Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-15
MORE TREES WILL Be TAPPED
1915 and 1916 Both Short Crop
Seasons; Demand Is Heavy.
Prices Expected to Rule Higher
Mighty Little Sugar or syrup Left
In Vermont Now-Weather
the Big Factor.

available sugar NAPLES in the State left
untapped Will be less justified this sea-
son IMAM IN several seasons past, IL re-
ports Of sugar utensil manufacturers, dis
tributors and farmers are anywhere near
the mark. More trees will be tapped
than in several years and prices will prob
ably rule somewhat higher. There Is
practically no sugar or syrup left in ver-
mont except In the trade, because of the
short seasons In 1916 and 1915, and the
demand is greater than ever
In his annual report for the year end
ing July !, 1916, Commissioner Brigham
announced a total by counties Of 4,O6l ,9li
available trees in the State which had not
been tapped; 5,503,656 trees tapped, yield
ing 6,Sll,5fS pounds of sugar and 6S0.37S
gallons Of syrup. In Chittenden county
the figures were: Treos available, but
untapped, lI6,545; tapped, 29S,751; sugar
made, lS,GO3 pounds; syrup, 5S,3S5 gal
Ions
Charles F. Purinton of the Leader Evap-
orator company Eaid the Vermont market
had been absolutely cleaned out, you
might as well say" Of sugar and syrup ow-
ing to the short crops Of the last two pre-
vious seasons. He said he had heard IT
many owners of trees who were fitting
themselves out that had never tapped
their trees before. while many others were
adding to the number OF trees which they
intended to tap. He asserted his company
could have disposed of 1000 gallons, il II
had had the syrup, while as it was the
concern was lucky IL it had $50 gallons OF
less. we have combed our customers
right down to the BONE" he declared. Mr.
Purinton added that already Il cents a
pound had been offered for sugar in tubs
which was unusually high for this time OF
year. Five to eight cents was the COM
mon figure. he said. In 1916 eight cents
was about the price asked.
II. H. Miller of the WEIGH Brothers Ma.
pie company said there was little syrup
in Vermont although the trade had some.
and ascrbed conditions to the short crops
of 1916 and 1915. He agreed that more trees
than ever would be tapped and that prices
would be somewhat higher. Beginning
last fall and lasting until February 1, he
said, as high as IL cents a pound had been
offered for sugar in the tub. There the
rise stopped, and now the outcome OF
the season was being awaited. Mr.. Miller
gave out a warning against too high
prices. which he said might mean a lot
Of leftover sugar and syrup. Last year,
he said, the price for sugar rose to Il
cents.
The weather is the thing that is being
watched now by everybody Interested
March % to April IS is the Vermont sea-
son, said Mr.. Miller. The preliminary
weather has not been bad, although
there is some disagreement as to what
constitutes the most suitable weather
TOO much snow" says Mr.. Miller; "ex-
cellent preliminary weather." declares
Mr.. Purinton. G. H. Jones. chemist Of
the State college Of agriculture and ex-
pertinent station. says the weather has
been good, but wants to see the tempera-
ture mounting to around 40 degrees during
the day before the sap runs properly.
April is the date when the town list
ers are supposed to begin to count the
number Of trees that are being tapped
right at the height Of the season ordinar-
lily. The one thing on which everybody
seems united is that. weather permitting,
more trees than in several years past will
be tapped.
TO EXHIBIT IN BOSTON
A. A. Carleton. former president for sew
eral years Of the Vermont Maple Sugar
Makers association, has arranged for the
State publicity bureau an exhibit of sugar
and syrup at the Summer street store OF
Cobb. Bates & Yerxa Of Boston, to take
place within the next few weeks A model
Of the Bunker Hill monument in sugar
will be one Of the features. and sugar IN
various other forms. Many people have
the idea," said w. II. Crockett. head OF
the bureau, that light maple sugar is
not pure" AS matter Of fact, it was
the dark sugar that was impure. Mr.
Crockett said he had heard that the sugar
and syrup would be almost white IL prop
erly made. Other people, he added, had
the notion that white sugar meant tina,
cane sugar had been used for an adulter-
ant The exhibit was meant partly to
correct such NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..