MEMORIES OF THE 



no watches and went by our stomachs. Then, when all this 

 revelry had been gone through with, one of us would go to sleep 

 while the other "biled." The nights seemed an age, and to 

 see the great streak of light in the east was the pleasantest part 

 of it. The morning found us stiff, sore and lame, with our eyes 

 badly smoked and running out of our heads, but we were proud 

 of the work accomplished. 



The S3Tup was drawn down home each night and sugared-off 

 there by the women folks. This was the most particular part 

 of the work, and required great care, patience and good judg- 

 ment. The syrup, after settling, was slowly strained through 

 several thicknesses of flannel cloth, put into the big kettle and 

 slowly heated. Then milk was put in to clarify it, and a scum 

 composed of all impurities and foreign substances fine enough 

 to get through the strainer gradually rose to the top, which was 

 carefully skimmed and reskimmed until it was all removed. 

 The fire was then started up and the syrup was gradually 

 boiled down thicker and thicker, until it reached the granulating 

 or crystallizing stage. It had to be carefully watched or it 

 would rise and boil over, or burn on the bottom of the kettle. 

 A basin was put in the bottom of the kettle, around which it 

 could bubble and boil without burning. The least trace of burn 

 spoiled the whole batch. As it approached the condition of 

 sugar it would sputter and blubber, forming great, deep holes 

 which would blow out steam like a miniature crater. It could 

 not be left a minute, and the kettle, which was suspended from 

 the end of a strong pole, was raised and lowered and the fire 

 modified as required. 



There were two ways of telling when it was done to a granu- 

 lating point: first, when it ''flaked" — that is, would cleave off 

 the edge of the dipper or skimmer in long, thick flakes — or, 



48 



