The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-05-04
THE PRODUCTION OF MAPLE SUGAR.
The Bureau of Forestry Seeks to De-
velop and Extend the Industry.

| WIFI the view OF securing a large use
of the maple forests. Since 1850 the
area OF maple sugar farming has great
ly changed and shrunk. In early
days maple sugar was commonly
made, even in many parts of the
South, because cane sugar was virtu-
ally unobtainable. No longer is there
even a limited production in South
Carolina, Georgia. Alabama, Mississip-
ri, Louisiana, and Arkansas. This is
because cane sugar can now be
bought everywhere at a low price,
and is preferred to maple sugar for
sweetening. In Indiana, Michigan
and Illinois the maple trees have been
extensively cut for lumber, thus re-
| ducing the opportunity for tree tap
ping. In those States also the mar
kets are glutted with limitations,
which removes the incentive 10 eX
tending the industry. In other States,
as in western Maryland, West Virgin
ia, Ohio, New York, and in New Eng
land, the maple sugar industry has
held its own or been increased.
The best sap flow is secured in the
cooler northern States, yet good re-
suits can be expected in most of Penn
sylvania and West Virginia, in Yves
tern Maryland, all of Indiana and
Kentucky, eastern Tennessee, and
western North Carolina. At present
| the largest producers of sugar maple
products are Ohio, Vermont, and
New York. The sugar and black
naples yield the most and the best
sap, although some other species of
maple may be worked to advantage
when neither of these is available.
The maple is hardy and vigorous
tree and readily reproduces itself, so
there need be no fear of failure of sap
supply. For sap production the all
important consideration is for the
tree to have full and heavy crown.
Yet it should also grow under forest
conditions which maintain a ground
cover of litter and humus.
| AS result of the study recently
de, definite directions for the man
agement and improvement of existing
groves, and for the establishment of
new ones in suitable localities and un-
| der different conditions, have been
prepared and will soon be published.
| MANY valuable data regarding the
profit in making maple sugar were al
so collected. From these it appears
that farmer can easily clear about
So an acre from sugar grove. The ex-
| penses in this estimate are pla ced at
a maximum: all the labor and hauling
are charged in at market rates,
though as matter of fact the sugar
season falls at time when the far
mer has little other employment for
| himself or his horses. In actual prac-
tice, for the farmer who can do. most
of his own work the profit should be
considerably larger. And the land
thus utilized viii yield little or moth
ing under any other use.
The old method of collecting the
sap by making diagonal cut in the
tree was abandoned long ago because
| it injured the tree so that it could be
worked for but few years. The ap-
| proved practice now is to bore hole
one inch deep and three-eighths of an
| inch in diameter into the sunny side
of trees over y inches in diameter,
and to make but one hole in each
tree, except possibly where the trees
are especially large and productive.
Vast improvements have also been
made in appliances for handling the
sap and boiling it down to sugar and
syrup.
Maple trees now furnish but small
per cent. of the commercial maple
syrup and sugar. While the demand
for both these commodities has con
stantly increased, the output from
maple trees has decreased during the
last twenty years. The trade has
been supplied only by radically adul-
terating the pure goods, or by manu-
featuring a product entirely from
foreign materials. 1t is conservatives
ly estimated that seven-eighths of
what is sold as maple syrup and sugar
is spurious article Most of the
fabrications are entirely harmless,
but they are not the real thing.
Those fortunate enough to have eaten
the genuine article will always de-
maud it, and conditions should be
such that they may get it, if they are
willing to pay the price.
The fault does not lie with the pro-
| ducers, those who tap the trees and
duced the sap to syrup and sugar
but with the middlemen who buy the
sugar and mix and adulterate it most
profitably for themselves. The extent
of this adulteration is illustrated by
the fact that while the amount of the
raw product has decreased, the whole
| quantity sold has largely increased
and its market price has been reduced.
I