Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-10-19
The Maple Orchard.

The naples have for many years
been looked upon us the best paying
part of the farm. If this was the case
20 wears ago. it is doubly true now for
several reasons Modern shallowboi
ing appliances and methods have great
lv lessened the labor and cost of work
ing the camp and at the same time
have made it possible to produce am
her svrups and light colored sugars far
superior in quality to the dark syrups
and sugar made by our fathers. Prices
of maple products are much higher
than formerly and the tendency Is to-
ward still higher prices, especially for
the better grades which are in growing
demand. The inferior grades of dark
tub sugar which once had to sell in
competition with cane sugar now go
largely to the wholesale dealers in the
west where they are used for mixing
and sold under the name of maple syr-
up but would not be recognized as
such in any locality where the genuine
article is known. The exquisite maple
flavor is inimitable and the skill of the
chemist in his efforts to produce sat
isfactory substitute. has so far been
unavailing 1t is this maple flavor and
this alone that makes our best maple
products command the prices of our
choicest luxuries. The maple sugar
maker who does not recognize this fact
and is still using the old style pans
with heaters and evarorators with deep
hues which are hard to keep clean, and
on which only the dark colOred syrups
and sugars can be produced, is certain
ly not making the most of his oppOr-
tunities He is barely paying his ex-
penses and should discard his anti
quated outfit and by the use of mod
ern methods and the shallow boiling
evaporator, with small interchangeable
pans. should lessen his running ex-
penses, increase his output, better the
quality of his product and command a
better price. BY so doing he can, with
proper care, largely increase the in
come from his sugar camp.
The lumbermen have made heavy in
roads upon our naples along with other
forest trees and have thereby added
largely to the value of the sugar camps
which remain intact In many sections
of Vermont there are many dense thick !
cts of young maple saplings which, |
with little care, for a few years can
be made profitable. The proper man
agement of such young maple groves is |
well illustrated and explained on pages |
"A to % of Farmers Bulletin No. 252, |
which tan be had by addressing
postal card request for same to the U. |
$. Department of Agriculture at Wash |
lngtOn.
We no longer slaughter our naples
with axe and gOuge as was done a half /
A century ago, but are we taking all |
the care that we should by discarding
The use of spouts which require rossing
IF the bark and which have shoulders
md spurs or anchors, all of which tend
to crush the bark and tear it from the
rec in removing the spout from the
lore? The crushed and torn bark will
'ot and the enlarged wound fails to
neal the first season as it should and
will if the right style of spout is used.
examine your trees this month of Sep
ember and compare results in this mat
er of healing with different styles of
pouts used last spring. If you have
'ourself used none of the improved
popts for which so much merit is
laimed, some of your neighbors may
AVE them. If so, examine their trees
md compare results. A little care in
his line may add years to the life of
our naples and at the same time add
argely to the income from your camp.