Handbook of Tkees of the jSI^ortiiern States and Can ad. 



325 



x'he stately Sugar Maple in the forest some- 

 times attains tlie lioif,'lit of 100 ft. or more 

 with trunk from :! to 3 ft. in diameter, and 

 when isoiatcil di'vclops a di->l iiictly ovoid or in 

 ver}' old trees a broad rounded top of many 

 branches and dense foliage. It is without 

 doubt tiie most valuable hard-wood tree in 

 America, taking into consideration the abun- 

 dance of maple sugar it produces, the choice 

 fifjured woods and the valuable plain wood 

 excellent in manufactures and for fuel and rich 

 in potash. It is abundant on well-drained 

 uplands, |)articular]y nortliward. in company 

 with the Beech, Yellow Birch, Hemlock, Black 

 Cherry, etc., and sometimes forms almost ex- 

 clusive forests. 



Its clear sweet sap is gathered in early 

 spring and evaporated to make the majjle 

 sugar, 12 or 13 quarts of sap making a pound 

 of sugar, and 3-4 lbs. to a tree being an aver- 

 age yield. I have made 23 lbs. in one season 

 from a single tree tapped but once, which is 

 an exceptionally good record that I have never 

 known surpassed. The Bird's-eye and Blister 

 Maple are almost exclusively and the Curly 

 Maple largely products of this tree — unac- 

 countable freaks in the development of indi- 

 vidual trees. 



A cu. ft. of the wood when alisolutely dry 

 weighs 43.ns Ibs.^ 



Lrnrrx rj-.l-lohod witli rounded sinuses and 

 acuminatp sparingly sinuato-toothed, lobes, heart- 

 shaped or rounded at l)ase, i)uheseent at first and 

 at niatui'ity plahrous dark jjreen above, paler be- 

 neath, turning yellow and scarlet in autumn. 

 Flotcrm appearing with the leaves in hairy ses- 

 sile drooping corymbs with long slender greenish 

 yellow pedicels : calyx canipanulate ; corolla none. 

 Fruit rii)enin<j: in autumn : samaras gIal)rous, with 

 sliglitly divergent wings nearly 1 in. long.^ 



Var. I'lniilii Uebd. is a form commonly found in 

 the soutliern states, and rarely in the northern, 

 with firm thick :'>-lobed leaves having open rounded 

 sinuses and entire acuminate lobes. 



1. Syn. .It. / sacc>iariiiuin U'ang. A. barbafiun 

 Mich.x. 



2. A. \V., I, 7, 7« and 76. 



;?. For genus see pp. 44G-447. 



