FOREST TREES. 203 



which is only one half of that from the sugar tree. The 

 sap begins to discharge from the tree in January, and 

 discontinues before the other appears. 



From the great majesty and beauty of the white maple, 

 together with the rapidity of its growth, it has become, in 

 Europe, the subject of extensive cultivation in gardens. 

 Black Sugar Maple. A tree somewhat resembling the 

 sugar maple, and frequently mistaken for it, grows in 

 Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and the southern 

 part of New England. In the Genesee country it. con- 

 stitutes a large part of the forests, and yields an abundance 

 of rich sap, which is much used in the manufacture of 

 sugar. Its foliage is much darker than that of the-sugar 

 maple, and is hence called the black sugar tree. The 

 shape, size and situation of the leaves, flowers and seeds, 

 are much the same as those of the species for which it is 

 frequently taken. The wood, though coarser grained, 

 and less brilliant when polished than some other maples, 

 would probably find a more extensive use in the arts, did 

 not oak, walnut, and other valuable timber grow in abun- 

 dance where this is found. 



Sycamore Tree. A species of maple, known by the 

 name of sycamore tree, is diffused over the centre of 

 Europe, and abounds in Bohemia, Hungary and Poland. 

 It is a majestic and beautiful tree, rising to the height of 

 sixty or seventy feet, with a regular form, and leaves of 

 a dark green above, and whitish beneath. In the heat of 

 midsummer they are covered by a sweet viscid substance, 

 collected with avidity by bees. 



The wood of the sycamore is fine grained, and suscep- 

 tible of a beautiful polish. It is much used by turners, 

 frequently for making violins, and sometimes for orna- 

 menting forte pianos. A course of interesting experi- 

 ments has proved it to be capable of affording more heat 

 than any other tree in the north of Europe. 



Sugar has recently been made from the sap of the syc- 

 amore in Bohemia and Hungary, though it does not 

 yield it in so great abundance as the American sugar 

 maple. 



Nonoay Maple. Another lofty tree in the forests of 

 Europe, accompanies the sycamore ; but as it abounds 



