Micro-organisms or Maplb Sap •"■•"''. , 



the season of 1909 was peculiar. There were no warm periods 

 of importance and the interval between the first run and the 

 last was only three weeks. The commercial season was even 

 shorter since the experimental trees were tapped before the real 

 season opened and most sugar makers in the vicinity gathered 

 their buckets before April 16. 



Inoculation Experiments in iqio 



The experience gained in 1909 emphasized the importance of 

 more carefully controlled inoculation experiments. To facili- 

 tate the progress of the studies it seemed best to establish a lab- 

 oratory where the more simple bacteriological technique could 

 be carried out in close proximity with the woods. Accordingly, 

 before the opening of the sugar season in 1910, a small rough 

 wooden building was put up in the sugar woods for this pur- 

 pose. (See Plate II). The floor space available was about 6" 

 by 24 ft. The equipment consisted of an old fashioned box- 

 stove, the top of which could be easily removed to be replaced 

 by the evaporating pan, a blue-flame oil stove with an oven, an 

 Arnold steam sterilizer, a microscope, Petri dishes, test tubes 

 and other glassware, a few chemicals and the necessary sugar 

 tools. (See Plate III). Since the laboratory was of rough 

 construction and consequently became cold quickly, it was nee 

 sary to provide some apparatus in which the inoculated sap 

 could be stored, in order to maintain a reasonably constant tem- 

 perature during the period of incubation. For this purpose 

 a rather crude modification of the modern fireless cooker was 

 provided. (See Plates III and IV). This consisted of a box 

 the approximate interior dimensions of which were, height 20 

 inches, width 40 inches, and length 16 feet. The walls were 

 made of 2 double layers of matched sheathing between which 

 was an air space of I inch. Building paper was used between 

 each of the double lavers of sheathing- and on each side of the 

 one inch air space. The top, bottom, and sides were of similar 

 construction, the cover being so arranged as to break joints .1 



