17 



well as a full flow of sap year by year it is desirable to maintain forest 

 conditions which include a constant renewal of young trees and a 

 surface kept heavily matted with leaves and humus. 



A sugar grove like any other orchard requires some attention to 

 keep it in good condition. Apart from the maintaining of road ways 

 to facilitate the collecting of sap thinning out may be necessary from 

 time to time. In a usual mixture the trees of species other than 

 maple may be gradually removed and the reproduction of the maple 

 encouraged. In making such a thinning the work should be done 



Fig. 9. THROUGH METAL PIPES THE SAP FLOWS FROM THE BUSH TO THE SUGAR HOUSE 



gradually, the trees which crowd the best maples being taken out 

 first a few trees fram a place at a time so as not to suddenly 

 expose the large maples to danger from wind storms. If the maples 

 themselves stand too thickly those with small crowns or unsoundness 

 should be removed. In their places the promising maple saplings 

 should be given every chance to develop. 



Old groves that have been worked for generations are likely to con- 

 tain a number of overmature trees that have passed the time of yield- 

 ing good flows. Unless some attention has been paid to replacing 

 these the sugar orchard is loosing ground, more especially if the 



