266 



TREES OF MINNESOTA. 



to break in severe wind storms. This is most apparent 

 where it grows on dry land, but if the'trees are pruned occa- 

 sionally they make very satisfactory shade trees and are 

 highly esteemed for this purpose in many sections of Minne- 

 sota. The Soft Maple is also successfully used for shelter- 

 belts. It sun scalds occasionally though not commonly. 



The wood makes very good 

 fuel and is well adapted for 

 interior finishing and floor- 

 ing and a form of it having 

 a curly figure is used as- 

 veneering for elegant fur- 

 niture and interior finish- 

 ing. Maple Sugar is 

 sometimes made from the 

 sap of this tree buc it is es- 

 timated that twice as much 

 sap is necessary for a giv- 

 en quantity of sugar from 

 this tree as from the Sugar 

 Maple. 



Varieties. -- There are 

 many varieties cultivated 

 for ornamental planting, 

 among the best of which is 

 a form known as Wier's 

 Cutleaf Maple, which has 

 finely divided leaves and 

 a very graceful pendent 

 habit. It is about as hardy 

 as the species and is one 

 of the most satisfactory small ornamental trees. 



Figure 47. Leaf of Wier's Cutleaf 

 Maple 1/2 natural size. 



Acer rubrum. Red Maple. Scarlet Maple. Swamp 

 Maple. 



Leaves palmately 3 to 5-lobed, opposite. Flowers crim- 

 son scarlet or sometimes yellowish, generally dioecious: 

 appearing in sessile lateral clusters before the leaves, very 

 early in the spring often before the snow has disappeared. 



