336 TREES OF MINNESOTA. 



Acer saccharum. (A. saccharinum.) Sugar Maple. 

 Hard Maple. Rock Maple. 



Leaves large, three to five toothed, opposite, deep green 

 above and paler green beneath. Flowers greenish yellow, in 

 nearly sessile umbel-like corymbs, apetalous, appearing with the 

 leaves in the spring. Fruit a double samara; wings rather 

 broad; seed ripens in autumn. The foliage becomes very bril- 

 liantly colored in autumn. 



Distribution. A large and important tree in the Northern and 

 Middle States, extending southward to Florida and Texas and 

 from Newfoundland to North Dakota and northern Minne- 

 sota. Very abundant in eastern Minnesota, though seldom 

 found in the western portions. It occurs at Lake Minnewaska, 

 in Pope county, and at the head waters of the Redwood river 

 in Lyon county, and as far west as Robert county, South Da- 

 kota, where it occurs in the coulies at the head waters of the 

 Minnesota river. 



Propagation. The Sugar Maple is propagated by seeds, which 

 should be gathered in autumn and sown at once or kept over 

 winter, as recommended for the Ash, and sown in the spring. 



Properties of wood. Very hard, heavy, compact and strong, 

 with a fine satiny surface susceptible of taking a good polish. 

 The perfectly seasoned sapwood is light colored, and the heart- 

 wood is light brown of various shades. Specific gravity 0.6916; 

 weight of a cubic foot 43.08 pounds. 



Uses. The Sugar Maple is very hardy over most of Minne- 

 sota in rich, porous, moist soils, when grown in forests, and 

 forms our best fuel wood. It does well as a street tree on 

 suitable soil in the southeastern part of this state if the trunk is 

 shaded. When not thus protected the trunk is liable to sun 

 scald. In the northwestern and western portions it often winter- 

 kills badly in exposed locations, especially when young and 

 before becoming well established, and for this reason is not well 

 adapted to general planting. 



The wood of the Sugar Maple is more valuable and more 

 generally used than that of any other American Maple. It pos- 

 sesses a high fuel value, is largely used for interior finish of 

 buildings, especially for floors, in the manufacture of furniture, 

 agricultural implements, school apparatus, musical instruments, 

 gymnasium goods, drawing instruments, surveyors' rods, artists' 



