Tree Study 



741 



it was clean woods-dirt and never destroyed our faith in the maple-sugar, 



any more than did the belief that our friends were made of dirt destroy our 



friendship for them. The next day our 



interests were transferred to the house 



where we "sugared off." There we 



boiled the sirup to sugar on the stove 



and pouring it thick and hot upon snow 



made that most delicious of all sweets 



the maple-wax; or we stirred it until 



it "grained," before we poured it into 



the tins to make the "cakes" of maple- 



sugar. 



Now the old stave bucket and the 

 sumac spile are gone; in their place 

 the patent galvanized spile not only 

 conducts the sap but holds in place a 

 tin bucket carefully covered. The old 

 caldron kettle is broken, or lies rusting 

 in the shed. In its place, in the new- 

 fangled sugar-houses, are evaporating 

 vats, set over furnaces with chimneys. 

 But we may as well confess that the 

 maple-sirup of to-day seems to us a 

 pale and anaemic liquid, lacking the 

 delicious flavor of the rich, dark nectar 

 which we, with the help of cinders, 

 smoke and various other things, brewed of yore in the open woods. 



Maple seedling. 



Photo by SlingerlanJ. 



Leaves of silver ni<if)li'. 



LESSON CXC 

 THE SUGAR MAPLE 



Leading thought The sugar 

 maple grows very rapidly, and 

 is therefore a useful shade 

 tree. Its wood is used for 

 many purposes, and from its 

 sap is made a delicious sugar. 



Method This study of the 

 maple should be done by the 

 pupils out of doors, with a tree 

 to answer the questions. The 

 study of the leaves, blossoms 

 and fruit may be made in 

 the schoolroom. The maple 

 is an excellent subject for 

 Lesson CLXXXVIIL The 

 observations should begin in 

 the fall and continue at 

 intervals until June. 



Observations. Fall Work 

 i . Where is the maple you are 

 studying"" Is it near other 



