The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-01-29


of trade, and believed much good might
be accomplished by some agency of
this kind. There is room for improve
ment in the methods of sugar-making
in Vermont, and no sugar-place is we'll
equipped without bucket covers. The
West controls the prices of our butter,
corn, beef and oats, but not of our ma
pie sugar crop. In that the farmers of
Vermont can dictate their own terms.
E. r, Towle, agricultural editor of
the St. Adams Messenger, then read
prize essay on "Effec of soil, climate
and locality upon the quality and guam
tity of maple products.
The discussion of the topic, " Which
is the most essential, color or flavor, in
maple sweets?" was led by L. r. Ia.
Dor of Weston, who urged that consum.
ers care much less for color than for
flavor, illustrating this by personal ex
perence. He advocated the establish
ment of standard color for maple
products, and moved the appointment
of committee to make such standard.
Hon. Victor l. Spear of Braintree
said it is an open question whether our
sugar in the markets of the world shall
be judged by the standard of color or
flavor. He believed it the duty of the
association to take some action in this
matter. The color can be initiated and
almost anything put on the market, but
the flavor belongs peculiarly to the
maple tree of Vermont. Whatever we
do, we should keep in mind that one
element of flavor. The discussion was
further continued by 7. b. Barney of
Underhill, Mr.. Whitney of Williston
and G. H. Grimm of Rutland The
sentiments expressed were strongly
toward flavor instead of color as being
most essential. On motion, the chair
appointed a committee of three, COM
posed of G. II. Grimm of Rutland,
Victor l. Spear of Braintree and G. L.
Mcmahon of Stowe, to establish a
standard Of color for maple sugar and
syrup,
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
The audience on Wednesday evening
was largely augmented by ladies and
gentlemen from Montpelier, who
showed by their presence the lively in
terest they feel in the Vermont Maple
Sugar-Makers' Association and the
work it is doing. The Montpelier Or
chestra was stationed in the gallery and
interspersed the proceedings with sew
eral choice selections. Hon. Josiah
Grout of Derby first spoke on "The
future prospects and possibilities of
Vermont maple sugar and syrup as
profitable farm crop" Major Circuit
referred, in opening, to the splendid
exhibit shown at this meeting-the fin
est he had ever seen at any state fair or
at the Worlds Fair-and complimented
the members OF the association for turn
ing out in such large numbers. Com
ing to his topic, he said the possibilities
of Vermont maple sugar and syrup may
be considered in three ways: First,
can we make more sugar? Second, can
we make it better? Third, can we get
more for it? In regard TO the first
proposition, he said there are as many,
it not more, naples in the state that are
not tapped as there are that are tapped,
and he believed the farmers of Yer
mont, illustrating it from his own expe-
rience, were, as rule, not working
their sugar-places for any thing near
what they were worth.
Coming to the question whether we
can make a better article, he said all
those present made good sugar, but they
had neighbors who did not, and that
more than one-half the entire product
of the state is not I'll to sell in any mar
ket in original packages. 1t must be
made over after it is shipped from the
state, with ninety to ninety-fve per
cent of glucose added. These poor
sugar-makers swing the door open for
the adulterer, who comes in, and he is
the man who keeps the price of maple
sugar down in Vermont. The speaker
said that this poor article OF maple su-
gar is responsible for much harm
throughout the state.
In regard to the question whether we
can get more for good sugar than we
are now getting, he said the western
market is better than the eastern
market. Major Grout proposed a plan
that the Vermont sugar makers organ
ize and locate receiving station,
where all sugar shall be inspected be-
fore it is shipped to the West, and that
every package that goes out shall bear
the trademark Of the Vermont Maple
Sugar Makers Association, then send
out wide-awake statesmen into the West
to compete with the glucose fellows,
ohu thO piiSo Va Jul ouhoi VIII
surely advance.
Such an organization should be CO.
operative, and the profits to the last
cent should be distributed among the
co-operators. Such an organization,
harmoniously and honestly managed,
the speaker believed, would be sue
cess. In closing, Major Grout gave his
personal experience in shipping maple
sugar through the West and South.
The discussion of the topic, " Bounty
now due producers, and the probability
of receiving the same," was opened by
President Kenfield, who sketcbed briefly
the origin of the sugar bounty and the
status of the unpaid claims. He read
long letter received that day from Con-
gresham Powers, which strongly con-
demned Comptroller Bowler's decision
and declared it almost unprecedented
for comptroller to hold up and defeat
an act of congress. Judge Powers ex-
pre ssed in this letter his firm belief