360 



ment of the State was very simple, being nothing more 

 than evaparating the sap in iron kettles, usually about 

 the capacity of ten gallons each, suspended over a fire 

 made of logs, in the open air. When the sap is evapora- 

 ted in the ratio of about ten or twelve gallons into one, the 

 product is taken from the kettles, and strained through a 

 flannel bag, which takes from the syrup the leaves, coals, 

 etc., which get into the kettles while over the fire. The 

 syrup is then put into deep vessels, where it remains for 

 two or three days, to settle. The syrup is then carefully 

 taken from the vessels, leaving the sediments, and return- 

 ed to the kettles, with the addition of about a pint of skim- 

 milk to a kettle containing eight or nine gallons of syrup. 

 It is then slowly heated, when most of the impurities re- 

 maining in the syrup will rise to the surface, and may be 

 taken off with a skimmer. The syrup is then evaporated 

 to the proper consistency, which is ascertained by cooling 

 small quantities in a spoon, or in some small vessel. The 

 product is then taken from the fire, and either stirred un- 

 til it is cool, by which it becomes dry sugar, or, more 

 commonly, it is put into a tub or trough, and left to cool, 

 without stirring. This is afterward drained by drawing 

 a plug from the bottom of the tub or trough, thus sepa- 

 rating the molasses from the sugar. 



In the early settlement of the State, and even at the 

 present time, in new settlements, the above has been the 

 usual mode of making sugar. 



In the older settlements, buildings are erected within or 

 near the sugar-orchards. In these buildings, large ket- 

 tles are set in brick furnaces, for the purpose of evapora- 

 ting the sap. In some of them, shallow pans, made of 

 sheet-iron, about six inches in depth, and of various di- 

 mensions, are also used. These pans are also set in 

 brick furnaces, and are believed to evaporate much faster 

 than deep kettles of the same capacity. 



