A Letter on the Manufa^ure of Maple Sugar. 65 



contradi£lcd, better evidence mufl be produced than the fa61: 

 itfelf. 



That there is that quantity of unimproved land in the 

 northern and weftern part of this ftate, is obvious to all who 

 are acquainted with its geography j that thefe trees are plen- 

 tifully found over the face of the whole country, will not be 

 denied by any perfon acquainted with the nature of our forefts ; 

 then nothing remains but to point out the mode in which the 

 iTianufa£lory can be promoted, without lofs to the proprietor ; 

 which is, that the overfeer of large trafts of land will caufe them 

 to be fettled by families, and fupply them with utenfils fuitable 

 for carrying on the manufa6lory ; make them debtors for the 

 fupplies iffued out, and credit them for the returns of fugar at 

 a price that will bear tranfportation ; no lofs can be admitted 

 in this mode of carrying on the bufinefs ; on the other hand 

 certain profit. But another objection arifes — Will not the 

 lands produce more to the hufhandman on the princioles of 

 grazing cattle or flieep, making butter or cheefe, raifmg wheat, 

 hemp, barley, &c. for all which thofe lands are excellent in 

 their nature ? I anfvver. No. The whole produce of the tra6l 

 of country firft itatcd paffes through my hands ; and certain it 

 is, that the whole wheat, cheefe, butter, beef and every thing 

 that can poffibly be reared, is not equal in value to the fugar 

 produced from the fame lands, which is a fair and conclufive 

 argument. Some may fay a fufficient portion of the country is 

 not now improved, and much more produce may be reafonably 



