It's Tree-Tappin' Time... Most Everywhere!

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FLORIDA MAPLE (Acer barbatum), also called "southern sugar maple" or "hammock maple". Height 50', diameter 2'. Grows in the moist soils of valleys, and along upland slopes, from southeastern Virginia south to central Florida, west to eastern Texas, and north to eastern Oklahoma

SWEET BIRCH (Betula lenta), al so called "black birch" or "cherry birch". Height 50' to 80', diameter 1' to 21/2'. Usually found in cool, moist uplands-among hardwoods and conifers from southern Maine, southwest to northern Alabama, and north to Ohio. Also found locally in extreme southern Quebec and southeastern Ontario.

SUGAR MAPLE (Acer saccharum) also called "hard maple" or "cock maple". Height 70' to 100', diameter 2 ' to 3 ' . Located from extreme southeastern Manitoba, east to Nova Scotia, south to North Carolina, and west to eastern Kansas. Grows locally in both northwestern South Carolina and northern Georgia.

SILVER MAPLE (Acer saccharinum) also called "soft maple" or "white maple". Height 50' to 80',diameter 3". Generally located—among other hardwoods—in the wet soil of stream banks, flood plains, and swamps... ranging from southern Ontario, east to New Brunswick, south to northwestern Florida, west to eastern Oklahoma, and north to Minnesota (it's also sometimes cultivated in the West).

FROM TREE TO TABLE

[1] You'll know that "sap's up" when freezing nights are followed by warm-and usually sunny-days. Choose trees that are at least 10" (except in the case of the canyon maple, which should be a full 8 ") in diameter for single taps, 16" for two taps, and 22" or more for three taps. The spouts (also called spiles) can be made from sections of elderberry, sumac, bamboo, willow, or mullein stem with the pith removed . . . or you can use crimped pieces of curtain rod or lengths of plastic tubing.

[2] Drill a 3I 4 "-diameter hole-from 2 " to 3 " deep-on the south side of each tree. Be sure the bore takes a slightly uphill angle, and is at a convenient height. (Sap flow is usually heaviest below a large limb or above a big root.) Tap the spile in gently to avoid splitting the wood.

[3] Hang a clean and unrusted bucket, a plastic milk jug, or some other one- to five-gallon container securely under your spout, making sure it's adequately covered to keep out snow, rain, dirt, etc. Roughly speaking, you can expect 20 gallons of sap from each tap, and you'll need about 40 gallons to make 1 gallon of syrup. (Sap sours easily in warm weather, which means you must gather it frequently... keep it cool while it's being stored... and boil it up as soon as possible. Clean plastic trash cans—set in the chilly outdoors—make good holding tanks.)

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