10 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



the Sugar-Maple. Proved well adapted for our country. In Cali- 

 fornia it is used extensively as a shade-tree. Cultivated, the stem 

 attains about 8 inches in diameter in 8 years (Brewer). The wood 

 is yellow, marked with violet and rosy veins (Simmonds). 



Acer niveum, Blume. 



Continental and Insular India, up on the forest ranges. This is 

 the tallest of the Maples, attaining a height of 150 feet. Several 

 other large Maples worthy of cultivation, particularly in parks, 

 occur on the mountains of India. 



Acer palmatum, Thunberg. 



This beautiful tree, with deeply cleft leaves, is indigenous to Japan, 

 where various varieties with red- and yellow-tinged leaves occur. 

 Should it be an aim to bring together all the kinds of Maples, 

 which could be easily grown in appropriate spots, then Japan alone 

 would furnish 25 species. 



Acer platanoides, Linne. 



The Norway-Maple, extending south to Switzerland. Up to 70 

 feet high. The pale wood much used by cabinet-makers. Tint of 

 the autumn foliage golden-yellow. A tree of imposing appear- 

 ance, much recommended for ornamental gardening ; it gives a 

 denser shade than most of the other Maples. 



Acer pseudo-platanus, Linne. 



Middle and South Europe, West Asia. The Sycamore-Maple or 

 Spurious Plane. Attains a height of over 100 feet. The wood is 

 compact and firm, valuable for various implements, instruments, 

 and cabinet-work ; for instance, for mangles, presses, dishes, 

 printing and bleaching works, beetling-beams, and in foundries for 

 patterns (Simmonds) ; also for the back, neck, sides, and circle of 

 violins, for pianofortes (portion of the mechanism), it being free- 

 cutting and clean on the end-grain. It furnishes like some other 

 Maples a superior charcoal. Will admit of exposure to sea-air. 

 The sap also saccharine. 



Acer rubrum, Linne. 



The Red Maple of North- America. A tree, attaining 80 feet ; wood 

 close-grained. 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 

 wood is of handsome appearance, used in considerable quantity for 

 saddle-trees, yokes, turnery, chairs and other furniture. That of 

 old trees is sometimes cross-grained, and thus furnishes a portion 



