Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-09-20

Il AOOAas
.Iis expected in this industry. In som
parts of the state metallic spnuls bay
been used for some Years and were sup
posed to be great improvement on tn
J old homemade wooden ones. They are
indeed, very convenient and nice, but TO
year or two plst have heard complain
being made that they were iniuring tn
trees, causing them to rot both above ant
below the hole made in tapping, and SOM
are discarGing them for wooden ones
With whatever spout is used there shoul,
be an attachment for hanging the bucket
as the driving of nails into the trees fo
this purpose will be found as productive
of injury ss the metallic spout. | car
remember of finding, when 4 b1v, tn,
scars made by an inch and It half auger in
tapping that succeeded the aX and the
gauge Tor this purpose, and the size has
been gradually diminishing since unit
now hole one.half inch ia diameter i.
considered large enough, while some say
that as much sap can be obtained from
one smaller even than this. The farmer
who has 4 reasonable care for the life and
vigor of his sugar orchard viii inlure tho
trees as little as possible in tapping. I'm
less with large trees one bucket and one
spout are sufficient. The sap commences
to run the earliest on the south side of the
tree, but continues the longest on the
north side. 1t is claimed by some that
the most and sweetest sap will be obtained
by tapping near the ground. Generally
trees near water will produce large
amount of sap, but it will not be very
sweet. Good second growth NAPLES will
also yield swee,er sap than the original
old growth.
| EVAPoRATING THE SAT-.
find that the beet sugar makers in the
state advise gathering the sap as soon as
possible after it runs and cvaporate down
Immediately, as the longer it remains in
! the buckets or holders the more difficult
it will be to make I fine article of syrup
or sugar. 1t used TO be considered neces-
sary after boiling down to Il thin syrup to
let it stand day or so in order TO settle,
when it could be poured off, leaving the
sediment or impurities in the bottom of
the vessel An egg or milk was then
added, to assist in further cleansing,
causing Il thick and sometimes black scum
to rise to the surface if hands careless or old
| time apparatus were used. If the utensils
are OF the proper kind and in the right con-
dition, Land the sap is gathered, strained and
boiled as described, there is now no neces-
sity for the settling and clean ,ing, but the
operation may continue directly on from
the commencement of the boiling until
the consistency Of syrup, if wanted, or
sugar is reached, with the reasonable ex-
pectation that the quality will be superior
in every respect. OF course the syrup
| will have to be removed from the evapo.
rator to the "sugarng-oif' kettle or ban,
but the process should proceed as soon as
possible thereafter.
MALATE OF LINE.
For few years past considerable has
been said and written about "ntre, :"
sugar sand" or more properly "malate
OF iime,' substance that is found in
greatly varying quantities in different or
chards. In some cases it will form thick,
hard gray scales on the sides of the evap.
orators, and to some extent in the bottom
of the sugaring-of pans. Some, believing
this to be a foreign and unwholesome
substance, have adopted various methods
for removing it. This is done by letting
the syrup stand awhile. when more or less
of the nitre will be precipitatcd and the
syrup can be poured off, leaving the sedi-
ment behind. Others will partly cook the
syrup down to sugar and then strain it
through a wooen cloth, thus removing
this substance, and after which the cook
ing will be completed.
According to analysis maple sugar con.
tains sucrose, or cane sugar, glucose, or
grape sugar, and malic acid, which gives
its peculiar flavor, yet limo is often found
there also, and the maliG acid will in part
combine with the lime, causing sediment
of malato of lime, or sugar sand. OF
course it is not desirable that they COM
binc with each other, and when the sugar
is properly manufactured the obiectiona-
BILE combination is reduced to the mini
mum, and the sugar in excellence of flavor
and appearances commands admiration.
Should there happen to BE- IN excess of
one or the other OF these Ingredient men.
toned the product will not be perfect;
thus, near the close Of the saason there
will be an excess OF glucose AMI the sugar
will be waXy and OF an inferior quality.
As regards the mglatc of lime Il compound
of malic acid and lime, it Is stated upon
good authority that rs 1t is natural in
grediont of the sugar it should not be
removed, and this cannot well be done
without otherwise injuring the color and
quality of the sugar. Neither should it be
in the sugar in a crystulizable form.
Wbnrn thiS iS tha II il ttennllIy 1ry
to some fault in the process of manufac.
turing. Sap boils ut about 2l5 degrees.
When near 27j degrees the malic acid and
lime will combine. To make sugar re-
quires nearly 400 degrees OF heat. When
beyond 325 degrees the maiate of lime is
dissolved. If cooled at 270 or 800 degrees
this substance will then crystalize or form
the sugar sand," rs it is called, and does
not have time or cannot be dissolved
again. To prevent the formation of these
crystals, or sand, there should be no in
terval for cooling from the time of COM
mencing TO boil the sap until syrup or
sugar, as wanted, is reached. II in u
soluble condition in the sugar there will
be no sand or malate perceptible, and
showing that this substance is an integral
part of the sugar, the nice and peculiar
maple flavor so much to be desired will
be retained. This idea may be new to
many, and wish to put it in so plain
light that all may understand.
| have this spring heard Il neighbor re-
mark, in speaking upon this subject, that,
happening to sugar on quantity of
syrup directly after finishing the boiling
of the sap, it was noticeable that there
was none Of the maato percoptible, rs
usual.
At the Woodstock farmers meeting the
past winter there was exhibited some of
the whitest cakod maple sugar ever saw,
and of peculiarly fine flavor. 1t was made
from sap boiled directly down TO sugar.
Nothing Of the maate was discernable in
the taste, but upon analysis it was found
to contain a large per cent OF this sub.
stance. If, as science would seem to indi-
cate, the maic acid and lime are a COM
ponent part of maple sugar and should not
be removed unless, us sometimes may be
the case under certain conditions thew are