The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1883-03-10
The Maple free and ~, SUGAR.

The Maple Tree and Its Sugar.
Although the maple product amounts
to only about two per cent. of the entire
consumption of sugar in this country, it
is yet an important item. The recent
census figures are not yet made up, but
the previous census reported some thirty
million pounds, of which 30 per cent.
was credited to Vermont; 244 per cent.
to New York; IL to Ohio; to Indiana.
q to the Vlrginias; l. to Wisconsin
(since largely increased), and Ii per
cent. to Massachusetts. This product
IS mainly obtained from the sugar maple
(Acersaccharinum), also the rock maple.
which grows chiefly in the northern and
middle states east of the Mississippi
River. The sugar maple is most valua-
bic tree, not only for its sugar product,
but as fuel it approaches hickory, and
is the best of all woods for charcoal.
Its hardness and frequently curled grain
admirably adapt it to cabinet work. It
is also beautiful shade tree for the
street border, and for some fields and
lawns. A sugar maple grove adds great
ly to the value of any farm, and multi
tudes of farmers should plant one for
their own enjoyment in later years. and
for their children.
The saccharlne matter is stored in the
tree in the form of insoluble starch.
which is changed to soluble sugar when
the sap flows after the winters frost,
and is by it distributed to the twigs, and
to the leaves when they develop, and to
all parts of the tree where growth is to
Na a., e
warm day following a freezing night.
Inserting tube near the base arrests
and draws off portion of the circulat-
ing sap. This, caught in rude wooden
troughs, or in pals or buckets, is boiled
down sufficiently to drive off large por-
ton of the water. The syrup is left to
cool, and the sugar crystalizes, differing
from the southern cane sugar only III its
peculiarly pleasant flavor, which is al
most universally liked, and gives it
ready sale.
Any boiling vessel will answer, from
an iron pot, or kettle on the stove, for a
small quantity, up to the immense cauld-
ron, set on stone, or brick masonry, or
hung on pole, supported by stakes,
with fire built around it On the bare
ground. The improved boilers are
shallow pans having a large evaporating
surface. Successive portions of fresh
sap are added until there is sufficient
concentrated to "sugar off,. The fire is
then slackened, and the syrup constant
ly stirred to prevent its burning. When
so thick that a little of it, cooled on a
spoon, or the end of a stick, takes a hard
waxy form, little brittle, the fire is re-
moved, and the crystallizing takes place
on cooling. If the sap has not been
kept perfectly clean, the boiled syrup is
strained through a thick linen cloth be-
fore the final concentration.
AS ordinarily made, maple sugar is
quite brown. If the flowing sap is col
lected III clean covered vessels, and no
leaves, or dust, or other foreign sub
stances are allowed to get into it through
the entire process, the sugar will be al
most as white as the common "refued"
cane product. Half-inch augur holes in
the trees, with galvanized-iron spouts 10
tit-one for small trees, and two or three
for large trees-are much preferable to
wooden spouts, as they injure the tree
far less.-An1erican AgriculturiSt.