No. 4.] i'OOD ADrLTKRATION. 171 



Another instance, which concerns very much one of your 

 neighboring States, — that is, maple syrup and ma[)le sugur. 

 We know that the maple tree i)roduces a kind of syrup and 

 sugar which is very nuich liked on account of certain (quali- 

 ties it contains, and which are not found in other natural 



sugars. As far as the sui>ar which is contained in it is con- 

 es ~ 



cerned, it is just the same as that which grows in the sugar 

 beet and the sugar cane, — there is no difference whatever 

 in the sugar ; but the maple sap contains an aromatic sub- 

 stance of a peculiarly delightful flavor, which the chemist 

 will tell you is due to some kind of an ether or aldehyde 

 fluid, which gives to it its value. If you should refine maple 

 sugar or maple syrup as you do beet and sugar cane, it 

 w^ould be thought no more of. It is because it is a rare 

 product, and contains these materials which are peculiar to 

 the maple tree, that it has this additional value. 



Now, what happens? Imitations of syrup are made. As 

 far as the sugar used is concerned, or its wholesomeness, it 

 is just as good, just as nutritious, as the maple syrup itself; 

 but it is fraudulent in character. The object in making 

 these imitations is not to injure humanity, but to defraud 

 humanity, and therefore it is an adulterated article. I am 

 told that even the farmers are not altogether free of this. I 

 am not sparing our own profession, you see, when we follow 

 the wrono; direction. I have never seen this, because I have 

 never been in Vermont during a )uaple season ; but I am 

 told that }ou can find around the factories there empty bar- 

 rels in which brown sugar has once been contained, and that 

 this is mixed in with the product of the maple sap. I am 

 not saying this is true ; I am told it is true ; it is possible 

 that it may be true. That is an adultemtion ; that is for 

 the purpose of defrauding the consumer. 



You may be interested to know that the very largest 

 maple bush in the United States is in the city of (Chicago. 

 Of course Chicago is a large city, and contains many wild 

 woods and swamps, and among them must be hundreds of 

 thousands of maple trees, — that is, if you judge by the 

 amount of "pure Vermont maple syrup" that is manufac- 

 tured in that city. It is something enormous. It is a good 



