Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-09-30
AsrieMltnral.
Making Maple Sugar.


But not noticing any articles Of late
in regard to sugar-making, thought |
would improve the time in corresponding
with you through the columns of your
paper on this subject. Sugar making
has long been an important branch of
business among farmers and OF late so
rapidly increased, that in some sections
it is one Of the principal sources Of in
come.
The writer Of this, and he presumes
the reader. has vivid remembrance OF
the old "Sap trough or dug outs
made from bass pine logs, which when
full contained some six or eight quarts
and were placed by the side of the tree,
on top of the snow to catch the sap as it
fell from the spout, but often failed to
do so, for no sooner were the rays of the
sun sufficiently warm to melt the iounda.
ton upon which it rested, then over went
the trough and out went the sap, SO that
when we came for the "sweet morsel
we found little o. none. Our yoke how
ever, was not made heavier, neither were
the pounds Of sugar increa ed.
And those forked stakes driven in the
ground on which rested the lug pole on
which we hung the chain, to which was
hitched the fve-pail kettle, into which
through fire, smoke and ashes, we pour
cd the sap, &c, &c.
Four cords Of green beech TO the 100
pounds of sugar, not counting the big
logs placed on each side. This we well
remember and can never forget.
Then came the sap-bucket invention,
a most decided improvement.
And then the three foot square iron
pan. These were all 9" big strikes" to-
ward perfection, for it drove the fve-pail
kettle, forked stakes, lug-pole and all in
to the dirt.
And now comes the Newly patented
Evaporator" which has been before the
public for but few years.
The process of condensing maple sap,
more rapidly, clarifies it more perfectly,
acquires less fuel and less attention than
any other pan ever used for this purpose.
The process of evaporating and condens-
ing the sap in thin moving current,
proves to be the only true way.
These evaporators are constructed six
inches apart, with partition gates for con-
trolling the stream or current of sap, so
that none but the perfectly clarified sap
from the boiling portion can pass
through.
All scum and impurities are thrown
to the sides and there remains until re-
moved by the skinner, which is done at
the convenience of the tender.
A little reflection will convince any
one of the excellence and perfection of
these arrangements.
Cleanliness is as necessary TO be re-
garded as the best material for manu-
featuring sugar No good sugar can be
made, q care not how well constructed
your boiling apparatus isl from impure
sap taken from unclean vessels and sap
holders. This is very important item.
The sap ought not to stand too long
before boiling.
The time has come when nice article
of sugar and syrup is indispensable, and
yet, in no branch of the farmers vocation
is there so much ignorance as in this
Should you have chance to examine
the quality of your own sugar that is
made ter the old style, and see how it
compares with that which is made in the
Evaporation you will be convinced.
How much poor waxy stuff is con-
sumed every year which can be made the
reverse by careful attention.
No one can afford to make an in ferior
article.
1t is not our purpose in this article to
point the way to perfection through all
the details of the "sugar-camp' but l
am delighted in offering few practical
suggestions, from experience.
Sap boiled from IL to "a hours as is
often the case without what we call "syr.
uping down. will always be sure to make
poor sugar Of an unpleasant flavor and
dark color.
And then boiling the syrup into sugar +;
this should be done asquickly as possible
1t requires no strength of memory to 90
back to the time when we used to stand
over kettle of sugar and ladle 8 and 4
hours at a time to boilto sugar rs to 100
lbs, when if we had known how TO have
prevented it how glad would we have
been; this we have learned by expe-
rience.
We are thinking of improving our
boiling arrangement for the coming sea-
SON and have taken pains to get posted
as to which is the best method without
the idea of spelling any ones potions of
which is the most profitable.