16 THE PRODUCTION OF MAPLE SIRUP AND SUGAR. 



ordinarily pay for the thinning. The large number of small trees 

 left after thinning is noticeable in the illustration, arid is a point not 

 to be overlooked. All trees that in no way interfered with the 

 dominant stand and had a fairly full crown were allowed to remain 

 as cover. There is no chance of their overtaking the favored trees, 

 and they furnish the needful shade whereby a more radical opening 

 of the crowns in the dominant stand is permitted. The final trees 

 of the grove are to be selected from the trees which are 4 to 7 inches 

 in diameter, the remainder acting as a reserve in case the selected 

 trees should meet with accident. The heaviest cutting was made in 

 that part of the stand which ran from 2 to 4 inches in diameter, the 

 class which interfered most with the future sugar trees. Those in- 

 dividuals which gave promise of becoming members of the final 



FIG. 2. The same stand shown in figure 1 after thinning. 



stand were given more room than the others. Although the cutting 

 took away such a large proportion of the stand, it will be observed 

 that the trees are still in close order. This will necessitate a later 

 thinning, probably after about six years, but at present further thin- 

 ning would subject the long, slender saplings to danger of overthrow 

 and the ground to drying. 



SITUATION OF A SUGAR GROVE. 



The best location for a sugar grove is where the maple thrives best 

 under natural conditions. In the Appalachian region this will be in 

 the north coves, and in Ohio, Indiana, and adjacent States on rich, 

 moist, gravelly soils. In the Northern States, where the maple flour- 



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