i89o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
9oi 
Business. 
IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE 
OF MAPLE MOLASSES. 
Among the various articles of table use commonly es¬ 
teemed as luxuries, there is none, perhaps, held in more 
universal favor than good, old fashioned maple molasses, 
pure and unadulterated, such as jvas made by our grand¬ 
fathers, and is still made by many small establishments 
throughout the country. As offered to the consumer at 
present, most maple molasses is little better than corn 
syrup, flavored with a small proportion of the genuine 
article, and, in fact, the genuine sort is rarely found in the 
market. It is a homo manufacture for home use, fre¬ 
quently produced by the rudest apparatus and the 
simplest process. 
Millions of gallons of excellent maple molasses have 
been made in this way, in iron kettles hung over an open 
fire, or in the more common sheet-iron pan, with its fur¬ 
nace of rough stone. But these methods 
have their disadvantages. Boiling in a 
kettle is necessarily a slow process, while 
the more rapid evaporation in a shallow 
pan increases the liability of producing a 
scorched and discolored article, even when 
the greatest care is exercised. Either 
method consumes a vast quantity of fuel in 
proportion to the actual heat utilized ; but 
while fuel was abundant this was no serious 
objection. Now that maple molasses is an 
esteemed luxury rather than a necessity, 
as in former times, and commands a much 
higher price in the market, the consumer 
expects nothing less than a strictly first- 
class article in return for his money, and 
can hardly be induced to purchase anything 
else. Every improvement in the method of 
manufacture should therefore be regarded 
with favor by the producer. Economy in 
the use of fuel is absolutely necessary in 
many parts of the country, and any im¬ 
provement in this direction will prove most 
beneficial. 
Directly in this line are the efforts of a 
neighbor of mine who, several years ago, 
devised an apparatus which has proved 
decidedly successful in every way. The de¬ 
vice is not patented, may be constructed and used by any 
one, and as it possesses more than ordinary merit, I deem it 
simple justice to make it known to the public. Drawings 
have been made which, with the accompanying descrip¬ 
tion, it is hoped may impart a thorough knowledge of its 
construction and method of operation. 
Fig. 440 shows the apparatus in its most complete form. 
The reservoir (A) to hold the daily gathering of sap, may 
be made of any desired siz°, this being determined by the 
quantity of sap it must hold. It should be constructed of 
two-inch poplar plank, the sides and bottom neatly rab • 
beted together, with grooves cut across to receive the end 
pieces, and every joint carefully leaded to make it per¬ 
fectly tight. A portion of this reservoir is permanently 
covered, and on this part is constructed a box strainer (S), 
an opening covered with fine wire cloth, or a square of 
muslin tacked on top of the box and hanging down inside. 
The remainder of the reservoir is covered with a close-fit¬ 
ting lid to exclude dust and dirt. 
The boiling vat (C) is of the same material, and con¬ 
structed in the same manner as the reservoir. It should 
be 10 to 12 inches deep, and 16 or 18 wide, inside measure, 
and may be eight or ten feet long, or even longer where a 
large quantity of sap is to be evaporated daily. On the 
floor of this vat a number of galvanized iron pipes, three- 
fourths of an inch thick, are laid parallel and made contin 
uous by semi circular “turns” at each end, Fig. 441. These 
pipes must be even in number, making their entrance and 
exit at the same end of the vat. Quarter “ turns ” con¬ 
nect the two outside pipes with the upright pipes, (M) and 
(IV), each of which is furnished with a valve. This is 
shown in the plan at Fig. 441. 
The boiling is done by steam introduced into these pipes. 
The pipe (Af) is connected with the steam dome of an or¬ 
dinary engine, or with a steam generator made expressly 
for cooking, boiling, etc. Open the valve in this pipe, and 
the steam traverses the pipes in the vat, escaping through 
Maple Molasses Boiler. The Pipes. Fig. 441. 
the pipe (N), in which it is returned over the side of the 
vat, and is discharged into the trough (£)), where, as it 
comes in contact with the cold air, a large portion is con¬ 
densed and carried to a pail or other vessel set for that 
purpose. The partially heated water thus collected may 
be injected into the boiler again and thus a saving of heat 
be made. To prevent loss of heat by contact with the 
floor of the vat, the pipes are supported a half inch above 
it by two cross pieces, (P) and (P), as shown in the plan 
at Fig. 442, and in section at Fig. 443. These pieces are made 
as follows: a piece of wood one and a quarter inch 
square is perforated with a line of holes of the proper size 
and at the proper distances from each other to receive the 
pipes. This is sawed lengthwise through the ceuters of 
the holes, and the flat side of each of these pieces is cov¬ 
ered with a strip of iron one-fourth of an inch thick, 
turned up at the ends for several inches and then bent in¬ 
ward, forming a small hook. 
