52S 



THE NATURE BOOK 



insomuch that it is described as the 

 " Plane-hke " Maple. On the other hand, 

 one of our Planes is distinguished as 

 " Maple-leaved." The Norway Maple 

 may. however, readily be recognised by 

 its Inid and twig arrangement, as previ- 

 ously noted ; by its bark, which is not 



BOLt AND BAKK Oh' NORWAY MAPLE. 



scaly but fissured and furrowed ; and b}^ 

 the fact that its growing buds, though 

 carefully shielded, are not enclosed in the 

 bases of the leaf-stalks, nor its resting 

 buds surrf)imded by circular leaf -scars. 

 Here the leaf-scar is V-shaped, with the 

 long arms half embracing the twig and 

 meeting the corresponding arms of the 

 opposite scar. 



The twigs are red, or brown, and some- 

 times green. The buds are pressed up 

 against the twig, shining, and green 

 merging into brown or red. The terminal 

 bud is large. The leaves have live (oi 



RESTING BUD (EN- 

 LARGED) OF THE 

 SYCAMORE. 



seven) elongated sharply pointed divisions ; 

 and the incisions between are wide. Their 

 margins also have numerous long and 

 sharp points. Their 

 colour is light green 

 above and below. 

 They ha\'e generally 

 five main ribs, with 

 a small additional 

 pair at the base. 

 Before the leaves 

 expand crowds of 

 flower-clusters, at the 

 tips of the twigs, of 

 a greenish golden yel- 

 low, make the tree 

 a great bouquet of 

 blossom, one of the 

 most noticeable and 

 beautiful objects of the 

 season. The wings of the twin fruits, 

 having their edges parallel, widely diverge. 



THE ASH-LEAVED MAPLE, OR BOX-ELDER 



This tree is usually grown in gardens, 

 preference being given to the variegated 

 form, with leaves both 

 white and green. The 

 twigs are smooth and 

 green, and continue 

 so for a long time, 

 since the epidermis, 

 or true skin, growls 

 w i t h the t wa g ' s 

 growth, and does not, 

 for several seasons, 

 split or shrivel, or die 

 into bark. The buds 

 also are green, but 

 coated with silvery 

 hairs. The leaf-scars 

 are similar to those 

 of the Norwa\^ Maple 

 compound. The flowers are grouped into 

 feathery tufts, growing with the leaves 

 from the sides of the twigs, and, as already 

 mentioned, are found on separate trees, 

 and are without ]ietals. The t^\■in fruits 

 are joined together at an acute angle> 

 their wing extensions curving inwards. 



Henry Irvixg. 



RESTING BUD (EN- 

 LARGED) OF THE 

 NORWAY MAPLE. 



The lea\'es are 



