MONEY FROM MAPLES 



MANY thousands of American farmers throughout 

 a region comprising more than a score of States 

 are overlooking opportunities to secure delicious 

 maple sugar and sirup for home use, as well as for sale, 

 at very little cost. 



This statement, of peculiar interest because of the 

 present sugar shortage, and the approach of "sugar 

 weather," is based on data compiled by experts of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture who have made 

 a special study of the maple-sugar industry. While 

 Americans commonly think of this industry as being 

 confined largely to circumscribed areas in New England 

 and New York, there are, as a matter of fact, many 

 potential "sugar bushes" throughout eastern and north- 

 eastern United States; in other words, throughout a 

 region extending south to include North Carolina and 

 Minnesota. There are also a considerable number 

 in Tennessee and west to include northern Missouri and 

 Iowa of maple trees of a sugar-yielding species, as well 

 in Washington and Oregon. 



While some experience is necessary to boil the sap 

 down to sirup and sugar properly, the process is not com- 

 plicated and may be learned readily. A United States 

 Department of Agriculture bulletin, "Production of 

 Maple Sirup and Sugar," gives the necessary information, 

 and will be sent free to any person addressing the Depart- 

 ment at Washington. 



A clump of 10 to 15 trees usually will yield enough 

 sirup for family use to make tapping worth while, and 

 in many cases will afford a surplus which can be sold 

 at a remunerative price. The flow of sap depends upon 

 the age, condition, and habit of growth of the trees, also 

 upon the character of the weather and condition of the 

 soil during the sap-flowing season. In a good season a 

 tree 1 5 inches in . diameter will yield sufficient sap to 

 make from 1 to 6 quarts of sirup, which in turn can be 

 concentrated into 2 to 10 pounds of sugar. Larger trees 

 under the same conditions will produce correspondingly 

 large yields of sirup and sugar. All hard maple trees, 

 8 inches or more in diameter, may be safely and profit- 

 ably tapped for sirup and sugar production. 



Recently an investigator of the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture in North Carolina discovered many 

 groves of sugar .maples that were not being utilized for 

 sirup and sugar production. One of these groves is 

 probably larger than any now to be found in New Eng- 

 land. The owners, not being aware of the value of these 

 trees from the maple-sugar standpoint, had begun cutting 

 them down for lumber at an average return of less 

 than $1 a tree. At the suggestion of the Federal repre- 

 sentative the groves were spared further cutting in many 

 instances and the owners last year began tapping the trees 

 and making sirup that sold for $4 a gallon. This revela- 

 tion of the potential value of these groves has induced 

 the owners to plan more extensive operations for this 

 coming spring, so that instead of destroying the groves 

 they will become a source of permanent and larger in- 



come. It is expected that the flow of sap will be eveii 

 more satisfactory than last year, since the warm weather 

 of last winter was not favorable to producing the best 

 grade nor the highest yield of sugar and sirup. 



The maple sirup and sugar industry is distinctively 

 American and offers good commercial opportunities for 

 those who engage in it systematically. No countries 

 besides the United States and Canada produce this much- 

 prized product on a commercial scale, which is at once a 

 delicacy and a highly nutritious article of diet. The de- 

 mand for both sirup and sugar is far beyond the supply. 



Because the sugar content of the sap varies from time 

 to time, uniformity of quality can not be secured through- 

 out a season. Warm days and cool nights are essential 

 to a satisfactory flow, and the sugar content may vary 

 considerably from day to day. However, this is not a 

 feature that materially affects the success of one's 

 operations. 



Tapping of sugar trees if done properly in no way 

 injures the tree. Trees have been tapped for more 

 than 100 years and are still in good condition. 



It is a good policy to tap early in the season to obtain 

 the earlier runs, which are generally the sweetest, and 

 therefore the best producers. Makers have lost half and 

 even more of their crops by not being prepared for the 

 first run. In general, it may be said that the season is 

 ready to open during the first or middle of February in 

 the southern section and later in the northern regions 

 when days are becoming warm when the temperature 

 goes above freezing during the day and at night below 

 freezing. If the days are very bright, warm, and sunny 

 the sap will start with a rush but soon slacken, or if a 

 high wind starts the flow is checked. Protracted warm 

 weather or a heavy freeze with nights and days of even 

 temperature stops the flow altogether, to start again when 

 weather conditions are right. 



Considerable difference of opinion exists as to the best 

 method of tapping a tree. A thirteen thirty-seconds of 

 an inch (13/32-inch) bit is often used. Its direction 

 should be slightly upward into the tree, the slant allow- 

 ing the hole to drain readily. With an ordinary tree the 

 hole should not be over iy 2 to 2 inches deep at best. 



The equipment required for sirup and sugar making 

 does not necessarily represent a large outlay. A number 

 of sap spouts, either wooden or metal, are needed. The 

 sirup is usually gathered in buckets and, if the grove 

 covers a considerable area, a wagon or sled is used to 

 carry barrels into which the buckets are emptied. For 

 a small grove a big iron kettle, such as most farmers 

 possess, is ample for boiling the sap over an out-door 

 fire. For large production a more elaborate equipment, 

 such as a pair of pans set over a brick framework of 

 various patent evaporators may be employed. Where a 

 sirup is made as a side issue or in small quantities it is 

 customary to make the extra concentration essential to 

 producing sugar in pots over the kitchen stove, but where 



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