Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-07
For the VERMONT FARMER
THE PASSuMPSIC FARMERS CLUB
ON SUGAR MAKING,
R. RIsLEY.

l have been particularly interested in the
remarks Of Loren Kinne, and others of the
above named club, on the science of sugar
making. Some of them say they have used
heater, which is great saving of wood,
and j. Dow says, "they will pay for them.
selves in one year. Now will some one an.
swer some or all of the following queries, in
the FARMER. Who makes them, or where
are they for sale7 What do they cost ?
What would it cost to put one in a common
arch; aud how can they be managed while
syruping down; must they be filed with wa
ter or can they DO taken Off think if
they are success (all new inventions are
not) it would be of benefit to the public to
know more about them. l have carried on
and made sugar in one sugar place the past
thirty-6ve years in successor aud have fallen
into habits and formed notions different from
any one else, perhaps. Suppose l tell your
readers some of my practices and why.
have a small sugar place, tap only some
$50 trees; sometimes make four pounds and
more to the tree, and the average fos
past years has been between three and four
pounds. Now for my particular notions in
doing it. Use wooden buckets, except lit
tie experimenting last year with tin buckets
and patent spouts and hangers none of which
were very satisfactory. Think with Passump-
sic farmers, that tin buckets sour quicker
than wood, because in fair weather the sun
heats them more and warns the sap. My
patent spouts nearly all leaked, but, perhaps,
with little more skill in using them, this
may be avoided, but the patent pendulum
hangers l condem entirely, admit a tin
bucket will wave and fash the sunlight beau.
tifully in windy day as long as they hang
on. but think when the object is to save sap
bucket nail far the best. Gathering buck.
cts is the 6rst business after sugaring. l
draw them to my dwelling house, wash and
scald them, and when dry pack them in al
clubhouse; never left them in my sugar
house but one year, and then they were badly
worm-eaten and very damp, and when ex.
posed to the spring sun and winds leak ed
badly. My sugar place being near. it takes
only about two hours TO take them from piles
in different parts Of the sugar place to the
house, or vice versa, besides having then
where they can be washed again and made
ready for use the day sap begins to run, aud
ready. Bought two and a half sheet pan
some thirty-two years ago, the first eveI
saw or heard of, aud have boiled nearly al
my sap in it since, and it is nearly as gooc
as new, now. Don't keep it in the wood
only through sugaring. Have learned BY
experience, that difference in wool makes
great difference in evaporating sap. Us,
nothing but old stuff hemlock, spruce, anC
bssswood when it can be had have it cut il
the spring and stood up endWise in smal
piles until dry time in the summer
want the very dryest of the season when
draw it and put it under shelter at, and il
the sugar house. Rotten wood prepared il
this way, will boil sap and not I'll up the arcl
with Goals. Tap mostly with inch bit anc
always 3 to 4 inches deep if find that deptt
Of live timber. To those that eritieise thii
method let me say that have done this way
nearly thirty years and have seen no damage
resulting frOm it, but contrAriWise, have haC
plenty Of sugar, and to sell, while some o
my neighbors, who used to be 80 saving o
their trees, for their heirs, that they had I,
buy sugar themselves, have been Obliged t,
leave their farms to strangers, while hav'
only intended to use mine for the especiA
benefit of the present generation, have beel
enabled to stay, and my sugar place has in
creased from $50 to $50 trees, and hundred
more coming on. Do not think the size o
the auger makes much difference with th
flow Of sap, but think the number OF grain
cut through makes great difference. Us
mostly pine plug spout with hole thrOugl
the center; spout sharpsned rather abruptly
30 they would hold mostly in tho bark. Hav
experimental with iron and tin sPouts. bu
my trees dry up too soon when the incisioI
is exposed to air and sun. Gather my sal
mostly with Canada rig, which consists o
large hand-sled with fat runners, some tel
inches wide, and light tub that will hOl,
seven pals. Now, don't claim this to b.
the best way sap can be gathered, but do say
boy not big enough to do much else, viii
gather sap faster than two men and team