SUGAR MAPLE TREE, 71 
“families. For a great number of years many hundred pri- 
vate families in New-York and Pennfylvania have fuppli- 
-ed themfelves plentifully with this fugar during the whole 
year. I have heard of many families who have made from 
two to four hundred pounds ina year; and of one man 
who fold fix hundred pounds all made by his own hands 
in one feafon.* 
Not more knowledge is neceffary for making this fugar 
than foap, cyder, beer, four trout, &c. and yet one or all 
of thefe are made in moft of the farm houfes of the Unit- 
ed States. The kettles and other utenfils of a farmer’s 
kitchen, will ferve moft of the purpofes of making fugar, 
and the time required for the labor, (if it deferves that 
name) is at a feafon when it is impoflible for the farmer 
to employ himfelf in any fpecies of agriculture. His wife 
and all his children above ten years of age, moreover may 
aflift him in this bufinefs, for the profit of the weakeft of 
them is nearly equal to that of aman when hired for that 
purpofe. 
A comparative view of this fugar has been frequently 
made with the fugar which is obtained from the Weft-In- 
dia fugar cane, with refpe& to its quality price, and the 
poflible or probable quantity that can be made of it in the 
United States, each of which 1 fhall confider in order. 
1. The quality of this fugar is neceflarily better than 
that which is made in the Weft-Indies. It is prepared in 
a feafon when not a fingle infec& exifts to feed upon it, or 
to mix its excrements with it, and before a particle of duft 
or of the pollen of plants can float in the air. The fameob- 
fervation cannot be applied to the Weft-India fugar. The 
infects 
© The following receipt publifbed by William Cooper, Efy. inthe Albany Gazette fully Plablifbes this 
Vege Cooper’s Town April 30th 1790, of William Cooper, fixteen pounds, for fix 
hundred, and forty pounds of fugar made with my own ands, without any affiftance in lefs than 
four weeks befides attending to the other bufinefs of my farm, as providing fire wood, taking 
eare of the cattle, &c. John Nicholls. witnefs R. Smith. 
A fingle family confifting of a man and his two fons on the maple fugar lands between the 
Delawareand Sufquchannah made r8colb of maple fugar in one feafon, 
