34 MAINE STATE SOCIETY. 



the filth drawer beloM', apd supplies tlic worms and moths w'lih 

 food of their own liking, and giving a good ventilation to every 

 part of the hives, hancy boxes and feed drawers, and saving the 

 bees the necessity of carrying out the filth or tramping through 

 it to blacken up the comb. The cleanliness of the hive, and its 

 perfect ventilation, serves much to keep the honey in its pure 

 and natural state, as well as giving health to the bees. 



Maple Sugar and Sfrup. 



Statement of Samuel F. Perley, Naples. "My sugar orchard 

 is situated in Naples, Cumberland county, on an eastern side 

 hill, rather moist and rocky. The trees are principally rock 

 maple, and from six inches to two feet diameter. They are 

 tapped with a five-eighth inch auger bit. The sap is caught in 

 wooden tubs, kept clean, and is gathered once in twenty-four 

 hours, or if the weather is cool, at long'er intervals, always 

 being careful to collect it often enough so that it shall not sour 

 in the tubs. It is poured, as gathered, into a large trough or 

 cistern, and to each barrel is added one quart clear limewater, 

 and boiled as soon as may be, to the consistence of thin cane 

 molasses, when it is strained through flannel, and left to cool 

 and settle, say twenty-four or forty-eight hours. It is then 

 carefully drawn olT, leaving the sediment; and to a quantity 

 sufficient to make one hundred pounds sugar, add two quarts 

 skimmed milk, and stir well together before heating. It is 

 then placed over a fire, and heated slowly till the scum rises } 

 after this is. removed, boil with a steady heat till it will grain. 

 Turn off into pans to grain. The clarifying process may be 

 repeated, if a light color is desired, though this is at the expense 

 of the peculiar maple flavor. The sample presented was clari- 

 fied but once, and but partially drained, it being preferred damp 

 for use. The syrup presented received the same treatment, 

 except that it was taken from the fire before it reached the 

 condition for sugar." 



Statement of N. Hinkley, Monmouth. The sugar was made 

 from trees, of rock maple, mostly of small size, second growth. 

 I tap the trees about two inclies deep, with a five-eighth inch 



