ACER 155 



the type ; branches erect ; habit columnar. Raised in the nursery of Messrs 

 Simon-Louis at Plantieres, near Metz, in 1855. 



Var. CUCULLATUM. Leaves long-stalked, fan-shaped, with seven or nine 

 prominent veins instead of the usual five ; base of leaf wedge-shaped or truncate, 

 not heart-shaped. Of the same type as var. laciniatum, but with the lobes not 

 so long-pointed. 



Var. GLOBOSUM. A dwarf form ; head of foliage wide-spreading, dense, 

 and mop-headed. 



Var. LACINIATUM. EAGLE'S CLAW MAPLE. A smaller and more twiggy 

 tree than the tvpe, of more erect, narrow habit. Leaves tapering and wedge- 

 shaped at the base, the lobes ending in long, ''often curved, claw-like points. 

 The oldest of named varieties, and figured in an Austrian work in 1792. 



Var. MACULATUM. Leaves blotched with white, more thickly towards the 

 edges. Of no great merit. 



Var. NANUM. Of dwarf, pyramidal shape. 



Var. PALMATUM. (A. Lorbergii, Hort.\ Leaves slit back to the stalk into 

 three lobes, the basal pair^often cut again almost as deeply, and all the lobes 

 divided into secondary lobes with long drawn-out handsome points. Introduced 

 from Belgium in 1845. 



Var. REITENBACHII. Leaves green during the summer, changing to rich 

 red as autumn approaches, and very beautiful then. Raised at Reitenbach's 

 nursery at Plicken, in Prussia. 



Var. SCHWEDLERII. Leaves of a bright red when young, becoming green 

 as they mature. A popular variety, beautiful in late April and May. 



Var. STOLLII, Simon-Louis. Leaves very large, up to 9 ins. in diameter ; 

 lobes not deep and often entire. 



Var. WALDERSEEI. Leaves densely speckled with white dots, so as to give 

 them a delicate grey appearance. I saw trees of this variety in Messrs 

 Spath's nursery near Berlin, in June 1908, which were very pretty at that season. 



A. PSEUDOPLATANUS, Linnczus. SYCAMORE ("PLANE" 

 in Scotland). 



A deciduous tree of the largest size, reaching at its best a height of over 

 100 ft. and a girth of trunk of 20 ft. Bark of the trunk pale, greyish, and peeling 

 off in large flakes; branchlets smooth. Leaves usually five-lobed (small ones 

 on fruiting twigs often three-lobed), 4 to 7 ins. across in adult trees (larger in 

 young ones), heart-shaped at the base ; the lobes ovate, coarsely toothed, dark 

 green and smooth above, paler and dull glaucous beneath, with pale brown hairs 

 in the axils of the veins or, sometimes, along the whole length of the chief 

 ones. Flowers in large drooping racemes, often branching at the base, 

 yellowish green. Fruit on long, pendulous racemes ; keys ij to 2 ins. long ; 

 wings smooth, the two forming an angle of about 60. 



Native of Europe, but not considered to be a true native of Britain, where, 

 however, it has existed many centuries and has thoroughly established itself. 

 Judging by the way seedlings spring up in the wilder parts of Kew Gardens, 

 it would seem that in course of time the place, if left to run wild, would 

 become a forest of common sycamore. It is a peculiarly hardy tree, and one of 

 the few that will stand the full force of salt-laden winds in exposed places near 

 the sea. One may see it in many of the gardens on the sea-fronts of English 

 /watering-places, battered and stunted in growth, yet helping largely to form 

 that first line of defence again the winds, the establishment of which is really 

 the most important item in the seaside planting. When fully grown it is a 

 magnificent tree of stately proportions, thriving better perhaps in the north of 

 England and in Scotland than in the warmer south. In the grounds of Scone 

 Palace, near Perth, I was shown a few years ago an ancient tree, reputed to 

 have been planted by Mary Queen of Scots. Although still alive, most of its 



