Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-02-23
Maple Sugar Making.

Maple Sugar Making.
The season for again making preparation,
for this important branch Of Vermont indus
try and production is at hand. Thirty day.
more will not probably elapso before it will
be time to tap the sugar maple and put in
operation all the appliances necessary to the
manufacture Of sap into sugar. And in this,
as in every other department of farm labor, it
should and will be the aim Of every good far.
mar to make some improvements on the pre-
yious season, with a view to increase both the
quantity and quality produced. Much good
sugar is made every season in Vermont, and
very much more Of an inferior quality, which
might be made good and pay much better,
with little more care and pains-taking in the
various stages Of its manufacture.
An illustrated article in the February num-
Der Of the american Agricultural, shows all
the latest improvements as adopted by the
best sugar makers in Northern Ohio, some Of
which we will give in brief, for the benefit Of
those who may be providing new outfits for
their sugar-orchards or improving their old
ones.
The buckets are made of the best Tx"
tin, and Of three sizes, both for convenience
in handling, storing away, etc.-thrce buck
cts fitting together and forming "nest" -
and for economy in working up stock. The
dimensions are: Largest, circumference thirty
four inches depth nine inches capacity ff.
teen quarts. Medium circumierenc &C thirty.
two and one-half inches depth nine inches
capacity thirteen and one-half quarts, and the
smallest, circumference thirty inches depth
nine inches; capacity eleven quarts. Eight
sheets Of l0xl4 and two sheets of 10xlO tin
are required to make three Of these buckets.
They are made straight, (not Garing), an OBJ
yious advantage over the tapering form in
hanging against the tree, and then there is no
waste, of any amount, in working the tin as
any ordinary mechanic would be able to dis
cover. The sides of the buckets require two
whole sheets and a piece, and an inch hole is
punched in the piece just below the wire rim,
so as to hang the bucket on the spilo"; the
seams strengthen the bucket and prevent its
bending when full Of sap They should be
painted on the outside with yellow ochre, or
some other durable paint, to protect them
from rust The inside will not rust. as the
sap is preventive. Thus protected it is said
they will last for thirty years. The expense
of such buckets is from $40 to Sij per hun.
dred.
The SpTLEs used are made of beech or
maple, turned and bored by machinery seven
eights of an inch in diameter and three or
four inches long, taporing for an inch, and only
three-eights of an inch in diameter where
they enter the tree. Each has three notches
turned around it, about an inch apart, to keep
the bucket from sliding off This also aids
in hanging bucket against leaning tree,
80 that it will be level on the top, by select
ing the groove necessary for that purpose
These spiles are driven firmly into the tree,
a half an inch bit being used for tapping, the
depth Of two inches-and there is no difficult
ty in their supporting the bucket when filled
with sap. They cost about 81 ,25 per hun
dred, and are claimed to be much better,
stronger and more durable than the other
kinds generally used.
The buckets are, or should be, ARRAYS cor
cred, when in use, and this is regarded as the
greatest single improvement yet made. 1t
keeps out rain, snow, insects, dirt none off
which ingredients make good sugar and pre-
vents the effects Of heat and cold. A fall off
four or five inches Of snow or rain in sugar
season, it is estimated, will require the boil
ing away Of at least twenty-five barrels of
water in camp Of five hundred trees
Besides the useless labor and expense of boil. |
ing thewater, the rain triekles down the trees,
carrying with it coloring matter and dirt, and
1t is utterly impossible to make first-elass
syrup or sugar from such sap and rain-water.
The covers are made Of I inch lumber, one
foot wide, planed on one side but tce would |
plane the other side and still not have them
cost over two cents each The service they
would render would probably add more than
double that TO the value of every pound off
sugar made in camp where they are used,
provided every part Of the work is attended
with the same care We think this is an i'm.
proyement which every prudent sugar maker
will adopt, whether he is procuring new buck
cts Or using his old ones
The article before US also gives a descrip- |
ton and illustrations Of the arch and boilers, |
"self-ieeding attachment" and various other
matters connected with sugar-making, which
are in most respects similar to those In gen.
eral use among the best sugar-makers in Yer
mont.
1t is certainly pleasant way to "make
sugar" to sit down by good FIRE, when the
winds are bowling outside, and follow, step by
step, Mr.. w. T. Chamberlains directions,
who does it so cleyerly in the american IA.
rteiatarist, and no doubt when the weather is
suitable il would be quite as enjoyable to
transfer his experience and excellent sugges. |
tions to the practical workings of the camp. ("
Maple sugar is an article which pays well for
manufacturing at the present prices, and il |
should be an object with every farmer who
owns Cugar orchard, to make the most iiom
It that the best apparatus and the season will
adult.