Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-03-25
OUR FARMERS.
MAPLE SUGAR.

paper read at the last meeting OF the
Vermont Sugar Makers Association
bv Dudley Carleton of West NeWbury,
VT.
There can be no fast or hard rule
laid down in sugar making that will
apply in all cases, and there are
always points for discussion which
are of assistance to some one. Only
small proportion of the sugar
m akers of the state attend these
meetings and it is largely the ones
who remain away that need the most
instruction in the process of sugar
making.
We certainly have not brought this
industry to perfection, although the |
meetings of our association have
done much to improve methods.
The manufacture of high grade
maple goods must begin when you
install your plant. Do not be caloled
into buying an evaporation. 1t is
essential that the bucket should be OF
tin with covers, and the spouts,
gathering UuuS anu o0oA0So
should be of metal.
The next step is in tapping the
trees. Much depends on the way
this is done. The hole should be
bored in a healthy part of the tree,
not in line with the tapping of other
years, as sugar OF the best quality
cannot be made from colored wood.
The sap should not be allowed to
remain in the buckets very long and
should be kept as cold as possible
until placed in the evaporator.
In order to produce the best article
shallow and quick boiling pans are
necessary. 1 also believe in strainlng
the syrup cold, letting the lime settle
bv itself and keeping it out of the
strainer.
1t is almost impossible to strain it
hot and not have some forced through
the strainer, that will show in high
grade strainer.
We can and ought to put up maple
sugar without guesswork by using a
thermometer.
If the consumer or buyer calls for a
cheaper article he can usually get it
as considerable is necessarily made
before the season closes. [ think too
, much is laid at the door of the mixer.
The fact is that all grades are
pretty thoroughly mixed before they
; leave some of the producers hands
,, After all quality is the main con-
: sideration. The prices paid for the
;. best article will more than repay the
producer for the care taken in its
4 production.
; 1t costs no more to keep COW tina
will produce Is or 20 pounds of BUTTE
a per week than it does one that will
give us only eight or nine pounds
/ and this is practically true in thu
:. manufacture Of maple sugar.
= The grading of syrup and sugar i
=. of much Importance also. If properl.
graded the producer can realize NOR
y from his crop and give better salts
faction to his customers and at tn
= market.
s. s'The Man Bebiod" after all is tn
q prime consideration in sugar making
First he should be strictly honest
4 who will give IL pounds for gallo
= of syrup and not 10 OR 101a.
" The state of Vermont headed To
list of states in the production
u; maple products for many years, no
g: it has dropped to third, New Yor
sc and Ohio being in the lead. Tn
causes are numerous, our season
Ell; the maple worm, the labor problel
and the manufacture of poor qualit
ID of sugar being the greatest.
81 think corporation sugar houi
a. would pay in certain sections of tt
state. I believe it would improN
pa and make more uniform the sugar.
M ''It is estimated that there
a between 100000 and 100000 lost
Ell: the state by careless manufacture
c a sugar. Let US consider these thin
9g- carefully in the future"
us Another paper read at this meetiI
- was by T. b. b. NOrthrup or Snelu'
,e upon "Producing Maple Sugar
Profit" He gave three things
,rk necessary to this end: Reduce t
vas cost of producing it to a minimum
ced make goods of the finest quality
sell them at the highest market prlt
Ugh In detail there should be an orcha
eat of some size and the best results
les, found with one where the trees ha
"a oontbarn evnosure. The tire
should not be too close togeth
W. There should he plenty of stora
watts for sap as it is gathered. L
IO0 sap should be gathered as soon as
,Sc. buckets have quart of sap in tin
and when delivered to the bolll