242 NATURAL HISTORY. 



feet in diameter. Leaves palmately five-lobed and den- 

 tated ; flowers pendulous. Maple sugar, perhaps the 

 most delicious of all sweets, is the product of this spe- 

 cies ; an ordinary tree will yield from five to ten pounds 

 in a season. The wood is strong and compact, and makes 

 the best of fuel. It is sometimes grained or curled like 

 the red maple, but oftener presents that beautiful ar- 

 rangement of fibre called Bird's Eye Maple, so much 

 esteemed in cabinet work. The flowers are delicate and 

 beautiful. ^. 



The Box Elder, Ash-Leaved Maple (Acer negundo 

 vel campestre), Linn., has heart-shaped, obtuse leaves, 

 three or five-lobed and dentated ; flowers stand in upright 

 clusters ; is a small tree or rather large shrub, with a 

 rough bark. The hard wood is used by turners for vari- 

 ous articles, and the roots furnish the well known Ulmer 

 pipe-heads, so much prized in Germany. T? . 



TWENTIETH FAMILY. VITACE^A. Juss. Shrubby 

 plants, stems climbing by tendrils. 



The Wine Grape (Vitis vinifera). (Class 5, L.) 

 Flowers small and green ; calyx minute and entire ; 

 five-toothed or petals four or five, inserted on the outside 

 of the disk ; hang in the form of grapes ; fruit a pulpy 

 berry containing from one to four hard seeds. The leaves 

 are heart-shaped, ragged, and digitate. The grapevine 

 was originally brought from the warmer regions of Asia, 

 and thrives well in the south temperate zone ; does not 

 flourish so well in the north. In countries situated within 

 fifty degrees north lat., vines are planted only on the 

 sunny slopes of hills ; but in the southern part of Europe, 

 as Italy, Spain, and the Canary Islands, where, even 

 along the roadsides, beautiful trees are planted so as to 

 form regular avenues, vine cuttings are placed between 



