210 



WISCONSIN AGRICULTURE. 



ornamental trees, and is often transplanted to tlie streets and 

 yards of our towns and cities. The Red Maple is a moderate- 

 sized tree, seldom attaining the height of the sugar tree ; it has 

 a rapid growth ; and the wood, though very valuable, is inferior 

 to that species. The flowers appear in April or May — some- 

 times even in March — and the fruit ripens in August or about 

 the first of September. The figure represents a small leaf, and 

 the fruit, both of the full size of nature. 



7. Negundo aceriodes, of Moench. — Box Elder, or Box Maple. 



This tree was placed by 

 Linnaeus under the genus 

 Acer, but later botanists 

 have constructed for it a 

 new genus, (Negundo,) on 

 account, chiefly, of the pin- 

 nate leaves, and the want 

 of petals in the flowers. 

 It is quite common along 

 the Mississippi river in this 

 State, and extends east- 

 ward as far as the Rock 

 river valley. In the At- 

 lantic States it does not 

 reach north of Pennsylva- 

 nia ; but at the west it is 

 found on the Saskatcha- 

 wan river, as far as the 

 54th degree of north lati- 

 tude. Here, according to 

 BOX ELDER. Sir Johu Richardson, the 



natives make a very dark colored sugar from the sap of this tree. 

 The Box Elder is a small tree ; the foliage and young twigs light 

 green. The growth is quite rapid — fifteen or twenty years be- 

 ing sufficient to bring the tree to maturity. It is deemed quite 

 an ornamental and desirable tree in England, where it was in- 

 troduced from this country as early as 1618. 



