Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 March 1912 — Tree Tapping Begins. [ARTICLE]

Tree Tapping Begins.

Farmers of Indiana are just beginning to tap their sugar trees and the continued cold weather, now believed to be on the point of moderating, will make the conditions ideal for a large output of maple syrup and sugar. The state official is receiving many inquiries from farmers concerning the pure food laws on the maple syrup topic/Formerly there was more maple syrup sold in the Indianapolis market alone than was produced in the state, Mr. Barnard said. All of It was adulterated. The specifications all call for syrup that is the evaporated sap of the maple tree. No sugar may be added, hor can any coloring matter be included. The syrup must weigh eleven pounds to the gallon. Last year’s examinations of the product failed to reveal • adulterations, although some of the syrup was dirty and most of it failed to be thick enough. There were twelve prosecutions in Ahe state last month because of violations of the food and drug laws, according to the monthly report of Mr. Barnard. Five of the prosecutions were made because of the discovery of sulphites in meats. Six years ago there was a wholesale tendency to put sulphites in meats and the state officials made war upon the practice, with the result that their use was practically eliminated. The epidemic has now broken out afresh and more prosecutions will follow, he says.