THE SUGAR MAPLE.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 389, 16 July 1861, Page 4

THE SUGAR MAPLE.

In this month's Bulletin de Id Sociele d' Acclimttdtion,, M. Valentin de Cpurcel announces tho arrival »f sugar maple 3 from Canada at the Jardin d' Acclimatation, in the Bois de Boulogne. This tree is known to be a great source of wealth to the North American Continent, where it not only grows wild io the midst of those virgin forests ■which cover so large a surface of unexplored land, but is also cultivated with great care, especially in the state of New York and in Upper Pennsylvania. The chief produce of the maple is its sugar, the art of extracting which was known to the Indians long before tho.diacoveiy of America.

~ In 1664, as John Evelyn tells us, Rouen in Normandy, had establishments for refining the sugar brought from Canada, where it wa3 made jby the savages. M. de Cuu.cel endeavors to give Borne statistical details concerning the pre•eat production of maple sugar, remarking, however, that the question is extremely difficult, because avast proportion of this article ia made for home consumption, and does nofc therefore find its way to the markets. Id 1840 tho State of Vermont manufactured

about 4,650,0001b. of maple sugar; the State of New York the quantity was in 1858 nearly 24,000 tons—about one third less than in 1857, which, being a much colder year than the former, was peculiarly productive; for a cold and dry winter is extremely favorable to the production of maple sugar. The best maples, richest in saccharine matter, are those which grow on a stony soil, on hills exposed to the east or to the south. It requires three men to look after a plantation of 250 maples, whioh yields 10001b. of sugar, or about 41b. per tree. M. de Counsel is of opinion that this tree, which is only known in France as an ornamental plant, might be advantageously acclimatized here. [The Sugar Maple could be easily acclimatized in New Zealand.]