17 
1846. THE CULTIVATOR. 
some extent, are both remarkable for loosening- and 
fertilizing at the same time; and it may afford some en¬ 
couragement to reflect that these are permanent im¬ 
provements—to benefit posterity as much as ourselves. 
The crops from old coal pits, burnt brush heaps, or the 
sites of old buildings, will sufficiently illustrate these 
remarks.” 
IMPORTANCE Of WELL DIRECTED LABOR. 
“ What great effects from little causes spring, 
What wealth does labor well directed bring.” 
A single stroke of an axe is of little consequence; 
yet by the continual application of that small power, 
properly directed, what amazing effects are produced! 
The sturdy oak and lofty pine do not simply own its 
power, but whole forests fall before it, and the wilder¬ 
ness becomes a garden. 
Industry well directed, will give a man a competency 
in a few years. The greatest industry misapplied is 
useless. 
As an example, there is my neighbor, Seth Steady, 
the blacksmith, is not only an industrious man, but his 
industry is applied directly to one object. His hammer 
is heard at dawn of day, and the fire blazes in his shop 
during the evenings, from the 20th of September to the 
20th of March. Go to this shop at any time of the day 
for any- kind of work, you are sure to be waited upon. 
The consequence is, his purse is filled with dollars, and 
his cellars well stored with provisions, and that's what 
I call quite comfortable. Although suitably liberal, 
and enjoying the good things of life as he goes on, ten 
years of health will enable him to purchase a good 
farm. 
As a contrast, there is my friend Nat. Notional, the 
busiest and most industrious mortal in existence; as the 
old saying is, “ he has too many irons in the fire,” and 
with all his industry he goes behind-hand. 
He has a fine farm, but instead of pursuing the culti¬ 
vation of it, he flies off and seizes on every new project 
that occurs. 
A few years ago he concluded to give up the dairy 
business, in consequence of the low price of butter and 
cheese; sold his cows at a low figure, and purchased 
sheep at a high rate, for wool then commanded a high 
price. By the time he had got fairly into the raising 
of wool, down went the price of wool, and up went 
the price of butter and cheese. He then sold his sheep 
and purchased cows again, for cheese was up, and wool 
was down. Last year, after sowing a number of acres 
of grain, he resolved to rent his farm, sell the grain on 
the ground, buy a team and go to hauling; for, by a 
nice calculation, he had proved that money might be 
made by it. A team was procured; but after one or 
two trips, he concluded to sell his team, build a saw¬ 
mill, and go largely into lumbering. The dam was 
completed, the irons procured, and three-fourths of the 
expense incurred^ when by a nice calculation, (for no 
one makes nicer calculations,) he found that an oil-mill 
would afford the best profit; and to work he went with 
great industry, building an oil mill. I happened to go 
there a few weeks afterwards, and the whole organi¬ 
zation of the mill was undergoing an alteration, to fit 
it up for a cotton and woolen manufactory. 
A quizzical friend intends to propose to him to aban¬ 
don that project and enter largely into the manufacture 
of flour, and I have no doubt that he will readily ac¬ 
cede to the proposal. 
So with all his industry and expense, he is neither 
benefiting himself nor the public. Such a course con¬ 
tinued 10 years, would sink the best farm in the country. 
IMPORTANCE OF DOING BUSINESS IN SEASON. 
“ Take time by the foretop.” Old grandfather Time, 
so far as I have seen him pictured out in all the editions 
of the New-England Primer, is as bald as a cobbler's 
lapstone. The text, therefore, cannot be taken literally. 
To make it understood right, and it is full of wisdom, 
is my present purpose. Gentle reader, to “take time 
by the foretop,” means nothing moi’e nor less than to 
do your business in season. 
If you are a farmer, it is particularly necessary that 
you should “take time by the foretop.” The whole of 
the profits of the farmer depend on his business being 
done in season. If a week gets the start of you in the 
spring, you may chase it all summer without overtak¬ 
ing it. 
Now for the contrast. There's neighbor Scrabble; 
he has a good farm, and is a hard working, frugal man; 
I nevertheless he is always behind-hand. He plants his 
corn when all the neighbors are weeding theirs; it gets 
hoed but once, because the harvest presses upon him; 
the early frost generally kills half the weeds do not 
choke, and the consequence is, off from an acre which 
ought to yield him 50 bushels, he gets but 15 or 20. 
Come, Mr. Scrabble, pull up—get your crops in well, 
and in season; “ take time by the foretop,” and youi 
labor will be easier by half, and twice as profitable. 
C. N. Bement. 
American Hotel, Albany , Dec., 1845. 
CORN-STALK SUGAR AND MOLASSES. 
Mr. Tucker—A n opportunity offering, I am induced 
to send you samples of sugar and molasses from the juice 
of corn stalks. It is now about seven weeks since this 
was pressed and boiled. You will perceive that the 
granulation and drainage is tolerably perfect. 688 lbs. 
of the chrystalizable syrup was made from one measured 
acre; and, had it not been from some loss sustained at 
the first boiling, I believe the amount would have been 
700 lbs. Over 100 lbs. per day was made at four suc¬ 
cessive boilings. 
I believe it is in the power of any farmer to make 
abundance of sugar and molasses for his own use. The 
apparatus is simple, and within the reach of almost 
every one; all that is needed is a mill to crush the stalks 
and express the juice, and three common iron kettles, 
set m a brick arch, for boiling. Neither is there any 
mystery or difficulty in the process, but what a little ex¬ 
perience would enable any one to overcome. The prin¬ 
cipal things to be attended to in the boiling are, to be 
careful to skim, and get the juice well clarified before 
it comes to a boil; some milk and flour, as recommend¬ 
ed by Mr. Webb in your July No. for 1845, facilitates 
this very much. Some clear lime-water is also neces¬ 
sary. We have found that in using the cream of lime, 
or the lime mixed up in the water, prevents the fecculent 
particles from coming to the surface, and makes it ne¬ 
cessary to strain, and occasions much trouble and loss; 
on the contrary, the clear lime water does not have this 
effect. 
It is also necessary to boil as rapidly as possible; the 
quality of the article and the chrystalization depends 
altogether on this; and lastly, it is necessary to know 
when it is boiled sufficiently to granulate. We have 
this year boiled without a thermometer, and found no 
difficulty by attending to the directions given in state¬ 
ments formerly published and republished in the reports 
of the Commissioner of Patents. 
One of my neighbors has erected a mill, &c., and is 
at this time engaged in boiling. • I believe he will fail 
to make sugar, but is making a satisfactory article in 
the way of molasses, and I have no doubt will succeed 
another year. 
I have just cut a fine crop of green corn for fodder, 
grown since the middle of July. My method-is to sow 
three bushels to the acre broadcast, on wheat stubble; 
plow in, and then harrow well: cut with a grain cradle 
previous to the first frost. If the weather will permit, 
leave in the swath a day or so, to wither; tie up in 
bundles, and shock up, similar to oats or other grain. 
My practice is to set one in the middle, and eight around 
it; then cover with one. In this way they stand well, 
and shed off the rain effectually, and should be left in 
the field several weeks to cure. 
Yours respectfully, 
John Beal. 
New-Harmony, la., Oct. 14 th, 1845. 
