72 CONVERSATIONS ON THE 



the tubes, buckets for emptying the troughs 

 and carrying the sap to the camp, boilers 

 large enough to hold fifteen or eighteen gal- 

 lons, moulds to run the sugar into, and, lastly, 

 axes to cut firewood. 



" Each tree is bored in two places, at 

 about eighteen or twenty inches above the 

 ground, and the holes are four or five inches 

 apart : experienced boilers say that the holes 

 should be on the south side of the tree, and 

 not more than half an inch deep ; they say 

 that more sap is got by attending to these 

 directions. 



i " As fast as the sap runs into the troughs 

 through the tubes, it is poured into the boilers, 

 under which they keep up a brisk fire ; and 

 they take care to strain off the scum that 

 rises to the top. The boiling is kept up till 

 the sap has become thick, like sirup ; and 

 then it is strained through a blanket, and left 

 to cool. 



" After standing twelve hours, the sirup is 

 boiled again, till, on being rubbed between the 

 finger and thumb, it seems to be full of little 

 grains, and then it is ready to be poured into 

 the moulds. If it boils over, they throw a 

 small quantity of butter or lard into it, and 



