Biodegradable sleeves

[markcasper]

Does anyone know if anything has become of these so-called sanitary sleeves for the 5/16'' spouts??

They were in the Lappiere Waterloo Small catalog last year. I asked my dealer before the season last year and he told me that they would not be available until this season.

I think they would be a great for cutting down on the bacteria going into the hole with the spouts that hang in the woods all year long.

[markcasper]

Maybe noone knows what I am talking about. These "sleeves" were made to fit over the 5/16" spouts before tapping them into the hole.

They were supposedly made from a biodegradable something or other that would breakdown after 4 months.

I imagine that they would extend into the hole an inch or less. This sleeve would have direct contact with the taphole and not the spile itself. When cleaning up after the season, you'd just toss these away.

In relation----I use the 5/16' spile reducers on the old 7/16'' spouts. By washing and boiling these prior to use, I am putting a much more sterile spout into the hole than if you just tapped the spout that was hangin in the woods.

I have noticed that the holes where the adaptors are used stay open longer, therefore run sap longer. I have also did comparisons by observing the tapholes at seasons end. Where there was no adaptor used, virtually all of these holes and spiles have a white slime and mold in them.

Now where the adaptors have been used----not all, but I'd say 75% seem to look fresh at the end with many continuing to shed a little sap.

[Parker]

I have orderd 1,000 of them ,,Ill tell you how they work after the season,,,I plan on replacing 1/2 of the drops on a 300 tap bush I allready have for an experiment then putting the rest of them in Hill,,,,,Saw a family in Cambridge VT using them and they said it made a BIG differance.

[Maple Flats]

Hey Parker, What are they called , where did you order them and what is price? Thanks, sounds like a good item to experiment with.

[Parker]

I am getting them through the maple guys,,still not sure what they are called <proper name> I orderd them a while a go and as fast as the price of everything is going up I would not dare to guess what they cost now,,,good luck,,I think they will make a diffrance

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

I know what your talking about-Waterloo/Small/lapierre has them-To keep the story short the idea is to try and help keep less contaminents from reaching the taphole. On a research study they compared the sap flow rates from new plastic spouts and compared them to spouts left in the woods until next sugarin' season- Well the new spouts out flowed the old spouts in sap. You get all the weather crud on the spouts through the summer season and then stick it in the taphole when you drill it and in goes some extra microrganisms to "dry up" your taphole quicker. I've seen this quite a few time before in my operation.