Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-09-20
The Maple SUGAR Industry Of Vermont.

Less tuan One per cent OF tne sugar con
sumed in the United States is said to b,
made from the maple, and nearly one.hal
of this is the product of Vermont. From
this it will he seen that maple sugar can.
not come in competition TO any exten
with that made from the cane. Outside
nf the limited areas where made this pro
duct must, in Il great measure, be an
article of luxury rather than of necessity
Nor is it likely that there will be ANY
material increase in its production, unles.
particular pains should be taken to en-.
courage the growth of of the sugar maple.
which will not probably be done to any
great extent, ut least for the present. In
stead, there appears to be an inclination
on the part of some to sacrifice future
prospects for present gain, rs is indicated
in the cutting down of IN occasional or.
chard for timber and wood. There is but
little of the country in Vermont and New
Hampshire that is comparatively new, and
in most of this territory the naples have
either been reserved for sugar or cut down
Ia some parts of the west the maple will
flourish, but there appears to be something
in the season and climate detrimental to
the production of sap. This is not so in
Vermont, indeed our winter and spring
conduce to this very object, the transition
from cold to warm weather being so grad.
ual and long continued rs to afford the
proper medium for the sugar season.
1t may appear strange to some, yet it is
nevertheless true, that we do not make
enough maple sugar in the state for our
own wants. Less than 100000 lbs.
were produced according to our last cen.
sus. The yield of 1881 was considerably
larger, but this was an exceptionally good
season, much better than that of 1882
promises to be. 1t would require some
13,O00,000 lbs or 40 lbs for each inhab-
itanl, for our own wants.
EARLY HISTORY, ETC.
The manufacture of maple sugar in
Vermont must date back to its settlement
by white people and may have been car
ried on to very limited extent by the
Indians in some parts of the state. 1t is
probable that the amount made for a
considerable time was smaN while the
process of manufacture was of the SIM
plest and most inexpensive kind. There
are still some who will remember the old
primitive style of tapping, per lormcd with
Il gouge and ak, leaving fearful scars on
the trees, the wooden troughs, the great
log holders and the old potash kettles used
tor boiling the sap. These appliances
were the best and only ones the people
then had, and it must have required a
great deal of time, labor and patience to
make this necessary article for domestic
use, and extreme care to have secured an
average fair quality. A great improve.
ment has been made in the manufacture
Of maple sugar within the last ten or fif-
teen years, and although much of an
inferior quality is still to be found, the
result either of carelessness or improper
methods of manufacturing, the larger part
is excellent in character and samples of
tub, cake and granuated sugar are often
to he met with of the very finest quality,
and comparing most favorably with the
cane product in regard to color, clearness
and texture, in these respects good
enough for most all of the purposes of
domestic use.
CARE OF THE SUGAR ORCHARD.
As most of these are already located,
nothing need be said in this respect. al.
though it is TO be regretted that in too
many instances very bad choice was
made, 1t did not seem to appear to the
early settlers of the state that the sugar
orchard was to bo of much consequence,
hence the selection of location was often
bad. If Tue Importance of this industry in
the future could have been toreseen and
suitably provided for in this respect, a
much larger amount Of sugar could now
be produced and at less expense of time
and labor. Those having conveniently
located sugar orchards on moderately
elevated and accessible ground, we'll
stacked with naples, should consider them
very valuable portions of the farm and
take the best care of them. Those not
surrounded by forests generally do the
ocst, and the naples should have plenty
of room. lftoo much crowded with other
lrees these should be sufficiently thinned
ou;. would by no means allow ever
green trees TO remain in sugar orchard,
never in close proximity, unless it was
for The purpose of belt or screen on
sides too much exposed to cold winds.
The first. or old growth of naples, is
rapidly falling or dying out, and usually
each year some need TO be removed. This
roqnires much care in order that the 9th
ers, and especially the smallest ones which
it Is - necessary to protect, should not be
injured ~ DESTROYED. Sometimes stock
will injure It sugar orchard and prevent
the increase of young trees, and where
this is of serious nature the lot had bet
ter be fenced off by itself.
App,p,rIc ANN Apprr,NCEc rop ,I,NIr
FEATURING.
When Il farmer has good orchard and
intends to make something of speciality
in the manufacture of sugar, it will pay
to have proper arrangements for the pur-
pose. If possible the sugar house should
be located so as to admit of the sap run
ming directly from the gathering tub into
the vat or receiver. 1t is now quite GUS
tomary to have these vats of sufficient Ca
pacity to hold nearly or quite an entire
gathering of sap, and being placed at such
4 height u, to allow 1t to ruu directly into
the pan or evaporator as wanted. This
method saves much labor, and some waste
in the handling of the sap. These watts
need to be strongly and substantially
made, either from pine two-inch plank,
well put together, or if the lumber is not
of the best, be lined with tin. A solid
foundation must also be secured for the
arch in order that it may not be atfecte by
the frost and cause annoyance and trouble
before the season is finished. The wood
for boiling must be dry but need not be of
the best quality. Hemlock is about as
good as any for this purpose, although
little hard wood mixed along with it will
work well. Spruce must also make an
excellent fuel. 1t is probably better not
TO leave the wood in the room where the
boiling is done, but it should be we'll
and conveniently at hand. The
improved cvaporators and pans. usually
furnished with some kind of heating ap-
paratus, TO supply the heat and facilitate
the process o, boiling, are most commonly
used by farmers. Either of these arrange.
ments are excellent for the purpose, al.
though with the first the sap is not boiled
for so long time before being drawn off
as syrup, which is probably an advantage,
With the eVaporators is handy little in-
strument known as the governor, which
regulates the flow of sap into the pan very
nicely and shuts it off when n certain
height is reached as the fire goes down.
The sap should fall through cloth
straincr rs 1t runs into the vat and another
Of tin previous to entering the evaporator