Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-03-24
The sugar camp.

The storage of sap has always been a
very perplexlng question from the fact
that leaksge is the serious fault with nearly
every variety of tank made of wood. The
vat has many objections not only from itS
size, but the liability of the plank SHRINK
ing and warplng and about half the work
of the first run is to caulk the storage. I'm
our camp we have a 17-barrel tub, made
of slaves, but the swelling and shrinking
is q very open objection, and always will
be. The underground cistern, while very
cheap and permanent, has this against it,
that the sap has to be pumped up, involv-
ing much extra labor.
With evaporators comes demand for q
continuous flow of sap from the storage,
which In this case hes to be placed few
inches from the top of the evaporator, and
all lifting sap is thus avoided. The occa-
sional filling OF the pans and consequent
coeling of the sap retards the boiling, and
is no benefit to the quality Of the product
All things considered, the galvanized iron
tank, made in circular form, with diam
eter of about five feet and about the same
height, is the most durable, satisfactory
and economical tank. If properly cared
for and kept from rusting, such a tank,
costing about 81 per barrel, will last tor
years, and will not leak, which is a source
of comfort at least.
The gathering tank can be made of wood
or iron; either will do, as the former can
easily have its hoops frightened in a moment.
In either case the size should not exceed
100 gallons. The height should not exceed
three feet, and the upper head should be
set down six inches inside the chimes A
hole can then be cut in the center of the
head, and the use of a funnel will thus be
dispensed with; conical strainer can be
inserted, and the leaves, etc., will thus be
prevented from getting into the sap. To
unload-the sugar house should be built
on a side hill so as TO have everything
''work down hill" TO prevent lIfting-the
'dump" should be so high that the bottom
of the gathering tank will be higher than
the storage, and the unloading can then be
done expedItiously by the agency of a short
piece Of half-inch hose. In the top of the
storage should be placed box filter into
which the end Of the hose can be put, and
when the sap is emptied from the gather
ing tank it is delivered about as pure as
possible.
No article pays better return for the
outlay than heater which passes the sap
from the storage to the evaporator in
boiling state, and thus the transferring OF
the sap from one TO another rather hastens
the operation. There are many devices
for this purpose, but The most simple con-
trivance. aud fully as satisfactory as any,
is to take one and half inch gas pipe suf-
ticiently long TO extend through the length
of the arch and prOtrude at each end. If
the arch is made as we described, the pipe
can lay on the upper course of brick near
the edge of the pan and will be out of the
way OF the wood One end can be con-
nected TO the storage by a short piece of
hose, with the aid of q couple Of angle
couples and a short piece of similar pipe to
hook over the edSe of the pan. A wooden
faucet will regulate the quantity of sap.
The whole will cost perhaps 81, and will
do splendid service When the storage il
empty, detach the hose from lie pipe, 60
round 10 the other end of the arch, pull the
pipe out and lay it aside until again want
ed. AS the pipe holds a quantity of sap,
and a half Inch stream is probably all that
can be boiled, it will be readily seen that
the sap comes into the evaporator boiling
hot.
Our experience is never to use but one
spout to a bucket, and never tap over.
When sugaring is about half over, pull the
spout out, ana when the next run comes,
tap the tree on the other side. III the tree
is large one, and carries two buckets,
bore the new hole foot or two away, and
we give it our opinion that tho result will
be fully as satisfactory as to use two spouts,
aud trimming over the holes occasionally.
Lastly, all things being equal, a good
wooden spout is as good as tin one, but
the tin one being lighter, easier kept clean,
and in other ways quite as good, get tin
ones, and still more lastly, wash out your
buckets, whether tin or wood, at least
twice during the sugar season, with lime
water.