The reservoir, (A) is elevated several feet above the 
ground and communicates with the boiling vat through a 
large-sized faucet or piece of pipe with a stop cock. One 
end of the boiling vat is permanently covered to a distance 
of five or six inches, and through this the pipes (M) and 
( N ) pass, fitting loosely in holes cut for them. The re¬ 
mainder of the vat is covered with a lid having strips or 
“ battens ” across to prevent warping from the action of 
the steam. Ordinarily this lid is thrown back while evap¬ 
oration is going on, but if out-of doors it is partially closed 
during high wind. For this purpose a strap or chain 
fastened to the front of the lid, is hung on a hook on the 
reservoir above. 
When the day’s boiling is done, the farther end of the 
vat is lowered by removing the two-inch piece of wood. (E) 
lyiDg on the foundation beneath. To remove the strain on 
the pipes and at the same time to allow the molasses to 
flow unobstructed to that end of the vat, the pipes are 
raised by means of square iron rings (R, Fig. 442) inserted in 
the small hooks on the supporting cross-piece (P) and hung 
on a square stick laid across the top of the vat, (Fig. 443). 
The molasses is then removed through an ordinary faucet 
at ( F ). If boiling the sap in contact with wood is found 
objectionable, the vat may be lined with galvanized iron, 
but in this case the joining with the faucet must be made 
perfectly tight to prevent the sap from getting between the 
lining and the wood. 
When the season’s work is over, the pipes are removed 
from the vat, taken apart, washed, and thoroughly dried. 
They may be oiled and then stored away where they will 
keep perfectly dry. To remove them unscrew the collar, 
(G) on the pipe (Af). A piece of iron, (£T) bolted to the end 
of the reservoir supports the upper part of the pipe, and 
the lower part is unscrewed from the pipes in the vat. The 
outer portion of the pipe, (N) is raised and the entire pipe 
removed by unscrewing as in the former case. The pipes 
in the vat are removed together, being lifted out by the 
hooks on their supports, (P) and (<■*). 
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES. 
The only disadvantage thus far experienced is the first 
cost. This is necessarily large. My Deighborhas a 10 horse¬ 
power portable engine which he owned previously, but a 
much smaller engine will serve the purpose equally well 
and with less expense. A steam generator, as advertised 
in some of our agricultural papers, will cost still less. 
Galvanized pipes and lining for the vat are expensive; but 
will last for years if proper care is given them. 
The quality of the molasses produced in this way, especi¬ 
ally when the vat is lined, is all that could be desired. It is 
almost impossible to overheat it. The heat is under ab¬ 
solute control, aud may be completely shut off at any 
Maple Molasses Boiler. Cross Section. Fig. 442. 
moment by means of the valve in the pipe (Af), a thing 
which cannot be done with a furnace and pan. 
Economy in the use of fuel is one of the greatest merits. 
Even with his 10-h’orse engine, my neighbor asserts that 
the consumption of fuel is not more than one-third of the 
amount formerly used in a furnace. A further economy 
in the utilization of the heat is secured by a valve in the 
exit pipe (N), which may be partially closed, thus retain¬ 
ing the steam in the pipes of the vat until its heat is fully 
absorbed in the evaporation of the sap. 
To sum up, we have the greatest economy in fuel, perfect 
regulation of heat, and the certainty of producing a first- 
class article, to offset the extra cost of the plant, which is 
iu reality little more than the cost of the best evaporators 
now in use. s. p. shull. 
Montgomery County, Ohio. 
IMPLEMENT NOTES. 
