202 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 19. If 



" them knobs and swellings out of the tree. The 

 " Bruscum is of a blackish kind, with which they 

 " make tables." 



" Thus far Pliny. And such spotted tables were 

 the famous Tygrin and Panlherine, from the natu- 

 ral spots and maculations. Sucli a table was that of 

 Cicero,\\ hioh cost him tenthou;4and sesterces: such 

 another had Asirius Oullus. That df king Juba, 

 was sold for fifteen thousand, and another valued 

 at one hundred and forty thousand ; and yet that 

 of the Mauritarian Ptolemie was far richer, which 

 is reported to have been sold for its weight in gold. 

 Of that value they were, and so madly luxurious 

 the age, tliat v/hen the men at any time reproach- 

 ed their wives, for tlieir wanton eipcnsiveness, in 

 pearl and other rich trifles, they were wont to re- 

 tort and turn the tables, upon their husbands." — 

 Hunter in a note observes, that this " common ex- 

 pression seen^s to have originated from wliat Pliny 

 has remarked upon the Citron, and Bruscum of the 

 Maple." 



The Piock Maple, reaching in height 70 or 80 

 feet, is not only one of the most magnificent, but 

 the most valuable of our forest trees. The wood 

 is extensively used by the turner, cabinet-maker, 

 wheel and mill wright, for keels and floor timbers 

 of vessels, and various other purposes. The beau- 

 tiful varieties called Birds-Eye and Curled* are 

 well known and admired, both in the United States 

 and in Europe. 



As fuel, Rock Maple wood ranks next to Hicko- 

 ry ; the charcoal made from it is in high estima- 

 tion for the use of forges and blacksmiths ; — tak- 

 ing precedence of that made from any oiher wood 

 in several of the nortiiein states ; and Jlichaux 

 observes " that the opinions enterttined of it in 

 this respect, in North America, accord with the 

 interesting experiment of Mr Harlin; [Grand Mas- 

 ter of the forests of Prussia,] on :le comparative 

 heat afforded by different species of European 

 vcood, from which it results, that (lie Sycamore, 

 ^cer pseudo-platanas, is superior to every other ;"' 

 and he also states that, "the ashes are rich in the 

 alkaline principle, and it ro-iy be confidently as- 

 serted, that they furnisli four-fifths of the pot- 

 ashes exported to Europe, from Boston and New 

 York." 



As an ornamental tree, and for shade, it is sur- 

 passed by a very few, if any. In Connecticut, a 

 laudable example has been set, by the citizens of 

 manv towns, as well as in the western part of 

 this state, in New Hampshire, and in Vermont, 

 of planting them on each side of the public roads, 

 in the fronts of their houses, and about their 

 fields. 



It is said thai grass thrives better under this 

 tree — as is the case with the locust — than in situ- 

 ations exposed to the constant action of the sun. 



But the most valuable use to which the Rook 

 Maple can be appropriated is tha' of a substitute 

 for the sugar cane, in regions beyond the limited 

 climate of that valuable plant. The distinguished 

 Dr Rush, in his interesting treatise on the manu- 

 facture of sugar, from the sap of this tree, states, 

 that " it is not injured by tapping ; on the contra- 

 ry, the oftener it is tapped tlie more syrup is ob- 

 tained from it. In this respect it follows the laws 

 of animal secretion. A single tree had not only 

 survived, but flourished, after forty-two tappings, 

 in the same number of years. The trees, after 



* The Curled is also obtained from the Red 

 Maple. 



having been wounded in this way, distil the re- Mr Fisher is now I am informed in Massii 

 mains of their juice on the ground, and aftorwaiiis setts, and I cannot but hope that those gentlq 

 acquire a black colour. From twenty-three gallote jn our own state, who have fine animals will 



and one quart of sap, procured in twenty hours, 

 from only two of th^se dark coloured trees Nathan 

 Noble, Esq. of tl)e state of New York, obtained 

 four pounds and thirteen ounces of good grainel" 



advantage of his talents and have the best in 

 uals of their stock painted, with a view to thi 

 tares being etched or litliographed in the 

 manner, which with a little colouring would a 



sugar. A tree, of an ordinary size, yields, in a Uq the farmer a handsome, interesting, and u 

 good season, from twenty to thirty gallons of sap, picture at a small expense. Those who an 

 from wiiich are made from five to six pounds of Lnotely situated, or from other circumstances ** 

 sugar. In this there are remarkable exceptions, unable to leave their farms, would have som( 

 Sami. Lane, Esq. of Montgomery county, in the | portunity by such engravings, of forming 



state of New York, made twenty pounds and one 

 ounce of sugar between the lilth and 23d of April, 

 in the year 1789, from a single tree, that had been 

 tapped for several successive years before. From 

 the influence which culture has upon forest and 

 other trees, it has been supposed that by trans- 

 planting the Sugar Maple Tree into a garden, or 



tastes and judgement. At home they would 

 come familiarized with wliat has been eslabli 

 as beautiful, and a better illustration of what i 

 sirable in the forms of animals, would be prei ''?' 

