The Maples 



pedicels, pubescent and green when young, becoming smooth; 

 germinating soon after they fall. Preferred habitat, rich, moist 

 soil. Distribution, Newfoundland to Dakota; south to Florida 

 and Oklahoma. Rare on Atlantic seaboard and on mountains. 

 Uses: Popular ornamental and shade tree, especially useful 

 west of Mississippi River. Wood used for flooring and cheap 

 furniture. Sap boiled occasionally for sugar. 



The silver maple is a tree to count upon, if one is in search 

 of a suitable species to plant on a Western prairie that has uncertain 

 rainfall. It has ingratiated itself with people living farther 

 east, who might better choose elms and other maples. It is a 

 lazy man's tree, for it comes vigorously from seed, and bears 

 transplanting, even Vv^hen there are radical changes in soil and in 

 climate to be met. It is a rapid grower, soon giving ample shade. 

 But rapid growth implies brittle, weak wood, as a rule. Slow- 

 growing trees like elms should always be alternated with soft 

 maples, to replace them after their brief race is run. 



The habit of a tree must be considered when choosing a 

 place to plant it. It is unwise to plant silver maples close to a 

 house, as they have great horizontal spread, and the long, weak 

 limbs are easily broken by ice and wind storms. Old trees are 

 often cut back to a few main stubs above the trunk. A new top 

 is soon formed by suckers that rise from the stubs, but the tree's 

 symmetry is forever lost. 



Local names often confuse the two Eastern early blooming, 

 early fruiting maples. They may easily be distinguished by their 

 mode of growth, flowers, fruits and leaves. Red maple limbs are 

 small and rarely droop; those of the silver maple curve downward, 

 but the twigs ascend. The brilliant colour belongs to the red 

 maple; the deep-cleft, silver-lined leaves to the silver maple. The 

 little, smooth, long-stemmed keys of the red species differ dis- 

 tinctly from the large, short-stemmed fruits of the other, which 

 are woolly until almost ripe. In winter even, buds and twigs 

 of the red maple are vividly red. 



The Broad-leaved Maple, Oregon Maple (Acer macro- 

 phyllum, Pursh.) A large, stout-limbed tree, loo feet high, with 

 compact head and drooping lower branches. Bark brown, 

 furrowed and with plate-like scales; twigs reddish, with milky 

 juice. Wood reddish brown, soft, light, close grained, susceptible 

 of a satiny polish; often having curly and bird's-eye grain. Winter 



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