Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-02-28
The Maple Tree and Its Products.

WATERBURY, CKSTER, Vt, Feb 10, 1888
Mr.. Editor The belt Of land growing the
rock-mape, the best adapted for sugar king
lies In north latitude between forty and fify de-
grees, and it extends from Maine on the east to
the Mississippi on the west. embracing Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont New York (the northern
part, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin
and Minnesota, and still further south on ranges
Of mountains. Vermont has the credit OF max
ing the best favored sugar South OF this belt
sugar Is not made to profit; the climate Is
warmer and more even during the spring than
ours. rendering the tees dryer, the sap not run
ming when the tree Is tapped. The white maple
will make whittier sugar than the rock maple, but
1t will not make NO much. No sap can be OBJ
tained from maple while in leaf. No sap can
flow from the rock maple even while not in leaf
without frost. The sap season OF the maple is
some six months, while the tree Is destitute OF To-
liage. After the leaves have fallen and there has
been freeze, with warmth following. sap will
flow II the tree is tapped, but In the fall OF the
year the sap Is in the top, not In the body low
down, where we find 1t in the spring. At this
time Of the year the sap lies near the ground
More sap can be caught within twelve feet OF the
ground than can be caught in the rest Of the
whole tree, no matter how tall. Sap varies In
three respects in all parts Of the tree, and 1t va
ries In the same locality at different seasons OF
these six months. The three variations are color
taste and density. In an open, changing winter.
the sap Is capable OF running III the tree Is tapped
In sections, the entire length OF the tree But lit
tie sap can be obtained in the spring from tree
tapped thirty feet from the ground. The most
that have been able TO obtain at this height Is
eleven quarts during the entire spring. At every
ten feet from the ground the color and taste Is So
marked that II IL easily discernible without even
t4bilty to failure In ordinary seasons. Sap
dcepens In color as we ascend. and also as we
near the heart. The sacchaTine quality and dens-
ity go with color. The lightest colored sap OF the
whole tree Its surface) lies near the ground
where earth aud air meet, and as we go toward
the heart OF the tree color increases and density
decreases, but we 20 up both color and density
increase. ] am aware that DIR. Cutting thinks
that sap lessons In sweetness as we ascend, but
my experiments lead me TO the opposite concur
sion. In three successive years | have tapped
trees ten and twelve feet apart in four places,
directly above another, noting the quality, guam
tty and color myself, and then calling the atten-
ton OF other witnesses TO the same facts, all COM
Ing 10 the same conclusion In every particular
had thought OF letting these experiments settle
this point In my own mind but, since learning
that so careful a student Of nature as our state
geologist has arrived AZ the opposite conclusion
am tempted to try again, though there Is much
labor and risk In the operation.
Trees standing In or near surface water, and In
low, moist, rich and mucky land run much sap.
but 1t Is watery and poor, while trees standing on
ledgy ground and dry will give us very sweet
sap In all cases where have found trees stand
ing In or near cold springs find that those trees
run very sweet sap and a large quantity. Now
then, learn this lesson That temperature has
much TO do with the quality OF sap; warm water
mhhth poor sap hnu cOlu water makes rich sap
Now then, who ia the botanist naturalist or stu
dent who will inform me Chy this IL so? What
| Is the lawY ] am acquainted with tree stand
| ing In a very cold spring on the farm owned by
| @. W. Kellogg Of Duxbury, Vermont from which
was made, in the spring Of 1881, thirty and three
| fourths pounds OF very nice cake sugar Two
spouts were used running into one tub, the bore
| being one and one-half inches deep The deeper
we bore our trees the darker our sugar will be-
and the more moasses II will contain. Shallow
boring gives us light sugar with less Injury to
| our trees. Deep boring prolongs sap running
There Is more sap caught In the daytime and
| sweeter than In the night Sugar made from
second growth naples is whittier than that made
| from first growth trees. The whittier tho wood
| the whittier the sugar 1t Is the rood that gives
| color to sugar In pure rap. The more scattering
| the trees the more and sweeter Ii the sap. Color
| indicates the value OF sugar Three kinds OF
tubs are used the wooden, tin and the white
metal buckets. The latter radiators Of heat nd
rust-proof, and so by far the most preferable, but
| the price will hinder their ready and universal
| adoption. Every tub should have cover. With
| these metal buckets, cool and Tnst-proof, with
covers and the Ohio tin spouts together with
the Bellows Falls eyaporator, with all other uten
sils and appliances to harmonize the sugar maker
| may feel that he Is the master OF the situation,
and that he Is at the head OF one OF the most
pleasant and profitable Industries pertaining 70
the farm. TIMOTHY WHREIHR.