Trees, Shrubs and Vines 



leaves about two weeks longer than our native species 

 an important consideration from every point of view. 

 The field maple (Acer campestre), of Europe, is made 

 too much of in the Park, as it is a quite inferior species. 

 Its leaf-type, as one can see by referring to the illustra- 

 tions, is least ornamental of all maples. 



Two other interesting native species, oftener shrubs 

 than trees, with a northern and mountainous range, are 

 the striped and mountain maples, with very distinctive 

 leaves. Both blossom much later than the other sorts, 

 and the abundant long clusters of bright red-winged 

 fruit, hanging from the striped maple along a mountain- 

 road in August, will catch the aimless eye of the most 

 inattentive observer. This is the only species whose 

 flower-cluster is erect, drooping only as the fruit ripens. 



The box-elder, or ash-leaved maple, with a com- 

 pound leaf, would never be admitted to the family, 

 were it not for its doubly winged fruit, which is the in- 

 dubitable proof of kinship ; this is of more westerly 

 range, but often planted eastward, where a small, quick- 

 growing, graceful tree is desired. With identical fruit, 

 but widely diverse foliage, there must be several "miss- 

 ing links" possibly held fast in the rock strata 

 between the box-elder and all other maples. 



This family fills a niche in nature and nature-art that 

 could be supplied by no other tree -group, the world 

 over. Its supreme glory, however, is in the transient 

 period of autumn coloring, and here the native species 

 are pre-eminent. The sour gum and dogwood may 

 show quite as startling a scarlet, the tulip-tree and ginkgo 

 as rich a yellow ; but for lavish quantity of gorgeous 



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