Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-03-19
Conditions Affecting the Color and Fla.
VOr of Maple sugar.

The demand for maple sweets as a luxury
ia increa sing, and their price will not be gov
erned by imported sugars. Hence the quail
ty 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 consists OF color aud fla
vor.
There are two classes of causes that gov
ern 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 Union. This fact is not due to
our superior knowledge in its manufacture,
but to causes existing in nature Our geo
graphical 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 local
conditions that help to the same end.
know of one orchard which has local noto-
riety for its very fine products 1t stands on
a soap-stone ledge, and does not produce so
much sap as some Others but it is very sweet
This sap has about 81 per cent. of sugar in
it, while ordinary sap has only per cent
Sugar from this orchard is noted for its pc
culiarly fne flavor. | know of another Or
chard, which is noted for its poor sugar, hav-
| ing dark color, no matter who makes it..
| Merchants who purchase sugar tell me that
those sweets made on high lands and on the
sides of mountains are worth 10 per h.
more than those made on low lands. The
above are some of the natural causes which
help to modify 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
| ~, fullty nd bS.la h.
of the maple so that he may be able to make
nice sugar even with unfavorabe conditions.
| From the best of trees under the best con.
ditons, we can make poor article of sugar,
while from the poorest trees surrounded with
bad conditions We can make good sugar yet
it is not possible to make so foe favored
sugar from the poor tree as from the good
tree. l have made four grades of sugar from
the same tree and on the same day
maple with all other trees) puts its an
nual growth on the outside. In this last
years growth of wood or outside ring
is contained the best sap, which has the inest
flavor. And from this wood, sugar can b,
made as white as snow. Every ring TOWARD
the heart of the tree contains decreasing
grade of sap, growing higher in color, anC
containing less 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 anC
molasses have poor flavor. The darker tn,
sugar is, the poorer is the flavor.
If we bore two inches deep early in thu
season, we shall make a fair grade, because
then most of the sap comes from the quite
wood. As the season advances, the colo
will deepen with loss of flavor, because tn,
sap is coming from an older growth of WOO
nearing the centre, where the wood is darker
the san taking ita color from the wood fhrouol
which it flows. AS we ascend the tree tn
color of the sap increases q am speaking o
the sap wood, which is whlte) together wit
an increased percentage of sugar, and thin
an increase of flavor. Should this last poin
prove true, it would follow that the highe
and shallower We bore, the better the produc
will be- but the less of it, as quantity an
quality do not go together Timothy Vice
err Washington county, ", in Homestead.