Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-28
To Sugar Makers.

In previous article on Maple Sugar Max
ing in the American Agriculturist 1 recon-
mended wooden sap spout, not because [
considered it perfect thing, but because it
was, on the whole, better than any metallic
one had then seen. l find four or FIVE kinds
are used in Vermont, but only one appears to
me, on the whole, preferable to the wooden
ones which are In general use here. That
one is Posts Patent Eureka Sap-Spout and
Bucket Hanger improved 1870 aud 1871.
1t is made of cast-iron, galvanized so that it
will not rust, and will last a generation.
Since it is metallic, it is not liable to sour as
wood is. 1t is held into the tree by three
thin fanges" entering about half an inch,
while hemispherical surface "hugs against
the outer edge of the hole. The " fanges
are about as thick as the back of an ordina-
ry table knife, aud 80 stop very few pores
while the hemisphere stops none at all. The
old d" elder quill" as it was commonly sharp.
ened, stopped all the pores for the first half
inch, aud these are the very ones that yield
the most sap. Then too, the hole in the Eu-
reka by which the sap leaves the tree, is at
the very bottom of the auger hole. But all
ether spouts, wooden or metallic, which enter
the auger hole in the tree at all, have their
holes in the centers and as the spout is usual
y inclined downward, and driven in nearly
an inch, this hole is brought above the mid.
die Of the auger hole. This dams up little
sap and leaves it there, constantly TO freeze
or to sour The shape of the Eureka exter-
nally, ordinarily prevents the sap freezing
up, or if it does freeze the amount is SO
small that it thaws in very few moments
on the open metallic surface. But the spouts
in use here often freeze solid the whole length
Of the bore +; and as this ice is surrounded by
wood, bad conductor of heat, it does not
thaw so that the sap can run until two or
three hours after it would otherwise begin to
flow 1t is claimed that as no sap is left in
the hole to sour or gum up the pores the
holes will not need roaming as when the
wooden spout is used and that as no pores
are stopped by the spout itself you will get
more sap with this spout without roaming
than with the wooden ones by roaming. And
my experience the past season with thirteen
hundred and fifty Of the Eurekas, convinces
me these are facts. The open sheet iron, or
tin spouts are very Objectionable for several
reasons. In driving them, (unless very care
full they cut through the bark into the wood,
causing great waste of sap by leakage.
And being open the air is admitted in the
bore which soon dries over the pores and
stops the flow This necessitates roaming or
reboring They also catch much water that
runs down upon the surface of the tree in a
storm which not only darkens the sap, but has
to be boiled out, which materially Injuries the
sugar. In the peculiar construction Of the
Eureka these objections are entirely overcome
Its simple arrangement for hanging the buck.
ct, so convenient and ingeniously applied
does away with the nail so commonly used
and injurious to the tree. The Eureka cost
a good deal, but they are the thing. They
VILLAS life time aud on the whole, they
are the cheapest spouts made. Good thing,
always cost. These spouts are monufactur
ed and sold by the inventor, G, G. Post
Burlington, Vt.-Cor. Am. Agricmltwist,