1076 
application can be determined only by experiment. 
It is nothing more nor less than the sulphur treat¬ 
ment as a crop stimulant or fertilizer. This is not 
a new idea, but possibly my experience may empha¬ 
size its importance. Some readers will remember a 
discussion of the merits of sulphur as a fertilizer in 
The R. N.-Y. a year or two ago. If my memory 
serves me aright, the matter was reported as the 
result of experiments with Alfalfa at an experiment 
station in one of the Northwestern States. Washing¬ 
ton or Idaho. [The article in question referred to 
some experiments at the Oregon Experiment Station 
at Corvallis. These showed great results on Alfalfa 
and clover where sulphur was used.—Eds.l The 
matter did not interest me as directly related to my 
work, because I reasoned that if sulphur was needed 
by my soil and crops it was abundantly supplied by 
the large quantities of acidulated rock phosphate f 
was constantly using. Moreover, our underground 
water usually bears traces of sulphur, and is only 
four or* five feet below the surface. So I had no 
idea that sulphur shortage was any reasonable 
source of trouble to us here. Next week I will tell 
what changed my opinion. D. L. hartman. 
Florida. 
(To Be Continued) 
A Concrete Arch for Sugar-making 
I must build a furnace for my maple syrup evaparator 
this Fall, and have about decided on concrete construc¬ 
tion because iron rusts out in a short time, and brick 
work is always falling to pieces. Can you give me any 
plans or figures for the construction of such work, also 
the practicability of same? It would be about 4%xl0 
feet, and I can use the ironwork of an old outfit for the 
front. I presume I would better buy new grates. It 
should be 3 or 4 feet above the ground. I would like 
to know about how much material it would require, 
whether the firebox could be built of straight cement, or 
if it would require lining with brick, what sort of rein¬ 
forcement to use and how deep in the ground it should 
be built. It will stand indoors, but the ground here 
freezes to a considerable depth. What would be the 
best way to build in the grates? K. l. 
Andover, O. 
CONCRETE arch is a new feature in the maple 
sugar business. There are but. few in existence, 
and none that has stood the test of time, but there 
is every indication that they will do so if both the 
sand and the gravel are clean and sharp, all the 
ingredients thoroughly well mixed and in the right 
proportions, and the arch is well constructed in all 
details. Such an arch will require no reinforcement, 
and if the details of construction are not observed 
no amount' of reinforcement will prevent the arch 
from going to pieces in a short time. I know of two 
arches which have stood for five years, and are 
apparently good for 50 more. In these the usual 
formula of one part cement, two of sand and four 
of gravel was used. Especial attention was paid to 
all the details above given, and then just enough 
water was added so that the mixture would slide 
easily from the hoe when mixing. Quantity of this 
cannot he estimated, since it ax- i 11 vary according to 
the amount of moisture in the sand and gravel. Care 
is also necessary to guard against the separation of 
the ingredients while being packed in the forms. 
The forms are removed as soon as possible, and the 
arch is plastered over with a mixtuie of one part 
cement and three of sand. This outside covering in 
some places peeled off when subjected to the beat, but 
it was easily replaced. There may be better methods 
of preparing the concrete. I cannot say as to that. 
But this was the method employed in the construc¬ 
tion of the two arches to which reference is made. 
I also know of four other arches in the construction 
of which proper care was not paid to cleanliness or 
mixing of the ingredients, and these went all to 
pieces in from two to six years. But a competent 
mason can build a brick arch with a lime mortar 
that will withstand the heat. I know of several that 
were built more than 40 years ago, and not a brick 
has loosened. 
I would most assuredly buy an iron arch from 
some manufacturer of evaporators. If you place a 
true valuation upon your own time in building it. 
either a concrete or a brick arch will cost you more 
than double the price of an iron arch, while the 
latter will give much the better satisfaction. To be 
sure, it will rust out if exposed to the weather, or 
if tlie legs are allowed to sink into the earth, and it 
will crack if cold sap is spilled against it while hot. 
