362 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



eating after crystallization; but to have it in his prime, it should be dcJno 

 so dry that it will chill in hard, clear lumps when dropped hot on snow or 

 ice, or will cleave off without sticking from the bit of an ax or other cold, 

 polished metal. It should then be dipped out a few spoonfuls at a time, 

 and spread thin on snow or ico, or suddeidy chilled in some way, so that it 

 cannot crystallize, when it forms a clear rock candy, and is fit to eat. But 

 it will not keep long in this state on account of deliquescence, which is pro- 

 babl}'^ the reason that it is not sent to market in this shape; as if it could 

 be it would sell like hot cakes. But any one can prepare it for himself by 

 remelting sugar; or, better, by boiling down maple sirup. 



I have seen much erroneous bosh in print about maple sugar, such as 

 statements that it is not like cane sugar, but glucose, and that it is not 

 nearly so strong as cane sugar, &c., which is all wrong. For maple 

 sugar instead of being uncrystallizeable like glucose or fruit, or starch 

 sugar, is, according to the best information I have on the manufacture of 

 cane, beet, and sorgo sugars, the most ready crystallizeable of all sugars, 

 and probably for the reason that it contains, as before stated, less foreign 

 matter than any other. In fact, if made with only decent care, it cannot 

 be prevented from crystallizing, so that maple sirup can hardly /be thick 

 enough to withstand hot weather, owing to its thinning, by throwing down 

 crystals of sugar. And maple sugar crystallizes in remarkably large and 

 sharp grains if undisturbed, and not done too dry. After the buds (jf the trees 

 have burst or swollen much, the sap will not always make grained sugar, 

 it seeming to have partially changed to gum. As to its apparent want of 

 strength, that is owing to the fact that, as usually done oiF, it holds much 

 moisture and is very compact and heavy, a pound occupying but little 

 space; and it is apt to be compared by bulk rather than actual weight. But 

 if done off quite damp, and after crystallization drained dry, it will be 

 porous and light like other sugar, and the same weight will go as far 

 as any. But in the draining it parts with much of its flavor, and color, . 

 too; and I h:ive known a man to make a tun of it, without extra pains, that 

 had a very pale, straw tinge, like coffee crushed. Refiners would, doubt- 

 less, find it the very easiest of all sugars to entirely clear of extraneous 

 matter. 



Tapping Maple Trees. 



" I have tapped with from a one and a quarter-inch auger 

 down to a 7-16th bit, which I now use entirely, and as I have never been 

 able to determine but the latter gives as much sap in the season as the 

 former. I use wood spiles, the end formed with an instrument like a pen- 

 cil sharpener. I hang the buckets on 12-penny nails, with three-quarter 

 inch of the points broken off, by holes bored in the buckets, which answers 

 every purpose. I tap with a bit made on purpose by myself, made veiy 

 like a large twist gimlet, which tapers to a worm at about two inches from 

 the largest part. I bore at the first operation about half an inch over this 

 largest part, so that the outside of the hole does not get altered in subse- 

 quent boring, which I calculate to give when the run is about half over, 

 going about a lialf inch deeper, which, from the shape of the bit, renews 

 all the hole except a little of the outside, which is left as at first for the 

 spile. These holes in thrifty growing trees heal entirely over the second 



