An Account of the Method of Making Sugar from the Juice of the Maple Tree in New England. By Paul Dudley, Esq; F. R. S. Communicated by John Chamberlayne, Esq.

VII. An Account of the Method of making Sugar from the Juice of the Maple Tree in New England. By Paul Dudley, Esq; F. R. S. Communicated by John Chamberlayne, Esq. Maple Sugar is made of the Juice of Upland Maple, or Maple Trees that grow upon the Highlands. You box the Tree, as we call it, i.e. make a hole with an Axe, or Chizzel, into the Side of the Tree, within a Foot of the Ground; the Box you make may hold about a Pint, and therefore it must shelve inwards, or towards the bottom of the Tree; you must also bark the Tree above the Box, to steer or direct the Juice to the Box. You must also Tap the Tree with a small Gimblet below your Box, so as to draw the Liquor off. When you have pierced or tapp'd your Tree, or Box, you put in a Reed, or Pipe, or a bit of Cedar scored with a Channel, and put a Bowl, Tray, or small Cask at the Foot of the Tree, to receive your Liquor, and so tend the Vessels as they are full. After you have got your Liquor, you boil it in a Pot, Kettle, or Copper. Ten Gallons will make somewhat better than a pound of Sugar. It becomes Sugar by the thin part evaporating in the boiling, for you must boil it till it is as thick as Treacle. Ten Gallons must boil till it comes to a pint and half. A Kettle of twenty Gallons will be near 16 Hours in boiling, before you can reduce it to three Pints; a good Fire may do it sooner. When you take it off, you must keep almost continually stirring it, in order to make it Sugar; otherwise it will candy as hard as a Rock. Some put in a little Beef Sewet, as big as a Walnut, when they take it off the Fire, to make it turn the better to Sugar, and to prevent its candying, but it will do without. A good large Tree will yield twenty Gallons. The Season of the Year is from the beginning of February to the beginning of April. Mr. Dudley in a following Letter adds this Note. I have nothing to add to my Chapter of Maple Sugar, but that our Physicians look upon it not only to be as good for common use as the West India Sugar, but to exceed all other for its Medicinal Virtue. VIII. Copy of an Affidavit made in Scotland, concerning a Boy's living a considerable time without Food. Communicated by Patrick Blair, M. D. F. R. S: Court of the Barony of Erroll, holden at Erroll, upon the 26th day of December, 1719 Year. By Mr. Charles Brown, Bailly to the Right Honourable David Earle of Northesk, Lord Roeshill, &c. Gilbert Anthone, Clerk, Charles Gill, Officer. Court lawfully fenced and affirmed. The whilk Day Compeared before the said Bailly sitting in Judgment, James Jackson sewar in Carse Crange, and Eliz. Bell his Spouse, who being purged of partial