Naturalisation in Extra- Tropical Countries. 15 



poles, furniture, exterior of pianos, saddle-trees, wheel- wrights' 

 work, wooden dishes, founders' patterns and flooring ; not apt to 

 warp ; preferred for shoe-lasts ; when knotty or curly it furnishes 

 the Bird's-eye and Curly Maple-wood. From the end of February 

 till the early part of April the trees, when tapped, will yield the 

 saccharine fluid, which is so extensively converted into Maple-sugar, 

 each tree affording 12 to 24 gallons of sap in a season, 3 to 6 gallons 

 giving lib. of sugar ; but exceptionally the yield may rise to 100 

 and more gallons. The tapping process commences at the age of 

 20 years, and may be continued for 40 years or more without 

 destruction of the tree [Gr. Maw]. According to Porcher, instances 

 are on record of 33 Ibs. of sugar having been obtained from a single 

 tree in one season. The Sugar-Maple is rich in potash, furnishing 

 a large proportion of this article in the United States. The bark 

 is important for the manufacture of several American dyes. The 

 tree is particularly recommeiidable in Australia for sub-alpine 

 regions. It bears a massive head of foliage on a slender stem. 

 The autumnal coloring is superb. In the Eastern States of North- 

 America the Sugar-Maple is regarded as the best tree for shade- 

 avenues. Numerous other maples exist, among which may be 

 mentioned Acer Creticum (Linne) of South-Europe, 40 feet ; A. 

 Isevigatum, A. sterculiaceum and A. villosum (Wallich) of Nepal, 

 40 feet. 



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, A. caesium (Wallich) being one 

 of the best. 



Acer palmatum, Thunberg. 



Japan. A beautiful tree, with deeply cleft leaves ; several varie- 

 ties, with red- and yellow-tinged leaves occur. Unhurt by frost at 

 0' F. [Gorlie]. 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 22 species. 



Acer pictum, Thunberg. 



From Persia to Japan, ascending the Himalayas to 9,000 feet. 

 Foliage turning yellow and red in autumn. Wood close-grained 

 and elastic, particularly sought for load-poles, ploughs, chairs and 

 various implements and utensils [Brandis] ; twigs lopped off for 

 fodder [Gamble]. A. oblongum (Wallich), A. Hookeri (Miquel) 

 and other maples of Upper India furnish wood for the Assam tea- 

 boxes [Sir Dietrich Brandis]. 



