Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-04-01
Prom the Ne,s England FarmH.
SUGARING.

leCt, Tor the .Nttt EHl'Nitu EdfHtti- III
that article predicted the nature of the
then coming Sap-SeaSon, Il being the third
prediction, each of which proved true,
and the results Justified the prediction.
These condolences being noticed By some
few sugar makers, led them 20 desire 10
know what to expect the coming spring.
So, letters an received az the fau,a Of
fee, and here, 10 this effect; hence this
article, as a reply
For many years IL has been my lot 20
make maple sugar. From a boy / have
admired the phenomena Of the flow Of the
sap. have thought, studied and rca-
soned much upon the subject There arc
many points of interest connected with
this question, such as 60
Where does the sap come from, above
or below, Where does /, obtain is
sweetness; Why Is sugar made In the
first Of the season 50 white, while that
made in the latter part Of the season Is
dark; Why VIII the trSt grain more
readily than the last: Why do we get
more and Sweeter sap from the south side
Of the tree than the north side Why
do we get more sap low down than we
do high up; Why do We make winter
sugar from small trees than from large
trees; Why do we make more and
whittier sugar from scattering trees, than
from trees in a thick growth; Why do
We make whittier sugar from a sugar place
THAI Is free from spruce and hemlock;
Why Is a storm, and especially a snow
storm necessary 20 q ready flow Of sap:
Why Is 1t that changes IN the atmosphere
are necessary 20 sap-how, il the sap comes
from the ground, as many writers assert
How Is II that q tree, standing out IN
pasture, on an exposed knoll, in an open
winter. VIII give Us 50 much sap, and 50
readily, while is rootS and the ground arr
frozen from three % i've feet deep, II IL
be true, as botanical authors assert. that
the sap comes up from the ground through
the roots; Can there be circulation In "a
tree without an inflow and IN out aow
Were our observation keen enough. could
we, by cutting INTO a maple tree 70 the
centre, with an axe, determine what wears
were good and poor sap years; / think
so. Can We get as much sap from one
spout near the ground as from any num-
Der above IL; VIII q gimlet hole give
Us as much sap as two inch augcr hole
VII one spout give as much sap Is any
number directly around the tree at the
same height, Where does the ui,rc. So
called. come FROM WHY Is there more
some wears than others, DO we make
the best sugar when We make the most
And last, bu, not least. why do wc make
more sugar some years than Others. and
can We toreteu the nature of forthcom-
ing season: II this can be done, then.
certainly, ,ugaring might be made quite
practical and systematic as a business
Facts and experiences are all about Us.
sufficient. If collected and systematized.
70 enable Us 90 reach conclusions with
much dchnitene>S.
In 1873 and IS, | sv>tcmatzcd what
facts ! had collected, and l have since
then made j, q r,lc 90 write down IN my
diary on the first day Of January wha,
would be the nature Of the next sugar
season. The three past seasons harmon
izing with my predictions, naturally lead
me 20 the conclusion that the system
which have formed mav be correct.
The coming season VIII be-. according
my prediction, different from either Of the
three past, 50 l shall wait with anxiety
for the result. Ii | should prove correct
this fourth time, shall feel TO rest with
a good deal Of confidence in the system.
divide sugar seasons into five grades
this Is sufficiently exact for all practical
purposes. A good and a poor season are
the two extremes, then there would be an
Grerage, or a medium, midway between
these TWO extremes, making three grades.
The other two grades / get by striking a
medium between the Central medium and
the two extreme grades, thus making the
FIVE grades
In harmony with this system, l shall
expect the coming season 10 be No. ,.
little nearer a good season than poor
season, or little better than a medium.
have been requested 10 tel bo,r | do
this, but take this opportunity to say
that | am not as vet prepared 70 do 50.
wish 70 have time 70 test the matter
further; the three past seasons have tested
No. one and No. five, and now No. two
viii be tested, leaving Nos. three and four
TO be tested in the future. And how
many seasons may pass without having
either Of these two grades I cannot tell. |
but, if ! shall prove correct this spring.
making three out of FIVE, | shall feel that
in all probability have the secret of
foretelling the nature Of a coming sugar
season some two or three months in adj
vance. If sugar makers the thinking
and observing ones would correspond
with me, giving me the benefit of their
observations and experiences, l could ma
ture this matter sooner than l could other
wise. | desire such correspondence.
TIMOTHY WHEELER.
Waterbury Centre, r.. Fsb.I7. 1879. |
An exchange saws, Grant recently