ACE 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



A C H 



tiful discharge of the sap. The perforation is made with an axe 

 or an augur, but the latter is preferred. The augur is intro- 

 duced about three quarters of an inch in an ascending direc- 

 tion ; and is afterwards deepened gradually to the extent of 

 two inches. A spout is introduced about half an inch, and 

 projects from three to twelve inches ; it is generally made of 

 the Sumach or Elder. The tree is first tapped on the south 

 side, and afterwards on the north side; and the sap flows from 

 four to six weeks, according to the temperature of the wea- 

 ther. Troughs large enough to contain three or four gallons 

 are placed under the spout to receive the sap, which is taken 

 every day to a large receiver, from whence it is conveyed to 

 the boiler, after having been strained. 



6. Acer Dissectum ; Cut-leaved Maple, Leaves many- 

 parted, palmate ; the divisions sub-pinnatifid and serrate. 

 It was found by Thunberg in Japan. It flowers in May. 



7. Acer Japonicum ; Japanese Maple. Leaves many- 

 parted, gashed, and villous; flowers sub-umbelled. It flow- 

 ers in April and May ; and is a native of Japan. 



8. Acer Palmatum ; Hand-leaved Maple. Leaves palmate 

 serrate, smooth ; flowers in umbels. it flowers in May ; 

 and was discovered by Thunberg in Japan. 



9. Acer Septemlobum ; Seeen-lobed Maple. Leaves seven- 

 lobed, smooth ; lobes pointed, regularly and sharply serrate. 

 This species also was seen by Thunberg in Japan. 



10. Acer Pictum ; Painted Maple. Leaves seven-lobed, 

 smooth ; lobes pointed, entire. It was found by Thunberg, 

 in Japan. 



1 1 . Acer Platanoides ; Norway Maple. Leaves five-lobed 

 pointed, sharply toothed, smooth ; flowers in corymbs. This 

 treee grows to a large size. Hanbury says, it is quick of 

 growth, arrives at great bulk, and is one of the best trees for 

 sheltering habitations. Linneus recommends itforwalksand 

 plantations ; as yielding a juice from which sugar may be 

 made, if it be wounded in the winter ; and as cutting out into 

 a white smooth wood, fit for the stocks of guns, and for the 

 joiner and turner. Dr. Hunter observes, that as it is a quick 

 grower, arrives at a great bulk, and answers all the purposes 

 of the Sycamore, the raising it for use, as well as ornament 

 and variety, should not be neglected. Norway Maple is 

 found on the mountains in the north of Europe, in Germany, 

 Switzerland, Stiria, Carniola, and Savoy. 



12. Acer Montanum ; Mountain Maple. Leaves slightly 

 five-lobed, acute, serrate; racemes compound; calices hairy. 

 It is a native of North America. 



13. Acer Pennsylvanicum ; Pennsylvanian Maple. Leaves 

 three-lobed, acuminate, sharply double-serrate ; racemes sim- 

 ple ; calices smooth. It is a small tree, which in some situa- 

 tions may be considered rather as a shrub. It is a native of 

 Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Canada. The thickness of the 

 shade, the beauty of the bark, and the tree not being liable 

 to insects, would make it desirable for plantations, were it 

 not for the litter occasioned by the abundance of the leaves 

 and fruit which it produces, and its being subject to be torn 

 by storms. It delights in a firm dry mould. 



14. Acer Campestre ; Common or Small Mapk. This spe- 

 cies is chiefly seen in hedgerows and coppices. Its timber is 

 far superior to that of the Beech, for all the uses of the turner, 

 particularly dishes, cups, trenchers, and bowls ; and when it 

 abounds in knots, as it very frequently does, it is highly 

 esteemed by the joiners for inlaying, &c. The wood is often 

 used by musical instrument makers for its lightness ; for gun 

 stocks, on account of its hardness ; and it was formerly in 

 great request for tables, on account of its whiteness. This 

 tree will flourish in very coarse land. 



