Richard Henry Lee to Landon Carter

Your boy overtook me yesterday on my way to the General Muster where I was detained until after Sunset. This morning I take the boy with me to Court where I expect to receive letters from the North that if there should be any news you may have it.

The best method that had appeared for making Syrup from the Corn Stalk was sent here by me whilst at Congress, and from hence some person has unfortunately removed it. The method of granulating I was never possessed of. My brother Frank had it and I proposed to take a copy of the paper but came away and forgot it. However all this need not be any interruption to you, since the first thing is, to cultivate the Corn, and before the Stalk is fit for use, which I think will be best in September, you may rely on my best endeavors to furnish you with the whole process from the best practise. I do not know but it may be necessary to prepare proper wood and have it well seasoned for making the Mill, which is nothing more than the common Apple Mill, except that three Cylinders are used instead of two in the Apple Mill. As they generally cultivate what is called the Rare ripe Corn in New England perhaps there may be difference between that and our common Corn - I am inclined to think that the small Negro Corn will answer better than any other, the Stalk being perceptibly more heavy for its size than any other, which may be imputed to the greater abundance of saccharine juice - I suppose the best way will be to make experiments with all three kinds of Corn -

Two posts have now passed since I received a letter from Congress, and therefore I am without news, except the prevailing report of the Canadians having revolted from the English, taken St. Johns, Quebec &c - This account comes so directly and thro such good channels that I begin to give credit to it. * * *

Richard Henry Lee

P.S. My Servant is returned from Leed<’s> without any letter from Congress. Inspector General Loyaute informs me that a Gentleman just from Charles Town tells him that a French Man of War of 74 guns had engaged and beaten an English Frigate that had taken a French Merchantman bound to Charles Town and that the M. of War afterwards convoyed the Merchant Ship into Charles Town and that she immediately sailed to drive away another English Frigate that lay in the Roads of Charlestown - Monsr. Loyauté further says that he has information that the French put war down for certain in the month of March - I see in a late paper that Dr. Franklin was stabbed at Paris in December but likely to recover - ¹ Please let our friend Colo Tayloe have this news - NOTES: