The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-07-20
A Taste of Maine Rirnh-

The traveller and camper-out in Maine,
unless he penetrates its more northern
portion, has less reason to remember il
as q pine-tree State than a birch tree
State. The white-pine forests have
melted away like snow in the spring and
gone down stream, leaving only patches
here and there in the more remote and
inaccessible parts. The portion of the
State L saw, the Valley of the Kenebec
and the woods about Moxie lake, had
been shorn of its pine timber more than
forty years before, and is now covered
with thick growth of spruce and cedar,
and various deciduous trees. But the
birch abounds. Indeed, when the pine
goes out the birch comes in; the race OF
men succeeds the race of giants. This
tree has great stay-at-home virtues. Let
the somber, aspiring, mysterious pine
go; the birch has humble everyday uses.
In Maine the paper or canoe birch is
turned to more account than any other
tree. Uncle Nathan, our guide, said it
was made especially for the camper out;
yes, and for the woodmen and frontiers
men generally. 1t is a magazine, fur
nishing store set up in the wilderness,
whose goods are free to every conner.
The whole equipments of the camp lies
folded in it, and comes forth at the beck
of the woodman's ak tent, waterproof
roof, boat, camp utensils, baskets, cups,
plates, spoons, napkins, table cloths,
paper for letters or your journal, torches,
candles, kindling wood and fuel. The
canoe-birch yields you its vestments
with the utmost hberality. Ask for its
coat and it gives you its waistcoat also.
Its bark seems wrapped about it layer
upon layer, and comes off with great
ease. We saw many rude structures
and cabins shipgled and sided with it,
and haystacks capped with it. Near
a maple sugar camp there was
large pile of birch bark sap
buckets - each bucket made of a
piece of bark about a yard square,
folded up as the tinman folds up sheet
of tin to make square vessel, the COR
ner bent around against the sides and
held by wooden pin. When, one day,
we were overtaken by shower in trav-
cling through the woods, our guide
quickly stripped large sheets of the
bark from q near tree. and we had each
perfect umbrella as by magic. When
the rain was over, and we moved on,
wrapped mine about me like large
leather apron, and it shielded my clothes
from the wet bushes. When we came to
spring Uncle Nathan would have a
birch-bark cup ready before any of us
could get tin one out of his knapsack,
and think water never tastes so sweet
as from one of these bark cups. 1t is ex-
actly the thing. 1t just fits the mouth, and
it seems to give new virtues to the water.
1t makes me thirsty now when 1 think
of it. In our camp at Moxie we made a
birch-bark box, to keep the butter in;
and the butter in this box, covered with
some leafy boughs, think improved in
flavor day by day. Maine butter needs
something to mollify and sweeten it a
little, and I think birch-bark will do it.
In camp Uncle Nathan often drank his
tea and coffee from a bark cup; the
china closet in the birch tree was al
ways handy, and our vulgar tinware was
generally good deal mixed, and the
kitchen maid not at all particular about
dishwashing. We all tried the oatmeal
with the maple syrup in one of these
dishes, and the stewed mountain cram
berries, using a birch-bark spoon, and
never found service better. Uncle
Nathan declared he could boil potatoes
in bark kettle, and did not doubt
him. Instead of sending our soiled
napkins and table spreads to the wash,
we rolled them into candles and torches
and drew daily from our stores in the
forest for new ones.-Atlantic MOnthlp