The Portland daily press., 1876-04-17

The Massachusetts Ploughmdn says-We
doubt If we can do our readers better SER
vice in this centennial year than to give all
the facts we can in regard to the comparative
merits of the various kinds of forest trees, and
to urge them to renewed activity in planting
and transplanting trees. Whether regarded
as permanent improvement or as an invest
ment for future profit, the greater cultivation
OF fruit and forest trees is to be commended,
but especially this year, when we ought to
take new departure. How many of our de-
scendants will look upon the graceful forms
and the grateful shade of trees about the
place, and tell with pride how their fathers
or their grandfathers planted out those trees
in 1876.
Let US bear this idea in mind and act upon
1t as if it meant business, this very spring
and before it is too late. Among the great
variety of trees from which selection is 10
be made, we cannot forget the graceful and
useful sugar maple. Mr.. Sargent in his val
liable paper on trees, in the secretary's re-
port just issued from the press, says: "The
sugar maple (Acrr sdcchGrinum) nowhere be-
comes finer tree chan in the wastern por-
tions of Massachusetts,; and when we consider
the value Of its wood in the arts and for fuel
its rapid growth, long life, immunity from the
attacks of insects, and its beauty and fitness
for street and ornamental planting, it must
be acknowledged that no tree deserves more
general cultivation in this State" The wood
of the sugar maple, which is hard, close
grained and smooth, is largely used in fur
niture making, cooperage, and in making
shoe lasts, for which it is preferred to that OF
any other tree. Two millions five hundred
thousand pairs of lasts are consumed annual
ly In Massachusetts, alone; and il we can
Judge of the future of this business by the
past history, it will, before many years, con-
sumo all the sugar-maple the country can
produce. For fuel, the wood of this tree
is generally considered superior to that of
any other, with the exception of hickory. Mr..
Bull estimates its value at only sixty, hickory
being hundred, and places before it in heat
giving qualities, no less than twenty-five
species of North American trees and shrubs.
The destruction of the sugar maple has
been so general in this State, that sugar max
ing, which formerly held an important place
in Massachusetts industry, has, during the
last thirty years, diminished fully one-half,
and that, too, in the face of an enormously
increased natural production and of prices
which have considerably more than doubled
during the last forty years.
Inere are. especially. in the western part of
the state, many unproductive pastures, now
almost worthless, which would, if converted
into sugar orchards, yield in a few wears a
handsome income.
In regard TO the age at which it is proftas
BILE to commence drawing the sap for sugar.
authorities differ: but tree twenty-five wears
old will yield, on an average, ten pounds of
sugar, and will continue to be productive to
this extent for fifty or sixty years longer.
One hundred and sixty trees being allowed to
the acre, the sugar crop, for an orchard of
that size, would yield, at present prices, $273
annually and it must be remembered that,
owing to the season of the year at which SUI
gar is made, no operation OF the farm can be
carried on with so small an outlay for abor.
The trees, uninjured by the drawing off the