Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-02-27
SgritutEaI 9spartment,
Manufacture Of Maple Sugar.

NesSeIS perfectly cream. Strlcl ciedHHueSS
should be observed throughout the whole pro-
cess Tin vessels are better than wood for
this reason If properly washed, they can
never impart sourness to the sap. Made large
enough to hold nine quarts each, they would
cost about $S5 per hundred, aud six quart
pals cost $50 per hundred. They may be
made square or round, bot the latter are bet
Ger to clean and keep 10 shape. They should
be largest at the top, SO as to pack away in
nests when nor in use The top should be
strongly wired, like tin pan, and hole made
under the wire enables it to hang on nail
driven into the tree, securing it thus from swine
and other animals, and preventing the sap
from, being blown away by The wind Old
horseshoe nails Strengthened and shapened,
ere the best
The best spouts are made of thick timed
iron. When the vessel are hung as above de-
scribed on nails, the spouts need not be more
than three inches long. They should be wild
est where they enter the tree. After the sheet
tin is cut up TO the proper size, the concaV
shape is given to them by placing them be
tween u convex and concaVe piece Of wood and
giving them brisk blow with malIet Made
sharp at the vide end, they are easily driven
into the tree.
Never allow the sap to stand in the pals
tWeuty-four hours-the freSher it is when boil
ed the purer will be the sugar While boiling
large quantities should not be poured in at
time, as that will stop it, and make irregular
work but reservoir should be placed above
the boiler, from which the sap may be drawn
10 a stream through faucet, Just fast enough
to supply the evaporation. A little practice
will enable the operator to Judge how large
this stream should be. Two boilers are better
than one if the fire is made to pass from one
to the other-the 6rSt or hotteSt being chief
ly for boiling down to syrup the second or
coldest for heating the sap and doing the first
eEaporating The faucet of fresh sap runs in-
TO the first, and pipe or syphon, with faucet
conVeyes it 10 the second
Kettles are poor boilers-they waste fuel
and make poor sugar. Shallow sheetiron pans
are much better They may be kept cleaner,
they eTaporate more rapidly, make finer sugar
and effect greater saving of heat. In all
cases, should be so set that thin sheet of
fame, two inches thick, under boiler, is as
good as if foot thck-the same amount may
therefore be spread over six times the surface,
and consequently be about six times more eco
nomical.
We have some good homemade pans, used
for boiling sorghum successfully, made by nail
ing good thick sheetiron to plank, so that the
sheet-iron formed the bottom and ends, and
The plank the side-the sheet-iron was secured
to the plank by two rows of closely driven
nails. The pans were about eight feet long,
and four wide, aud six inches deep. These
would be cheap, and very good for making
maple sugar. The fire place should of course
be little narrower than these pans. The chin
ney should be high enough to cause good
draugh --~s
81 To make good syrup, the sap must be re.
duced to one etwentieth or one-thirtieth of its
bulk. The syrup is then strained throug fan.
mel, and placed aside to cool and settle twelve
or twenty four hours. Then return it to the
pan, and to every gallon add and stir beaten
egg and q gill Of milk to clarity it, keeping it
carefully from boiling till the scum has risen
and has been skinned off, Then boil it care
fully until it will harden, which may be known
bysdroppmg some from a spoon into cold wa
Ter. " hen this takes place. the liquid sugar
then the cakes placed in a box to drain. To
make, the sugar perfectly white, lay few
thcknesses of flannel on the top of the cakes
while it is draining, these fannes to be wet
and washed daily with cold water--they will
thus absorb and wash out the coloring mat
ter
A hundred good sugar maple trees will u.s.
ually make in season, from two to three hun
dred pounds of sugar, if well managed and if
every precaution is observed to ensure clean
illness, prevent souring, boil speedily and with
out burning, and to clarity properly, larger
quantity of sugar will be made, it will be more
saleahle, and command higher price or if
intended for home use, the smiles of the farm
er'S wife, when she sees such beautiful art-
Gle make its appearance, will more than re-
pay him for all the pains be has taken to Sc.
cure such excellent success.-COuatry Gentle
s1aH