The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1866-03-06
Maple Sugar Making,

identical silh that ofthe Southern care,
bat mingled with 80 leN impurities, which
ineite fermentation aud other changes, that
Is very easily obiaiued in condition Of con-
siderable purity. fhe parer il is, the
lighter colored; aud tbe more rapidly
evspora,ed, the more il retains tue pleas
ami hayor peculiar 10 il. Artificial clarid.
cation removes this favor, and the per.
feetly pure white loaf sugar which may be
made, cannot be distinguished from
that Oh the same quality from other soure,
es.
II is always desirable to avoid injury to
lie trees BY tapping the iueisions should,
therefore, be made where they viii do no
damage 10 the timber, that i below the
cylindrical part Of the trunk, where the
sap viii aas quite rs abundanhy as at any
place above. There is nothing gained 10y
cutting such large gashcs as are sometimes
made when thc trees are tapped Intact,
some Of the most thrifty trees shen hack
ed IN such manner, commence dseaylng,
and continue to rot until their body IS
nothing but q shell. II is unnecessary
also 10 make deep incisicns, either win
ceutre-bils, eouges or axes, as sap will
dow as rapidly il one or two Of the conceu'
tric layers of wood are cut through. The
best way TO tap tree is to hew off the
dead bark with sharp axe, making a
smooth place about as large MS a man ;
. 4, .tstsI ali
I q cut two small convergeut lines through
\ the bark and in:o the wood IN the torm of
/ the letter V. Thea about two inrhes below
the incision, make cash with a l :
inch gouge, aud in eri metallic spout,
made OF stiff zinc or galvanized slleetiron.
The spouts may be zen or Twelve inches
lvug, and made ut strips one and hall
inches wide, with one end ground or filed
10 sharp edge, Cut a small Channel III
the bark from the V,shaped cash down "a
the spout. IL unnecessary 10 cut through
tbs bark when making the channel. The
lower edge Of the cut should be beyeled
dwnwaids aud inwards, SO as 10 conduct
the sap down 10 the angle. There may
be several taps made in large rgcs, ano
each yield as much as if there w.re bU
one,
The tools needed for tapping trees il
this way are, a mailtt, sharp two incl
"lfmer" chisel, d pinch joiners gouge
and sharp axe, or carpenters alze, fol
dressing off tie rough bark Insert the
spouts as low as tie top Of The sap buck.
els, lhat he wind may moi blsw Tie liquid
over lie side Of tie vessel When dolnes
tic animals are permitted 10 roam il a sug
ar orchard. trees must Lo tapped severn
Ice' from the ground aud the sap vessel,
suspended by hooks. The better way how
ever, is to keep all such animals in theii
appropriate enclosures, especially al thi-
time Of the year
The best sugar makers all over the
country employing he sorghum evap.
orators, which, with some slight modidca.
tions perhaps, are found both economical
and convenient. Which ofthe many kinds
in use is best, we cannot y,but Cooks,
one Of The best known, Is very highly com
mended. For those who cannot 90 10 this
expense, and would still pursue much
bener plan than the old kettles swung OF
a pole, or set IN brick or stone fire place
we describe good home made pan or pail
Of ms, one being used AS heater and
reservoir Of hot sap, and tue other az the
evaporator. The sides and ends Of The
pans are made Of l-2.incl planks Of any
kind Of wood, (though maple or beech !,
preferred } and the bottoms Of iron or zinc
The sides Of the r. servoir pan should a
least be twelve inches and OF the other ,i>
inches high A sheets OF iron and zint
are usually made abou twenty inche
wide, the dimensions of the pans should b,
about an inch shorter and narrower thar
a sheet Of the metal, so that the edges, at,
Ter the bottom Is nailed on, may be iurne,
up with a malet, and nailed TO the OUTSIDE
as well as to the buliom Of the wood. =
The pans resi- atleast three inches on bricl
walls, which are one foot high aud eight
zen inches apart Bars ol iron or piece
OF old wagon tire, support the bricks at th'
end. When everything is made of the siz'
here given, there will b. ample loom 10
the fire. The throat Of the chimney should
be about eighteen inches wide by four fee
in height. The size will correspond witt
the fire place. The height of the chimney
should be sufficient 10 carry all sm3ke,at
ons OF charcoal and ashes beyond th,
pans and sap receptacles, as such substa c
es falling into The syrup, give II dari
c.lo-. A barrel or other closed yesse
may stand, supported upon blocks or hots
e., 70 that the sap, which is strdned ini'
il through straw, may either be drawn d.
reclly into The pan or several barrels OF
hug.heads being used and ser back from
the fire. the sap may be conducted ~ lead
ers ut pleasure, into the large paa, from
which il is dipped into the shallow one
Such an apparatus may be erected at
comparatively small expense where bricks
aud lumber are cheap. Metallic or wood
IN faucets may be inserted iE the ends d
,he pans for drawing Oft the syrup, or i
may be dipped out, which is the asua
practice. There should al lea.t be shee
over the pan, but mote spacious and bet
ter buill structure, with a tight roo. anc
enclosed, 50 that the buckets, etc, may BE-
locked up in it the rest Of the YEARS. much
/ preferable.