15. Acer Opalus ; Italian Maple. Leaves roundish, five- 



lobed, loosely serrate; capsules ovate, smooth, almost upright. 

 This tree was first discovered at the foot of the Alps, and 

 afterwards in abundance near Pissevache in the valley of 

 Trient ; and near Olon : it is common in many parts of 

 Italy, particularly near Rome and Viterbo. It acquires a 

 considerable stature, and as its leaves are large, and afford a 

 great shade, it is frequently planted on the road side and near 

 habitations, for which purposes it well deserves the attention 

 of ornamental planters, especially as although it be seldom 

 seen in England, it is nevertheless hardy enough to bear the 

 open air of our climate. 



16. Acer Monspessulanum ; Mvntpelier Maple. Leaves 

 three-lobed, very entire, smooth, annual. Its leaves resem- 

 ble the Common Maple, but are of a much thicker substance, 

 smaller, ami of a shining green colour. They retain their 

 verdure very late in autumn, which renders this tree more 

 valuable, although it is not common in England. It abounds 

 in the south of France and in Italy. 



17. Acer Creticum ; Cretan Maple. Leaves three-lobed, 

 very entire, pubescent, perennial. This tree resembles the 

 Montpelier Maple, and attains to the same height. Its leaves 

 are distinguished by a thinner texture, and their footstalks 

 are covered with a soft hairy down. When well sheltered, 

 they continue green most part of the year. It is a native of 

 the Levant. 



18. Acer Trifidum ; Tnfid-leaved Maple. Leaves un- 

 divided and trifid, without indentations on the edge. It is 

 of inferior growth, seldom attaining to more than between 

 twenty and thirty feet. .' 



19. Acer Negundo; Virgm'mn Ash-leaved Maple. Leaves 

 compound ; flowers racemed. Three and four pistilla have 

 been observed in the female flower ; no corolla, and four or 

 five stamina, in the males. This is a strong-shooting tree, of 

 quick growth, and in Virginia and Carolina is one of the 

 largest trees of this kind. Its leaves fall soon in autumn, and 

 when planted, it must not be exposed to violent winds aa it 

 is subject to sprit. The wood is used for the same purposes 

 as the Sycamore and Norway Maple, but it is soft and brittle. 

 The tree grows to the height of forty feet and upwards, and 

 is fit for large plantations. 



20. Acer Pinnatum; Wlng-knred Mnph: Leaves pinnate ; 

 leaflets oblong, quite entire. This is a native of the woods 

 of Cochin-China. It is a middling-sized tree, with spread- 

 ing branches, white !!ower=, and a very hard wood. 



Achania; a genus of the class Monadelphia, order Poly- 

 andria. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix : perianth double. 

 Outer many-leaved ; leaflets linear, permanent, slightly coa- 

 lescing at the base. Inner one-leafed, subcylindric, streaked 

 halfway, five-cleft, permanent, (.'urulla: almost club-shaped 

 convoluted ; petals five, obovate-oblong, erect, with a lobe 

 at the base on one side, involving the column of stamina. 

 Stamina ; filamenta numerous, coalescing- into a writhed tube, 

 longer than the corolla, free at top, capillary ; antherse ob- 

 long. Pistilla ; germen subglobular ; style filiform, the same 

 length with the tube of the stamina, ten-cleft at the top, the 

 segments spreading ; stigmas headed. Pericarp: berry sub- 

 globular, fleshy, five-celled. Seeds: solitary, convex on the 

 one side, angular on the other. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. 

 double; outer many-leaved. Corolla .-convolute. Berry: 



five seeded. Plants of this genus are generally propagated 



by cuttings; because the seeds do not often ripen here. 

 These are'placed in pots of light earth, and plunged into a 

 gentle hot-bed, where, if the air be kept from them, they soon 

 take root, and may afterwards be gradually Untied to the open 

 air. When placed abroad, they seldom succeed well even in 

 sheltered situations. It requires a moderate stove to preserve 



