Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-03-22
Making Maple Sugar.

ror boring the trees half-inch bit /
a.alge enough; the holes may be bored s,
that the sap from two NAV he rim inf,
one bucket, which NAV be hun~ On a,
iron hook driven into the tree for this mr.
pose, midway between the tive conSnc
tors may be made of pine or sumac. or
better, use metal ones made for the pur
pose combining both spile and hook.
In gathering sap where the trees ar,
ciase together, 1t Is good plan in ordel
10 prevent mistakes and save labor, t
paint one side of your buckets white. TIL,
nrst round you make in gathering, turr
the red side out; the second the whit,
side. This done you will not need to rur
to the tree a second time, nor miss one, a.
you may see the gathering you have done
The camp should be centrally located
ana II possible where the principal carry.
ing Will be down hill since this will greatly
facilitate the labor. Indeed at one of the
most complete camps we ever knew, in an
Eastern State, the sap was carried in pines
as water flows, the pipes being disconnect-
ed at the close of the season, cleaned and
carefully laid away to dry.
When the sap is put to boiling, it should
not be allowed to flag, but the process
should be driven as strongly and evenly
as possible, until sufficient quantity OF
syrup Is obtained for straining, which is
usually performed through clean, thick
woolen strainers. This operation being
performed into suitable vessels, deep ones
being proper, after standing some hours
to allow impurities to settle, the clearer
portion is poured off for sugaring. II
is boiled until the air escapes in puffs, the
proper consistency being ascertained by
taking little of the msss on a piece OF
glass and observing the granulation on
cooling. This is also known by taking a
little between the thumb and finger, press
ing them together and drawing them
apart; the films will adhere and may be
drawn out thin and will be brittle. 1t
may also be dropped into cold water, and
IL the mass Of wax breaks readily upon
getting cold 1t is ready for stirring into
sugar. Caked sugar is supposed to be
stronger and to retain its flavor better
than grained sugar.
The residue, or that remaining after
pouring Of the top of the vessels, may be
put into the kettle, add about a pint OF
milk to ten gallons of syrup and skim of
the scum or froth as 1t reaches the boiling
point.
If mOlasses is wanted, it should not be
boiled SO long as for sugar. Ifa teaspoon
full of pulverized alum Is boiled with each
two gallons of syrup it will prevent gran
ulation, or if put into air tight cans and
carefully sealed it will keep perfectly.
In boiling sap, copper or brass kettles
are far preferable to iron but If these are
used, the most scrupulous care must be
exerted to prevent furnishing. They
must be kept perfectly bright since the
corrosion of these metals produces a most
virulent poison. Want of cleanliness with
iron vessels creates only disgust, but with
copper or brass the result may be death.
This is another of the processes of max
Ing sugar when only small camps are
worked. When plantations are owned
sufficiently large to warrant the erection
of buildings and batteries that will be
found the most economical. The sap may
be reduced either In open evaporators by
the direct ction of fire heat, or by means
Of steam coils. Filters of animal charcoal
take the place of strainers, and centrifu-
gal machines are used for separating the
sugar and Western Rural.