Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-03-30

lrOy-
How 10 MAKE SUGAR As we axe nov in
the midst Of the Sugar season, the following
article from a successful sugar maker. who
makes each of his COO trees bring him dol
lars worth of sugar, viii he OF interest to
our farming readers
As have been asked thousands Of times. at
different Fairs, how l could make 50 white and
hard Maple Sugar, equal to the best Loaf my
reply has been, that two words would tell ;he
whole process,-one Of them being clean and the
other quick.-which YOU must always bear in
mind, and practice from beginning to end.
My sugar works consist Of 600 trees, part first
and par; second growth, most Of the first growth
trees having been tapped over 20 years, ny
children being the fifth generation on the ''oli
homestead. | now use all tin buckets, finding
them much ahead Of all others, having used all
kinds, from the old sap trough down TO the late
patent pine bucket.
use the patent iron sap-spout, Hecox. Paten-
tee, II. : Morse Of Shelburn, agent for Yer
mont, which I greatly prefer over all others, for
several reasons. First,when you once get them,
if taken care OF as they should be, you always
have them, and they are always ready. Second.
one iron spout in the same sized hole, viii run
more sap than two wooden ones; at the same
time will not cause the sap TO be sour or Shiny
until the end of the srasOn, and is a perfect fit
to each tree, causing no loss OF sap by leakage.
The sap, with the iron spout, commences TO run
on an average Of half an hour earlier in the
morning, and running from one to two hours
later at night, with this spout than with any
other ever tried. | use a fye-eighths inch
centre sugur. The spout, when driven with
small wooden mallet, which is all the tools you
need, Except an axe when tapping large first
growth trees, to take off the loose outside BARK
passes through the bark, and not over two of the
outside grains of wood. Therefore you need
not bore much deeper than the Agriculturist
man cuts his "inci.ion' " shaped with his
mallet and "wide chisel.''
And another very important item is you dis
peDse with all spikes or nails to hang up your
bucket, hanging it directly on the spout-whieh
brings II up close to the tree and spout, causing
no loss of sap by wind. This is the fifth season
have used these spouts, and in that tImeI have
never found one pulled from the tree by the
bucket With those spouts (iron) you can tap
your sugar orchard in less than one-half the
time than 10y any other method ever saw used
disagree entirely from the AgTcul;urist writer.
in the placing Of buckets upon the ground or
snow. They should always be hung up to the
htr, "a Aie iitS 10 Aaliled Hien Ut ioN
use The sheet iron sap pan or pans, anil
shall. another year, put in the tubular heater.
ThIch think great improvement shcve all
others in making sugar. When my sap goes
from the gathering tub or casks INTO the I1ceiv-
er, il all passes through cloth strainer, to re-
move all bark or leaves that may fall or blow
into the sap previous to or while gathering
Then it is boiled down TO syrup as soon as drU
rood and lire man TO tend II can do it. IN
patches Of six to eight pailsful. The syrup
dropping in fakes OF drops OF about one inch
wide from the dipper. just at the time you re-
move the pans from the fire, by crane and pull
leys. At one end Of the pan / lave a wooden
cask stand, Of two feet square ar 1oar feet high,
and in tie upper part three s.ra:ners, one eight
inches below the other, Tee first or top one Is
made Of cheese cloth, the next Of hin fan
mel; the third or byttom one being Of firm
and heavy flannel. Each strainer is three
iourtbs Of var. square. \ strong cord is tied
firmly around each Of the four corners, and
then tied "A a loop, 50 as TO be attached 10 hooks
in each corner Of the cask for that purpose
Ia n strainer when suspended VIII hold abou;
twenty quarts before running over As coon rs
the PSF i rcmoyed from the fire, dip the syrup
imms. teiy into the upper s:raIner. | use q
large brass kettle for receiver under the lower
Strainer Do not try TO force syrup through
receiver irOra eight TO twelve hours. Their the
syrup will all have passed through the lover
strainer, and also settled. Then pour on the
syrup, and rash the sfrai7srs. ready fo- an
other batch Of syrup.
then take the syrup 10 the house 20 clarity
and finish of. l use ga!yGE zsd iron pan,
tweuty-six by thirty inches square, and seven
inches deep, to sugar of with, over my
stove. To about eight gallons Of syrup, when
frs, placed over the fire, add : eggs (shcll and
ALL ,reH boaicn, and half pint o. new mix,
and thoroughly stirred in with syrup. A soon
as the syrup first begins to bell, close the damp
or 10 the stove, and remove all scum, with
good tin skinner Then remove the syrup
from the Ere, and pass again through cloth
sfrafner, to remove all specks IN the syrup
Then place over the fire and flush as reqGIr,d.
For syrup, the OILY method have found, Is 10
Ike a small quantity in dish and SIR until
cool My syrup have to weigh from u to II
lbs to the gallon, usually log.
For grained or tub sugar, take dish Of clear,
cold water, and drop IN same hot sugar from
the pan, and If it will not unite with the water.
but cleave TO the bottom Of the dish or TO the
spoon, it is done sufficient for tub sugar. To
form white or - loaf" sugar, ! do down to tab
susar-have can made of tin. that will hold $50
lbs. bottom made tunnel shape, and set in
sack. FIJI nearly full. When first poured IN,
ston IN the lower hole with a round stick,
reaching above the top Of the sugar, so that
when cold, it can be withdraw. After the
same is taken out, take irhiie flannel cloth,
which when folded two or three thickness will
cover all the sugar; rinse in clear cold water
e,xrv day. and ring so it will not run water;
then spread over the sugar, and place on the
cover. Continue until white. In common
wears, | make on an average five pounds Of
grained sugar to each tree, using three men
and one team thee weeks from the day the
buckets (GOO) are taken from the garrett until
they are returned
For the last four years, the price has averaged
I6 20 cents per pound This spring sugar
20 to % cents per pound, syrup - to 30 Per
gallon, as il is put up.
Q - A. d. SMITH.
- ~ 7 -RufIand Herald.