Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-07
Reported for the VERMONT FARMER.
PASSUMPSIC FARMERS CLUB.

FASSuMPSlC tAHMERS' CLUB.
Subject of Discussion Feb. q, "suUnr-
making.
Loren Kline: The secret of making good
sugar is having everything about the manu-
facture clean and sweet. Buckets, holders,
and pans should all be thoroughly cleaned,
and with proper care first class article can
he made. A neighbor wished me to stir of
some sugar for him that he might learn how
to do it. | went to the neighbours place, but
before got within twenty rods of his sugar
house, had found out why he could moi
make good sugar. His buckets were sour
and II was impossible to make good sugar
with sap gathered from such buckets. In
putting up my buckets 1 wash them in lime
water and rinse them well in boiling water
used to tap with n three-fourths inch bit
but now use one-half inch; prefer the latter
Generally bore three-fourths inch deep.
use about one load of wood to 100 lbs O.
sugar Have no heaters. only common shec
iron pans Strain syrup through flame
strainer; sugar off at once if have time, i
not, rs soon as possible; do not use milk OIL
any thing else for cleansing sugar; use tir
spouts mostly. Two pounds to a tree is q
fair average yield. Hard work to make SUI.
gar for man and teams Hardly think if
had no sugar house or fixtures that should
invest in that direction. Used to take pans
off ut night; now strain and last thing nj
night fill up pans, and let them boil what
they will, which will be about half the
amount in the pans. Formerly thought this
would color the sugar, but do not think SC
now.
q. w. Felch Agree with Mr.. Kline that
everything should be clean and sweet
about sugar place. The ottener you gather
the sap and the sooner it is got into sugar the
better. The best ever made was sugared
off the same day 1t was boiled. Use one-hali
inch bit; deep boring Injuries the trees more
than shallow. Two to two and half pounds
are average yields. Think it pays well tc
make sugar.
r. p. Harvey: l think that heater as
they are called is great saving of wood
have made from 800 To 1900 pounds from 50C
trees. Sap comes drop at time just like
the farmers income. Save the drops. Il
pays every farmer to make his sugar, ans
produce everything possible that he con
sumes. Let us see this year how much WOOD
we burn and how many days labor we ex
pend, and we shall then know whether il
pays TO make sugar. Bought copper wire
strainer, and did not like it. did not have
good luck stirring of sugar. A neighbor's
boy showed me how his father did it, | car
make rs good now as any one. Better pay
ten dollars to n good sugar maker for hi
skill than to make poor sugar, as too many
do. Like to have the hest of dry, hard wooC
for sugaring of. Great care is needed t.
have it just right to stir; done too much it i,
dry and sandy, and flavor injured; not don,
enough 1t is damp and heavy.
Peter Lindsey Have only 1886 trees, anC
make from 300 TO $50 pounds of sugar yearly
Pick up poor wood that would not be useC
any other way, which is done when W.
should be doing little else. Think sugal
making well managed must pay we'll.
Rev. j. w. Buzzell: Sugar Is one of Cod
blessings to man. Chemistry tells us that SUI
gar is white. The coloring matter is carbon
The great point to be attained is to get rid o
this carbon in sugar making. This carries
me back to my boyhood when the five-pai
kettle hanging upon pole between two
large logs was the way we done It. Any
amount of Goals and ashes would get into tn,
sap while boiling; black sugar the result
Next came the arch with iron pans; qualit,
OF sugar improved by the change; u grea
saving of wood also. Now we hear of heat
ers and evaporators, another step in advance
both in quality of sugar and saving of fuel
Second growth trees having short bodies anC
large tops, growing mainly in the open fields
will yield nearly double the amount of sal
| that can be obtained from trees in their pri
| meval state. The man who cuts down hi
sugar place is inficting an injury upon his pos
terity and his country, unless he allows som'
other portions of his farm to grow up to WOO,
again. The present system of manufactur
ing sugar compared with 40 or so years ago
is only another fact going to prove that tn
farmers are awake to their own interests
and will never again use the iive-pail KEITH
and sap-yokc, and kindred implements il
their farming operations. Plant the mapl
upon your rugged hillsides, and posterity will
bless your labors.
j. Morrison The wood is an importan
item in sugar making. Have had tire,
arches; the last | laid myself which is
great saver of wood over the others. Instea,
of filling up the space under the back pan h
six or eight inches, let il be left level wit
the front arch, and the entrance into tn
chimney should be some six or eight inche
lower than the bottom Of the pan. The blaz
will strike these distractions throwing tn
heat under the pan instead ofpassing direct
ont and up the chimney, making the top G
it the hottest place in your whole arch
Heaters save one-fourth of the wood, at least
think sugar making pays well, l use oil
fence stuff for wood that is worth little 70
anything else,
j. bow; | had on my farm In Waterfor
n good rigging for boiling sap. Heater
back of the pans into which the sap was pu
and kept boiling and running into the par
in front. What heat You get under you