You may break it by throwing wood against it. but 
with reasonable care it will last longer than the 
maple sugar business will endure if present condi¬ 
tions are an accui'ate guide. 
However, if you decide upon either brick or 
cement, the first step will be to dig the pit for the 
foundation. This must be below the frost line and, 
v. hat is of more importance, it must be provided with 
an ample and easy drainage. Tf this point is not 
attended to trouble will follow. If you intend to 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
use an old evaporator, or an old arch front, or old 
grates, many of the details of construction must 
conform to the size and shape of these. If your 
arch is to he but 10 feet long, the length of the fire¬ 
box should not exceed 3 feet, and the wood should 
be cut accordingly if economy of fuel is desired. The 
firebox should be deep, even at the expense of the 
ash pit, and the doors to the firebox should fit 
tightly and be kept tightly closed except when re¬ 
plenishing the fire, while those of the ash pit should 
lie large and should be kept wide open. Thus the 
draft will he forced up through the grates, up 
through the fire, will strike bottom of the evaporator 
near the front end, turn at right angles and bug 
against it until it escapes through the chimney. If 
built on opposite principles much of the draft will 
enter the front doors, brush against the top of the 
fire, strike the evaporator at some little distance 
from the end and be deflected downwards away 
from the evaporator, and much of the heat will be 
lost. The ash pit must be kept clean and free from 
Concrete Silo with Double Walls 
The picture illustrates a new kind of concrete silo 
being put up in our community. The double walls are 
made with 4-in. air space between. Wall is built up in 
sections by special forms for the work. Concrete is 
mixed and hoisted by machine and engine. It should be 
a good type for windy countries, since once there, it’s 
always there. The one figured is by G. E. Cooper of 
Belmont Co., O. c. E. BUNDY. 
Ohio. 
an accumulation of ashes at all times, not only to 
prevent the burning out of the grates, but to permit 
the entrance of an ample supply of air. 
In the matter of grates, there is an almost endless 
assortment from which to make a selection. But the 
type which lias given the best satisfaction in this 
locality consists of a series of T irons.' laid trans¬ 
versely across the bottom of the firebox and spaced 
S inches, or the length of a brick, apart. These are 
supported by a shelf projecting from the inside of 
the arch. The bricks are laid upon edge and longi¬ 
tudinally upon the flanges of the T irons and spaced 
about an inch apart. This will allow an ample under 
draft, and will not. allow the escape of coals into 
the ash pit. But no matter what kind of a grate 
you use, pay close attention to the temperature of 
your chimney. Tf the fire is burning well and the 
chimney is cool you are conserving all the beat that 
there is in the fuel. If it is hot. then you are losing 
greater or less portion, and your drafts will need 
regulating in some manner. c. o. ormsbee. 
The Leghorn and Other Hens 
Y OUR article entitled “Developments in Poultry 
Standards” on page 789 seems to invite a reply 
f. its general inference that the Leghorn hen is siip- 
ping from her heretofore commonly conceded position 
as the greatest egg producer of the poultry world. 
Take note that the egg-laying contests are an inno¬ 
vation in this country, and such a contest had be¬ 
come an old story in other countries (Australia, for 
instance), when the first contest was started here. 
The Leghorn is making great inroads into New Eng- 
September 3, 1921 
land, as dealers are realizing the advantage of white 
eggs over brown. 
All eggs are the same chemically, regardless of 
shell color. Brown eggs can be easily made to be¬ 
come so light in color as to pass at least for tlie 
tinted class of white eggs, while white shells can be 
made as brown as any admirer of tlie dark shade 
could desire. Thesetchanges can be made in a per¬ 
fectly harmless manner. To find out the interior 
qualities of a brown egg the shell must be removed. 
An ordinary electric light will tell everything de- 
s 5 red about a white egg. 
