ARBOR DA Y MANUAL. I 23 



CHOOSING A "STATE TREE." 



Nominations made by Students at Sag Harbor, N. Y., May 3, 1889. 



THE MAPLE. 



There are about fifty species of maple, ten of which are found in North America. 

 Some are large trees growing to a height of seventy or eighty feet, others are 

 only small shrubs. They differ in the time at which the flowers appear. The 

 flowers of some appear before the leaves, of others at the same time with the 

 leaves, and of others not until the leaves are fully developed. The leaves are 

 deciduous and from three to seven lobed. The seeds have wings so that they 

 do not fall to the ground very quickly and are scattered about by the wind. 

 The flowers of the red and silver maples appear in March or April, and the 

 seeds ripen in June, and fall to the ground, when they soon commence to grow 

 and by autumn form small trees, one or two feet in height. The seeds of these 

 species will not retain their vitality if kept until the next spring. The sap of 

 some species of maple contains sugar which is obtained from the sap by evap- 

 oration. The timber of the maple is used for some purposes, that of the sugar 

 maple being the most valuable. The maple is of rapid growth, good form and, 

 has wide-spreading branches, with very thick, bright-green foliage, which makes 

 it a good shade and ornamental tree. The maple is a clean tree not being fre- 

 quented by noxious worms, and does not litter the ground with leaves and 

 twigs during the summer. With the first frosts of autumn the leaves of the 

 maple- change to various shades of red and yellow, and present a very hand- 

 some appearance. EVERETT L. TINDALL. 



THE BLACK -WALNUT. 



THE J. Nigra of the Juglans genus is a native of America. It flourishes in 

 all parts of the United States, except in the extreme north, but principally 

 in the fertile river basins, where it attains a height of seventy-five feet. It is one 

 of the largest trees of North America, its branches spreading out in a horizon- 

 tal direction for a long distance, giving it a very majestic appearance. 



The bark is thick, black, and becomes furrowed with age. The leaves, when 

 bruised, emit a strong fragrant odor. The heart of the tree, after short expos- 

 ure to the air, turns nearly black, hence the name, Black-walnut. The follow- 

 ing qualities make the wood very valuable : 



ist. It remains sound fora long time, even after much exposure. 2d. It is 

 strong, tenacious, and when thoroughly seasoned, not liable to warp or split. 

 3d. Its grain being fine and compact, admits of a very fine polish; the wood 

 is also free from worms. 



It is chiefly used by cabinet-makers, but is sometimes converted into lumber. 



Its fruit is very rarely sold, being inferior to that of many other species. The 

 above qualities, many of which are symbolic of the features in which New 

 York State leads the Union, strongly recommend it to the wise as a State 

 emblem. 



JOHN W. RIPLEY. 



