

CULTIVATION OF PLANTS. 195 



ration of spouts and troughs or tubs for the trees: the spouts or tubes are made 

 of elder, sumac, or pine, sharpened to fit an auger hole of about three-fourths 

 of an inch in diameter. The hole is bored a little upward, at the distance hori- 

 zontally of five or six inches apart, and about twenty inches from the ground, 

 on the south or sunny side of the tree. The trough, cut from white maple, 

 pine, ash or basswood, is set directly under the spouts, the points of which are 

 so constructed as completely to fill the hole in the tree, and prevent the loss of 

 the sap at the edges, having a small gimlet or pith hole in the centre, through 

 which the entire juice discharged from the tree runs, and is all saved in the 

 vessels below. The distance bored into the tree is only about one half inch, 

 to give the best run of sap. The method of boring is far better for the pre- 

 servation of the tree than boxing, or cutting a hole with an axe, from the lower 

 edge of which the juice is directed by a spout to the trough or tub prepared to 

 receive it. [The latter method, boxing, is highly injurious, and ought never 

 to be adopted.] The tub should be of ash, or other wood that will communi- 

 cate no vicious taste to the liquid or sugar. 



The sap is gathered daily from the trees and put in larger tubs for the pur- 

 pose of boiling down. This is done by the process of a steady hot fire. The 

 surface of the boiling kettle is from time to time cleansed by a skimmer. The 

 liquid is prevented from boiling over by the suspension of a small piece of fat 

 pork at the proper point. Fresh additions of sap are made as the volume boils 

 away. When down to a syrup, the liquor is set away in some earthen or metal 

 vessel till it becomes cool and settled. Again the purest part is drawn off or 

 poured into a kettle until the vessel is two-thirds full. By a brisk and conti- 

 nual fire the syrup is further reduced in volume to a degree of consistence best 

 taught by a little experience, when it is either put into moulds to become hard 

 as it is cooled or stirred until it shall be grained into sugar. The right point 

 of time to take it away from the fire may be ascertained by cooling and grain- 

 ing a small quantity. The sediment is strained off and boiled down to make 

 molasses. 



A cold and dry winter is followed with a greater yield of sugar from the 

 maple than a season very moist and variable. Trees growing in wet places 

 will yield more sap, but much less sugar from the same quantity, than trees on 

 more elevated and drier ground. The red and white maple will yield sap, 

 but it has much less of the saccharine quality than the rock or sugar maple. 



As this is made at a season interfering very little with the other business of 

 the farm, the sugar that the farmer makes is as so much clear gain. 



A spoonful of slaked lime to a half barrel of sap is beneficial, it causes the 

 impurities to rise more readily when boiling. Fermentation of the sap usually 

 takes place in about thirty-six hours; and unless some method is devised of 

 preserving it, it should be boiled without delay. When reduced to syrup it is 

 to be strained through a woollen cloth, hair cloth will answer as well, and 

 stand for a few hours to settle. In boiling down, charcoal is the best fuel to 

 use. The clarifying materials should be added at the commencement of this 

 process, (boiling down.) These are generally milk, eggs, or what is better, 

 calves blood. The scum which rises should be carefully removed. The syrup, 

 when properly reduced, is taken from the fire, and stirred for some time m 

 order to give it grain, which is thus easily effected by bringing every part into 

 contact with the atmosphere. This is a very important part of the process, for 

 if it is not stirred, but poured into the moulds, it will not be grained, but re- 

 semble candy rather than sugar. Molasses and vinegar are generally made 

 from the last runnings, the sap being less adapted for sugar. The molasses, 

 when properly clarified, is superior to that from the sugar-cane, having a pe- 

 culiarly grateful flavour. The vinegar, though excellent for ordinary use, Is 

 not well adapted for pickles.* 



Claying or whitening the sugar. In two or three days after the moulds or 

 tubs are unstopped at the bottom, mix white clay with water, so as to reduce it 

 to a thin mortar. With this cover the top of the sugar one inch and a half 

 thick; when the covering appears dry, remove* it, and supply its place by a 



* We believe it is not used in the arts. 



