DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL TREES. 193 



twenty feet high, a very common practice in some places, 

 as this destroys half its beauty ; but if it be suffered to 

 branch out quite low down, it will form a very elegant 

 head. The maple is well suited to scenes expressive of 

 graceful beauty, as they unite to a considerable variation 

 of surface, a pleasing softness and roundness of outline. 

 In bold or picturesque scenes, they can be employed to 

 advantage by intermingling them with the more striking 

 and majestic forms of the oak, etc., where variety and 

 contrast is desired. The European sycamore, which is 

 also a maple, has a coarser foliage, and more of strength in 

 its growth and appearance : it perhaps approaches nearer 

 in general expression and effect to the plane tree, than to 

 our native maples. 



It is unnecessary for us to recommend this tree for 

 avenues, or for bordering the streets of cities, as its general 

 prevalence in such places sufficiently indicates its acknow- 

 ledged claims for beauty, shade, and shelter. It bears 

 pruning remarkably well, and is easily transplanted, even 

 when of large size, from its native woods or swamps. The 

 finest trees, however, are produced from seed. 



The Sugar maple {Acer saccharinum) is a very abundant 

 tree in the northern states and the Canadas, where it 

 sometimes forms immense forests. The bark is white ; the 

 leaves four or five inches broad, and five-lobed ; varying, 

 however, in size according to the age of the tree. The 

 flowers are small, yellowish, and suspended by slender 

 drooping peduncles. The seed is contained in two capsules 

 united at the base, and terminated in a membranous wing ; 

 they are ripe in October. From certain parts of the trunks 

 of old Sugar maples, the fine wood called bird's-eye maple 



13 



