THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 



The maple sugar industry has, during recent years, shown an un- 

 mistakable inclination to decline. As already pointed out on an earlier 

 page, the yearly production of sugar, together with its equivalent in 

 syrup, fell from more than 22,000,000 Ibs. in the eighties of the past 

 century, to about 20,000,000 Ibs. during recent seasons. This is not 

 to be wondered at, because, until quite recently, no organized effort 

 had been made to keep it alive. 



As the population and wealth of the country have increased, and 

 with these the demand for luxuries, there should have been an ever in- 

 creasing market for maple products. Certain manufacturing firms have 

 recognized this, and in order to reap the advantage of the name ' ' maple" 

 have resorted to the making of compounds composed chiefly of cheaper 

 sugars and glucose to which is added a greater or less proportion of 

 strong flavored maple sugar, and in some cases, flavoring extracts. It 

 is firmly believed by makers of genuine maple sugar, that these com- 

 pounds not only undersell and displace pure goods, but, in many cases, 

 deceive the purchaser. The newly formed Pure Maple Sugar and Syrup 

 Co-operative Farmers' Associations will exert their influence in the direc- 

 tion of protecting pure maple products against the evils of adulteration. 



It is not to be overlooked, however, that perhaps sugar makers 

 themselves are to blame for making room for the " mixer," as the com- 

 pounder of sugars is called. Unfortunately, too little maple sugar and 

 syrup are of good quality. This may partially account for the decline 

 of the industry because so much of the goods have to be sold at a low 

 price. 



GRADES OF MAPLE PRODUCTS. 



In order to ascertain, for the information of readers of this bulletin, 

 how Canadian maple sugar and syrup grade, well informed authorities 

 who handle the great bulk of these goods in Canada, were consulted. 

 As a result the astonishing information was obtained, that not more 

 than ten per cent of Canadian maple goods grade No. 1, while fifteen 

 per cent grades No. 2, fifteen per cent No. 3, and sixty per cent No. 4. 

 That is to say, of the 20,000,000 Ibs. made each year fully 12,000,000 

 Ibs. are of No. 4 grade, having a market value per Ib. of about one-half 

 that of No. 1 goods. 



Of this 12,000,000 Ibs. practically none is marketable by the makers 

 to private customers, while the much larger proportion of the 2,000,000 

 Ibs. of No. 1 grade, and more or less of the No. 2 and 3 grades, are sold 



