24 



preferred, because there the sap runs earlier, and the first sirup and 

 sugar to reach the market obtain the best prices. On northern 

 exposures and in very dense forests the sap season begins later ; but if 

 the sugar grove is to be on a large scale, it will be well to have it 

 include both southern and northern exposures, so that the run of sap 

 may be continued longer and not come at once in a quantity too great 

 to be easily cared for. In the Northern States the best sugar groves 

 are usually on rocky slopes with soils rich in humus, at an altitude of 

 about 1,000 feet. 



PLANTING A SUGAR GROVE. 



The advisability of planting a sugar grove will depend partly on the 

 locality. The problem presented is notably different in the Middle 

 West and in the region of commercial production in the Lake States 

 and the Northeast. In the West maple-sugar production has steadily 

 declined and shows no sign of a revival. The planting of sugar groves 

 in this region is, therefore, not generally advisable. 



In the region of commercial production it is usually easy to find old 

 groves, young stands of second growth, or sapling thickets which can 

 be made productive more quickly than a plantation of seedlings. In 

 cases where no such beginning is possible, and a plantation has been 

 determined upon, the following suggestions may be useful. 



Avoid planting the trees too far apart. This is the mistake most 

 commonly made. Wide spacing deprives the soil of its needful pro- 

 tection, reduces the yield of sap per acre, and gives a poor return for 

 the expense of planting and for the amount of land used. Planting 

 should always be done in early spring; and as the regions in which it is 

 likely to be necessary are usually at low altitudes (see pp. 11, 12), it will 

 be good policy to plant the trees close enough to insure a proper 

 ground condition from the first. This will be best accomplished by 

 setting the trees 6 by 6 feet apart. This gives 1,210 trees to the acre, 

 which will not prove very expensive, as small seedlings, costing about 

 $2 per thousand, may be used, or they may be gathered from the 

 woods, preferably in wet weather. When this is done, care should be 

 taken to select thrifty specimens, not over 2 feet in height, and to 

 plant them immediately. 



When the young trees reach a height of about 10 feet and begin to 

 crowd one another, the grove should be treated in the same manner as 

 that recommended for the wild sapling thicket (see p. 21). This will 

 give a maximum number of full-crowned trees to the acre, and the 

 proper ground conditions will be maintained. 



In most cases it will be well to cultivate the ground for one season, 

 or possibly two, but the soil should acquire the forest character as 

 soon as possible. Where that is not readily attainable, a maple grove 

 is not likely to pay. 



