MAPLE-SUGAR AND SIRUP 203 
was bored. Now a three-eighth-inch bit is used. 
The hole should penetrate into the sap-wood only, and , 
should never exceed one and a half inches in depth. 
Into this hole a neat galvanized iron spout or spile is 
inserted. On this a covered kettle is hung. 
When the buds begin to swell the flow stops; the 
spout should be removed, and the hole should be 
tightly plugged with a wooden stopper. One spout to 
each tree is sufficient. A maple-tree thus carefully 
tapped will yield an abundance of sap for more than 
a century. 
In the old method an open kettle was hung over a 
fire in the woods. In it the sap was boiled. When 
sufficiently evaporated the liquid would granulate 
into sugar. This was tested by dropping a little 
> which is 
upon the snow. ‘This is the “ sugar snow’ 
usually present at that time of the year. 
To-day there are cleaner methods, with spouts that 
do not rust, pails with lids, modern evaporators, ther- 
mometers, and usually a neat little sugar house to 
protect the workers and the liquid. 
The old-time “ sugaring off” was equal to the 
vintage-time of Italy, the grinding season in the land 
of the sugar-cane, and the corn-shuckings of our Mid- 
dle and Southern States. 
There is great possibility of extending this indus- 
try to many other parts of this country. All through 
