Just as honey is a healing compound, so is pure maple syrup. This comes from tree sap and is nature's way of healing a wound in the tree. I realized this today when I noticed blobs of sap coming out of the many tears in the bark of a young peach tree. I think it was caused by deer over the winter and this little tree is self-healing. That is another good reason not to paint a tree wound as was done years ago to residential ornamental trees.