The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-20

up IN Vermont are very careful not to
let this get outside Of the state 1t is
more often used by the farmers wife
IN cooking, and every one knows what
good things are to be found on the
table of we'll to do Vermont farmer,
They truly live on the best things of
the land.
The observer at the sugar meeting
VIII notice in viewing the samples tina
the syrup is of an amber color, clear
as crystal. No black product these
lays. It's not many years ago thai
ne uneducated consumer demanded
sugar that resembled tar in color more
han anything else.
They thought that such stuff-it
ally can be called by no other name
ad the true sugar taste. 1t was hard to
-onVinc~ a great majority of the people
who were in the habit of buying sugar
for the year to believe that the light
coloted product was the best Even
nowadays the writer has run across
persons who insist that the black stuff
5 the real thing.
But the work of making sugar is not
1mpleted the minute it is taken from
he evaporation. There is another process
" htCh lends more of an uniformity TO
he product. This is a new thing among
the farmers of the state and not all
oy any means employ it, but before
many years 1t will come undoubtedly
into general use. After the sap has been
converted into syrup it is poured into
barrels after being strained. The bar
rel is sealed and then shipped to a re-
hnery. There is such refinery at Ru--
land where thousands OF gallons are re-
ceived every year. Here it Is poured
into enormous watts.
From these the syrup goes into a
boiler and there heated to q certain
temperature and then drained off into
pal-s anG tubs. This is a secret process
and the object is to have an absolutely
uniform product and as such goes on
TO the market guaranteed and labeled.
There is no possible chance for the
adulterator to reproduce this product
IN any shape or manner. All the syrup
that Is received at this Rutland refinery
must have a density of IL pounds to a
gallon or else it will be rated as second
grade and as such Is not worth much
on the market, in fact as has already
oeen stated is not allowed to be sent
out OF the state to compete with the
pest product in larger markets.
but this is not all the machinery that
Is involved in the manufacture of sugar
ana placing it on the market There is
receiving station located at Randolph
where great maay OF the farmers Of
the state send their maple product
either in cans of syrup or tubs. Here
the trademark is cut on and then IS
ready for shipment. The trademark
lnsures the purchaser that he has the
true product. Here as at the refinery
at Rutland all the sugar received mnst
test at II pounds to the gallon or it win
not be received. OF course there are
many farmers who do neither of these
two things mentioned but market their
own product. In this case they no doubt
nave regular customers, whom they
nave served for years. At all events the
supply cannot equal the demand and a
great portion Of the annual output is
promised at least year ahead. Conse-
quently the prices are high but no high
err than the product is worth The pro-
auction OF the maple sugar is not clear
gain by any means and the prices are
IN reality lower than would be thought
possible when all the facts are taken
into consideration. At the opening Of
the season retailers in Vermont at least
sell syrup at S1.00 to $1,25 gallon and
later the price is quoted at rs cents,
never less, Cake sugar sells off the
counter at an average Of Is cents
pound, and tub sugar about three cents
less. These are Of course Vermont
prices.