FOREST TREES. 25 



Of the Maple family we may briefly notice only one more, 

 the E-ock Maple, " which in all respects is the most remarkable 

 tree of the family." While young, it is justly admired for its 

 ornamental beauties as a shrub. "When in a state of maturity, 

 " for the purposes of art, no native wood possesses more beauty 

 or a greater variety of appearance." 



" In the forest the Rock Maple often attains great height, and 

 produces a large quantity of timber. A tree in Blandford, which 

 was four feet through at base and one hundred and eight feet 

 high, yielded seven cords and a half of wood." It is said that 

 the wood of this tree may be easily distinguished from the E,ed, 

 or the Ptivcr Maple, by pouring a few drops of sulphate of iron 

 upon it. This wood turns greenish ; that of the two former 

 turns to a deep blue. 



" In Massachusetts, between five and six hundred thousand 

 pounds of sugar are annually made from the juice of the Rock 

 Maple, valued at about eight cents a pound," yielding a revenue 

 of about forty-four to fifty thousand dollars per annum. Of the 

 sap, " the average quantity to a tree is from twelve to twenty- 

 four gallons each season. In some instances it is much greater. 

 A tree in Bernardstown, about six feet in diameter, favorably 

 situated, produced in one instance a barrel of sap in twenty-four 

 hours." " Dr. Rush cites an instance of twenty pounds and one 

 ounce of sug;ir having been made within nine days, in 1789, 

 from a single tree in Montgomery county. New York." In an- 

 other instance, thirty-three pounds are said to have been pro- 

 duced from one tree in one season. A gentleman from Lev- 

 erett informs me that in one season he obtained from one tree 

 one hundred and seventy-five gallons of sap, which, if of aver- 

 age strength, would have made forty-three pounds of sugar. 



The following remarks upon the Sugar Maple of Maine, from 

 the " Third Annual Report" of Dr. Jackson's geological surveys 

 in this state, will be read with interest, suggesting profitable 

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