Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-03-25
Gle farmer.
Sugar Making.


portion of the farmers will be engaged in
this very important branch of framework, we
would commend the following seasonabl e
suggestions upon sugar making:
Vermont doubtless made more sugar last
year in proportion to population than any
other State'of the Union. Louisiana excepted.
Our last crop was estimated at sixteen mill
ions of pounds. Sach favorable seasons for
sugar making as that of 1857, do not occur
every year-stll with sufficient attention and
skill, there is little room for doubt that not
only cnn as much be produced in any fair sea
son, but that the average quality can be so
improved that the total cash value of the
staple shall, in spite of the fall in the prices
Of sugar be fully maintained.
TApPING.-0nc farmer says in tapping, a
5-S or 3-S auger bit making the hole IL
Or inches deep. Another says:
In tapping | choose the North or West
side of tree, Tor this side will run when the
South side will not and will not cease run
ming so soen in the season and will give more
sap and this latter l am confident. The
trees should be tapped about four feet from
the ground, with Ia to 81 inch Bit and
two to three inches deep according to the size
of the tree; for IT is emily the sap part of the
wood that yields sap, and perforating the
heart of the wood lis very injurious to the
tree causing decay"
Both agree in hanging the buckets on the
spouts forif the buckets are set on the ground
they catch many leaves thrown by the wind,
add the fact is abundanty proved that vhite
sugar or syrup cannot be made from sap in
which dead leaves have soaked-there is
scarcely anything more deetcrious.
GAmER1NG.--If your g bush" is small and
compact, the sap can be collected in pals
with a" yoke" but if large or scattered, and
upon inclined ground you will save much
hard labor by making long spouts or troughs,
and lay them in line, with a tub or barrel
at the head, into which you can turn your
collection and let 'itrun gradually through
faucet. and along the small troughs to the
reservoir, while you are gathering more. '.In
my orchard" says one man, " 1 used troughs
whose aggregare length was about quarter
OF mile and the amount of back-aches they
AVID, is incalculable..' These long troughs
can be cheaply got by having a log sawn
into stuff two inches square, and then
with a carpenters plough, groove one inch
wide, and | Ia deep is easily made; widen
the grooves at the upper end and lay them in
Ia line as described, and having once used
tthem you will not soon part with them.
Anotherexcellent method is to secure a
large tub on sled, with the upper head set
four or five inches down in the tub, and holes
bored in it. through whichthe sap is poured
from the buckets may run intorthe tub. The
=" camp" should be located on uneven ground,
80 that the storc.tub which is TO supply the
pans may be filled by spout from the sled.
tub, which saves emptyng in pals again.
BoILING.-The boiling is done in sheet iron
pans, made by the timer Three of these
pans placed or well constructed arch, the
two back pans placed each its height higher
than the one Immediately before it, small
faucets placed in the two rear pans, so that
Hthe back one may be discharged into the one
next forward it, and that into the front one,
will be foundfto be very convenient
Great care should be taken to have the
pans set exactly level. When the sap is
BOILED to syrup set it away in tall wooden or
glazed earthern jars to settle, let it remain
1.-Two or~three days, according to thickness, per.
t3ctly still and nndisturbed; then turn it
slowly off l}aving the dregs to be mixed with
hot sap and again settled till the sweetness
is extracted. The clear syrup is then put
IA pan, and to every pailul of syrup, add
ii half teaeupfnll of new milk, Ia farrow
cows milk willnot answer stir it we'll to-
gether while cold, andmhen still, build q slow
Lire. as it grows het, black cloud of scum
wll rise. through the entire mass, which
llust be removed the moment it boils.
II for cakes or grained sugar, it is done
~yhen strings of it cooled on hard snow, OF
IN cold water, will snap off like glass; then
Femove it rom the fire aud stir it ucessantl.
till it beginsto grain" when the quicker
it is in the plates, the better
IF for grained" sugar, keep OH stirring
till it is dry when it will look like fine cot:
fec, or brown sugar, according to TIE care
taken.
A pint of old cider ina hogshead of sap,
will prevent it from granting; and sap SC
do'tored, can never be got beyond .moasses.
-Also.if syrup is allowed to Il sour," end be.
come "ropy" it will uever cake Or grain but
'cln be made into candy, preserving the trp
maple flavor.
Excellent vinegar can be made from sar
by boiling down one half and putting it IL
clean barrel with gauze or fte wire netting
over the bung hole to keep flies and insect,
'out. 1t will soon fsrment and turn to vine
gar, preferable for some uses to the best CT
der vinegar.