Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-09
t5atIn kfnneb't 5ournal.
The Sugar Maple.

ing field for study and experiment to the
thoughtful and loving student OF nature.
There are many varieties of the maple
on this continent. The varieties differ by
reason of latitude, soil and climate. The
maple belt across the continent does not
necessarily follow the parallels Of lati-
tnde east and west it is varied by reason
of latitude and climate.
Wherever in this belt the maple tree
thrives the best, there il is capable OF
yielding its finest products. As general
law. in the centre of the belt. north and
south, the tree is found in greatest perfec-
ton. Early in the history Of this country
before the woodman's axe and made its
devastating mark, the aboriginal inhabi-
tants, together with our early ancestors,
made sugar from the maple tree, though
in very crude way.
Sugar made under such conditions. with
the surroundings of that early day. was
necessarily dark in color. This would
have been the case even if made with our
modern improvements in fixtures and
utensils, for even now the sap obtained
from tire maple in the wilderness, in its
natural state, contains only II per cent OF
sugar. while trees in our average orchards
carry tHTtt OF IlOTt per ccul.
The more dense the growth of trees,
the less sugar is found in the sap. Again,
the sugar is dark in proportion. The
more widely separated and scattered the
trees, the sweeter the sap and the whittier
the sugar The more care that is bestowed
upon our orchards in Kidding them of dark
evergreen trees, the whittier the maple
sugar will be.
The location of tree has much TO do
with the increase or decrease, not only in
the quantity but in the quality of its sap.
Those trees standing on low land, moist
and having a black, mucky and rich soil.
will run large amount Of watery sap,
having less than two per cent. of sugar
and that Of dark quality On the other
hand. trees standing on high, dry and
ledgv ground will yield very sweet sap,
having three or four per cent. OF sugar in
it, and will make very white product.
Paradoxcal as it may seem, the richer
the soil the poorer the sap. | mean in
this instance soil in its natural state.
am aware that it Is claimed by some that
trees may be fortified so as to increase
the per cent. OF sugar in the sap. This
neither affirm nor deny. | am. however
strongly of the opinion that artificial ferti,
lization of the maple tree deterorates the
healthfulness of its products.
Occasionally there are trees in our or.
chards from which we can get 30 sap.
know of several trees that will not dis
charge sap sufficient to pay for tapping
them. Trees standing IN or on lodges
where the roots cannot obtain sufficient
moisture are deficient in sap production
The Juices of the tree are in too concentra
ted form to flow Trees standing near
cold water, whether brooks coming from
the mountains or natural springs, yield
large quantities OF very sweet sap. The
colder the water. as above, the sweeteI
the sap. This, expect to find Is the law
of naples. | know of one tree standing
in cold spring, the water of which, al
sugaring time, marks a temperature OF
Az, from which large quantities of very
nice sugar are annually made. Some
wears thirty pounds and ever more, have
been made from it. with only two spouts
and one tub Seven quarts of its sap will
make one pound of sugar.
When it is considered that the average
maple sap in Vermont requires sixteen
quarts tor one pound of sugar, it will be
seen that the sap mentioned above is re-
markablv sweet know of another tree
which runs sap so sweet that it requires
only five quarts to make pound of sugar
This tree sits on a ledge with its roots
running down into the SOIL. 1t is large
second growth tree. standing alone. with
a short body and a low branching top
This tree yields the sweetest sap of any
have ever known
Maple trees standing on high lands. OF
rocky hillsides. and on the sides of noun
tains. make a higher quality of product
than those standing on lower lands and OF
river bottoms. In the Western States
maple trees standing on the higher
plaieaus of the river bottoms run less, bu
sweeter, sap than those standing on the
lower bottoms and along the creeks.
Trees standing near lakes. ponds OF
large bodies of water are not tapped. a
the sap will not flow sufficiently to repay
the trouble. The water so modities the
temperature that too great uniformity i.
secured for the flow of sap. Thus there
are many naples in Nova Scotia iron
which sugar cannot be made by reason OF
the above tact. Trees standing on higher
lands, where the temperature is more
chanageable, part With their sap more
readily Heat and cold. light and snow
are necessary for sap to flow.
BY experimenting | have found tina
maple sap varies in all parts of the tree
can make any required grade of SAP
from one and the same tree and at the
same time | have made as many a.
seven. now have in hand FIVE differen
grades that made last spring. This de;
seems to be new, even to scientific men
that sap varies in sweetness in variou,
parts of the tree. Perhaps | have dis
covered new fact. CORES p0ndencc
Z 1,uf7.icui CuIfi2,1fOr