210 



STT&AE. 



tree. The trongli, cut from ATliite niaple, pine, asli, or bass wood, 

 is set directly under the spouts, the points of Tvhich are so con- 

 structed as completely to fill the liole in the tree, and preveut the 

 loss of the sap at the edges, having a small gimlet or pitch hole 

 in the centre, through winch the entire juice discharged from the 

 tree runs, and is all saved in the vessels below. The distance 

 bored into the tree is only about one-half an inch to give the best 

 run of sap. The method of boring is far better for the preserva- 

 tion of the tree than boxing, or cutting a hole with an axe, from 

 the lower edge of which the juice is directed by a spout to the 

 trough, or tub prepared to receive it. The tub should be of ash 

 or other wood that will communicate no vicious taste to the liquid 

 or sugar. 



The sap is gatliered daily from the trees and put in larger tubs 

 for the purpose of boiling down. This is done by the process of 

 a steady hot fire. The siu-face of the boiling kettle is from time 

 to time cleansed by a skimmer. The liquid is prevented from 

 boiling over by the suspension of a small piece of fat pork at the 

 proper point. Presh additions of sap are made as the volume 

 boils away. "WTien boiled down to a syrup, the liquor is set away 

 in some earthen or metal vessel till it becomes cool and settled'. 

 Again the purest part is drawn ofi" or poured into a kettle until 

 the vessel is two-thirds full. By a brisk and continual fire, the 

 syrup is further reduced in volume ^jO a degree of consistence 

 best taught by a little experience, when it is either put into 

 moulds to become hard as it is cooled, or stnred until it shall be 

 grained into sugar. The rigbt point of time to take it away from 

 the fire may be ascertained by cooling and graining a small quan- 

 tity. The sediment is strained ofi" and boiled down to make 

 molasses. 



The following is from a Massachusetts paper : — 



The niaple produces the hest sugar that ^re have from any plant. Ahnost 

 GT try one admires its taste. It usually sells in this market (Boston) nearly 

 t?rica as high as other brown sugar. Had care been taken from the first settle- 

 ment of the country to preserve the su,i;;ar maple, and proper attention been, 

 given to the cultiration of this tree, so valuable for fuel, timber, and ornament, 

 besides the abundant yield of saccharine juice, could no-w produce in New- 

 England sugar enough for our own consumption, and not be dependent on the 

 labour of those ^yho toil and suffer in a tropical sun for this luxury or necessary 

 of life. But, for want of this friendly admonition, 



" Axeman, spare that tree," 



the sturdy blows were dealt around without mercy or discretion ; and the very 

 generation that committed devastation in the first settlements in different sec- 

 tions of our country, generally liA-ed to witness a scarcity of fuel ; and means 

 were resorted to for the purchase of sugir, that were far more expensive than 

 would have been its manufacture, under a proper mode of economy in the pre- 

 servation of the maple, and the production of sugar from its sap. 



Those who have trees of the sugar maple, should prepare in season for making 

 sugar. In many localities, wood is no object, and a rude method of boiling is 

 followed ; but where fuel is very scarce, a cheap apparatus should be prepared 

 that ^'-ill require but little fuel. In some sections, broad pans or kettles have 

 been made of sheet-iron bottoms, and sides of plank or boards, care being taken 



