Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 357 



plenty of sun, and the protection of surrounding houses. They 

 seem able to endure considerable cold after blossoming. Noted in 

 blossom April 5, 1901, the seeds developing rapidly after fertiliza- 

 tion, and ripe and falling by May 21. The period between flowering 

 and fruiting is remarkably brief, almost as brief as in the case of 

 the elm, so that only a small part of the plant's time is occupied by 

 the reproductive period, the blossoming period is over and the fruit 

 often well grown before the tree leafs out fully. The haste in ma- 

 turing seed, as in the case of the elm, seems to be to get them on 

 the ground before the high spring floods have subsided, for the 

 seeds are disseminated as much by water as by wind, or rather 

 much more so, for although they have a large well expanded wing, 

 the embryo is heavy, and they are usually observed falling on calm 

 days. The tree is very prolific and the seeds can be observed fall- 

 ing in great numbers. They drop almost directly to the ground, 

 the whole fruit whirling rapidly at an angle about the heavier end, 

 so that the appearance is much like a lot of butterflies falling. The 

 embryo is prepared for rapid germination and growth, being large, 

 heavy, and provided with chlorophyl and starch. These seedlings 

 have a starchy, slightly bitterish taste, and though full of food ma- 

 terial, nothing appears to eat them, perhaps because of the peculiar 

 flavor. The seed-coat is very thin and fragile, almost like paper, 

 and the seeds germinate very soon after reaching the ground. 

 Along the high-water mark of ponds and rivers one often finds 

 young silver maples by the millions, thick as they can be sown. 

 They grow rapidly, forming straight, handsome little trees nine 

 inches to a foot high by midsummer. Practically all these little 

 trees die, and the characteristic growth along river banks is not 

 chiefly maples or elms, as the springtime promises, but willows. In 

 parks the fruits are often found gathered into bundles, the seeds 

 buried in the ground, the wings projecting from the ground. The 

 appearance presented suggests that fishworms have burrowed up 

 under the seeds which have sunken into the burrow. 



The silver maple is a favorite street and park tree on account 

 of its rapid growth and handsome appearance. It is exceedingly 

 variable in many respects, including especially leaf -form and gen- 

 eral habit, and a glance down an avenue of these trees in winter 

 will reveal different peculiarities in almost every tree. Some are 

 fairly stiff and erect, and from this form we have different degrees 

 of drooping habit until there are pretty well developed weeping 

 forms. There are, again, all degrees of laciniation of leaf, and, as 

 in the case of the Japanese maples, the cut-leaf usually accompanies 



