On the American Sugar Maple, ' 3c 7 



with maples in full growth, each affording fixty pints of liquor, the produ£l would be fix 

 hundred and fixty-fix pounds of unrefined fugar. For the arpent may fupport two hundred 

 and twenty-two trees, placing the flems at twelve feet diftance from each other. 



I'he maples begin to afford a certain quantity of fugar at the age of 18 years, and ceafe 

 to afford any at bz> or 70 years. In America, thofe trees are reckoned large which rife 

 above 60 feet. I here are fome which are tw6 feet in diameter. The wood of certain 

 fpecies is hard, and of a clofe texture, if they be tapped too foon, there is reafon to fear 

 that it may injure the growth, and render the produdt of fugar inconfulerable. It is there- 

 fore of advantage to determine the period of life at which the tapping ought to be com- 

 menced. And on this head it has been afcertained, that the bed and moll abundant pro- 

 duce is obtained from trees of the middle fize, and that fcarcely any is afforded by maples 

 which are large and old. 



The fugar maple has not hitherto been cultivated in France, but as an objefl of cu- 

 riofity. Some enlightened cultivators, who endeavour to dire£l all their purfuitsto objedls 

 of utility, have entertained the hope that fome advantage might be derived from this tree. 

 There are a fufncient number of thefe trees at prefent in France, to afford the means of 

 determining whether they produce fugar in our climate, and in what quantity ; and this 

 decifion is neceffary to be had before the cultivation in the large way ought to be propofed. 

 For it is poffible that they may afford a very faccharine liquid in America, and much lef* 

 in Europe, as happens with the liquid amber; which, according to Kalm, affords mucb 

 balfam in New Mexico and South Carolina; but produce lefs in Virginia, and none at all 

 in Penfylvania and New York. 



The difference which exifts between the cold of the nights in the American countries 

 and thofe of Europe under the fame degrees of latitude, the heat of the fun being equal, 

 mud neceffarily influence the progrefs of vegetation. 



In the mean time, until we (hall acquire the neceffary information, if it Ihould be thought 

 fit to increafe the number of thefe trees, the following is the method of proceeding : — The 

 fureft and moft ufeful is to fet the feeds. They may be found in the plantations of 

 M. Duhamel, M. LesMalelherbes, and feveral other curious gardeners. It is obferved, that 

 the acer faccharinum brought from America is not raifed but with difficulty, either becaufe 

 it is not tranfplanted at the proper time, or becaufe it has failed of receiving proper 

 care during the paffage. ft would perhaps be neceffary to fend exprefsly to America an 

 intelligent gardener, or to give inftruftions in the country to an attentive perfon to fend 

 the bell feed to France, and even the plant, in order to accelerate our progrefs T'hc- 

 acer faccharinum never grows from flips ; but it grafts very well on the fycamore. Its 

 refemblance to the plane maple of Europe, which is fuch that the two trees are con- 

 founded, feem« to (hew th*t it would be,mofl convenient to graft upon this tree; but a- 

 gardener has feveral times attempted this m vain. An opaque matter which lies between 

 the wood and the bark oppofes the union. The maple negundo, the only one which is 

 multiplied by flips, is likewife propagated by feed and by layers. The jafper- maple is 

 grafted with the greateft fuccefs on the fycamore. It rifes with a better ftem v.'hen grafted 

 in this manner ; but care mull be taken to graft very low. Ripe feeds of the red maple- 

 have not jet been obtained j but it may be raifed from American feed, and in this manner 



the 



