MAPLE TREES. 255 



shade is but litte injurious to the growths of grain and 

 still les? to those of grass. For fuel it is perhaps infe- 

 rior to no wood whatever. In clearing land, it is better 

 to leave small maples, or to protect and rear a second 

 growth, than to undertake to preserve the large trees, 

 because these when left alone, are apt to be blown down 

 by strong winds. Trees which have ever been accus- 

 tomed to free currents of air will put forth roots adapted 

 to their exposure. 



They can be raised from cuttings and the seed ; and 

 will begin to yield sugar when 15 or 20 years old. If 

 tapped in a proper manner they would probably afford 

 yearly supplies oisap for more than a century. An av- 

 erage quantity of sugar from full grown trees may be 

 estimated at 4 pounds. 



The rapidity of their growth, depends essentially on 

 the manner of transplanting them. Let the holes for 

 the trees be dug, say, a foot in depth, and 5 in di imeter, 

 and then spade or loosen the ground at the bottoms to 

 the depth of 8 or 10 inches before the trees are set in. 

 20 or 30 trees to an acre of pasture will do but Utile in- 

 jury to the grass, will afford a good shade ibr cattle, and 

 6 or 8 acres thus stocked, will aiford a valuable sugar 

 orchard. ^ 



As good white sugar can be made of maple as of cane 

 sugar. What a value would not be added to it, by the 

 reflection upon the different manner in which these kinds 

 of sugar are produced? the cane sugar is the result of 

 the forced labor of the most wretched slaves, toiling un- 

 der the ardent rays of a burning sun, and too often un- 

 der the cruel lash of a cutting whip. While the maple 

 sugar is made by those who are happy and free. 



Maple Sugar. Where the farmer wishes to save his 

 sugar-maple trees, he ought not to tap them in the com- 

 mon way; but instead of this, bore a hole 2 or 3 inches 

 into the tree, cut of which the sap can be drawn ; and 

 let it be plugged up after the sap has done running. Old 

 troughs, which have lain for years ex|)Ofied to the 

 weather, are not very proper receptacles for the sap, if 

 regard be had to the cleanliness and value of the sugar. 

 The following method of making the sugar, we extract 

 from the JV. E. Farmer : bcald the vessels for catching 



