172 



THE MAPLE SUGAR INDUSTRY 



PARAGRAPH XXXIX. 

 THE MAPLE SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



In the sap of all broad-leafed species considerable quantities of sugar are found. This quality is 

 commercially important, however, only in the case of hard maple. In 1900 there were produced51,000,000pounds 

 of maple sugar and about 3,000,000 gallons of maple syrup. 



New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire are leaders in this industry. Seventeen per cent of all 

 granulated sugar made in the United States is said to be obtained from the maple tree. 



Vermont protects its maple sugar industry from counterfeits by State inspection and official stamp. 



(A) TAPPING THE TREES: — 



I. The trees are tapped from middle March to middle April. Cold nights alternating with warm days 

 are necessary for best results. 



II. A hole is made, with an auger, '/i to ' ,, inch in diameter, slightly slanting towards the entrance, 

 to a depth of 2 inches, at a point 2 to 3 feet above ground. Holes on that side of the tree toward which 

 it leans are said to be most productive. Holes 10 feet above ground do not yield any sap. 



III. A wooden or galvanized 

 iron spout (3 to 8 inches long, with 

 a hook at the end to suspend the 

 bucket) is inserted into the hole. 

 A bucket is hung by its handle from 

 the hook at the end of the spout. 



IV. The buckets are emptied 

 at least once a day, as the sap 

 ferments rapidly. The sap, poured 

 into large tanks resting on sleds, 

 is quickly taken to the sugar shed. 

 The buckets must be kept clean. 



V. The production per tree is 

 25 gallons of sap per season. The 

 season lasts not longer than four 

 weeks. The trees are not affected by 

 tapping, either in quality or vitality. 

 A new hole is made every year. 



(B) BOILING PROCESS. 



Immediately after gathering, the 

 sap is boiled down in open pans 

 over an open fire. 



I. Manufacture of sugar. The 

 sap is boiled in an evaporator to 

 the consistency of wax, poured into 

 forms, and stirred to prevent for- 

 mation of large crystals. Crystali- 

 zation takes about 12 hours. Fifty 

 quarts of sap yield 2 lbs. of sugar. 



II. Manufacture of syrup. The 

 sap is boiled down to a lesser 

 consistency and at once canned or' 

 bottled. Forty gallons of sap yield 



one gallon of syrup. Evaporator in the sugar house. (Photograph supplied by Vermont Agr. E.\p. station.) 



L .i: 111 II \Vorknian in the act of inserting the sap spout. 



(Pliutugraph supplied Ijy Vermont Agr. Exp. Station.) 



