Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-04-06
SEASON IS ON.
Maple syrup OF This Years Vintage Now in
Slock.

The season Of buckwheat cakes ana
maple syrup has already commenced
and the grocers have had some form of
the maple sweet in stock fnr ovnr !,
week. Much of the sugar mat comes
INTO the locai markets comes from
places IN TINS immediate locality. but
the greater part is made by farmers
living in Smithfeld
1t is yet little early 10 saw what The
years output will be but 50 far the
prospects seem good. The Maine Deo-
pie do not go into the business 10 the
extent of the Vermont peoDIe and the
majority Of the syrup sent into tho
local markets is sent here in milk cans
which are displayed in their original
form in the store windows
There is Il plentiful SUNNY of good
maple syrup in market from the or
cnards, sald grocer though that is
no indication one way or another of the
condition Of things; YOU can buy ma
pie syrup any time Of the year nova
days. We had good stock on sale III
air-tight cans ana Jars weeks before :,
pint Of sap began to run in any of the
orchards in this part Of the State
The maple sugar season is later :hln
usual this year for two reasons. First
the snow in the groves has been deep.
rendering il practically impossible to
get around, ana thu dcnudation Of The
trees the past two or three seasons by
the tent-catcrpillars prevents the flow
Of the SAP as early as usual. IN. sea
son Is about two weeks late in the
northern section of thu sugar belt and a
week or more in The southern.
The largest maple sugar producer in
The country IL Vermont. With an aver
a"o annual output 81 perhaps $1,000 Goa
pounds, including syrups. though it is
likely that lhr past tWo or three yea
sons tn" caterpillar past has cat down
the yield considerably.
ohio is next. with production run
ming up to l2.ooo ouo pounds. including
syrup Northern ohio IL 4 large pro-
Queer ana Michigan sends out large
quantities each year.
In late years there has been / drvrI-
upmcnt of the business in the noun
famous regions III Pennsylvania th,
Nirginias and Maryland. but no statie-
tics are available. The output is sail
To W. increasing. ana information nom
there this season Indicates that this
years crop viii To- the largest yet pro-
ducrd.
Maple sugar IL thr product NJ thr
hard o. rock maple in tn northern
sections Of tn" country. and ii is only
from this tree that the best quality of
sugar can ~ made. III tn" W-St ih-
sap Of the white ur soft maple, knoWg
in New England as the swamp maple.
is largely used. ana the quality Of tn
sugar Is unsatisfactory. II is dark IN
color and Jacks the marked maple tla-
vor.
The season in Maine begins about
March II IN ordinary seasons ana ends
by May /. throughout the state. In
no section If the country has the max
ing and marketing Of The maple prod
net been reduced to such perfect COM
mcrcial science az in New England.
Every precautiou is taken to preserve
perfect purity.
The sales are made in two forms. AZ
syrup ana az sugar. The syrup is the
sap boiled to weigh about ten pounds
To- the gallon, and is put UP principally
in gallon cans selling according TO tn
season ana the reputation Of the max
err. The sugar is the syrup cooked un-
til il grains. and is put up in tin buck
cts holding from ten to ~ pounds.
The best market time j. now. though
there is a steady demand throughout
the year.