Canadian Foreslr}) Journal, December, 1919 



491 



MAPLE SUGAR PAYS QUEBEC YEARLY FORTUNE 



By C. V aillancourt, Quebec. 



Thirty Million Pounds, Valued at $7,500,000— Special Schools 



to Teach the Art. 



The maple sugar industry has increased three- 

 fold in Quebec Province during the last three 

 years, mainly owing to the scarcity of beet and 

 cane sugar, and the continual rise in the price 

 of the product. 



But one factor which has stimulated perhaps 

 more than anything else the development of our 

 sugar industry, is the sugar-making school. A 

 number of sugar schools were established at 

 various places by the Department of Agriculture 

 and many demonstrations in sugar-making were 

 given in all parts of the province by special in- 

 structors sent here and there, at the expense of 

 the department. 



There are three sugar schools in the province: 

 One at La Minerve, Labelle county, another at 

 Beauceville, Beauce county, and the third at 

 Ste. Louise, L'Islet county. 



Modern methods of sugar and syrup making 

 are taught in these schools. Young men who 

 desire to learn sugar-making or to perfect them- 

 selves in this industry have only to apply to the 

 Minister of Agriculture, and on receipt of a 

 letter of authorization, they may spend eight, 

 ten or fifteen days at one or other of these 

 three schools and get very practical lessons on 

 the modern methods of making maple products. 



The department pays the board of these 

 students during their attendance at the sugar 

 school. 



Of course, in all these sugar schools modern 

 evaporators and implements are used. Every- 

 thing is kept in the greatest condition of clean- 

 liness from the tank in which the sap is gathered 

 to the can in which the syrup is put. The pans 

 are washed every morning. Cleanliness is, of 

 course, one of the most important essentials in 

 the making of choice products. 



Five instructors in sugar-making gave de- 

 monstrations throughout the province on the 

 use of modern methods of sugai-making. The 

 total number of demonstrations given was 

 ninety-four in eighteen counties of the province. 



At a certain date, which is arranged before- 

 hand, the sugar-makers are called by the in- 

 structors in one of the sugar groves of the 

 province. The instructor makes sugar him- 

 self, by using material which he brings with 

 him. Then the makers may ask all the infor- 

 mation they desire to have. Such demonstra- 

 tions have been very successful wherever they 

 have been held. It is assuredly the most prac- 

 tical way to teach the good methods of sugar- 

 making. 



Such demonstrations have been going on 

 during the last four years and the results of this 

 practical method of teaching are already seen, 

 as this year the purchasers say that about 75 

 per cent of the sugar manufactured was first 

 quality. 



Of course, there remains improvements to be 

 made, but we are happy to record the splendid 

 results of the work already done and which 

 augur well for the future. 



The total crop of sugar in the province was 

 rot quite as large as that of 1918. In some 

 districts, there was more sap than last year; 

 in others the quantity collected was hardly one- 

 quarter of that of the previous season. In the 

 Eastern Townships and in the Quebec district, 

 the season was very good and the sap of better 

 quality than last year. On the other hand, in 

 tl^e counties of Portneuf, Champlain and the 

 Three Rivers district the crop was very much 

 below that of other years. 



The exact figures are not known as yet. but 

 the quantity of maple sugar m.^nufactures in 

 our province this year probablv amounts to 

 30,000,000 pounds. 



If these 30.000.000 pounds are valued at 25 

 cents a pound, which is far from an exaggera- 

 tion, this makes a total of $7,500,000. The 

 crop of 1911 had been about 10.000.000 

 pounds. As may be seen by these figures, the 

 industry has developed on a very large scale 

 during the last few years. 



