CANADIAN MAPLES. 



337 



The Red Maple is not as useful a tree as 

 the Sugar Maple. Although a prominent 

 Canadian tree, its value for timber, fuel and 

 sugar being not nearly equal to the other, 

 but it is quite, if not more, ornamental. 

 Beginning in the early spring before the 

 leaves make their appearance, the scarlet 

 blossoms, which are so profusely borne, 

 brighten our streets at a time when they are 

 much appreciated, and in the month of June 

 the bright red fruit continues to make this 

 tree attractive. It is, however, in the 

 autumn that it shows to best advantage, . 

 when the leaves take on the bright scarlet 

 and lighter hues which make the maples 

 famous. Odd trees will be found assuming 

 bright tints early in the autumn, and the 

 contrast between these and the deep green 

 of the surrounding foliage is very marked. 

 Where the soil is suitable, the Red Maple 

 makes quite as good a tree for streets and 

 parks as the Sugar Maple, but often it is 

 planted in ground where it will not thrive 

 and it dies before reaching its prime. This 

 tree, unlike the Sugar Maple, does best in 

 wet soil, and is found in the wild state in 

 swampy land or bordering lakes and rivers, 

 being often called the Swamp Maple. Large 

 numbers of the Red Maple are planted as 

 shade trees in our cities and towns, and 

 where the soil is moist they succeed well, but 

 if the soil is naturally somewhat dry and be- 

 comes dryer where permanent walks and 

 roadways prevent air and moisture reaching 

 the roots of the trees, they gradually sicken 

 and die. Many such ti'ees may be seen in 

 the City of Ottawa to-day. 



4. Silver or White Maple {Acer dasy- 

 carpum, Erhr ; Acer saccharinuniy Linn. — 

 " Large tree, 120 teet ; leaves deeply 5-lobed 

 to 5-cleft, 4-6 inches long, green above, 

 silvery-white beneath ; lobes deeply and 

 doubly serrate ; flowers greenish-yellow, 

 apetalous ; fruit pubescent when young." 



The Silver Maple is not as well distributed 

 as either of the preceding species. It is 



Fig. 2373. Smooth Maple. 

 (ilccr glabrum, Toir.) 



found in New Brunswick in a few places, 

 and is quite rare in the Province of Quebec, 

 but is abundant in the Province of Ontario. 

 It appears to succeed further north than 

 either the Sugar Maple or Red Maple, a 

 few specimens planted near the Canadian 

 Pacific Railway at Portage la Prairie, Man., 

 being quite hardy. It has also been planted 

 at Brandon, Man., and although not per- 

 fectly hardy does not always kill outright. 



This tree is less valuable than the Red 

 Maple for timber or fuel, being very soft ; 

 nor does it color as highly in the autumn as 

 either the Red or Sugar Maple, but it is a 

 more graceful tree than either of the others, 

 being of more spreading habit and having 

 more finely cut loliage. Like the Red Maple, 

 this species thrives best in moist ground, 

 and where the conditions are favorable 

 attains a great size. It is a very rapid 

 growing species, and on this account is 

 often planted in preference to other kindr. 



The Silver Maple blooms earlier than the 



