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SUGAR MAPLE {Acer saccharum Marsh.) 



THE sugar maple, often called sugar tree, is 

 common only on the cool slopes of our higher 

 mountains. It is generally a rather sloAv-growiug 

 tree, but in the open it grows faster and has a 

 very symmetrical, dense crown, affording heavy 

 shade. It is therefore quite extensively planted as 

 a shade tree. The bark on young trees is light gray 



to brown 

 and rather 

 smooth, 

 but as the 

 tree grows 

 older i t 

 breaks up 

 into long, 

 irregular 

 plates o r 

 scales, 

 which vary 

 from light 

 gray to 

 almost 

 black. The 

 twigs are 

 smooth 

 and red- 

 dish brown, and the winter buds sharp-pointed. 

 The tree attains a height of more than 100 feet and 

 a diameter of 3 feet or more. The sap yields maple 

 sugar and maple syrup. 



The leaves are 3 to 5 inches across, simple, oppo- 

 site, with 3 to 5 pointed and sparsely toothed lobes, 

 the divisions between the lobes being rounded. The 

 leaves are dark green on the upper surface, lighter 

 green beneath, turning in autumn to brilliant shades 

 of dark red, scarlet, orange and clear yellow. 



The flowers are yellowish green, on long thread- 

 like stalks, appearing with the leaves, the two kinds 

 in separate clusters. The fruit, which ripens in the 

 fall, consists of a two-winged "samara," or "key," 

 the two wings nearly parallel, about 1 inch in length 

 and containing a seed. It is easily carried by the 

 wind. 



The wood is hard, heavy, strong, close-grained 

 and light brown in color. It is known cuniiiuirciully 

 as hard maple, and is used in the manufacture of 

 flooring, furniture, shoe-lasts and a great variety of 

 novelties. 



SUGAR MAPLB 

 Leaf, one-third natural size. 

 Twig, ouf-half natural size. 



65 



