Maple sugar-making was an important social activity for the indigenous peoples. Families and small groups gathered in temporary camps in early March, staying for about a month in order to produce their yearly supply.  Diagonal cuts were created in the base of the sugar maple trees (Acer saccharum) with an axe and the sap that flowed out was gathered in shallow containers.   Originally the syrup was boiled by plunging hot stones into the sap in large wooden troughs.