THE MAPLE. 293 



some or all of the forest trees above mentioned. From 

 thirty to fifty trees are generally found upon an acre of 

 land." Major Strickland says of it: "The Sugar Maple 

 is probably the most common tree among the hard-wood 

 species of Canada West. It is found generally in groves 

 of from five to twenty acres ; these are called by the 

 settlers sugar-bushes, and few farms are without them." 



Though I consider the red maple a more beautiful 

 tree, having more variety in its ramification, and a 

 greater range of hues in its autumnal dress, than the 

 Eock Maple, it must be confessed that the latter sur- 

 passes it in some important qualities. The Eock Maple 

 has a deeper green foliage in summer, and is generally 

 more brilliant in its autumnal tints, which, on account of 

 the tenacity of its foliage, last from a week to ten days 

 after the red maple has dropped all its leaves. 



THE RIVER MAPLE. 



By far the most graceful tree of this genus is the Eiver 

 Maple, to which the cockneyish epithet of "silver" is 

 applied, from the whitish under surface of its leaves. It 

 is not found in the woods near Boston, but is a favorite 

 shade-tree in all parts of New England. It abounds in 

 the Connecticut Valley and on the banks of some of the 

 rivers in Maine. It is rather slender in its habit, with 

 very long branches, that droop considerably in old and 

 full-grown trees. The foliage of this tree is dull and 

 whitish, but it hangs so loosely as to add grace to the 

 flowing negligence of its long slender branches. The 

 leaves are very deeply cleft, like those of the scarlet oak, 

 so that at a considerable distance they resemble fringe ; 

 but they are seldom very highly tinted in autumn. 



