SUGAR MAPLE TREE 6s 
generally found upon anacreof ground. They grow chiefly 
in the richeft foils, and frequently in ftony ground. Springs 
of the pureft water abound in their neighbourhood. They 
are when fully grownas tall as the whiteand black oaks, and 
from two to three feet in-diameter, * They put forth a 
beautiful white bloflom in the {pring before they fhow a fin- 
gle leaf. The colour of the bloffom diftinguifhes them from 
the acer rubrum, or the common maple which affords a 
blofiom ofa red colour.. The wood of the Sugar Maple- 
tree is of an inflammable ‘nature, and is preferred upon 
that account by hunters and furveyors for fire wood. Its 
{mall branches are fo much impregnated with fugaras to 
afford fupport to the cattle--horfes, and fheep of the firft 
fettlers during the winter, before they are able to culti- 
vate forage for that purpofe. Its afhes afford a great 
quantity of pot ath exceeded by few or perhaps by none 
of the trees that grow in the woods of the United States. 
The tree is fuppofed to arrive at its full growth in the 
woods in twenty years. 
It is not injured by tapping; on the contrary, the often- 
€r itis tapped, the more fyrup is obtained from it. In this 
refpect it follows the law of animal fecretion. A fingle 
tree has not only furvived, but flourifhed after forty-two 
tappings inthe fame number of years. The effets of a 
yearly difcharge of fap from the tree in improving and in- 
creafing the fap is demonftrated from the fuperior excel- 
lence of thofe trees which have been perforated in an hun- 
dred places, by a {mall wood-pecker which feeds upon the 
fap. The trees after having been wounded in this way 
diftil the remains of their juice on the ground, and after- 
ward acquire a black colour. The fap of thefé trees is much 
{weeter to the tafte than that which is obtained from trees 
VOL. Ul. I which 
* Baron LaHonten, in his voyage to North America gives the following account of the Ma- 
pletree in Canada. After defcribing the black Cherry tree fome of which he fays areas tall 
as the loftictt oaks and asbig as a hogfhead, he adds ‘* The Maple tree is much of the fame 
Beight and bulk. 1 bears no re{embiance to that fort we have in Europe.” 
