198 FORRST TREES. 



which in this and the red flowering species, constitute 

 the curled maple ; the second, which is found only in old 

 trees in a sound state, is a singular appearance of small 

 radiating spots, more or less thickly interspersed through 

 the wood, and furnish the material called bird's-eye 

 maple. These singular spots are more numerous near 

 the sap than near the heart of the tree. 



The cause which produces these singular appearances 

 in this timber has never been satisfactorily explained. 

 Both, however, are beautiful, and if brought from a foreign 

 country, the furniture made from it would be prized as 

 the richest specimens to adorn our parlors. 



The sugar maple when cut at the proper season, and 

 thoroughly dried, forms an excellent fuel, for which pur- 

 pose it is exported from Maine in great quantities. The 

 quantity of heat produced from a given bulk of this wood, 

 though less than that from hickory, is greater than can 

 be furnished from most of the hard woods. 



The ashes procured from this species of the maple, are 

 richer in the alkaline principle, and more abundant in 

 quantity than those obtained from any other tree. They 

 furnish a large part of the potash exported to Europe 

 from New England and Ne\v York. 



The charcoal procured from this wood and used in 

 forges and domestic economy, is of the most valuable 

 kind ; and that made in Vermont, New Hampshire and 

 Maine, is one fifth heavier, than that from the same tree 

 in the more southern States ; a proof that northern lati- 

 tudes are fitted to the growth and firmness of maples. 



The sap of the sugar maple furnishes no inconsidera- 

 ble resource for the economy, the comfort, and even the 

 wealth of our northern citizens ; especially to those occu- 

 pying regions newly settled. 



The method of procuring the sap and forming the sugar, 

 is simple, and nearly the same in most places where any 

 is resorted too. The common process to collect the sap 

 is to perforate the tree with an inch auger, in two places 

 about four inches apart, and eighteen or twenty inches 

 from the ground. It is found that a more abundant flow 

 of sap is obtained from a shallow, than a deep hole. Into 

 these holes, two tubes are inserted, which from the direc- 



