Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-03-15
Westminster Farmers club.

and ought to produce her own sugar.
N. G. PIERCE.-True it is in principle
and practicable in fact that our people
can produce her own sugar, and be indie
pendent in this particular. Vermont
now produces almost as much maple SUI
gar as any other State. Then we need
not be confined to the maple, the beet
culture Iapprehend will come into vogue
for the production of sugar. l don't
suppose the resolution means the exclu.
sion from our tables all foreign sugars,
but that we may exchange when expedi-
ent, but it means we ought to and can
produce the requisite value or amount
needed Westminster does not produce
nothing what she might, so it is with the
State generally.
II. FLoYD.-We ought and can make
our own sugar. To do without it we
cannot reasonably. Then l would advise
TO care for the maple tree, preserve it
when we clear our lands, save the ma
pie.
w. p. GAGE.-I shall not speak of
the necessity or ability of Vermont TO
secure this. her own luxury, bnt how it
is produced. | have had some expert
ence commenced when | was seven and
when | was fifteen years old l went into
the woods cut down maple three feet
through, stuck up my stakes, hung up
my kettles, and went at it. That sugar
was not like the sugar made now, though
much is made now that is not sweet.
asked merchant not long ago if he had
any sweet maple sugar? cob, yes"
said he. ! examined it and pronounced
it sour. The merchant stared, surprised.
But there was acid in it. produced by
being boiled into the sap, having gener-
ated in the wood of the buckets and
spouts the season before when laid away
from not being properly cleansed. The
remedy is to use lime water in cleansing
We can even have clean, nice, sweet SUI
gar made late in the sugar season if we
will keep out all dirt, leaves, bark &c
from the sap Now how is sap produc-
ed? Upon this point. | think one of the
most erroneous theories prevail. Some
say the ground must be frozen | think
there is no connection. But depends up
on atmospheric condition whether frozen
or not, it is a popularity of the maple
to run this kind of sap and no other tree
but the maple or its species will do it.
1t is caused by sweat or perspiration,
it is not the vital fluid of the tree, no
more than the perspiration of the hu-
man body is the blood of that body.
The vital fluid of the tree is the life
principle of growth, producing the leaf
limb wood. Now it don't depend upon
freezing the tree, run just as we'll when
ground don't freeze, 10 the season of pro-
dIcing sap. have seen sap run smart
when leaves were out large, then it Is the
vital fluid that comes in contact with
the sap proper and the coloring of the
sugar is produced. Again, l have seen
sap running well and the wind would
change into the south and it would stop,
after which commence to rain and then
begin to run again, showing that it is
controlled by atmospheric condition,
some suppose the sap comes up from the
roots in minute tubical pores. / think
it no more comes up than down, but
when an incision is it is peculiar
ity of this tree for this sap to press to-
wards this point as an outlet.
n. G, PIERCE. 1t is to be remember
ed that sap changes, or decomposition
begins very soon after coming from the
tree, hence dispatch should be our motto,
if we intend to make good sugar.
T. w. WILEY.-In tapping the maple
tree for sugar, would bore with inch or
of an inch bit, and bore deep using
one spout to bucket, get nearly as
much sap as when using bit of of an
inch with two spouts, and | would have
the metallic spout, sugar off the syrup
often. The sooner sap is boiled and
made into sugar the better; would ad-
wise painting the utensils for holding sap
it will avoid sap souring so readily.
II. FLoYD.-Make the sap into sugar
as quick as possible. The Evaporation is
the thing, sugar off all the time. Sir,
Mr.. Wiley tells about getting as much
sap from one spout as two. Now l get
double with two spouts and it stands to
reason. Mr.. Gagetalks abontsap running
most all times of the year, that freezing
don't seem to have much effect upon
it. lam reminded of gentleman years
ago, who came up from below and went
to fitting up and tapping his sugar
place in June, which awakened the Gu
riosity of his neighbors, who casually
remarked to him, f" it was little out OF
season" and he repli d by saying, d" if it
suited him, should follow it the year
! round"