keep 
this roof iu perfect order. They are also made 
calamined," a process similar to galvanizing; 
it is the result of long and patient study and ex¬ 
periment, and is now made public after having 
been thoroughly tested under varying circum¬ 
stances, aud always with the very best results. 
These slates or shingles will not rust; they 
will stand exposure to the weather on our sea¬ 
board. or iu any el i in ate, and give entire satis¬ 
faction. Iron coated with this composition has 
been put on trial with galvanized, tinned, and 
leaded iron, aud iu every instance the last 
three have given way and begun to rnst, while 
the ealumiued shingles have shown no indica¬ 
tion of corrosion. A roof covered with these 
slates or shingles will cost nothing for repairs 
or painting, unless it is desired to paint them 
for the sake of color. 
The size of each slate or shingle is 8 }xl 6 
iuchcs: a square is euough to cover 100 square 
feet of roof, or a space 10x10 feet. They are 
packed in cases for transportation, one square 
in a case, weighing 140 pounds, and shipped at 
the lowest freigli t rates. 
The paint is made of well-known and ap¬ 
proved material, dries quickly, and will not 
wash off in storrus, or in any way taint or dis¬ 
color cistern water. 
The shingles arc in first cost almost as cheap 
as the usual kind, while the protection afforded 
against fire, their durability, and attractive ap¬ 
pearance, make them the most desirable roofing 
that hae been yet offered to farmers. 
The above described shingles and paint are 
made by the Iron-Clad Manufacturing Com¬ 
pany, of Greenpoint Avenue. Brooklyn (E. D.), 
N. Y. 
