Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-05-01
MAPLE SUGAR MAKERS.
THE SUGAR CAMP YEARS AGO AND
AT PRESENT.
Old And New Processes Described
BackWOOds Fun i'm Former Times
Curious Things About sap.

A New York commission merchant
said to Times reporter: "The art of
making maple sugar has greatly i'm
proved everywhere within the past few
years. In the early days tapping a
maple tree was simply the cutting in it
with an axe, foot and half above the
ground, asloping notch three inches deep
at the bottom, which was scooped out
into miniature trough. AS the notch
filled with sap it was ladled out. BY
this means of procuring the sap much of
it was wasted, and then the augur hole
and the hollow piece of elder came into
use. 1t is not many years ago since any
one walking through a sugar bush in the
sap-running season could see the sap
dripping through these elder tubes into
rude troughs made by following out
with an axe piece of log split in half,
and holding three or four gallons. In
the sap dead flies, bees, leaves, and
twigs were always to be seen floating,
and in the removal of these more or less
sap was wasted. In the days of the
elder and the wooden trough, the sap
was carried to the old time boiling
kettles, which were usually the ones used
in the periodical soap-makings. These
were hung over fires built on the ground
and thus the sap while boiling was ex-
posed again to all kinds of foreign sub
stances. The manner of hanging these
kettles was peculiar, and | know of
many old farmers who make sugar
simply for their own household use who
stick to the old crane and kettle still
In hanging kettle tall, slim tree
would be selected and cut
four or five five feet from the
ground. 1t was then trimmed of its
branches and hole bored through its
butt end large enough to admit strong
wooden pin. This pin was then driven
into the top of the stump and the trunk
of the tree could be swung around at
will. The kettle was hung on this crane
over the fire, and, when it was necessary,
was swung aside to make it convenient
for further operations. The sap was
carried in from the trees in pals, borne
by Jokes across the shoulders not only
of rustic SWANS but maidens as we'll, for
sugar making in the old days was gala
time and always looked forward to with
JOY by young and old, although it meant
weeks of the hardest drudgery.
THE sugar camp was the place for
love making and all kinds of backwoods
fun. Then, more than under the present
system, it was frequently necessary, when
the sap was running free, to boil all
night. The grove, lighted up by many
6res and peopled with many fitting forms
of merry girls and lusty farm lads, pre-
sented a picturesque scene On such
occasion the country fiddler added the
charm of his presence, and every moment
that could be snatched from attention
to tree and kettle was spent in hilarious
devotion to dances whose graceful figures
have long since been forgotten. 1t was
very important to keep close watch on
the boiling kettles, for the sap was liable
to boil over Sometimes, even by the
most violent and persistent stirring of
the seething sweetness, the watcher was
not able to stay this inclination, and in
such emergencies piece of fat pork was
always kept handy to throw into the ris.
ing sap. This would instantly allay the
trouble in the kettle by breaking the
rapidly forming bubbles by some action
which never quite understood.
'It would not do to leave the sap long
without stirring, for there was danger
Of scorching and certainty of its getting
too thick. The work of stirring large
kettle could only be done by strong
person, and he required frequent relief.
There was always some one of long ex.
pe.ience in sugar making, generally a
woman, who was the tester of a camp.
She went from kettle to kettle, carrying
gourd dipper half full of sap or water.
Dipping a spoonful of the boiling syrup
from kettle she threw it in the gourd
and judged by its action whether it had
reached the granting stage, or that APP
proach to it when the fires should be
lowered. if not extinquished. When all
was ready the syrup was turned off and
the sugar run into well-greased pans,
cups, bowls and dishes of all shapes and
sizes.
'But sugar camp nowadays, while it
Is cheerful and hospitable place to visit,
is vastly different from what it was in
our grandfathers' days. There is nc
more boxing of trees, the elder stick has
disappeared, and the wooden trough is
never found in well-regulated sugar
bush. A small metal Spite driven into q
small auger hole now conducts the SAP
into tightly covered tin buckets There
are no insects or dirt to be taken from
the sap when it is carried to the evap.
Grating pans, and none is wasted. The
evaporating pan, which has taken the
place of the old kettle, is broad, shall
low pan, built in an arched furnace, and
sheltered by close building. The SAP
flows in at one end of the pan and fol.
lows devious burrows or passages in the
bottom of the pan. By the time it reaches
the end of these the sugar has been de
posted and the sap flows out at the lower
end of the pan as maple syrup. Wher
this cools it is placed in the pan again,
after straining, and beaten eggs and
milk added to it. The heat is gradually
increased, and the eggs and milk thicker
and collect the impurities, and all rise t.
the surface, when they are readily re
moved in a body. When this syrup run'
off the process of 'sugaring off is com
pleted, and the sugar is simply placed
i'll molds and is ready for market.
'"There are many curious things about
sap. 1t will not run freely unless Their
are mingled conditions of heat, cold anC
hShI. Oup luhS D6SJ Will Il Sllll, uTy
dense atmosphere, and when there is
north or west wind. A frozen soil
thawing through the day and hardenin,
again at night, and plenty of snow il
the woods makes the best weather TO
sap. The more oxygen there is in tn
air the better sap will run. If ther
comes a heavy snowstorm during sa
weather, with freeze following it, an,
then thaw, the sugar maker may expec
the best possible run of sap. Trees do no