Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-02-10
Hints on Making Maple Sugar

hints on making maple sugar.
The time for tapping of course varies with
the locality and the character Of the season.
In many places in ordinary seasons, a large
amount OF sugar is made during February
The business should commence as soon as the
sap will flow.
Where but few trees are attended to, the
ordinary utensils and fixtures used for house.
hold purposes will be sufficient; but where
sugar making is part of the business of the
farm, the grove or ''sap bush," numbering
from hundred to thousands of trees, special,
and in some cases extensive preparations are
necessary.
For tapping, "a inch bit is generally pre-
feered. The holes should DC IL to 2 inches
deep, entering only the sap wood, and incln-
ing slightly upwards, to prevent the sap re-
naming aud souring in the orifce. Box
ing" or chipping is condemned, as injurious
to the tree, and the cash being exposed to
the light and air, the wood soon dries, so as
to require additional cutting or "freshening."
Wooden tubes, of quill elder, sumach, or
pine, as may be most convenient, arc preiera-
nle to tin or sheet iron. They should be fit
ted closely into the opening. Pals or tubs
of cedar or pine, the inside unpainted, with
a board cover to exclude leaves and DUST arc
the best. vessels for receiving the sap from the
tree. They may be hoped with wood, and
made quite cheaply. 1t is well to have the
top Of larger diameter than the bottom, so
that ice may be easily removed, in case the
sap should freeze in them. An auger hole
or notch cut in the edge of the cover, admits
the sap into the pail.
Whoa the trees are quite near each other,
labor may be saved by using lead NC troughs,
running from tree to tree, and all finally
emptying into receiving tub. Or a line Of
trouphs from near the centre Of the bush to
the tub may be made, into which the collect
ing vessels are emptied. There is more
wasted in this manner from leaking, spilling,
and evaporation, than in the common method
of hauling the sap to the boiling place in a
capacious covered tub, mounted on sled.
Sheet iron pans, Russia iron is best five
Or six inches deep, set in mason work, SO
that the bottom is exposed to the heat, will
evaporate the sap much more rapidly, than
can be done in the old-fashoned arch kettle.
A brick wall built across the middle of the
fire chamber, to within two inches of,the bot
tom Of the pan, will throw the heat against
the bottom OF the pan, and, save much fuel.
Some of the most successful sugar makers
say, it is of the greatest Importance in sugar
making, that the sapbe reduced to syrup in
the shortest possible time after being collected
Although the sap may not sour in several
days, its properties are undoubtedly affected
by light and air, and the amount of crystal
liable matter considerably diminished, st
that even if the 'run" be light for few days
it is best to reduce to syrup every s or l.
hours. This precaution is even necessary il
the latter part of the season, when the sal
crystallzes with more difficulty. BY judiciou'
boiling the available run may be prolonged
several days.
To "sugar off, the syrup should be strain
ed through a thick wooden cloth into medi
UNI sized kettle, and reduce slowly, carefully
guarding against burning, as this would great
ly injure the color and quality of the sugar
1t is sufficiently done, when threads of thu
thick syrup break off short like glass, after
cooling quickly in water or snow. Then re
move It from the fire, stir it continually, anc
when it begins to grain" immediately turf
it into the moulds Grained sugar is pre-
pared i'll the same manner, only that the stir
ring is continued until the mass is dry.
We have said nothing of clarifying for ex
perience has proved that if proper care be
taken to keep every article used in the var
GUS processes scrupu'ously clean, and to pre-
vent leaves, insects, ect., from falling into the
sap, no clarifying agents are needed. w
have eaten maple sugar of the finest quality
both as to favor and color, made entirely with
out clarifying.
Tho hest form for city retail market, is II
small cakes, weighing from two to four ounces
as these are more convenient for pcddlins
out