Domestic Intelligence. 195 



■s 



this position. I shall not enter upon a discussion of the sub- 

 ject, but merely introduce a few facts. 



The sugar maple (acer saccharinum,) after being tapped 

 and drained of its internal sap fifty years, and after the whole 

 interior has become dead, grows as fast and presents an as- 

 pect as vigorous and blooming, as any sound tree of the 

 same species and same age, which stands by its side. For 

 the truth of this fact, I refer to all manufacturers of the ma- 

 ple sugar. I suggested this opinion more than twenty years 

 ago, and frequently afterwards, when I was employed among 

 the tenants of Messrs. Livingston, McEvers, Ludlow, Cutting, 

 and others, between the spurs of Catskill mountain. Every 

 manufacturer with whom I conversed, in this native residence 

 of the sugar maple, confirmed my opinion. 



The common apple tree (pyrus malus) grows thriftily and 

 bears abundance of fruit, many years after its interior is so 

 completely rotted away, as to leave but a very thin hollow 

 cylinder in possession of the living principle. 



We prefer solid trees in our forests and orchards ; because 

 they have more strength to withstand the force of winds, and 

 because the unfavorable circumstance, which caused the in- 

 terior to decay, may effect the total destruction of the tree. 

 But as all depositions of matter, in any way affecting the 

 growth of the tree, are made between the bark and wood, af- 

 ter the first year, in the form of a mucilage, called cambium, 

 it seems that the internal woody part has no influence upon 

 the external growth. Yours respectfully, 



Amos Eaton. 



Rensselaer School, Troy, April 30, 1827. * 



3. Localities of Minerals in Vermont ; communicated by 

 Augustus A. Hayes. 



Brown compact feldspar, 



Iron sand in limestone, 



Calcareous spar in short hexahedral prisms, 



Flesh red feldspar, 



Earthy carbonate of copper, 



Common serpentine, containing compact asbestus : this 

 mineral is susceptible of a fine polish, and when polished, ex- 

 hibits in a beautiful manner, the play of light, peculiar to 

 fibrous minerals. The above are found in the township of 

 Weathersfield. Vermont. 



