The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-05-07

tnat the opening OF farms BY the set
tiers, most of whom were poor. anC
obliged to rely on their own labor
was 3 slow and tedious operation
But already the hardy pioneer haC
made his mark upon the primeYal for
rests, and had begun that system o
perseVering, self-reliant industry, fru
gality, and enterprise, which was MOI
long in converting the idle wilderness
into fruitful fields, and which has since
built towns and large cities. railroads
canals and manufactures, and made
Ohio one of the wealthiest and mosl
populons States in the Union.
In noFtheasterly direction, some
three or four miles from the Ravenns
settlement, lay the valley of the Ma
honing. This valley was densely and
heavily timbered, so densely that the
sunlight was scarcely ever reflected
from the bosom of the small
stream which gave it its name, and
which, fed by numerous tributary
brooklets, pursues its tortuous course
to unite its crystal waters with those
of the Beaver River, which flows into
the Ohio. The FORESTS of the valley
comprised the usual variety of trees
peculiar to this portion of the West
| N4IAOuo 1PCOACc Vi NAC O&A1 OCCCAAs eU
hickory, walnut, poplar, birch and
maple-the sugar-maple largely pre-
dominating. Hence the valley might
have been called one vast sugar-camp.
As such it had been used by the In-
dians, traces of whose rude system of
sugar-culture were still to be seen, the
only visible evidences that these track
less solitudes had ever been invaded
| by man. There was a solemn beauty
and grandeur in the wild, unbroken
forrest, where the Understanding trees
reared their stately trunks far above,
and the interIacing branches, even
when stripped of their foliage, ,afforded
but glimpses of the blue canopy over
head. No path save the faded trail of
the now departed Indian, or the dim
trackway of the wild deer, traversed
this vast solitude. No sound but the
the cry of the panther, the howl of
of the wolf or the hoOr of the owl, at
night, or the call of the Wild-turkey,
and the drum of the pheasant, in the
day time, walked the echoes of those
sylvan depths. Even the hunters
scarcely ever penetrated the dark and
trackless woods in search of game,
which at that time he found in abund-
ance nearer the settlements.
Only in the spring was the valley
invaded, aud then onlV during sugar
making time." This occurred about
the middle of March, and continued
generally about three weeks, extend
ing sometimes into April, according
to the backWardness or ferWardness
of the season. AT this season it was
customary to locate what were called
sugar-camps in the Mahoning Valley,
and those who worked them not only
made sugar enough to supply their
families for year but considerable
surplus for sale. "Sugar-making time"
was looked forward to with great in
terest, especially by the young, not
only because it brought that most deli
cious of all sweet things-hot maple
sugar-but because it afforded an op-
portunity for the enjoyment of the
freedom of camp-ife in the woods.
1t was fashionable, too. among the
families of the settlement, to go Ga
ugar-making, "and the children whose
fathers had no sngar-camps were es-
teemed especially unfortunate. The
labor of sugar-making was very
rough and arduons, but there was
something so attractive in camp-life.
that young men who had no special
fondness for work, were always on
hand at "sugar-making time".
My father was the fortunate lessee
of a very large sugar-camp, compris-
ing about one thousand of the finest
sugar-maple trees. This camp had in
former years been worked by the
Indians. A tragedy had occurred
there, and more than one wild legend
had invested the place with a fearful
interest in the minds of the ignorant
and sHperstitious.
But the readers of the Journal who
have never seen sugar-camp willpe
haps be entertained by description
of one: while those who are familiar
with the present improved method of
utilizing the sap of the sugar-maple,
an account of the primitive mode of
maple-sugar-making will not be unin-
teresting.
The preparation of the'camp usually
commenced early in March. If new
camp was to be opened, the first work
was to blaze out the boundaries, and
ascertain the number of maple trees
it contained. This done, the largest
poplar tree that could be found near
the center of the area occupied by the
sugar-trees to be tended was selected
place. The poplar, which here grew
to great height, often five and six
feet in diameter, limbless and straight,
towering above the common growth 1
like some immense Doric column,
served both as base for the sugar
boilers hut, and, after being followed
out, as q reservoir for the collected
sap. The poplar having been felled
it was the work of skillful axemen to
convert it into an immense trough
with capacity, perl a3s for one or two
hundred barrels hut of poles, of
sufficient dimensions to accommodate
the sugar-makers was constructed,
rooted with bark and chinked with
moss. The roof of the hut sloping
backwards, extended over the poplar
trough, while the front end, towards
the boiling place, was left entirely
open. On one side puncheon fleor
was raised a few inches from the
ground, upon which the moss and
straw beds were made. The other
half of the hut was left with its dirt
floor.
Some ten feet in front OF the mouth
of the hut was selected for the boiling
place. This consisted of two stout
posts, some ten or twelve feet high,
and forked at the top, placed d firmly in
the ground fifteen or twenty feet
apart. Across the top of the post eX
tended stout beam, from which de-
pended the wooden hooks upon which
the kettles were suspended. The
hooks were made from the limbs of
trees, each selected for its proper size
and straightness, and cut so as to have
natural hook in the larger end, by
which it was suspended from the
cross-beam above. A few auger holes
into which strong wooden pegs were
fixed at the lower end, prepared them
for the support Of the kettles. Six or
eight kettles of various sizes were
thus suspended two large beech-logs
were rolled up, one on each side of the
row of kettles; and, when boiling,
the fire was kept up with smaller
wood filed in around them. With
this arrangement completed. every
thing was in readiness to commence