Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-07

fall short Of II a. ali will admit. | shall not
attempt 10 give a set Of rules by which the
bcstsugarcan be infaIlibly produced indeed,
think thatL could much more cas- lily give d.
rectiOns for making poor sugar. The fol-
lowing are few:
Let the tubs hang upon the trees or lie
around the sugar-house two or three weeks
after sugaring is done, and then IL you wash
them at all, do il with cold water.
Do not scald your store tubs during sugar.
ing, or at It's close.
Let your sap-gatherer stand on the sled in
front Of the sugar-housc through the summer
Never strain your sap, or skim it while it is
boiling.
Do not wash your pans from the com.
mencement to the close Of sugaring.
Follow thesN rules faithfully and the re.
suit is guaranteed.
N. B.--Thsre are probably other methods
by which the same results may be reached so
that no one need be very exact about it.
five are determined, however, to make
the best article, we have more difficult task
before us. Undoubtedly the most important
point is one which has been urged repeatedly
by those who have written upon the subject,
viz The utmost care In churning and keep
ing sweet all utensils used in its manufacture.
think that tin buckets are preferable for
catching sap to wooden ones, as they are
lighter; not as likely to leak have no hoops
to lose off, and especially as they can be
more easily and thoroughly cleaned but
good wood tubs il properly cared for may be
kept in good condition for many years. At
the close Of sugoring they should be imme.
dately and thoroughly scalded out, scrub
bing them with stiff brush birch broom, or
something of the kind, and especial pains
should be taken to use not simply s0arm but
hot water (the nearer boiling the better,) in
each tub. Then they should again be scald-
ed before putting them out in the spring and
ifduring the sugar season they are at any
time filled with rain water, it is good plan
to scrub them out as we'll as may be. The
location Of the sugar place may have some
inAuence upon the quality Of the sugar pro-
duced, and if there are many spruces or heRl-
locks to cast their leaves into the sap it
cannot improve it any, and it is probable
that peculiarities in the soil may in some
cases affect the sugar. Two or three exam
pies where this was undoubtedly the cause,
have come to my knowledge. In one case a
pile of spent tan bark was placed near the
roots Of the maple, and the sap Of that tree
became the color OF weak lye, but afterwards
it was removed and the sap has since ap.
peared to be pure. In another case which
came under my own observation, the sap was
evidently affected by impure substances in
OF on the sell but making allowances for
all this, think that much of the difference
in sugar is in making.
Next in regard to tapping the trees When
our fathers and grandfathers first commenced
to make sugar in Vermont, trees were SO
plenty that no pains was taken in tapping
them to preserve their lives. The axe was
the instrument invariably used, and that
with no sparing hands. In some of our old
er sugar orchards its marks may still be seen
upon trees which somehow managed to sur.
vive such abuse, while more modern scars
have long since faded from view but by de-
grees as the number of the trees grew less,
more prudent course was adopted, though at
first it was supp osed that the quantity Of
sap would decrease in proportion to the size
OF the wound, but as this did not follow the
size was still further decreased, till now most
farmers in this vicinity use bit of from 3.S
to 5-8 of an inch in diameter, and | know
Of one man who has used II inch gimlet
bit which he claims is just as good as a
larger one.
never have pat more than one spout to u
tree, except in rare instances, and | think
that in tapping small trees it is we'll to have
care not to make the incision at the same
height each year, as the tree is often greatly
weakened by such course.
OF spouts have used good many kinds
| like Posts Eureka spout as well as any.
1t saves driving nail into the tree, which
often makes nearly as bad wound as the
box itself. The wound does not dry up as
badly as where tin spout is used, nor does
it conduct so much rain water into the tub.
Recently many have used turned wooden
spouts and profess to like them much, but
after using some of them for one year. dis
carded them, for the reason that did not
obtain more than three.fourths as much sap
as from other trees side by side where the
tin or Eureka spout was used. Some have
objected to the Eureka spout that it was diff
6cult to draw it from the tree, and found it
SO till learned how to do it. BY pulling
upward at first it can usually bo extracted
nearly as easily as a tin spout; but if this
fails slight tap with hammer on the un-
der side is sure to start it. II nails are used
to hang tubs on they should be rather short
and thick, and should taper quickly to a
point from all four sides. Some use them
with wedge-lormed points, but these are al
most sure to turn around and split the wood.
For gathering sap there are two methods
which are principally practiced in these parts,
the situation governing for the most part the
choice between the two. BY the first method
receiving tubs are placed in various parts Of
the sugar orchard into which the sap Is gath,
cred aud is conducted thence to the boiling
place by spopts. A few use cylindrical tin