Old French cleared lands.

’Black birch ’.

Yellow birch.

Alder.

’Whlte maple ’.

Red map/e.

’Rock map/e ’.

Map/e sugar.

after the tree is completely rotten; it is very inflammable, emitting a strong vivid flame, and a very thick black smoke, which might be easily condensed and collected in the form of oil. Many fine white birch trees grow in the old French cleared lands, in such situations, it is often a very ornamental tree, growing to a considerable size, and having a large spreading top with bright green leaves.

2". Black Birch (betu/a nigra.) This is the largest of our deciduous trees, it is common all over the Island, where the original growth of timber has not been destroyed by fire; it is much used in all the northern countries in America for ship building, it is nearly of the colour of light mahogany, and takes as good a polish: it makes handsome bedsteads and chairs, but does not answer so well for tables, being apt to cast in that article. The exportation of this timber, has long been common from all the neighbouring countries, and a few cargoes have recently been exported from this Island, it is chiefly sent to Liverpool, and other ports in the north of England, and also to Scotland and Ireland, where it is much approved of, several attempts have lately been made to introduce it into the London market, but the timber merchants appear to be against it, and they have too much the command of the trade, to render it practicable to introduce a new article without their concurrence.

3". Yellow Birch (betula lenta.) This often grows to a large tree, and is also used in ship building. It is strong and elastic, which makes it much used for many domestic articles; lands on which the original timber has been destroyed by fire, frequently grow up with yellow birch, these tracts afford a great deal of this timber, of a size fit for making hoops, for which it is very proper, wherever it grows in this manner, it indicates a better soil than when the young growth consists of white birch; yellow

birch trees, growing single on old cleared lands are frequently very fine ornamental timber.

4‘“. Alder (betula a/nus.) This seldom grows into a tree of any value: its bark dyes a good dark brown, it grows in low rich lands, and along the sides of creeks and rivulets.

Of the Maple we have three species, 15‘. The White Maple (acer negundo) it is firm and smooth, and takes a fine polish, and is fit for many common purposes, it also affords sap for making sugar, but not so rich in quality as the rock or curled maple.

2d. The Red Maple (acer rubrum.) This tree is small and of no value, and is generally found growing in swamps.

3". The rock or curled Maple (acer sacchar/num.) This is frequently a large tree: the butts of many of them for six or eight feet from the ground, being finely curled, renders this timber extremely beautiful in cabinet work, as it is very close grained, and susceptible of a high polish: what is called the bird's eye maple is a variety of this tree. The chief value of the maple at present, arises from the quantity of sugar annually manufactured of its sap, the making of which generally commences about the 25‘h of March, and continues through the first ten days in April; the quantity made varies much in different years, and depends greatly on the weather at this period: the more snow there is on the ground, the trees run the greater quantity of sap, dark or rainy weather is unfavourable; the sap is produced in the greatest quantities in bright sun shiny days after a frosty night the manufacture upon the whole is in a very imperfect state in this Island, though it is certainly improving.

The sugar obtained from the maple is all clear gain, being made at a time when very

little other outdoor work can be performed. Three smart lads working together, will often make one hundred weight each in the course of a fortnight, and sometime in

78