of tapping should be about 30 inches from the ground where the bark 

 has a healthy look, and some distance from an old hole. Only the 

 rough loose bits of bark should be removed from about the hole. The 

 hole should be clean cut so as not to bruise or tear the wood or bark. 

 All chips and bark should be carefully removed from the hole before 

 inserting the spout. 



SPOUTS. 



Many types of spile or spout are used but it is generally agreed 

 that it should be of metal and of such material as will not corrode 

 or prevent a free flow of sap. It should be perfectly round and slightly 

 tapering so as to fit the hole so firnry as to hold a full bucket of sap 

 suspended from it. The spout should exclude the air from the hole 



a 



Fig. 21. TYPES OF SAP SPOUTS 



The upper left hand one is of wood; the others of metal. Wooden spouts are not in favor with 



the best makers. 



as far as practicable so as to guard against drying up or the retention 

 of sap to sour during a warm spe 1 ! or freeze when it is cold. The 

 inlet for the sap should therefore be near the bottom of the spout so 

 as to drain completely at each cessation of a days flow. 



BUCKETS. 



There are several kinds of buckets, but to make the very best 

 sugar and syrup, as well as to exercise economy, one should use only 

 tin buckets of good quality. Galvanized iron buckets should never 

 be used, as they discolour the sap, moreover being coated with poison- 

 ous metal-zinc and lead, they are obviously objectionable. They 

 are very difficult, in fact almost impossible, to repair when old, and 



