280 THE MAPLES 



The distances apart at which the plants should be set should 

 be from five to six feet, according to the character of the 

 soil. As an ornamental tree it has no superior and few 

 equals, but it cannot endure the smoke and dust of the city 

 streets as well as the Oriental Plane and Norway Maple 

 both foreigners. 



SILVER MAPLE: SOFT MAPLE : Acer saccharinum 



THIS tree belongs to the Soft Maple class and is widely 

 distributed throughout the United States, although seldom 

 found near the Atlantic Coast. While it is known by some 

 ten different names, it is generally called Silver Maple, 

 from the silvery sheen of the underside of its leaves, and 

 Soft Maple because its wood is softer than that of the 

 Hard Maple. It is very variable both in form of growth 

 and character of the lumber it produces, brought about, no 

 doubt, through climatic and other conditions. There are 

 two distinct varieties, besides several lesser ones the latter 

 not here considered. One has an open crown, with long, 

 slender limbs, sometimes specialized, and with quite large 

 indented leaves. This variety has large seeds. The other 

 has a more compact crown, with limbs of moderate length, 

 rather small leaves not deeply indented, and small seeds. 

 The former is the more rapid grower. Both are light-de- 

 manding, and in a dense stand will grow to a height of 

 eighty or ninety feet, with a diameter of three feet. In the 

 open, they develop a straggling crown, with specialized 

 limbs, and a stem of four feet in diameter next the ground. 

 The similarity of the two varieties is so great that they 

 will be here considered as identical. 



Its best development is along stream banks where the 

 soil is moist and rich. In such situations it grows to its 

 greatest size. It does not attain a large size in high and 

 dry situations, notwithstanding that it will persist, in some 

 localities, in attempting to grow there. It is a nuisance in 

 some places in the East, especially on high, dry, cut-over 



