70 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. 



tree in succession, emptying into their pails the contents of 

 each bucket, and replacing it under the tree, until their pails 

 are filled, when they carry them to the camp, empty them 

 into a large cask called a holder, and proceed again on their 

 round. When this holder is nearly full, it is considered time 

 to begin boiling. — Taste this sap, and tell me how you 

 like it. 



C — It is a pleasant drink, perceptibly sweet, but not cloy- 

 ing : it is like water with a very little sugar dissolved in it. 

 How much sugar will a tree produce in one season, on an 

 average ? 



F. — From two to four pounds, in a favourable season, 

 for as much depends on the season in this, as in any other 

 object of the farmer's attention. Two thousand pounds 

 weight are sometimes made by a farmer in one spring, worth 

 perhaps fivepence per pound, making a sum of upwards of 

 forty pounds currency. 



C, — What are the men engaged in, when not carrying 

 sap, or boiling ? 



F, — Chiefly in felling trees, and cutting and splitting 

 them up for firewood, to be used in boiling down, as this 

 process consumes a large quantity of fuel. They select those 

 hard- wood trees that stand near the camp, such as superan- 

 nuated maples, beeches, birches, &c. 



C. — I see a fire yonder : I suppose that is the camp. 



F, — Yes : we will go thither, as they are boiling ; it 



may interest you to see it. You perceive here are 



two forked poles stuck into the ground, across which another 

 strong pole is laid, from which the large boiling kettle is sus- 

 pended by a chain over the fire. In some parts of the pro- 

 cess it is necessary to stop the boiling very suddenly, and 

 we do this by throwing shovelfuls of snow on the fire ; but 

 I have seen it managed in a much neater manner, thus : — The 



