Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-02-19

The soil and climate of Vermont seem ex-
aetly suited to the growth OF the sugar ma
pie, and to the production of sugar from the
maple. In many States Of the Union large
tracts of land are covered with oak, but in
most parts of Vermont this tree is rare, and
the maple seems to take its place as a pre-
dominant tree in similar situations.
Orlv five States of the Union have a
smaller area than Vermont. but she stands
second in the amount of maple sugar pro
duccd Only the State of New York, which
is five times the size of Vermont, produces
more. | have been unable to procure the
census OF 1870 but by that of 1860. New
York made I0,8l645S pounds, while Yer
mont made 9Sl9 939 pounds. II divided
equally Vermont could give TO each inhabI-
tant about 80 pounds of sugar, while New
York could give only about II pounds each
to hers.
The value of sugar produced in Vermont
in 1850, at ten cents per pound Is $751;
1898. 80. Compared with other crops OF the
State, the value is five times greater than the
orchard products: about the same as the
wheat about twO-thirds as much as the oats
or Indian corn. but is less than One-slxth Of
the value of the dairy products.
Thus it will be seen that the subject is an
important one t. Vermonters, and TO none
of them is it more SO than to the inhabitants
of " ashington County We have reason
also to believe that its production is on the
increase The gain in Vermont from 1850
to 1860 was about 81 per cent.
In 1857 the little town of " aiteteld made
69,463 pounds of sugar but in 1868 1t pro-
duced little over 100 600 pounds. showing
an increase of about 45 per cent. IN eleven
years. Both these years were extremely ia
vOrable for sugar making. | think that we
have not yet reached the limit of its produc-
ton There are many trees OF suitable SIZE
unused, and there are multtudes OF smaller
ones that if spared and properly cared for,
will soon be large enough to make sugar
from and still further, 1t is possible To raise
trees to take the places OF the Old and d
caying ones. There are many sugar orchards
which are becoming thinner year by year as
the old growth of trees decay, or is prOstra-
ted by the wind, the young growth being
kept down by cattle. In some eases trees
may be set out to fill vacancies, and unless
there are already young trees in sufficient
numbers cattle should be excluded from su
gar places as far as practicable; and there
are many barren pastures that might be EN-
ployed to far better advantage IN raising
naples. This may seem SLOW process Il
many. but some Of our finest sugar orchards
have made their entire growth within The
memory of their owners, and the few acre
which they cOv-r ar nnw in many Case
worth five, or even teD-'Old more than tn
rlac, DIT pasture lands which were clearet
pc hal az the same time that these plot
were cut OF burned over, and then sutferet
tn grow up tu young naples. Thus tor One
the shI IT, set ess las 1t was calet). OF ne
who lett heir Ind partially cleared rebound
ed to some ody' benefit ii not their Owo.
we should ever succeed IN Overlooking To
market for maple sugar, there seems to be n
good reason why the poorer grades nigh
not he T. iued, and thus obtain ready MAJ
ket. Perhe ps ere is no brancn OF armIn
IN which mpre improvement has been mad
within the last thirty OF forty years than
the man, facture OF maple sugar and ther
Is probably nOIe in regard to " hich there
more general ignorance among people VIII
do not live where it Is made. l will u,
vOuch for the truth Of the story OF the ina
who, on immigratng to Vermont, though
that be would follow sugarng the yea
round MS he had heard that 1t WIS profit;
bic buslness. But only a few days ago
heard OF two intelligent men within tt
limits of New England who had ID warm di
pute whether maple sugar WAS maize IN Il
TALL or sDring and referred it t. II Vermont
for decision. How many pounds Of sug;
can you make from a cord of maple wood
is also a, authentic question.
If the popular writers of the day alluC
to the subject at ALL the reference Is invar
ably to the primitive style of its nanula
ture whether it is found in book MA 9
zine, or newspaper, or a juvenile, and If t
cravings are introduced TO Illustrate, Il
are always of the same character. Wheth
this is because improvements eliminate t
poetry and romance, or because the su nJe
is not considered of sufficient importance
demand a thorough examination, | am IN
bic to say; but let one who has used t
modern improvements of the most approx
pattern go back to tie mode Of our father
let him have the caldron kettle, the pota
kettle, the FIVE pail nd three pail ket
hung on poles, and watch them by day a
night, with nothing to shelter him from
let the wind blow and fill the boiling s
with ashes and dust and HIS eyes wi
smoke, and let him mount his snow-sht
and bring in all his sap to the - boili
place upon his back, and if he finds poet
IN it, think that he will say ! prefer pr
hereafter.
Our best works of reference seem TO ia
gone back halt century to obtain the
formation which they give on this :,
ject. Appleton's New American Cyclopn1
which is considered to be the best and III
complete work OF the kind IN existence, a
which prIdes itself upon being UP with
times in all the latest Improvements, has
following article on maple sugar:
The manufacture " OF maple sugar
stated to have originated in New Engla
about the year 1852 1t thence extern
throughout the wooded portions Of the co
try where the sugar maple sbounds, parti
larry in the northeastern States, New "
Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio. and
the range of the Alleghanies further sou
1t is carried on in canada by both VIII
and Indians The tree is found in gIO
called sugar orchards, associated with s
terIng birch or other hard wood garie
where the soil is good.
At the proper season, usually in Febru
or March, when the days begin to z
warmer and the nights are frosty, the st
makers resort to the woods, taking ,
them the few utensils they require, sue
large iron kettles, three-tOurths inch aug
casks, buckets, and axes. They const
rough sheds over the boiling places, al
need be, others for their accommodate
Small open troughs followed out of
have been already prepared and distrib
near the trees. WITH the augers they
two holes ID each tree few inches ar
about two feet above Il e ground, taking
net to ptIerra more Than half an inch
The VII t. wo. d. 10 the holes they intro,
spIl pieces # cider II, N which the phi
Iemov, TO max channel for the 81,
fw. Though this it gradually dips
eollsets in the trough below to reeeiv