The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-05

A WATERFOWL IN. W correspondent Of the
New York Mail writes as follows:
Lsst week kind invitation was received from
q member OF the Agricultural Society, inviting Us
and our cousins to drive out 70 his old homestead
and eat warm sugar in the leash: on the follow
ing morning all started and soon were going
Over The hills and Tar away"
We drove. and how the natives stared; we
drove, and how the natives swore! We met cut
tiers and turned out; We met teams and turned
over Cousins on the back seat added greatly to
our style of guiding horses, and screaming when
ever the sleigh vent through pitch hole"
The home of our gural friend finally came in
view; large, old fashioned stone mansion, with
huge chimneys at each end of the building-an
intlmation OF the fire place beneath, filled with
cumking hickory logs. Had Jingle, of Pickwick
IA been one of the party, he would have de-
scribed the hospitable reception We received, by
saying: Drove up-no dogs-great wonder-one
in the house though-see him-kind old gent
nice old girl comes out--a goin--big room this
seed corn hung to the rsfters-dried pepper too
apples up stairs-smell 'em-good people-good
dog-good fire-good everything -veryin
After a substantial dinner Of ham and eggs,
baked beans. hot waffies, mince and apple pies,
tea and coffee, We were invited to go out to the
sugar bush. In a short time all we're comfortably
seated under the shanty watching the sap as 1t
boiled 10 the evaporating pan, aud while watch
ing for the sap 10 turn into molasses, and the
molasses into sugar. will stroll through the bush
and explain.
THE ARRASeExESrs. AND HOW THE SUGAR IS
good sugar season is one where the ground Is
frozen deep, and warm days are followed by cold
nights. such spring is the present one. The
nights being cold the sap is retarded in its pro-
gress, and during the following day 1t starts
afresh in greater quantities and Of . better
quality than it otherwise woul
The sugar makers first labor ls,to tap his trees,
which is done by boring q hole about two inches
in depth into the trunk of the maple. Next he
drives in the spout, leaving little room back Of
IT, 90 that the sap may have reservoir TO collect
in. The iron spout and tin bucket have generally
superseded the wooden ones, and are considered
much better, for the sap keeps sueeter longer
time, and less of it Is wasted; still. some farmers
persist in using the funnel, and occasionally Q
sugar bush Is found where the sap trickes through
its wooden spout, with the wooden bucket beneath
az Of old.
usually emptied once-rareIy twice-and often
but once IN two or three days. II the woods are
free from uDderbrtish the sap Is gathered with .
team, and they return to the shanty putting and
blowing dragging after them hogshead filed
with the fluid which is soon to be made into mo-
lasses. psckwax and solid cakes for the market
pound Of sugar to . bucket and half of sap.
and three pounds to tree, Is an average yield.
Few Of our farmers make more than 500 pounds,
the most of them only two or three hundred. In
st. Lawrence county there are many who manu-
facture four or Eve hundred lbs in the course Of q
season.
In 1865, $50. 466 pounds was made in this county
ISL l03 in Lewis; 1885, 55 in st. Lawrence, and
lO2, ITO In 0swego county. The whole produc-
tion of the State was 1855, 200 pounds; and OF
heads ofl0O0 pounds each valued at So, 1877 1888 20.
In addition to this, 2524, $50 gallons OF molasses
were made valued at s., l55 $50, making the total
valuation Of the maple sugar crop 50. 355 1883 10
Think of the buck wheat cakes such an amount Of
molasses would cover.
To some the sap has sickly taste; but most
persons enjoy good draught from q bucket. par
teuIarly II liz Is cold; like some other things, it Is
more palatsble iced. 1t IA not now poured into
the evsporating pan a. 1t was into the huge kettles
pan through lancet; the lading in this way Is
easier superintendent, and much better sugar is
made than by the old.method.
Many Of our readers viii remember those large
kettles which hung on sweep in their grand
fathers woods years ago, and where the sap
hissed and boiled. In heir boyhood; those kettles
which they have leaned at the risk of falling
into the cooling sap, while they scraped the sides
with q Eastwood chip. Was ever mortal so
blessed % boy with bic castiron stomach under
delicious as the one secured in this way, and d.
vided with some bright-eyed little giEis
suGARrSe OFF.
On retaining to the shsnty, we found prepare.
tons were being made to sugar orb which
means that the molssses having been boiled s1f.
ciently. the fire il allowed to burn low; the sugar
Is run into moulds and when cooled Is ready Tor
use. Ii is also the time for eating II warm. A
snow bank was soon 6eveled on, great diDper
full Of the melted sugar poured upon it, and our
party stood around, each provided with q nicely
whitfield stick. waiting in sweet expectation for