Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-04-15

VI ~ = -
And the carbonic acid, previously combined
with the soda, is set free rapidly, forming
a very light sponge. This must be kneaded
Immediately, and forms a very palatable
bread, containing nothing injurious. Ammo
mia, in the form of carbonate, is often used
in making cake. This is often driven off by
the heat i'll baking. The effect of heat upon
the gluten and starch in the process of baking
is to cause them to form a chemical compound
which can not be separated by washing with
water, as could be done when they were in
the state of flour. In consequence of this
change, and of its light, spongy form, bread
becomes more easily soluble in the stomach.
The water added to the flour forms about one
third the weight of the bread That which is
not evapurated is converted into solid, and
forms a chemical union with the bread.
Wheat flour contains all the elements con-
tanned in milk and blood, though not in the
same proportion. These proportions are cas-
lily adjusted in the stomach Hence, wheat
is better suited than any other known sub
stance for animal nutritiOn.-NcU England
Farmer.
MAKING MAPLE SUGAR.-A correspondent
of the untrySGentleman thus describes his
method of making maple sugar:
The sap, when gathered, should be boiled
as rapidly as possible, for sometimes a very
short time standing will njure the quality of
the sugar, especially if the weather is warm.
For the purpose of making nice article, and
for boiling fast, you should syrup down once
every day at least. The syrup should be
boiled down so that it will drop from the
edge of the dipper in broad drops like
honey; then it is ready to dip out, and be
strained through a wooden straner into
clean barrel kept on hand for that purpose.
1t should then be allowed to stand eight or ten
hours to settle. For sugaring oil | use an
iron kettle, about IA gallons, two-thrtls full
stir in it two eggs well beaten; put it over the
fire, and when it comes to the boiling point
the scum will rise, which should be carefully
removed; then dip out, until you can't boil it
over, and as soon as it gets to be soft wax, re-
turn what you dipped out i'll small quantities
until all is Teturned. Keep good fire from
the start; you can't boil it too fast. There is
no danger of burning until the water is all
gone; then you should take it from the fire.
To try it, drop into water, and if it will snap
like roSin, it is done.
PLASTER OF PARIs.-Whle lime seems to
increase the size and weight of the seed as
well as the herbaceous parts of the plant,
plaster adds vigor to the growth only of the
ly the case in regard to the cereals. This
fact seems to have been satisfactorily estab-
lished in France. A warm discussion having
arisen in the neighborhood of Paris, as to the
value Of plaster as manure, the government
thought proper to refer the questions to the
Royal Central Agricultural Society. The So
cIety selected some forty or fifty farmers, men
of more or less education and intelligence,
who had been personally occupied in agricul-
ture for twenty years, and to each Of them
they addressed series of questions. The
result of the information thus collected was
reported to the society by NJ. Rose. A few
of the questions were as follows =
lst. Does plaster act favorably on artificial
meadows? OF forty-three opinions given,
forty are in the affirmative, and three in the
negative.
I'd. Does it act favorably on artificial mead
ows, the soil of which is very damp? The
opinions given, unanimously, no.
Sd. Will it supply the place Of organic
manure, or will barren soil be converted
into fertile one by the use of it. Seven
opinions given unanimously, no.
4th. Does gypsum sensibly increase the
crops of the cereals? OF thirty-two opinions
given, thirty are negative, and two atfirma-
tive.
Taking the evidence here adduced as re-
Ah"piS anu SetIiSiaStOAJS hhiSi am N'A'iASiJ
disposed to do, think we may draw, then,
from these differences In the first place,
that the extent to which the action of plaster
is beneficial is limited-the grass crops gen.
orally being improved by its use-but the
grain crops not. Secondly, that it is money
thrown away to plaster poor land until we
have enriched the soil, as the inorganic ma
nure must have an organic one with which to
interchange its elements before it can become
food for plants.
DURABILITY OF TMBER.-The piles sus-
tanning the London bridge have been driven
500 years. In 1915 they were critically eX-
amined, and found to have been decayed but
slightly; these piles are principally of elm.
Old Savoy Place, in the city of London, is
sustained on piles driven $50 years ago; they
consist Of oak, elm, beech and chestnut, and
are perfectly sound. The bridge built by the
emperor Traian over the Danube, affords a
striking example Of the durability of timber
in the wet state. One of these piles was taken
up, and found to be petriied to the depth of
three quarters of an inch, and the rest of the
wood had undergone no change, though it has
been driven 1000 years.
There is much uncertainty concerning the
conditions insuring the durability of timber.
Many of the vessels built on the lakes during
tn war of 1872 IA from timber then freshly
cut, have varied materially IN their durability,
Notwithstanding the fact that the timber seems
all to have been cut in the same manner at
the same season of the year. Some of these
vessels were decayed in three or four years,
while one of them, which, in the presence of
numerous spectators was permitted to pass
over the falls of Niagara within few years,
was found to be perfectly sound when picked
up below the falls Working Farmer
OFFICIAL.