 ed to them than could have been ofl'ered bj 

 most able description. Should this means of: 

 ing our agriculturists familiar with our best a 



by destroying such other trees, as shelter it from : mens of stock, become general, wc should tht 

 the rays of the sun, the quantity of the sip might , ^ble to ascertain the progress and relative e: '"" 

 be increased and its quality improved, i have ; ]ence of stock in other states, of which we " 

 heard of one fact, which favours this opinion. A 1 now no means of judging, but by an attend! 

 farmer, in Northampton county, in the stale cf at their respective exhibitions, which very; 

 Penn.sylvania, planted a number of these trees," practical farmers can afford. Perhaps not 

 above twenty years ago, in his meadow, from thr'e ^^jn one member in thirty of the Mass. Agricii ^ 

 gallons of the sap of which, he obtains every year ^ ^al iS-ociety ever attended a meeting out of ^ , 

 a pound of sugar. It was observed formerly, that . y^^.^ gtjje! . . ! 



it required five or six gallons of the sap of the | Perhips tVis subject may not be unworthy 

 trees whidi grow in tlie woods, to produce the | attention of so ne one of our numerous a gncu 

 same quantity of sugar." ! r,il stcieties, who^e judgement in the rlii.ici 



Doct. Rush estimated, at the time he wrote, that ' subjects, and care in the selection of artists, wc 

 there were in the state of New York and Pennsyl- be a guarantee to the puW.ic, that the prints 

 vania alone, a sufficient number of Sugar Maple ; whicii they were subscribing would corridlj i 

 Trees, — calculating each to yield five pounds, — to , resent the animals proposed ; a.ld I doubt not 

 produce, from the labour of 60,000 families, allow- jer such circumstances, a list of suf-cribers wc 

 ing only three persons to each family capable of [,e readily obtained, that would amply corpnens 

 attending to that duty, 135,000,000 pounds of: the talents employed, reduce the price 

 sugar. [to subscribers, and possibly prove a source of r 



i will send you in season for the next number of 

 the Farmer, the answers to the other queries. 

 Very respectfully. 



Your most ob't serv't, 



H. A. S. DEARBORN. 

 T. G, Fespemden, Esq. 



enje, rather Ihan a tax on the funds of the Srriif 

 I am sir, with much respect, 



Your obedient servant 

 JVeit> Bedford, Jan. 15, 18'27. F. I 



WHY DOES DOMESTIC CLOTH SIIRIN 



Mr Fessenden, — Improvement being tlie or 



of the day, our great men cheerfully lendii.L; tl 



W^YE COMET— PAINTINGS OF ANIMALS 



Mr Fessenden — Some short time since, as I ■j^fj^igj^^.p ^^ j.j^jgg ^y^ character and improve 

 was passing through the state of Connecticut, L p^jj^j^j^,,^ our well informed men, rivals onl) 

 was shown an excellent picture of the celebrated | jigf^gi^g knowledge, even as subjects of pccu 

 bull Wye Comet, which my friend informed me . ■^jg^.g^^ ^^ j,^g ij^jj^jj^g ^^^ ^nj housewife, a; 

 was painted by Mr Fisher, an American "rtist, ! puitu^e^ domestic economy and manufacture! 

 who has but lately returned from Europe : and if'takg encouragement to solicit instruction, throi 

 I may judge from the picture in question, he has y^y^ valuable paper, on a subject which to sc 

 studied with a success commensurate with his re- '^jn perhaps appear trifling. But to us farmers 

 puted industry. lis considerably important ; while we are oblif 



This painting possesses great merit, both as a 'j^ ^^^.^j.^ jj^g cloth that we wear and choose 

 picture and a portrait, and the artist appears to ly/ear that which we make. Why does our dom 

 have been fully aware of the necessity of an acc-.i- : jj^ manufacture, commonly called home-made cU 

 rate deleniation of those " points" which may be however w«l! spunged previous to making up,cc 

 peculiar to the individual animal, and important to t^nually shrink as it does in the wearing ? Is i 

 the grazier, though of little valuo and considera- , f^^n j,, spinning, weaving or dressing? And w^ 

 lion to an artist. Painters are apt to consider a ■ j^ y^^. ^g^^gjy p jyjy grandfather's wedding cc ^ 

 cow as a cow, and an ox an ox, differing only from ■ ^^ Royal English broadcloth, though worn in oi i 

 each other in size and colour, without any percep- .^^ (j^,g j^^jj drenched in many a storm, still ; ' 

 tion of those nicer characteristics which are so ^^^^^ jjg ample dimensions and seems only waiti 

 readily distinguished by the agriculturist. This ^j^g ^v)^gel of fashion to come round to be a ti 

 however does not seem to have been the case with ' goo(] coat again. But ray new surtout and jack 

 Mr Fisher, who appears to have viewed this noble 'manufacture'd by my wife and first put on only i 

 animal with the mingled feelings of a connoisseur I g^,,,^, ^\^^^^ though very large when made, fl 

 and an artist ; and has strictly preserved not only \^^^^ ^^ small,tbat to tug them on or to pull mys 

 theformof this beautiful creature but has admira- tgy^pftijg^ ig worse tlmn an hour's work ; r 

 bly portrayed the mild yet bright and lively air of j^,^,,,gjj y,gy ^re on and buttoned up, I feel as m 

 ' Wye Comet. 



