The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1864-02-10
From tie American AgriculIurisi.
NIaple Sugur Making,

Maple sugar Making,
The sap Of the Sugar or Rock Msple when
II hrst flows in the spring. is TO appearance
nearly as clear and liquid as pure as water.
and in reality II contains scarcely anything
but cane sugar. The sugar is more easily
obtained in marketable state than from the
juices o. any other plant yielding sugar for
commerce. II the sap be pure aud clear as
1t flows from the tree, it is not necessary to
boil il down in cl ar vessels, taking care not
10 burn IL, and when sufficiently concentra
ted, to preserve il as molssSes, or after boil
ing more, to pour it into moulds. 1t is SO
easily aud chesplf prodnced that sugar ma
ksrs have been very careless about it, using
ulensels OF the rudest character. The a
mount OF unchristalliz1ble sugar or molss>
ses necessarily produced is very small, but as
the molasses is quite as much valued as su-
gar in most markets, this has led 10 some
neglect ofths sap, and deterorated the char
acter Of both sugar and molasses.
Let the first fact stated above, be fixed in
the mind, viz, that pure sap yields nearly
pTs sugar, and that the co!oring, the quality
and much Of The labor OF sugar making, re
suit from foregn substances that get in.o the
sap huIlc Ill lDO ltuSho SkS'
lurther, that in tbs abscencs OF these foreign
materials tho amount of crystali2ed sugar
obtained will be much greater. We see then
tho importance of securing the greatest pos
sibIe cleanliness, in every thing connected
with collecting and manufacturing the sap
Exposure to the air produces fermentation
and diunishes the crystalz,d sugar rapidly;
therefore, cover "a vessels ard boiling as last
as the sap COWS. are important. Fermienta
tion OF The also injurcs the peculiar maple
| favor hich is so greatly relished. The
quality Of the sap, that is thet etamount Of sus
gar to barrel Of sap varies considerably from
year to year, but we know OF no accurate
experiments touching it, nor to determine
the character OF other substances presented
in the sap ..'-
The wooden sap trOuglB and potash ket
ties are still in use in some parts OF the
country, but enterprising sugar makers uso
wooden buckets which are preferable to lin
and fiat evaporating pans, and the sugar il
much improved. The sap is sometimes con
Quoted to the sugar house in ''leaders" OF
small wooden troughs, which would bs i'm
proved by scading them out once day tc
prevent souripg. In like manner the buck
cts ought to be Bcaded occasionally. The
trees are tapped with half inch augurs, and
the hole enlarged with sixteenth o an iLch
larger bit, before the close OF tie flowing sea.
son, The sap spouts are 6 or s inches III
length. inch square, or turned round hav.
ing a a inch hole bored through them -
The ends are tapered of, and they are driv'
en- into the holes OF the trees so as to barely
hold. If tubs arc used to collect the sap
there should be holes Of about 10 inche!
square cut to pour in the sap, and ever then
| linen fowls should be laid, to- s rain ou
sticks, leaves. etc. if the arrangements OF tbt
buckets, ETC., are not go perfect as to exclude
all filth, as is desirable. After this, The sat
mast be kept covered. The storing tubs
should stand on higher ground than the boil
ing pan, so that the sap will flow from ont
to the other. During he boiling, skim as
often as scum rises 1t IS seldom that much
skmming IS necessary. When the ceolet
syrup is nearly as thick as good molasses
draw it off into tub to settle, strainin.
! through flannel strainer. Here any ssdi
ment will BE- deposited After the syrup hs
settled clear, draw j. off, and boil it dowl
sgain until it IS thick enough to sugar off.--
| When tbs su5ar IS TO be ''cakod'' or "s!ilied'
il must be boiled until spoonful OF i, put
upon snow will DO perfectly brittle whel
cold. The liquid sugar is taken irGuI lh'
! FIRE and when granulalion has cnmmenced
and the mass is thickened considerably, fiji
the moulds rapidly, Tit is to be irred, a
the same 'ime conmsucs stirring, the ke.tlc
b ing held firmly, and stir the mass till i
has the appearance OF dry brown sugar O
the shops. When the sugar is to be draine'
itisusuaily taken from the fire be foreit wo''
cool brittle, and after standing until it g. an
ulates quito thoroughly, it is ladlsd ont intc
tubs with ialse bottoms. some inches abov
the true, 3 or 4boles being in the false bot
tom, and covered by saucers or plunged b
round smooth sticks, The sugar is ladle,
into the tubs, aud when settled the plug
are loosened and partly withdrawn, SO tha
the molasses will run through. This may b;
drawn off from the bottom Of the tubs.