The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-04-18

sugar is made in this country every year,
and what an important part the income
from lis production plays IN the econOm-
les OF the farmer folk who live on the
edges OF the big woods in a number OF
States.
Vermont Is the standard bearer IN both
the amount OF her production and its
quality. but New York is a close second.
The two states make just about two
thirds or an the maple sugar and syrup
produced m the whole country.
In making an estimate of this sort IL
seems necessary to separate the known
productions oil the maple tree from those
which have a doubtful origin, FOR II IS
said that II nothing but pure maple SUI
gar or syrup were sold there wouldn't
be a pound OF the one nor drop of the
other to go beyond the customers who
live between here and Chicago. while
there IS much greater amount sold IN
the territory on the other side OF the
Lake city.
There IS probably no article in the
whole list Of groceries which is more adul-
terated than maple syrup or even maple
sugar and the worst Of this Is that the
biggest dealers acknowledge that there
is no way in which the ordinary person
can distinguish the good from the bad
except by the exercise Of cultivated
taste.
Nearly all the maple sugar or syrup
sold is branded pure Vermont" and yet
il is asserted that in the city Of Chicago
alone there is more Vermont maple SUI
gar" made than Is gathered IN the whole
Green Mountain State.
That Is but enc of the commercial CEN
tres where maple syrup is made, and the
f0fql q fIa CnmFinHs 10,
enormous. There is probably some ma
pie sugar in each package OF the adul-
terated material. but tho bulk Of it is
made up OF glucose, and sometimes OF
common brown cane sugar.
Glucose is, of course. the favorite FOR
this purpose, for 1t costs only about a
cent a pound. while at present prices.
at least the proht in using cane sugar
would be small.
The Vermont maple sugar makers are
getting a good deal worked up over the
use OF their name and reputation for the
palmlng Off of bogus goods. and at a re-
cent meeting OF the Vermont Maple Su-
gar Makers Association, at Rutland.
some interesting things were said about
this condition OF things. and a PROPOSE
ticn was made to form a sort OF maple
sugar clearing house and exchange. which
should give a standard rating to all the
sugar OF the State, handle II all. and
guarantee its quality by the exchanges
own brands.
The scattered character OF the maple
sugar making industry and the smallness
Of eacn mans gatherings. combined with
the carelessness and perhaps indifference
OF the farmers themselves. seem TO have
had much to do with TIE success OF the
imitators OF maple products.
There is not wen a standard package
In which the sugar or syruT comes 10 the
market from the producers, let aone
standard OF the color I nd flavor. Com
paratively little syrup comes directly nom
the farmers. although nearly the entire
crop Is finally used In that form. Syrup
will not keep except when IL IS espe-
cially prepared and packed In cans or
Jars and as each years crop must be
kept over until fall or winter the farm
ers make IL into sugar and ship IL in that
form. 1t comes from item in tubs hold
ing from ffty to eighty pounds and IN
square cakes ranging In weight from one
pound each 10 five pounds. When II IS
sent In cakes the cakes are packed In
secondhand packing-boxes. which hold
from 80 pounds TO 200 poundsl
II the cakes are light colorej and made
from the FIRST run OF sap they bring
about cent a pound mere than the SUI