Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-11

Mr.. Snifin sends us the following. When
| bought my present place the former owner
offered as one Of tho inducements to pur-
chase, the fact that there was superb sugar
maple tree in the garden. IL was noble
tree, and made up my mind that | would
tap il some day and manufacture some sugar.
However, l never did so until this year.
But few weeks ago l concluded to draw
the sap, and 10 have what Mr.. Bangs called
"a sugar bilin." My wife's uncle was stay.
ing with us, and after inviting some friends
to come and cat the sugar he aud, l got to
work. We took huge wash-kettle down
into the yard and piled some weod beneath
il, aud then we brought out couple of buck
cts TO catch the sap, and the auger with
which to bore hole in the tree.
My wife's uncle said the bucket ought to
be set about three feet from the tree, as the
sap would squirt right out with good deal
Of force and il would be q pity to waste any
oft.
Then he lighted the fire while bored the
hole about four inches deep. When took
the auger out the sap did not follow, but my
wife's uncle said what it wanted was little
time. and SO, while we waited he put fresh
armful oil wood on the fire. We waited half
an hour, and as the sap didn't come con-
cluded that the hole was not deep enough
so began boring again but | bored too far,
for the auger went clear through the tree
and penetrated the back of my wifes uncle,
who was leaning up against the trunk trying
to light his pipe. He jumped nearly forty
feet, aud had to mend him up with court
plaster.
Then he said he thought the reason the
sap didn't come was that there ought to be
a kind of spigot 10 the hole so as to let it
run off easily. We got a wooden spigot
from the vinegar barrel in the cellar and
inserted it. Then, as the sap did not come,
my wife's uncle said he thought the spigot
must be jammed in so tight that it checked
the flow and while tried to push it out he
fed the fire with some kindling wood As
the spigot could not be budgcd with ham.
mer, 1 concluded to bore it out with thu
auger, and meanwhile my wife's uncle stirred
the FIRE. Then the auger broke of short in
the hole, and had to go half a mile to the
hardware store to get another one.
Then bored fresh hole, and although
the sap would not come the company did
and they examined with much interest the
kettle, which was now red-hot, and which
my wife's uncle was trying to lift off the fir
with hay-fork. As the sap still refused tC
come, l went over for Bangs to tell be how
to make the exasperating tree disgorge
When he arrived he looked at the hole, ther
at the spigot, then at the kettle, and then a
the tree. Then turning to me with mourn
full face, he said
"Snlfin, you have had good deal o
trouble in your life, an its done you COOL
It's made man of you. This world is full
OF sorrow, but we must bear it without grum
bin. You know that of course. Conse
quently, now that have sone bad news t,
. break to you, feel s if the shock won
knock you endways, but II be received with
patient resignation. say hope you won
break down an give way to your feelin'
when l tell you that this tree is no sugar
, maple at all erasmus why that's blacI
! hickory! 1t is, indeed, and you might a
we'll bore for maple sugar in the side of 1
telegraph pole"
Then the company went home, and m.
wife's uncle said he had an engagement wit
man in Hatboro, which he must keep RICH
off. took the kettle up to the house, Blu
, as it was burned out sold it next day 70
D old iron, and bought new one for Sl2.
$ think now maybe its better to buy your ma
pie sugar-PhiIadelphia Bulletin.