NATURE STUDY MADE EASY 



43 



LESSON XIV 



KINDS OF MAPLES 



There are many varieties of maple. 

 One of the most common is the Red Maple, 

 which generally grows along streams and swamps, 

 but is sometimes planted along streets and in parks. 

 It blooms earlier than the crocuses or pussy wil- 

 lows. The flowers come out before the leaves. They RED MAPLE 

 grow in bright red tufts all over the tree. Some of them have 

 little balls covered with yellow dust. These are the 

 staminate flowers. Some have tiny red plumes on 

 each flower. These are the pistillate flowers. When 

 these pistillate flowers are ripe, they become " Ma pie 

 Keys." They bloom in March and are ripe in May. 

 The Red Maple bears palmate, or hand-shaped, opposite leaves 

 and a two-winged fruit. 



The Silver Maple is a tall tree with a pale bark, which 

 flakes off in thin scales. The leaves are silvery white under- 

 neath, with deep, sharp notches. Like the Red 

 Maple, it blooms early. The flowers and leaves 

 come out together, and the seeds fall in Octo- 

 ber. The leaves are nearly round, with , a few 

 large notches. The wood is hard and tough and 



Close grained. SILVER MAPLE 



MAPLE KEY 