“When the contests started,” this article stated, 
“the Leghorns seemed to have a walk-over. Then 
came a change. Tom Barron’s Wyaiulottes came 
over and beat the Leghorns at their own game. Then 
the Reds came to the front, and for the past few 
years * * * tlie American breeds have led the 
procession.” 
This last statement covers the work of a few freak 
performers. The Leghorns have won first place so 
many times in succession, and have also taken so 
many other places among the first ranks that the 
bleed can afford to refrain from having a single 
entry in any contest for the next 10 years without 
running any risk of having their performance 
equaled. In no case has an American breed won 
first place in any contest, and other pens of that 
bleed taken other places of any consequence in the 
same contest. 
In reference to Tom Barron, will say that lie made 
bis reputation in this country with Leghorns, and 
Ins Wyandottes simply proved that Tom Barron was 
the wizard of the poultry world, and that the breed 
name was of no account when the birds were bred 
and handled by him. 
Analyze any contest record and it will be found 
that the Leghorn entries will always equal and some¬ 
times exceed all other breeds combined. Why is it 
that these American breeders are afraid to enter the 
contests in equal numbers to the entries of the Leg¬ 
horn men? How is it that they have not the faith 
in their stock that the Leghorn breeders have? 
Take the records of Storrs as published in the 
same issue (June 4). There are 100 pens, 50 of 
them Leghorns. First position now held by a White 
Wyandotte, second by a R. I. Red, third by a Barred 
Rock, fourth tied, R. I. Red and White Leghorn; 
fifth and sixth, White Leghorns; seventh, R. I. Red; 
eighth, White Leghorn, ninth, R. I. Red: 10th, White 
Leghorn; lltli. by two pens of White Leghorns. 
Places held by breeds as follows: While \Vyan- 
dottes, one; Barred Rocks, one; R. I. Reds, five; 
White Leghorns, seven. 
Contest at New York State Institute of Applied 
Agriculture at Farmiugdale, L. I.. N. Y., 50 pens, 20 
hens each, 29 pens of Leghorns. First place held by 
White Leghorns; second and third, same; fourth, R. 
I. Reds; fifth, sixth and seventh, White Leghorns; 
eighth, Barred Rocks; ninth. White Leghorns; tenth, 
Barred Rocks; eleventh and twelfth. White Leg¬ 
horns. Places held by breeds as follows: R. I. Reds, 
one: Barred Rocks, two; White Leghorns, nine. 
Total of two contests: White Wyandottes, one;- 
Barred Rocks, two; R. I. Reds, six; Leghorns, 16. 
The mere taking of first place in one contest fur¬ 
nishes no position from which a breed can flaunt 
superiority over all others. Consistency of perform¬ 
ance is required as a basis for that claim, and the 
Leghorns have so established themselves. All ad¬ 
vantages claimed for the Leghorns are the result of 
the breeding of this group in large numbers over a 
large part of the world. 
Of all breeds now considered as standard the R. I. 
Reds have the least right to existence, as it is noth¬ 
ing more or less than a barnyard conglomeration, 
the results of methods inconsistent with all 
principles of breeding and good farming. The 
position of the Leghorns is due to the accomplish¬ 
ments of the Single Comb White Leghorn, and all 
comparison of records should be made between 
breeds, and not between one breed and a class (com¬ 
posed of several varieties), as is done in this article 
where the statement is made that the Leghorn hen 
(one breed) is giving way before tlie American 
breeds (several breeds). 
The facts do not show that the Leghorn is losing 
much ground in competition with the American class, 
and the records do show that breed compared to 
breed, no one of the American breeds lias anything 
on the Single Comb White Leghorns when it comes 
to egg production. s. d. benedict. 
New York. 
R. N.-Y.—There is room for all the breeds. The 
Reds may be, as our friend says, a barnyard con¬ 
glomeration, but they seem to “get there all the 
same.” 
