m 



niK maples. 



205 



12<> feet, but commonly it does not exceed 50 feet. 



Its wood is soft, white, and of little value. 



Red or Swamp Maple. The red Or swamp maple, a tree 



Acerrubrum. common in swamps and wet woods, 



rarely attains a height of over 50 

 feet in the North, but sometimes 

 measures 80 to 120 feet in the 

 South. It may be distinguished 

 by its reddisli brandies ; the twigs 

 of very young trees are bright, 

 dark red.* The leaf, as I have al- 

 ready said, is characterized by three 

 divisions, although one may fre- 

 quently find specimens with the five 

 points distinctly defined. The com- 

 monest type of leaf will be seen in the drawing 

 marked Type A. 



I conclude also to give another common type 

 which may frequently be seen in very young trees ; 

 this attenuated outline is confusingly near that of the 

 mountain maple's leaf ; but in presenting this type I 

 do so to call attention to the fact that Nature does 

 not follow cast-iron rules, however we mistake the 

 botanist's descriptions as such. What we choose to 



Type 



* The branehlets of the maples are apt to change color ut dif- 

 ferent seasons : the red maple is brightest red during the winter; 



in summer the twigs become brown red. 



