MAPLE SAP AND SUGAR 173 
if water tight) to hang on the spouts and receive the sap; 
also a cyanide bottle (see p. 217): these toolsare mainly for 
common use. Also little individuai tin spoons or straws 
for use in tasting sap. 
The program of work will consist of: 
1. Tappingtrees. Bore the holes with inclination slightly 
upward until heartwood appears in the chips. Tap all the 
different maples available anda few other trees as well, and 
collect and taste their saps. Tap one tree on north and south 
sides and compare sap-flow. Tap other trees with one hole 
only. 
2. Observing sap-flow from natural wounds, from tap- 
pings of birds, from gnawings of animals and from broken 
green boughs and twigs. 
3. Observing the animals that take advantage of the sap- 
flow. Birds and animals may be seen feeding at their own 
tappings. If there be snow on the ground, the tracks of 
animals about the places where sap flows down the trunks to 
the ground will tell of nocturnal visitors that have a ‘“‘sweet 
tooth.”’ Insects will be found swarming in the sunshine to 
every flowing wound: bees and flies and beetles of many 
sorts. These may be picked up in a cyanide bottle. 
The gathering of the sap from the pails during the entire 
period of flow, and the evaporation of it, are tasks too pro- 
longed for a class exercise, and should be arranged for by the 
instructor. The making of syrup or sugar from the sap is 
accomplished by boiling to evaporate the excess water and 
skimming to remove floating impurities, and may be done 
indoors or out, and in amounts large or small by anyone. 
For syrup, the sap should boil until a thermometer immersed 
in it (not touching the sides or bottom) registers 219 degrees 
Farenheit; for sugar, until it registers 238 to 240 degrees. 
After reaching this temperature, the fluid sugar should be 
