Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-04-08
Si.00 A YEAR.
Maple Sugar Camp.

III ANfS ''4N 'A.N' 'AN ~ 80 =
ofVermout was 6 $40 ,357 pounds, and
5,997 gallons of syrup The prduc-
tion steadily increased, until in 1889
it amounted to II, ,l23, ,92l pounds and
2lS,252 gallons OF syrup, valued at
$l,24S,S56 The Improvement in
quality has been most marked also,
for, though there is a great deal of
unadulterated maple sugar, the max
ers stoutly maintain that it is adulter-
atei by dealers There are nearly
$4,000 sugar makers in Vermont alone,
and there are probably as many in the
other States in which maple sugar is
made. The industry, therefore, is
one Of very respectable dimensions.
\ properly conducted maple sugar
camp in Vermont is well worth see
Ing Many improvements have been
introduced during the last few years.
In the centre of the orchard, or
bush, as it used to be called, is a
commolious AMI welI-qeuippel sugar
house. In which the utensils are stored
when otiu Use. The process Of sugar
making. as now conducted, is prtcti-
cally as follows First, two or three
men tap the trees One goes ahead,
and with a three-eIghts-iuch blt makes
an lucislou about an inch deep on the
lee side Of the tree. \ second man
inserts a round, double tin spile or
spout, about three inches long, IN the
aperture. The spout not only con-
duets the sap, but has an arrangement
for suspeuing the bucket beneath 1t.
Lastly "a man hangs the bucket, which
IS either Of wood or TIN.
Gathering the sap has been much
simplifed. The old way was to hitch
a team of stout horses to short sled
carrying the holder, a large wooden
tub, holding several barrels, IN which
the sap in the buckets was poured.
Now leaders, OF wooden cutters, are
run all through the orchard, empty
ing into large storage tank at the
sugar house. in a brick framework
In the sugar house Is set an iron arch
with a square iron chimney. For
large orchard of 1000 trees the arch is
about Eve by twenty feet IN area. two
and one-half feet deep in front, and
ten inches deep at the chimney end.
In this arch are set the cyaporators, II
deep boiling pan IN front and four
smaller and shaIiower pans farther
back The bottoms Of the eyaporators
are deeply corrugated, nearly doub-
ling the surface exposed to the heat.
The boiling il done rapidly, as rapid
boiling improves the quality OF the
sugar The sap flows from the tank
through a hose with a strainer at
tacbcd into regulator, which allows
only certain quantity TO flow into
the eyapomtor tacGtaiupoInt the
sap is drawn by a Gphon from the
large eyaporator into one Of the small
ones, the scum and settings being left
behind. In the last pan the lquIdls
eyaporated to the syrup Of commerce,
weighing eleven pounds to the gallon.
The most interesting process is
"sugarng off The syrup is slowly
boiled in a large pan until the expert
enced sugar-maker knows it Is done.
The pan is then lifted off, and the mass
is turned into tubs, holding from ten
to a hundred pounds. If it Is TO be
made into cakes it is stirred longer,
till it becomes dry enough to retain
its shape. The whIteness Of maple
sugar does not determine its price
It is due somewhat to the difference Of
soil and the amount Of rain that has
fallen into the sap. Pure maple sugar
is brownish amber in color, with a
fine grain. If the grain II not f"s'
and if there are airboles in IT, It has
probably been adulterated by cane
sugar, glucose or clay-by some wick
ed dealer, says the maker
The average yield per tree is about
two pounds per season, the season
lasting from four TO six weeks, until
frosty nights cease and the buds be-
pin to swell, when the zap tastes
strong and ceases to aow.-Neto York
Ledgcr.