Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-04-24
BARRE, VT, APRIL "a, 1901
VERMONT MAPLE SUGAR.

BARRE, VT, APRIL ~, 1SVI
VERMONT MAPLE SUGAR.
The leading industry Of the Green
Mountain State and the one which
most vitality affects large portion of
its inhabitants is that of maple sugar
making. 1t should be zealously guard
ed on every side from the damage
that may be done by impostors OF
land sharks who aim to reap a har.
vest at the expense of the reputa-
tion OF Vermont maple sugar.
The St. Jonhsbury Caledonian
says: George G. Carey, the maple
sugar magnate OF this section Of Yer
mont, has kept in close touch with
the situation, not only IN this state
but in all parts Of the sugar prodnc-
ing area, since the opening of the
season and this review is made up
from the daily reports received by
him.
From April to the 10th the sit
uation was extremely discouraging.
There was no frost at night and the
run Of sap was small. Reports up to
the 10th showed that the yield in
Franklin and Washington counties
were one and one-fourth pounds to
the tree, and in Caledonia and Orleans
counties only about one.half pound to
tie tree. On the night of the 10th
there was sharp frost and the fol-
lowing day was reported as the best
sap day up TO that time. Frost at
night and the warm sunshine of the
18th and 18th made ideal sugar days
and reports from all sections say that
they rank among the best ever
known. This changed the situation
and what promised to be the poorest
year on record began to look like an
average season. On the 14th the
flow of sap fell of considerably in
most sections and the reports Of the
18th indicated that the sugar season
was about over. A conservative esti-
mate places the production in Gale
donia and Washington counties at
about one and three. quarters pounds
to the tree; in Orleans county about
two and one. half pounds, in Franklin
county two and one-half to three
pounds.
In Canada the season followed
closely that in Vermont and the to-
tai yield is estimated at two pounds
to the tree.
In Ohio the crop is considerably
smaller than last year, which was the
best year known there. Pennsylvania
produces a little more than last sea-
son, and in New York, Michigan and
Wisconsin there is about an average
yield. Mr.. Cary says that to es-
innate conservatively the production
Of Vermont will average two pounds
to the tree.
1t may be a surprise to many to
know that the great popularity of
Vermont maple sugar in the general
market exists in part in name only.
The Canadian output which is largely
shipped to this country, commands a
higher price than ours. The duty on
Canadian sugar is'four cents a pound
and among the western dealers it sells
at about that amount above that pro.
duced at home. This is attributed to
several things.
The Canadian sugar is made into
cakes, so Of course it is harder and the
shrinkage is less. Then it has
stronger flavor, owing to the method
Of manufacture. The fact that this
flavor Is foreign to the pure product
does not count in the reasoning of the
dealer. Another reason given is that
1t is all sugar, while in Vermont sugar
the purchaser frequently finds that he
has bargained for bricks, stones, wood
and sometimes sand. This may seem
like a curious statement, but If the
reader will visit Mr.. Cary's storehouse
he will be convinced that there are
some Vermont farmers who are not
over careful as to what goes into their
sugar. tubs. The most conspicuous
example of this is SO pound sugar
tub with q thin layer Of sugar on top
weighing about four pounds. This
rests on smaller tub cover and under