Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-03-21
AgriruItural.
MAPLE SUGAR.


clarifying kettles, and not permitted
to remain exposed for any great
length Of time 10 the action Of the
atmosphere, for its effect is to acidify
the sap, darkcn its color, and to rem
der 1t uucrystallzable.
For the same reason the evapora-
ton should be conducted as rapidly
as possible aud when concentrated
TO the point where it ceases to throw
up scum, it may be strained and
passed to the finishing kettle.
The filter (strainer) may be so
constructed as to contain a quantity
OF freshly burned bone black, ground
as fine as common powder, in pass
ing through which the clarified sap
will lose IT'S color, and it may then be
concentrated to the granulaling point
without regainiug color, If tins ope-
ration be judiciously performed
This bone black is common bone
burned under cover from the air, aud
is sort of animal charcoal. When
finished it should be cast inlo moulds
These moulds may hold one hundred
pounds and be removed to warm
er place where the cooling will be
slow for the more slowly they part
with their heat, the larger and more
( perfect will be the crystals.
When crystals are formed on the
inside of the moulds to the thick
ness Of an inch, a thin stick like a
lath of three or four feet long, with
/ its lower end cut thin and fiat, should
be used to force these first formed
crystals from the sides into the mass,
and they should be suffered to stand
until the whole is cryslalIzed. The
mouds may then be removed, have
the stops taken from their points OF
lower ends, and placed on drip pots.
In a few hours the uncrystalized por-
lions or syrup will commence to drip
from these holes, and in a few days,
10 hot room, or in few weeks in
a cool one, the sugar will have part
ed from lis syrup. If the sugar from
the top Of the mould be then scraped
out to the depth of one or two inch
es, leaving the surface fiat and this
loose sugar be mixed into a thick
magma, with small portion of wa
ter, aud returned to the top Of the
mould, 1t will suffer the excess OF
moisture gradually to pass down
through the mass, removing the col
or from the surface of the crystals
and render the surface quite white
TO the depth Of foot or more
When the whole mass is required
to be white and of the best quality
a saturated solution of white sugar
in the form OF syrup may be poured
on the top, and the passage of this
through the mould will remove the
color from the sugar TO It's very end.
If the sugar be concentrated Toe
much before being placed in the
mould, it will refuse to part with It's
molasses-if not sufficiently concen-
trated, too large "a portion will pass
off as molasses
IT'S said that heat of 240' a,
ascerlalned by the thermometer, wi
indicate that the concentration is sucI
as to make the sugar fit for the mould
and the practice of stirring IN an o
pen kettle for the purpose of granu-
lating the mass may be dispensed
with, as much larger crystals aud q
better result will be obtained without
such handling.
These directions will, no doubt, i
followed, produce very nice article
of maple sugar--much nicer thar
what is usually produced by the or
binary process. Those who feel q
desire to see what they can do il
this way, can experiment as wei
with small quantity as a large a
mount, aud thus obtain experience
which may be valuable 10 them il
they should wish TO 60 into the bust
ness on large scale Working
Farmer.