The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. XIV, No. 7, 
3i8 
and other starch trees examined. In the sections illustrated, 
it is apparent that more starch is stored in the root tissue than 
in the stem; but the relative volume of stem and root would have 
to be known, before it would be possible to determine whether 
a greater absolute volume of starch is stored below than above 
ground. 
It is now the purpose to record, as far as possible, in what man¬ 
ner the starch thus stored is used. In this connection, there are 
at least five considerations: as, (1) the amount used when a tree 
is tapped, (2) the amount used when the flowers are formed, (3) 
when the leaves are formed, (4) when wood is formed, (5) when a 
heavy “seed year’’ occurs. Of these, seed production is to be 
given special attention, since the maple, in common with most of 
the Ohio forest trees, is known to have regularly recurring periods 
of heavy seed production. The particular tree chosen is a ear- 
pellate tree, and, from its numerous flower buds, it is predicted 
that the current year is to be a “seed year.” (1) and (2) are now T 
complete and it seems best to give results in this paper, rather than 
delay until all is finished. 
To test the sugar production, the seven tree species tabulated 
below were tapped in a manner somewhat similar to the way the 
birch is tapped in Russia. Borings 1 inches deep were made by 
a drill f inch in diameter, and a straw, cut from a thrifty stem 
of wheat, of a diameter to fit the hole snugly, was inserted far 
enough merely to penetrate the bark. One-pint Mason jars with 
water-proof card board caps, perforated to receive the straw, were 
suspended to collect the sap. 500 to 1000 grams of sap were col¬ 
lected from each tree, evaporated in a large porcelain evaporating 
dish in the laboratory, and the following percentages of sugar 
determined: 
Species 
Date 
Per cent 
sugar in sap 
Grams sap 
per hour 
Grams sugar 
per hour 
1. Acer nigrum Mx. 
April 6 
2 . 7 % 
27)0 g. 
6 7 g. 
2. Acer saccharum Marsh.. . . 
April 9 
2 . 4 % 
2 . 2 % 
02 g. 
1 5 g. 
3. Acer platanoides L. 
April 9 
35 g. 
■8 g. 
4. Acer saccharinum L. 
April 7 
2 is 
125 g. 
2 0 g. 
5. Acer negundo L. 
April 6 
1 . 7 % 
500 g. 
8.5 g. 
6. Bctula alba I.. 
Mar. 31 
12 % 
02 g. 
7 g. 
7. Betula papyrifera Marsh. 
April 4 
1 ib 
100 g. 
11 g- 
The birches produced a clear, amber colored, wax-like sugar, 
which does not granulate. The per cent is less than in any of the 
maples. In Russia, the birch is quite generally tapped. Some¬ 
times this sap is fermented to make birch wine. Of the maples, 
Acernigrum Mx., the black maple, had the greatest concentra¬ 
tion of sugar in the sap, which confirms the statement in Bull. 
516, U. S. Dept. Ag., p. 8. But the box elder, Acer negundo, a 
