24 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



November, 



show signs of having taken to their position. 

 Staking them firmly until the roots have 

 taken a good hold is also important. If in 

 a hedge row, pins can he driven into the 

 ground at the height required on each side 

 and a piece run along the top of them so as 

 to keep them steady and prevent the snow 

 from crushing them down in winter. 



For large specimens I have adopted a plan 

 that I may say never fails. I dig a trench as 

 far from the tree as 

 is possible to lift and 

 allow them to stand 

 there until the ball is 

 frozen, so that it will 

 lift entire. If the soil 

 is not proper where I 

 am going to put them, 

 I have the holes dug 

 and whatever fresh soil 

 I think I may require 

 put into it, for filling 

 in when planting. In 

 this way it does not 

 require much, as the 

 ball will fill up mostly, 

 unless you make the hole very large. I put 

 the soil into the holes and cover with warm 

 manure to keep out the frost, selecting a 

 mUd day In which to remove them, that the 

 soil may be more easily worked. 



In moist climates there does not exist the 

 same trouble we have in moving Evergreen 

 trees, a fact which shows plainly that the 

 dry atmosphere has much to do with diffi- 

 culty in transplanting these trees. 



leaf-stalk, causing the leaf to appear as If 

 slightly peltate. The leaves of the ordinary 

 Sugar Maple are much more lobed, and the 

 lobes terminate in long pro.iections. The 

 leaves of the Black Maple are pubescent or 

 downy beneath and on the petioles, so much 

 so that they feel soft or velvety when passed 

 between the fingers. The books ordinarily 

 describe the leaves of the Black as paler be- 

 neath than those of the Sugar proper. This, 



LEAVES OF THE BLACK MAPLE. 



Two Interesting Maples. 



L. H. BAILEY. AGRICULTCTIAI, COLLEGE, MICHIGAK. 



Two important maples, the ordinary Sugar 

 Maple, Acer saccharinum, and Its so-called 

 variety, niaruin, appear to be very generally 

 confounded. In Central Michigan these two 

 maples are about equally abundant. Hav- 

 ing observed carefully hundreds of trees as 

 they occur along roadsides, in fields and 



LEAVES OF THE SUGAR MAPLE 



The statement should 



however, is a mistake. 



rather be reversed. 

 , , . ^t ^ ,. ,, i., I The most singular character of the leaves 



woods, I cannot escape the feelmg that these „£ ^^^ gj^.k Maple, however, and one of 

 maples are entu-ely distinct species. They ! ^j^^^j^ j ^^^ g„^ „„ ^.^^^^.^l^ j^ the limp or 



appear to me to be as distinct from each 

 other as the Sugar and Red Maples. No one 

 since the time of Michaux has endeavored 

 to separate them, so far as I know, and even 

 Michaux does not mention certain very 

 marked distinctions, nor does his figure 

 show them. I shall give a brief contrast of 

 the two trees. 



The leaves of the two are very dissimilar. 

 Those of the Black Maple, as I shall call the 

 Acer nigrum of Michaux, are usually larger 

 than those of the Sugar Maple (usually 

 measuring from six 

 to eight inches across, 

 while those of the 

 latter,.4. saccharinum, 



Pmit of the S«eor Maple. Fruit of the Black Maple. 



span fi-om four to five), very much thicker 

 and duller green, the lobes fewer, and the 

 sinuses or angles between the lobes much 

 broader and shallower. The lobes are three, 

 with one or two broad but comparatively 

 Inconspicuous nearly blunt pi-ojections on 

 each side. The sinus or split at the base of 

 the leaf is usually closed, the edges lapping 

 and covering the insertion of the petiole or 



drooping position of their sides. This is es- 

 pecially conspicuous when the leaves are 

 fully grown. The leaf hangs upon the 

 petiole like a piece of some limp thick 

 cloth. This feature, as well as the charac- 

 teristic lobing, is shown in the cut. The 

 leaves of the Sugar Maple stand out straight 

 upon the petiole, in striking contrast to 

 those of the other species. In fact, so great 

 is the difference in the manner of holding 

 their leaves that I can distinguish the two 

 trees at a glance at a distance of several rods. 



