Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-02-28
FARN AND HoUsEHoLD-

TAPPING SUGAR MAPLE TRIES
Years ago, when the country was new,
it was no object to protect the maple
for the forests were broad, and su-
gar trees were growing thlckly through
a great portion Of them. They feli
with other trees, until the WOodman. s
axe converted acres Of forest into till
able fields, leaving IN too many cases.
but small nook Of woodland upon
the farm. For a feW years past Il has
been noticed that maple tIess are dying
out faster than others. Where but a.
short time ago thousands We1e used
for sugar making, but hundreds stand
to-day. The cause Of this can be
attributed to nothing but the severe
mode praoticed in tapping.
The old plan of boxing with an axe
was abandoned, and one supposed TO
be less injurious adopted, that Of bor-
ing; bat since tapping with the Dlt mas
been uraetiged, maple trees have died
faster than ever before. When an in
eision is made into che sap-W0Od only,
Il viii heal up, but when made deeper,
fE never will, and all the adjacent parts
EiIl die, and often decay.
Nov, in proof of this, let any farmer
examine two nTaples that have been
tapped for a dozen or more years-0ne
with the bit and the other With an axe
or gouge--the cuts by the latter not
made beyond She sap-AoWing wood.
The inner wood of the former and
much Of the surface viii be found
dead. while the other where 1t has
sufficient lime for healing, will be
TO havs formed a perfect gnarl, so
tough and sound that It viii be next to
impossible 10 split o log of It, stove
wood length. Another proof OF this
may be made By noting the, difference
In che decrease Of naples IN different
sugar orchards ~ here the two modes
have been practiced.
Trees tapped receiving the least In
jury are most profitable, for the reason
that the greater portion OF sap Rows
from The wood near the bark. When
a tree ID tapped with bit, the spile
gtops up the best flowing grains. w hen
an inciaiOn is made with a large augeI
bf aOogse more grains are opened, aao
Of course 8 aereateF Cow of sap obtained
It Is 3 fact, however, that when trees
are tapped Ia this way the winds dries
up the wood sooner than when a bit Is
used, but thisis easily prevented by ire
quent freshing over. Many farmers have
within a few years past, used sheet-lrOE
spiles and large auger, and have
found them profitable and less lnJuFl'
Gus to the tree than any other kind.
The spouts are made by cutting
sheet-irOn strips two inches wide and
ten or twelve inches long, bent hollow
and one end ground sharp. An augeI
one and one-fourth inches in size If
used for tapping, the hole not being
bored over three -eighths Of an inch
deep, and the spile driven into the
bark beneath the cut with square
faced mallet When fTeshing over, an
auRer is used each time One-elghth oi
an inch larger than the one before 1t
and the ineision made but a shaving
deeper. The spile will not have 10 bt
removed to do this.
Ifa farmer has not On hand the dit
fe-ent sized auguss, and does not Wlsf
to be to the expense Of purchasing
them, a two inch gOugs nay be mad.
to answer every purpose. kt shouiG
be ground thin and very sharp anC
the cut made with it about two lnche
long and not over One-half inch deep
The gouge may be taken along. whell
gathering sap, and any tree requiring
freshed in a half minutes time BY tax
ing off a thin shaving. There are 9th
er advantages in this mode OF tapping
aside from the preservation OF tn
trees more sugar can be made for
greater flow of sap can be obtained
and no loss sustained by leakage, a.
around the common wood spile,- Ohit
Farmer.