12 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



Acer platanoides, Linne. 



The Norway-Maple, extending south to Switzerland. Up to 80 

 feet high. Found hardy in Norway (cultivated) to 67 56' N.; 

 attained in 59 46' a stem-diameter of 3^ feet (Schuebeler). The 

 pale wood much used by cabinet-makers. Tint of the autumn-foliage 

 golden-yellow. The tree is of imposing appearance, and much recom- 

 mended for ornamental gardening; it gives a denser shade than most 

 of the other maples. Sap of this species also saccharine. 



Acer Pseudo-Platanus, Linne. 



The Sycamore-Maple, or Spurious Plane. Middle and Southern 

 Europe, Western Asia. Hardy to 67 56' N. in Norway (Schue- 

 beler). The celebrated maple at Trons, under which the Grisons 

 swore the oath of union in 1424, exists still (Langethal). Attains a 

 height of over 100 feet. The wood is compact and firm, valuable for 

 various implements, instruments and cabinet-work; thus mangles, 

 presses, dishes, printing and bleaching works, beetling-beams, and in 

 foundries the patterns are often made of this wood (Simmonds) ; for 

 the back, neck, sides and circle of violins, for pianofortes (portion of 

 the mechanism) and harps it is utilized, it being free-cutting and 

 clean on the end-grain. This like some other maples furnishes a 

 superior charcoal for intense and continuous heat (Hartig). Will 

 admit of exposure to sea-air. The sap also saccharine. 



Acer rubrum, Linne. 



The Red Maple of North- America. Hardy in Norway to 63 26' 

 N. (Schuebeler). A tree, attaining over 100 feet in height, 5 feet 

 in stem-diameter. This species grows well with several other maples 

 even in dry, open localities, although the foliage may somewhat 

 suffer from hot winds, but thrives most luxuriantly in swampy, 

 fertile soil. It is valued for street-planting. The foliage turns red 

 in autumn, the flaming tints being indescribable (A. J. Cook). The 

 wood is of handsome appearance, used in considerable quantity for 

 saddle-trees, yokes, turnery and various furniture; that of old trees 

 is somewhat cross-grained, and thus furnishes a portion of the curled 

 Maple-wood, which is so beautiful and much in request for gun- 

 stocks and inlaying. The tree yields also Maple-sugar, but like A. 

 dasycarpum, only in about half the quantity obtained from A. sac- 

 charinum (Porcher). The flowers of some, if not all, maples are 

 early frequented by bees for honey. 



Acer sacch.ari.nuni, Wangenheim.* (A. nigrum, Michaux.) 



The Sugar- or Rock-Maple; one of the largest of the genus. 

 Eastern North- America, extending to Arizona. It is the national 

 emblem of Canada. In the cooler latitudes often 80 or rarely 120 

 feet high, with a stem 3 to 4 feet in diameter. Hardy to 59 55'" N. 

 in Norway (Schuebeler). The wood is strong, tough, hard, close- 

 grained, of rosy tinge, and when well seasoned is used for axle-trees, 

 spokes, shafts, poles and furniture, exteriors of pianos, saddle-trees, 



