Some Effects of Paraformaldehyde on Wood Surrounding Tapholes in Sugar Maple Trees

Download or read book Some Effects of Paraformaldehyde on Wood Surrounding Tapholes in Sugar Maple Trees written by Alex L. Shigo and published by . This book was released on 1970 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: S2Pills of paraformaldehyde (trioxymethylene) are commonly used in tapholes in sugar maple trees (Acer saccharum Marsh.) to increase the yield of sap collected for making syrup and sugar (2, 4, 5, 8). The explanation offered for this increase in sap yield is that microorganisms in the tapholes (7) cause premature decline and stoppage of the sap flow (1, 6), but that paraformaldehyde increases sap yield by inhibiting their growth (2). But what happens to the tree? To determine the effects of paraformaldehyde on the tissues surrounding tapholes, and on the microorganisms in those tissues, sugar maple trees were dissected and studied. This paper is a report on that study.S3.