Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-03-06
EARM AID EousERoLp.

MAPIW SUGAR MAKING. The sea
aoFY i near at hand for making maple
sugar. and the present high price de-
manded for this useful article makes i6
important TO give the matter Of get
sing the greatest possible amount from
the trees without injuring them, and
st the same time making hne quail
ty. a little attention.
Every farmer knows how to make
maple sugar, yet there are some men
that will make more IN q season and
of better quality from the same
number Of trees. than others. The
rTiucipai reasons Of success are owing
to closely following certain rules, and
the first and greatest 0f these Is saving
al the sap. Second, selecting q healthy
spot upon the tree when tapping neI-
ther above, below or in the immediate
vicinity Of a scar. Third, the use of
large buckets. Fourth, having ket-
ties or Daus set in an arch With
sbimneV tall enough TO keep ashes and
SCOT out of the sap when boiling
Fifth. keeping the sap clean while IN
the buckets or store trOughs.
thousand Of barrels of sap that
might have been saved are swallowed
up by the earth every spring though
neglect on the part Of the farmer to
gather il at the proper time, or per-
haps we had better say on the account
of the farmers neglecting to furnish
his sugar orchard with large buckets,
and all Of the same size.
We have often noticed when pass
ing through woods at sugar making
time, large and small pals, tin pans,
etc, under the trees, and all full of
sap: and we could but conclude that
when fourteen quart buckets were
full, eight quarts Of sugar water
had been lost to each tree under
which 3 six quart pan was set. and
over three barrels of sap lost to every
6fty trees SUPPLIED with small vessels
ct single run.
To make a nice quality Of sugar, all
OF the utensils used in the camp, as
we'll as the buckets, must be kept
clean. IF the vessels used are allowed
to sour, the impurity will be ine3r-
poreted with the sap and the grain Of
the sugar affected. A little straw put
into the funnel Of the gathering bar
rel will retain all the leaves and
coarse dirt, and BY keeping the store
trough covered, the sap will go to the
kettles In good condition.
These we'll experienced In the bus
mess say that the syrup should be
strained while hot through a wooden
cloth and allowed to stand and settle;
then pour off all that is clear, which
will be found very nice The remain
der of the syrup will require extra
cleansing.
It is claimed by some, that more
sugar can be made By not boiling down
more than FIVE Or six barrels of sap at
one time; for the truth of this we caa-
not vouch, but it would be we'll for
farmers to notice the amount made per
barrel when a large OF small quantity
has been boiled into a batch.
It is an easy matter to tell when
sugar is cooked enough; drop a little
upon snow or into cold water, and if 1t
hardens enough to break when bent
between the fingers the kettle is ready
to be taken off. 1t requires but little
heat TO convert syrup into solid form,
and more sugar is injured every season
by scoTching than any other way. The
Ere should be so tempered that it will
not be necessary to remove the kettle
at any time to keep its contents from
going over, for that amount of heat
is almost certain to seOrch the sugar
give q bitter favor.-OhiO Farmer.