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Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 41, 31 July 1924, Page 3

The existence in British Columbia of sugar bearihg fir trees has new been scientifically established. Two or three years ago an American botanist made exhaustive investigations in the Thompson River valley, and all but satisfied himself that the Douglas fir tree in that locality yields a whitish sugar like substance in considerable quantities. Recently a settler noticed a similar substance lying on some ground he had just bought. At first he was unable to account for its presence there; then he noticed that it invariably appeared after rain, and the fact caused him to transfer his attention to some trees that grew near by. The trees were specimens of the Douglas fir, and the tips of the branches, he was surprised to find, were laden with a substance which, on being washed off by showers, crystallised like sugar on the ground. The settler then discovered that the Indians had long used the substance for sweetening purposes. The sugar of the Douglas fir has a decided value from the scientific and chemical point of view, its present price being about £l2 per lb.