658 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



It grows wild in Finland as far north as 62 lat. on the west coast ; and the 

 northern limit of the species as a tree extends from Lake Ladoga, through Central 

 Russia, where it is, with birch and aspen, the commonest deciduous tree, to Orenburg, 

 where it reaches, but does not cross the Ural, in lat. 54. To the north of this 

 limit it is often met with as a shrub in the pine forests, and has been found even on the 

 west coast of Onega Bay. Southward it grows in the Crimea, and is common in the 

 Caucasus, at 2000 to 6000 feet altitude, extending into Armenia and North 

 Persia. 



It is common throughout Germany, especially in the north, where it grows 

 mainly in the plains, valleys, and low hills ; and extends southwards through Austria 

 and the Balkan States to Epirus. It occurs in Northern Italy. In Switzerland^ 

 the tree is only met with in the lower part of the beech forests, ascending to about 

 3300 feet. In France it is spread throughout the forests of the low hills and 

 mountains, as far south as the Cevennes, Auvergne, and the Central Pyrenees, 

 where it crosses into Northern Spain. 



The Norway maple is not a native of the British Isles, where it has not yet 

 been found in the fossil state. 



It always grows in company with other trees, never forming pure forest, and 

 generally solitary or in small groups. It is often associated with the sycamore, 

 and like it thrives best on soils rich in soluble mineral matter. It does not ascend 

 in mountainous regions as high as the sycamore ; but succeeds better than that 

 species in wet situations. It bears a great degree of cold and is entirely unaffected 

 by late frosts. 



Mistletoe^ is occasionally found on the Norway maple. (A. H.) 



Cultivation 



Though the tree has been known in England for a very long period Loudon 

 says it was introduced in 1683 and is one of the hardiest trees in cultivation, it is 

 seldom seen of any size, and is not nearly so commonly planted as it deserves to be. 

 It will grow on the driest and poorest soil, and on my own land there are many 

 trees over 50 feet high by 6 to 7 feet in girth which have not been planted more 

 than fifty years. 



It ripens seed abundantly almost every year, and is as easy to raise as the 

 sycamore, and though it does not attain nearly the size and age of that tree, is far 

 more ornamental both in spring, when covered with pale-yellow flowers, before the 

 leaves come out, and in autumn when they turn a brilliant red or yellow colour. 



Remarkable Trees 



The largest tree of this maple that we know of in England is not far from the 

 stables at Cassiobury Park, the seat of the Earl of Essex, and measures over 90 

 feet, perhaps as much as 95 feet high, by 1 3 feet 9 inches in girth. But it is not 



' Christ, Flore dt la Suisse, i8i (1907). * Cf. Card. Chron. xxxix. 238 (1906). 



