The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-02-13
ADVISES US TO TAP MAPLE TREE
 AND SAVE MONEY
Very Simple Matter And Brings About Good
 Results.

Washington, Feb. is.---Many thou out a regian com prising more than score of states are overlooking oppor- tunities to secure delicious maple sugar and sfrup for home use, as well as for sale. at very little cost. This statement, of peculiar interest be- cause of the present sugar shortage l and the approach Of sugar weather, is based on data compiled by experts of the United States Department or Agriculture who have made a special study of the maple sugar industry While Americans commonly think or this industry as being confined largely to circumscribed areas in New Eng land and New York, there are, as g. matter of fact, many potential sugar bushes" throughout eastern and northeastern United States; in other words, throughout region extending south to include North Carolina and Tennessee and west to include north 1 ern Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota 1 There are also 8 considerable nunber | of maple trees of a sugar-yield1ng 1 species in Washington and Oregon.
 While some experience is necessary ] to boil the sap down to sirup and su- I gar properly, the process is not com l
 
 A United States Department of Agri- culture bulletin. Production of Maple Syrup and Sugar." gives the necessary information, and will be sent free to any person addressing the departn ent at Washington. A ciunp of 10 to Is trees usually will yield enough sirup for family use to make tapping worth while, and in l many cases will afford a surplus which can be sold at a remunerative price l The flow of sap depends upon the age, 1 condition and habit, of growth Of the | tree, also upon the character of the weather and condition of the soil dur ing the sap flowing season. In a good season a tree 15 inches in diameter 1 will yield sufficient sap to make from one to six quarts of sirup. which in l turn can be concentrated into two to l ten pounds of sugar. Larger trees under the same conditions will pro- duce correspondingly larger yields of sirup and sugar. All hard maple ] trees e ght inches or more in diame- ter. may be safely and proftably 1 tapped for sirup and sugar produc- 1 tion.
 Cutting Sugar Trees for Lumber. Recently an investigator of the l United States Department of Agricu1- ! 1 many groves of sugar naples that
 wers not being utilized for sirup and
 sugar production. One of these groves is probably larger than any now to l be found in New England. The own l CTS, not being aware of the value od
 these trees from the maple sugar
 standpoint, had begun cutting them ! down for lumber at an average return
 of less than one dollar a tree. At the ] suggestion of the federal representa-
 tive the groves were spared further
 cutting in many instances and the
 owners last year began tapping the
 trees and making sirup that sold for
 S4OO 8 gallon. This revelation of the
 potential value of these groves has
 induced the owners to plan more ex-
 tensive operations for this coming
 spring, so that instead of destroying
 the groves they will become a source
 Of permanent and larger income. Il
 is expected that the flow of aGp will
 be even more satisfactory than las 1 year, since the warm weather of 1as i. ] winter was not favorable to produc. | ing the best grade nor the highes
 yield of sugar and sirup. TSs maple sirup and sugar industr! is distinctiYeiy American and offer. good commercial opportunities fol
 those who engage in it systematically A No countries besides the United State and Canada produce this n1uch-prizei I product on a commercial scale, whicl is at once @ de1icacy and o highly nu \ trttious article of diet The demand for both strup and sugar is far beyond the supply.
 Because the sugar content of tn
 ,ap varies from time to time, uni & forrntty of quality can not be secured throughout a season. Warm days an, & coo! nights are esseA. dal to a satisfac ~ tory flow. and the sugar content ma,
 vary considerably from day to day
 However, this is not 8 feature tha d materially affects the success of one Il operations.
 1t Tapping of sugar trees if don l. properly in no way injures the tree re Trees have been tapped for more tha- ) one hundred years and are still i to good condition.
 al It is a good policy to tap early i
 the season to obtain the earlier run: ys which are generally the sweetest, an D. therefore the best producers, Maker c. have lost half and even more of thei ts crops by not being prepared for tn ts first run. In general, it may be sai o' that the season is ready to open dul T. ing the first Or middle of February o- the southern sections, and later in tn oi Iil north ern regions when days are be 1 I coming warm (when the temperatuI a goes above freezing during the da IT,, and at night below freezing.) If th x days are very bright. warm and sum ., the sap will start with a rush bl 7r soon slacken, or if @ high wind star - the flow is checked. Protracted war as weather or a heavy freeze with nigh iIe anu uays oi even tennpefaLures stol
 the flow altogether, to start aga -. when weather conditions are right.
 Methods of Tapping.
 Considerable difference of opinit
 exists as to the best method of ta, CT, ping @ tree. A thirteen thirty-se ct, ondths of an inch (13-32 ih.) bit 1 often used. It's direction sholIld