The leaves of the Black Maple, sometimes 

 at least, bear stipules. This peculiarity is 

 recorded in the American Naturalist for 

 December, 1873, and July, 1873, but it was 

 not supposed that the stipules are a constant 

 character of the plant. I am inclined to be- 

 lieve, however, that they always occur in 

 this species, although I still need the obser- 

 vation of one or two seasons more to deter- 

 mine this point. Mr. C. F. Wheeler, a most 

 reliable observer, states in his catalogue of 

 Michigan plants that the Black Maple is dis- 

 tinguished from the Sugar Maple by "its 

 prominent stipules and downy leaves." 



The fruit of the two maples is commonly 

 much unlike. The differences are shown in 

 the cuts, that of the Black being much 

 smaller, with more divergent lobes, than 

 that of the Sugar Maple. This great differ- 

 ence Is not constant, however, yet 1 think 

 that I can always distinguish the fruits 

 when in considerable quantity. 



In growth the two are not alike. Young 

 trees of Acer surcharinuin, when growing 

 in the open field, usually bear their branches 

 more horizontally than do those of the other. 



For ornamental uses the planter should 

 distinguish these two species. The Black 



Maple, with its heavy cloth-like leaves, gives 

 a much denser shade than the other, and has 

 a softer and more tranquil aspect, I am not 

 aware that one is superior to the other for 

 economic purposes, although Michaux states 

 that the wood of Acer nigrum is preteiTed 

 for certain industries. Both yield sugar, 



I cannot leave this subject without en- 

 deavoring to impress upon all who love the 

 farm or rural life in any direction the im- 

 portance of making comparative studies of 

 trees, especially of the native species. By 

 study I mean a close observation as one goes 

 about his work. The good observer never 

 goes to town or through the fields without 

 drawing pleasure and inspiration from the 

 trees, no matter how busy he may be or in 

 how much of a hurry. One soon comes to 

 recognize the trees as Intimate acquaint- 

 ances, and a hasty glance at this species or 

 that, as one passes, is equivalent to a saluta- 

 tion for a friend. If the kinds of trees are so 

 many as to perplex you, single out a few 

 species for especial study during the season. 

 Two very distinct species may appear very 

 much alike to you at 

 first, but the differ- 

 ences \vlll soon begin 

 to unfold themselves 

 and presently you 

 will wonder that you 

 could ever have con- 

 founded them. Even 

 if you are familiar 

 with all the species in 

 your flora, you will 

 find it pleasant to sin- 

 gle out a few for es- 

 pecial study. This is 

 the practice of the 

 writer, and one of 

 his studies this sum- 

 mer has been a com- 

 parison of the two 

 maples contrasted above. Even the best 

 known of our trees are not known enough. 

 The more one studies them the more he finds 

 to admire. The more he admires them the 

 happier he certainly will be. 



Refrigerator Fruit Houses in Penn- 

 sylvania. 



JUDGE G. D. STITZEL, CHAniMAN OF COMMITTEE ON FRUIT 

 HOUSES OF PE.VNSYLVANIA HORTICITLTTTRAL SOCIETY. 



There is no longer any doubt as to the 

 success of Refrigerator Houses, if properly 

 constructed or managed. There are several 

 in operation In the city of Reading, and 

 they are proving profitable both to the own- 

 ers and users. 



At our last annual meeting a committee 

 was appointed to \asit some of the Reading 

 fruit houses, and submit a report of their 

 observations. I have also visited several 

 during the interim, and have found a great 

 difference in style and methods of construc- 

 tion. Have noticed, however, that small 

 houses are not generally a success. I have 

 examined them costing from ^00 to $10,000, 

 and have drawings of two; one costing 

 $1,000, the other about $7,000, the latter be- 

 ing one of the most complete I have ever 

 seen, and having a capacity of 3,000 barrels. 

 Both of these houses Iseep fruit very nicely. 



In the construction of fruit houses an Im- 

 portant point Is to build sufficiently strong. 

 Some have overlooked this, and have since 

 been obliged to put in additional supports. 



Of the two houses referred to, the large 

 drawing annexed represents the house cost- 

 ing $7,000, and having a storage capacity of 

 3,000 barrels. This was built by Dr. J. W. 

 Funk, of Boyertown, Pa. In this building 

 tlie outside dimensions are 40 by .5.5 feet, the 

 outer wall being two feet thick and laid in 

 cement. Next to this is an air space of 7 

 Indies, and inside of this a charcoal lining 

 of 4 Inches. The storage room is divided 

 into three apartments, which are entered 



