Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-03-29
VOLUME Is.
Barton, Tuesday, March. 20, 1870.
Sugar Making.

MS dIlIClf WIS ITfIlhifb Wv WI. NOl-
Inns for the agrieu turd department of this
paper, but as we we're compelled to throw
that department out this week to make
room for the Barton Superintendent Re
port, we insert it here.
The time for making maple sugar
is close upon US, indeed the time for
commencing operations may be past
before this meets the eye of our read.
ers; nevertheless we will offer a few
suggestions upon the subject. With.
in the past few years sugars OF all
kinds have been so high, that the man.
ufacture OF i. has assumed an impor-
lance equal to a lmost any other
branch Of farm operations. There
has also been as great an advance
probably in the methods of manufac.
ture, and Improvement in the utensils
as in any other branch of farming;
still it is an undeniable fact that there
Is 4 great amount Of poor sugar made.
This we believe to be unnecessary IN
der ordinary circumstances, even tho
the crotched sticks with the big pole
resting in them, and the kettles hung
to the pole by chains, in the old fash
Toned way, be the method of evapor-
ating the sap to sugar. We have in
former years made some very white,
nice maple sugar in this primitive way,
but years ago abandoned that method
for the sheet iron pans set upon a
brick arch under cover, and found it
was long step in advance not only
in the saving of fuel, but in the Saving
of labor, aud also in the Improvement
in the quality Of the sugar. We are
now 1--WE hOpe) taking another step in
advance by putting in one Of Coreys
patent evapOratorS. But let the me.
thod Of evaporating the sap be what
it may, there are two things that are
absolutely essential to the production
OF q nice article of sugar. The first
is that every utensil used in its manu-
facture shall be perfectly clean aud
sweet, and the second that the sap
shall be converted into sugar as soon
as possible after it runs from the tree,
the sooner the better. Many sugar
makers fail in one or both of these
particulars. In the first place the
buckets should be horo~ghiy washed
and scalded. and if they are old and
the wood has become soured, it would
be Of advantage to wash them in lime
water before scalding, and the store
tubs should be treated in the same
way. Plenty of boiling apparatus
should be provided, so that the sap
may be converted inty syrup as soon
as possible after it runs. Here is
where great many sugar makers fail.
They have apparatus enough perhaps
to keep up with a moderate run of
sap, but let there be smart run, con
tinuing from three days to a week
and even if they have storage roor
enough so that none runs to waste, il
gains upon them so rapidly that they
are under the necessity Of keeping i
So long before boiling, that it Injuries
the quality of sugar produced very
materially. Again there is a grea
loss of time and the inconvenience O
boiling nights, to say nothing of tn,
Sunday work often performed in con
sequence. 1t is but little more labo
to attend an apparatus that will boi
down two to three hundred pals Of
sap in day, than it is one Of a thir'
that capacity. We speak from expt
rience in regard to this, as we hav
always been short Of boiling aparatu
when the big runs came, but we hop
with our evaporator" to be able t
keep up with the smartest runs"
The sap should be strained befor
boiling to free it from foreign sui
stances such as leaves, sticks, dirt, d.,
After it is boiled to syrup it should /
strained through flannel and set ava
for twelve hours or so to settle, tn
there will be but very little sedimeI
II the work has been faithfully dor
up to this point. The syrup thus pr
pared will require no doctoring su,
as eggs, milk, DC, to make a scu
rise, but will make A No. sug;
without. There are many other ma
tiers to be considered in cOnuectiC
with the above suggestions, bat as &
as quality Of sugar is concerned the
are the essential points. There
much difference of opinion in rega
to the depth to bore the trees, the 81
of bitt to use and the kind of spot
We have become satisfied from o
own experience that from three on;
tiers to one and a bali inches accoI
ing to the size of the tree, is deep {
ough to bore; and that bitt fro
one half to five eighths inch is lar
enough. We prefer the pod bitt a
the tin spout, but have used an hi
dred of Posts patent spouts one s,
son and were well pleased with the
There is at least one advantage
using them. The buck ct hangs up
q wire attached to the 81 out, and sa'
driving a nail into the rec.
RAILROAD ACCIDENT Quite
rious accident occurred to the up
press train last Wednesdi ~, near d
b,ry whom a connie of ne tssenoer C