Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-31
OUTLOOK FOR VERMONT MAPLE

OUTLOOK FOR VERMONT MAPLE
This seems to be a year when prophecy
10 an exceedingly dangerous pastime.
Plenty Of frost and adequate snow are US
ually regarded as favorable for q good
maple sugar crop. however. and these
conditions seems to be more than usually
we'll fulfilled.
Assuming that Vermont will have at
least an average crop Of maple sugar,
IN order to be on the safe side. the next
question becomes. what will Vermont do
with its maple product in this period Of
sugar conservation and patriotic need?
In this connection the New York Post
muses. as follows:
"Will New England farmers this year
release their maple sugar crops or will
they, seldshly. hang on to the nut-brown
cubes and cakes and cans Of the best
kind Of sweet produced anywhere in the
world? The shortage Of tho ordinary
cane and beet varieties may brighten
them into boarding their native supplies.
This would be a mistake.
Maple sugar Is not a sugar in the ordi-
nary sense. but the best and most romantic
form Of candy. That It happens to be sweet
is only incidental to the fact that II tastes
Of the northern woods. Of night frosta
and day thaws. Of sugar-making bees,
with young people cooling the sap on
snow. Of great big caldrons bubbling fol
hours in the sugar houses. Of country
jolity and fun.
What will Sunday morning break
fast, that vast and pontincal meal
be without real maple syrup or
our buttered buckwheat cakes? The
prospect 10 almost too sad for tears
Word must be sent, post haste, to Yer.
mont and New Hampshire. northern
New York and Maine. by Mr.. Hoover that
farmers will receive a special allotment
Of ordinary sugar II they continue tc
let US have the usual amount 6f the
maple variety"
With prices Of all sorts Of condensed
sweetness at altitudinous heights the
thrifty maker Of Vermont maple does moi
need to hoard in order to realise hand
some profit. Moreover. It comes at Q
time when there Is comparatively little
revenue from other sources on the farm
and It 10 a great thing for tiliers Of tn.
soil as we'll as all others to have revenu.
we'll distributed so that debts shall no,
accumulate.
| In this connection We are reminded tina
some owners Of Vermont sugar bushes
or maple orchards" are threatening II
trees or open their sugar works the com
ing spring because Of the widespread lacl
Of labor.
We realize that the shortage Of fuel vii
also figure in this connection. With goo
hard wood selling for from - to IL . cord
according to location. owners Of suga
groves will be sorely tempted not TO VI
fuel for the production Of sugar this ysas
even II they resist the other temptatSon 4
cut down their sugar NAPLES.
Every man knows his own bushes
best. 1t Is to DO hoped. however. tina
as many sugar makers AZ possible ca
take advantage Of the present situation
to contribute their share to the issssne
aggregate of the nations sweetness.
Ia not a good thing to teach the peopl
Of the United States to rely upon som
substitute for Vermont maple. II ma
easily become habit. to the psrmanen
loss Of Vermont sugar makers.
Now that tho toothsomeness Of GU
finest Vermont maple has won for It
rank I'm the list Of CONNECTIONS instead Q
plain sugar It will command fully q
favorable a price when It IL fresh an
before 1t has lost its flavor a. later.
II the New York Post wants really I
help provide more Of this sweetness 70
the country. let II help solve the probles
OF Increased labor supply for our farmer
Man power 10 the great need Of Vernon
maple producers as we'll ~ OF all oths