The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-01
Questions About Sap.

To the agricultural Editor:-I was much
interested to read Mr.. Wheelers letter
about maple sap, and the inter in it; also
some comments on the letter. l wish to ask
few questions
Q) Is the inter always of the same chem
ical composition, or does it vary with the
season or the soil on which the tree grows?
(2) Will the ashes obtained by burning
maple wood also vary? Do we not find
plenty of potash in maple ashes, and is there
any in inter, and where in creation is it
gone to if Mr.. Wheeler's theory is correct
that inter is ash of sap, and no more nor less?
(0 In the answer to Mr.. Wheeler's letter
1t is stated that there are two kinds of
sap-crude and elaborated-one being soil
water, with some mineral elements and the
other the same crude sap after it has passed
through the leaves, etc, and that Mr..
Wheeler seems not to discern the difference.
This is too bad, and may be owing to the
gentleman's eyesight but as the same arti-
Gle says that the sap we catch in spring is a
mixture of the two kinds, and as each kind
is mostly water, and the various drops have
much the same general appearance, and are
not labelled to tell whence they came,
careless observer might sometimes mistake
one for the other.
(4) Mr.. Wheeler is also told that when
the sap begins to run in spring the ascend
ing soil water meets the elaborated sap"
etc. But does sap really move in the tree
two ways at once? l think not in early
spring, for nine seasons out of ten the earth
and tree roots are frozen solid for foot or
more in depth, and even if there is no frost
in the ground there will be no upward
flow until the season is well advanced)
which will run from spout.
(5) If it really goes up, why won't it run
out?
(G) How long does it take sap to be elab-
Grated? and how about the great quantity
of sap which is absorbed from the air and
never comes from the soil?
C) Does the tree take up moisture from
the soil through the summer? If so, what
becomes of it? If not why is the ground
around tree drier than anywhere else?
Your statement is that the roots have no
power OF selection, but take up whatever is
dissolved in the soil water, and things of no
use to the tree are held in solution in the
are in human blood.
(S) But why should the tree take what it
does not need? and is this popularity con-
fined to the maple?
Perhaps my questions will seem foolish to
some who understand the subject better,
but / do not want to be an gnoramus
always, and would like to hear from some
of your other readers.
In agricultural and scientific questions,
stir up the good, agitation will sift out the
bad, and the truth is what we all ought to
be alter. ID. A. KNEELAND.
Waitsfed, Vt.
REPLY BY THE AGRICULTURAL Ed
1ToR.-O No; the ascending sap
(Which is substantially the soi-water)
carries into the tree whatever mineral
matter it holds in solution. This varies
on varying soils; but as lime is the most
soluble of the soil minerals, lime pre-
ponderates in the saltwater. Phos-
phoric acid, potash, silica, iron and
other minerals are also contained in it;
and, if not all removed by the affinities
they encounter, may appear in the sap,
and possibly in the inter-" 1t is
probable, however, that they would not
be dropped by the boiling sap at the
same point of concentration as the lime
salts; and they may continue in solu-
ton. and so pass into the sugar. On
soils rich in lime the "niter" is
more abundant than in soils formed
from rocks poor in lime. Our drift and
alluvial soils are, however, formed
from many kinds of rock, and that is
one reason why they are good soils.
(2) Yes, for the same reasons. The
reason why we find more lime than
potash in the "nter," is because the
lime is less soluble, and therefore more
quickly dropped out of solution. If
not dropped, it of course remains in
the syrup or sugar.
(3) There is hardly an opportunity
here to make a respectful reply. In dis
cussing question of fact there is no
room for a display of what seems de-
signed to be wit or sarcasm.
(4) Yes, the sap really" moves
"two ways" in the trees; and after the