Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-04-13

According to the u. S. census OF
1909 the quantity and value OF maple
nroducts in this state we're as follows:
- 80 so- 80 - 26S
Sugar produced, lbs. ........-. 4'loo
80 ,,oIna . $500
Syrup produced, gallons $50
- yolua - 6,S7S
Wisconsin We'll In Front.
While these figures appear small,
wisconsin was among the leading pro
6cers OUT this union, and the industry
is more important than the figures IN
dictate. Besides, since the last Gen.
sus the industry has taken a long
stride and will show an immense m
crease this census year.
Wisconsin has thousands OF acres
Of hardwood forests. These for
ests are composed largely of maple
trees. Yet large as is the syrup pro-
ducing industry in the state, only an
iota of the trees is utilized that could
add wealth to the pockets of the peo-
pie
Should some enterpTising mind or
ganize a company to secure this nat
ural waste, good-sized fortune could
he secured and the entire world FUR
njshed with the succulent syrup.
The syrup is produced in Wlscon-
sin principally by farmers and setti-
ers in the cultivator lands, who take
this method to help pay running ex-
nenses. Maple wood also is worth
$3.50 cord and the farmer has
steady increase while he is clearing
mis- land. Some farmers cut all the
other wood from their land and allow
the maple to stand, figuring the
syrup is as good a crop as any that
they could plant
Among the largest producers In the
state is F. X. c.. Hannes of GlldGen.
He started in a crude way in 1885,
which was theI. boiled down on COOK
stove. Today Mr. Hannes has an up
to-date, patented outfit and made near
w 500 gallons of syrup last season.
He is now in the midst of this sea-
sons work and expects to increase
tapping a few trees with an AK and
using odd disheG, cans, and other re-
ceptacles in which to gather the sap,
his output considerably over last year
He gets a uniform price of $3.50 gal
lon and does not have to seek custom
ers. as the demand for pure maple syr-
up greatly exceeds the supply. Much of
Mr. Hannes' product finds its way into
The Milwaukee market
Mr. Hannes says there are enough
maple trees in Ashland county alone
to produce $4,000 gallons of syrup; and
this could be done if the farmers but
followed his example.
How He Produces Syrup.
As Mr.. Hannes is among the largest
producers in the state his methods
readers. He taps about 1000 trees
or more. on 25 acres of land. The
WELD of a tree in an average season |
is about IL gallons of sap 1t takes
60 gallons of sap to make one gallon |
Of syrup. There have been seasons, !
however. when it took 80 gallons of |
sap to make a gallon of syrup, and
then other seasons when it required |
as much as so to 100 gallons of sap
% the gallon of syrup. One gallon of
syrup makes six pounds of maple |
supar
The trees are tapped between
March Is and April 5. and the season
lasts usually until April %, although |
may be interesting to the Telegram
this year it was earlier on account of
the early spring.
Usually one bucket to tree is !
used, except on very large or cracked |
trees, when two or three buckets are
used. A half inch hole, one Or two
and half inches deep is bored in the
tree, a spout is driven into the hole |
and the bucket hung on the spouts
Tapping Doesn't Hurt Trees.
1t is almost impossible to kill the |
trees by tapping" Mr. Hannes has
some trees that he tapped with an axe
IN 1885 and has tapped them every |
year since and they are still alive.
The hole is bored a distance of seven |
or eight inches from the ground and |
grows over in two or three years
Mr.. Hannes has an up-to-date evapo- |
rator for his, sap, having a perfect |
flow from front to back. The san en- |
ters one end, and, flowing back and
forth through various compartments. |
comes out at the other end pure syrup. |
The highest amount of syrup he has
made in any one day has been &c Or
% gallons, or boiling down of abour
1900 gallons of sap
Mr.. Hannes does the work in his
maple woods in a systematic manner,
having everything in readiness when
the sap begins to run. If the snow is
deep he breaks the roads leading past
the trees he taps; and he gathers the
sap in q huge tank placed on sleigh