Felt For Butter Packages.— Mr. J. C. Stribling, 
whose dairy is in South Carolina, has this to say 
about dispensing with ice in shipping butter: “ For 
shipping butter in hot weather I have recommended to a 
number of shippers the use of heavy felting as a cover over 
the packages, for if this is wet thoroughly just before 
shipping it will do about as well as ice packing. This thick 
felt will not allow all the water to evaporate in a day’s 
journey; and I have shipped butter prints 140 miles, in 
July, that kept in good shape to the end of the journey.” 
Roofs for Outbuildings.— Mr. Edward Hicks sends 
the following note. We hope to give a picture of the shed 
and roofing. “ We have just put an iron roof on and be¬ 
tween a couple of corn cribs placed 11 feet apart, so that 
we can unload our corn under a cover as well as take out a 
load of corn in rainy weather to be shelled in the barn by 
horse power. We have been using iron sheeting to cover 
several of our buildings whose roofs have been getting 
quite leaky. It is very easily put on I y any smart farm 
hand with a little instruction, and costs us 
less than 3X cents a square foot painted 
on both sides. Yesterday one man and my¬ 
self put on 512 square feet in about six 
hours. I think it will be very much more 
durable than tin; it costs less than half the 
price. Farmers could save many an old 
building at a small cost if they but knew 
how.” 
Thrashing With Horses.— In the last 
number of the Centfiry Magazine, a writer 
gives an interesting account of the way 
Gol. Sutter, the discoverer of gold in Cali¬ 
fornia, used to thrash his wheat. Sutter 
was heavily in debt to the Russians and 
had promised to pay in wheat, so he grew 
great quantities of that crop. It was cut 
by Indians, with knives, swords, bill-hooks 
and rude scythes, and then placed in a 
great stack inside a log inclosure. When 
thoroughly dry a band of wild horses was 
turned into the stack and frightened so 
that they dashed around the inclosuie at 
a terrible speed. This thrashed or shelled 
out the grain in a remarkably short time, 
as in that climate the straw and heads were 
dry and brittle. The grain was afterwards 
cleaned by throwing it into the air and let¬ 
ting the wind blow out the dust and chaff. That was in 
1847. In Mexico, to-day, much the same plan is followed, as 
some of our thrashing machine makers could tell to their 
sorrow. In oriental countries the plan is as old as the 
Bible, though oxen usually took the place of Sutter’s wild 
mustangs. 
A new implement for loosening sod is reported from 
France. Instead of the ordinary pointed-tooth harrow 
which scratches and tears up the grass, a number of keen 
knives attached to a frame are used to cut or slice up the 
sod. This lets air in and does not tear out the grass roots. 
Potato Planting Tools.— Which is the best fertilizer 
distributor on the market ? I want one which will dis¬ 
tribute cotton seed meal regularly without clogging, say, 
one water bucketful to 35 yards. Is there any potato 
planter better than the Aspinwall ? The fault I find with 
it is that it distributes the meal on top of the potatoes, 
which are liable to rot on account of this method of dis¬ 
posing of the amount of meal we use in planting them. 
Can the meal and potatoes be shut off when one gets out 
of the row with the Aspinwall, or does it continue working 
while turning into the next row f What is the best digger 
or digging machine on the market ? g. b. k. 
Mobile, Ala. 
Ans. —The Aspinwall is the best planter, and its fertil¬ 
izer distributor Is the best of the kind. The machine can 
be thrown out of gear instantly, so that both planter and 
fertilizer attachment will not work. The Hoover and 
Pruyn diggers are both good. It is hard to say which is 
the “best.” 
Electricity on the Farm.—W e are told of a rich 
French farmer who makes use of electricity in his farm 
work. A stream runs through his farm, and is made to 
turn a turbine wheel which operates a dynamo which gen¬ 
erates electricity which is communicated about the farm, 
turning a wine-press, lifting, pumping, hauling and vari¬ 
ous other operations, besides supplying light to ISO lamps. 
The system is said to be a great success, and might be 
copied on many large farms where streams are found or 
where strong windmills are idle a good share of the time. 
On this page next week, The E. K-Y. unit 
print a picture of the simplest and most 
perfect milking machine that has ever been 
devised. It is not patented, and is cheap 
and strong. 
MAPLE MOLASSES BOILER. Fig. 440. 
