432 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



means into the heart of the trunk and large roots. During this time absorption continues 

 to go on under ground the same as before, and thus, when the outer layers of the wood are 

 separated by the heat of the sun, the sap rushes back into the cells and tissues, and flows in 

 abundance. The observations of Biot in Prance on the poplars, and Nevins, in Ireland, on 

 the eim, would seem to prove the above theory correct. 



Maple-Sugar-Makillg. In making sugar one of the first essentials is, in keeping the 

 sap and everything used in connection with it perfectly clean. Exposure to the air will readily 

 deteriorate the quality of the sap, hence it must be evaporated as soon as possible after leav 

 ing the tree. This is necessary to secure the best quality of sugar and syrup, even when 

 everything is kept perfectly clean ; but where there is negligence and carelessness in keeping 

 the vessels and tanks clean, the sap will of course sour .much sooner, and an inferior grade of 

 the product be the result. t 



Mr. Chamberlain, the above authority quoted, recommends scalding all the buckets used in 

 collecting sap once a week, while the casks for storing, evaporators, etc., require it much 

 oftener. He says: 



&quot; Perfect cleanliness and sweetness of vessels and sap, is another essential. The Ver 

 mont climate is better, but in Ohio, as a rule, I find I must scald all buckets about once a 

 week, and store-troughs, evaporators, etc., much oftener. It costs a good deal, but pays in 

 the product. With a cask of hot water and a team, two men will scald well 1200 buckets 

 at the trees in a day, and there is almost always a rest between &amp;lt; runs as long as that each 

 week. Our climate, too, requires that the sap be stored out doors. The trough runs into 

 the house just far enough to feed the sap into the heaters, but not to sour that in the store- 

 trough by the heat of the fire. The store-trough, or troughs, should have close-fitting covers, 

 to protect from rain, sun, and freezing by night. In Vermont the cold is so great at night 

 that it is common to store the sap in the sugar -house.&quot; 



Where the maple sugar is made in large quantities, the evaporators used in making 

 sorghum and other cane-sugar may be used to best advantage. These are constructed on the 

 principle of a rapid evaporation, secured by a shallow depth of sap moving slowly over hot 

 and cool spaces alternating with each other, the cool spaces being secured by the projection 

 of the pan beyond the fire on each side. The best work with these evaporators will be 

 secured by keeping the sap as shallow in the pans as will be safe to prevent burning. The 

 pans of course must be shallow, with a large heating surface. This will require constant 

 watchfulness on the part of the person having charge. Where small quantities of sugar are 

 made, kettles are used for boiling, but the evaporators require less labor, and are much more 

 easily managed. 



The sap should be kept boiling over a steady fire, and replenished with a fresh supply as 

 it is evaporated. As soon as it reaches the boiling point, scum and other impurities will rise 

 to the surface, and must be removed at once; all that arises during the boiling process must 

 also be carefully removed. If a large quantity of the fresh sap is added at irregular inter 

 vals, the boiling is checked for a time, and irregularity is the result. Where evaporators 

 having every arrangement for receiving a constant and steady supply of sap are not used, 

 some arrangement should be made to have a reservoir of sap placed in such a manner that it 

 can supply the boiling-pan or kettle with a small, steady flow of sap from a faucet. A little 

 observation and experiment will enable the operator to regulate the supply in accordance 

 with the degree of evaporation. After boiling from eight to twelve hours, keeping the 

 quantity in the evaporator or kettle about the same, by a regular supply of fresh sap, the; 

 contents will be reduced to about the consistency, of honey or thin syrup. It should then be 

 strained while hot into a clean tube or other vessel, in order to remove as much of the sedi 

 ment as possible. A piece of clean white flannel is better for this purpose than cotton or 

 linen. It should then stand long enough to become well settled. When the sediment 



