Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-03-26
farm Copies.
CONDITIONS
AFFECTING THE COLOR AND FLAVOR OF
MAPLE SUGAR.


The demand for maple sweets as a lux
ury is increasing, and their price will not
be governed by imported sugars. Hence
the quality of our goods must be looked
after SO far as is possible. in order that
the highest prices may be obtained. for
quality governs the price. Quality con-
sists of color and flavor.
There are two classes of causes that
govern the color and flavor of our sweets
one is natural. and hence not under our
control. while the other is wholly at our
command. Vermont has the reputation
of producing the finest favored sugar
and molasSeS of any State in the / Mon.
This fact is not due to our superior
knowledge in its manufacture, but to
causes existing in nature. Our geogra
phical location and climatic conditions
are peculiarly favorable for the sugar
maple. The above are general conditions
applicable to the State.
In addition to this. there are many To-
cal conditions that help to the same end
know of one orchard which has Il local
notoriety for its very fine products. 1t
stands on Il soap-Stone ledge, and does
not produce so much sap as some others,
but it is very sweet This sap has about
> - per cent. of sugar in it, while ordi-
nary sap has only 3 per cent. Sugar
from this orchard is noted for its pecu-
larly fine flavor. know of another or
chard, which is noted for its poor sugar,
having a dark color, no matter who
makes it. Merchants who purchase sug-
ar tell me that those sweets made on high
lands and on the sides of mountains are
worth ! IL C per Id. more than those
made on low lands. The above are some
of the natural causes which help to modi-
fly the article.
1t appears, then, that in some instances,
nature gives us all grades of sap, from
the best to the poorest. Every sugar
maker ought to fully understand the whole
makeup of the maple so that he may be
able to make nice sugar even with I'M
favorable conditions. From the best of
trees, under the best conditions, we can
make poor article of sugar. while from
the poorest trees surrounded with bad
conditions we can make good sugar, vet
it is not possible to make so fine favored
sugar from the poor tree as from the
good tree. | have made four grades of
sugar from the same tree and on the sam
day.
\ maple with all other trees puts it,
annual growth on the outside. In this
last years growth of wood, or outside
ring, is contained the best sap, which has
the finest flavor. And from this wood
sugar can be made as white as snow
Every ring toward the heart of the tree
contains decreasing grade of sap, grow
ing higher in color, and containing les,
sugar with poorer flavor. 1t appears
then, that the shallower We bore, the
whittier the sugar and the finer the flavor
Color governs flavor. All dark sugar
and moasses have poor flavor. The
darker the sugar is, the poorer is the
flavor.
If we bore two inches deep early il
the season, we shall make fair grade
because then most of the sap comes from
the outer wood. As the season advances
the color will deepen with Il loss of flavol
because the sap is coming from an oldel
growth of wood nearing the center
where the wood is darker, the sap taking
its color from the wood through which
it flows. As we ascend the tree, the col
or of the sap increases q am speaking Of
the sap wood, which is white), together
p with an increased percentage of sugar