North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Jim Fruth" <jfruth@tds.net>]

Scott Hills mentioned, "I recall seeing St Lawrence Nursery offering a 
silver maple which they claimed has a much higher sugar ration in its sap 
than traditional sugar maples."

   I tap Silver Maple in other people's back yards and its sugar content 
equates with what Sugar Maple put out (about 30:1).  Where people fertilize 
their lawns (their trees get fertilized in the process), sugar content tends 
to exceed all others but some of it is genetic too.  Some trees exude more 
sugar (and sap) than others.  Sugar from Red Maple is usually close to the 
same but that which I get from Box Elder is generally slightly lower(about 
40:1).
   If you tap Birch or Butternut, expect about 80:1.  I keep telling myself 
that, "Some day I'll tap Tag Alder just to see what I get."  Tag Alder, an 
understory swamp tree is a close relative to our Paper Birch.  I know a 
fellow who taps Yellow Birch preferring it to the taste of Maple syrup. 
2009 might be the year I tap my Amur Maple.
   There is a spile that requires a 5/16" tap hole (Most spiles need a 
7/16" hole) that is called a "Tree Saver Spile" that delivers 80% of what a 
standard hole produces.  Most of us use this small spile for tapping small 
trees.  It is available from Anderson's Maple Syrup (715) 822-8512.  I buy 
used sap buckets and more from Roth Sugar Bush (715)289-3820
   Sap buckets and covers are being phased out in favor of plastic tubing 
but if you want to buy new bucket covers (they are hinged to the hole in the 
spiles), the place to get them is Atkinson's Maple Supplies in Ontario.  I 
don't know their phone number but sales@atkinsonmaple.com works too. 
Atkinson also makes the best spile that I have found.  It is stainless steel 
and costs a bit less when you consider U.S. money exchange.  Stainless steel 
spiles are less dense than others and tend to thaw sooner so you sap begins 
dripping sooner.  I started with a different brand of stainless steel spile 
but I got rid of them when I discovered Atkinson's.
   Oh, and buy an orlon (or felt) sap filtering bag with inner bags.  When 
sap, which is sugar (and minerals) dissolved in water, becomes syrup, water 
dissolved in sugar, the minerals precipitate out and filtering with a dish 
towel just doesn't work.  If you let it settle to the bottom of the bottle, 
you always lose some syrup.  The felt or orlon bag filters the "golf balls" 
out after the inner filter catches the "basketballs."  Filters are an 
inexpensive and worthwhile investment.  Anything less means gritty syrup.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
For jams, jellies, syrups and more:
www.jellygal.com
1-877-265-6856 (Toll Free)
1-218-831-7018 (My Cell)