Page 61 - C.B. Resources and Industries, 1816 A Sketch of Memorandums on the Local and Natural Advantages of the Island of Cape Breton

ISSUE : Issue 51

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1989/2/1

The Author has never been able to discover a young black birch. Yet the grain of the wood is different from the yellow-it branches differ? ently in growth, and has a different bark. Maple: the Rock, the Soft and the Curled. From the sap of the Rock Maple (that is the ordinary hard or sugar maple) the Indians make ex? cellent sugar, and when purified and granulated is not much inferior to the Muscovado. The Indians form it into large cakes of about from 8 to 10 lbs each and they are not very clean in their operations. When made by the farmers it is very beautiful. Taking the juice does not destroy the tree, but every year the sap improves in richness and lessens in quantity. They begin to tap the trees the last week in March; a tree of 16 or 18 inches diameter will the first year mn 7 or 8 gallons, a good deal depends on the soil. Elm: very fine, large and in great quantities the best grows on inten/al Lands. Ash: the Swamp and Mountain, the last is good for nothing, the other nearly of a quality with the European-not quite so hard. Horn-beam: is found only on the Barrens of La Indian Bay (probably Lingan Bav) and appears to be of a more hard and fimi texture than the English. Poplar: in great quantities the same as the English. Hackmatack (that is, tamarac, or larch. It was later used in ship? building, especially its roots, the curved portions of which made ex? cellent "compass" timber, for knees, futtocks, etc.) alias Tackmahack: is an ornamental tree of a very quick growth, no use have yet been [made] of it, except planting for ornament. Dog-Wood: more properly a Shmb, in some parts of the United states they esteem the bari< equal to the Peruvian-the Author made some experiments and found the bari< very astringet [astringent] but not absorbent-yet it destroys the sharpness of acids. Enterprise Cape Breton Wild Cherry: Where-ever hard wood is cut down and burnt on'the I land the wild cherry springs up [the next year and covers the whole surface unless the Land is croped [cropped] the same year it is cleared. This hap? pens in places where not a cherry tree is found within 20 miles. The Elder in general Ac? companies the wild cherry. In partnership with the people of Cape Breton and the Strait of Canso Area, in touch with businesses around the world. Enterprise Cape Breton, Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) will work with you to maximize the potential of our region and its people. Big or small, we're interested in your plans for new business and employment here at home. There is no better place. There is no better time. Call our toll-free number or visit. Enterprise Cape Breton Enterprise Cape Breton P.O. Box 2001 Commerce Tower - Fourth Floor 15 Dorchester Street Sydney, Mova Scotia BIP 6K7 Call toll free 1-800-565-9460 In Sydney area, call 564-3614 4' #?? Enterprise Cape Breton. Part of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. Hemlock: grows to a very large size-is used for whart logs on? ly of which it makes the best of all other timber. It remains un? der water impenetrable to rot or worms. The bari< has been tried and found a very good substitute for the oak bari< in tanning: this wood is difficult to be consumed by fire. Pine: Red, Yellow and White- of the first two there are great plenty all over the Island, and of equal quality and size with any in North America-the White is found only in a few places in the Bras D'Or Lakes, particularly on the Rivers Den- nee and Mat-a-Wat-Cook where there are some very fine and large. Spruce: Black, Red and White in inexhaustible quantities-the Essence of Spruce is made from the young black tree. It grows to a very large size-tall and straight and is much used for masts to schooners & small vessel's yards and top masts, the red and white are used only for fencing poles- the young buds of the red make the finest yellow dye in the world. Candle Berry Tree or Shrub: its soil is moist Swampy Land -grows in great abundance. Larch and other firs in great quantities all over the Island- the Larch is much esteemed in planking small boats & ves- sels-and makes the best fencing poles, being straight, long and not liable to decay so much as the other firs. 61

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