MAPLE SUGAR. 
23 
single tree, in a solitary plant, and each milder touch gives pleas- 
ure to those who are content to await the natural order of things. 
Saturday, April 1st. — Fresh maple sugar offered for sale to- 
day ; it is seldom brought to market as early as this. A large 
amount of this sugar is still made in our neighborhood, chiefly for 
home consumption on the farms. In the villages, where foreign 
groceries are easily procured, it is eaten more as a dainty than in 
any other way ; the children are very fond of it, and most grown 
persons like a bit now and then, its pecuhar flavor making it 
pleasant when taken by itself, though it becomes a defect when 
used for sweetening food. In the spring, a little of it is not 
thought unhealthy, from a fancy that it purifies the blood ; prob- 
ably it is neither better nor worse in this respect than any other 
sugar. With our farmers, however, it is a matter of regular 
household consumption, many families depending on it altogether, 
keeping only a little white sugar for sickness ; and it is said that 
children have often grown up in this county without tasting any 
uut maple sugar. Maple molasses is also very much used, some 
persons preferring it to that of the cane, as it has a peculiar flavor 
which is liked with puddings, or buckwheat cakes. 
Some farmers have a regular " sugar-bush," where none but 
maples are suff'ered to grow ; and on the older farms you occasion- 
ally pass a beautiful grove of this kind, entirely clear of under- 
Avood, the trees standing on a smooth green turf. More frequent- 
ly, however, a convenient spot is chosen in the woods where ma- 
ples are plenty. The younger trees are not tapped, as they are 
injured by the process ; it is only after they have reached a good 
size — ten or twelve inches in diameter — that they are turned to 
account in this way ; twenty years at least must be their age, as 
