The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-02-12

Canadian maple sugar makers export a
large amount of their production to the
United States every year, and it is esti-
mated that fully 2,000,000 pounds of the
product of the maple orchards of the
Dominion have been shipped to Ameri-
can markets during the past season.
For the year ending June Both, 1890,
the importatiOns of Canadian mad e
sugar into this country were 2.273, 1924
pounds, valued at $l04,256, which is a
valuation of about A cents per pound.
The amount received at the port of Chi
cagO alone that year was $50, 900 pounds.
There is no duty imposed by the
United States Government ON imports of
foreign made maple sugar, hence the
sugar producers in this country are
Obliged to compete with cheap methods
and cheap labor employed in its manu-
facture across the line. Much of the pro-
duct of Canadian sugar bushes is made
in the Old-fashioned way, the potash ket-
tie not having been displaced to any
great extent by the modern evaporator.
Considerable sugar, however, is made in
the eastern townships by the evaporation
process.
1t is estimated that fully 10000, 900
pounds of sugar was produced in New
England in 1891. VermOnt's production
alone being l7.0O0,OOO pounds. Probably
the home market took One-half of this
amount, leaving the balance for Western
and Southern markets. Vermont pro-
ducers have the reputation among con-
sumers everywhere of making as fine a
quality of sugar as is manufactured any
where in the country, and the market
for their production extends to the Pa
cific slope, with constantly growing de-
msnd. The shipment of maple sugar
and strip from Vermont to the West has
been less than usual the past year, and
there is quite large amUut, in the ag-
gregate, in the hands of producers aud
dealers in this State.
The Boston Journals correspondent,
after careful investigation of the subject
has ascertained that the greater portion
of the importation undergOes the pro-
cess of relnelting and alulterati0n, and
il then placed ON the markrtas the genu-
inc Vermont article. This fOreign-made
sugar is bought almost exclusively by
Western parties. The product of Cana
dian naples has stronger flavor and is
darker in color than that produced from
Vermont maple sap, making it better for
purposes of adulteration. The low price
for which this foreign sugar can be
bought is another point in favor 0f the
Canadian producer. Vermont sugar has
a finer flavor, is lighter IN color and finer
grained than that mlJe across the bor-
der, and it commands higher price.
Hence the foreign article finds ready
sale in the wild and woody" West,
where it is "rehned" by enterprising
firms for the home market. The West
ern "pioducer'; of pure Vermont ma
pie sugar" advertises his goods az put
up by the ''Belvidere Canning Com
pany," or uses the name of some Yer
mont town for a trade mark for his pack
ages. In order tO convince the unsO-
phisticated Westerner that the goods are
genuine the dealer resorts to various sub
terfuges, the fav0rite one being t0 wrap
up the package in back numbers of Yer
mont newspapers.
1t is said that the proportion of maple
sugar tO other Substances used in the
Tenelting and refining" process is one
pound u five-or. in other words, that
five pounds of w"sugar is made from
one pound of old, the additional four
pounds weight consisting of glucose and
cheap grade OF cane sugar. GRADUATED
sugar is sometimes USED. Thus it is
made possible by this practice tn pro-
duce annually from 100000 to IL, 900, 900
pounds of bogus maple sugar and strip
from sugar bought in the Dominion. The
New England farmers consequently lose
the sale of this amount of sugar aunu-
ally in addition t. suffering adeprecia-
ton in the market value of their produc
tiOn.
The Vermont farmers will not compete
with Western manufacturers" in the
bogus sugar business. They believe
maple sap produces better maple sugar
and strip than glucose or imported
sugars. They want protection, however,
from the Government, either 10y the inn
position of an import duty on maple
sugar OF by the passage OF q national law
against the adulteratiOn Of the product
of the maple and the sale of sugar which
Is adulterated.
Vermont has a stringent law against
the manufacture and sale of bogus sugar,
which reads as follows:
"a person who shall adulterate maple
sugar, maple strip or bees honey. with
cane sugar, glucose or with any substi-
tute whatever, for purpose of sale, or
who knowingly sells maple sugar, maple
strip or bees honey, that has been adul-
terated, shall be punished by fine Of
NOT less than 30 nor more than 5000 for