CLASS XXIII. ORDER II. 407 



cabinet work, particularly a beautiful variety denominated Bird's- 

 eye Maple, and a curled variety like that in the last species. It 

 makes good fuel, though inferior to walnut and oak ; and, with 

 the Betula papyracea, it constitutes a greater portion of our east- 

 ern wood. 



But the peculiar value of this tree consists in the sugar which 

 is obtained from its sap. A tree of the ordinary size will yield 

 from twenty to thirty gallons of sap in a season. This sap is 

 collected by boring holes in the trees, and affixing to them small 

 troughs, which convey it into reservoirs prepared for its recep- 

 tion. It is then put into large kettles, and boiled down until it 

 is sufficiently inspissated to crystallize or grain. It thus forms 

 the raw sugar, which may be purified in the usual way. 

 Acer dasycarpum. IVilld. White Maple. 



Leaves palmate-live lobed, truncated at base, iine- 

 qtially cut toothed, white and smooth iniderneath, 

 with obtuse sinuses; flowers crowded, witli short 

 pedicels and downy germs. 

 Syn. Acer eriocarfum. Mr. 



A tall tree with large leaves remarkably white underneath. 

 Wings of the fruit very large, exceeding those of any species here 

 mentioned, greenish. Wood softer and more perishable than in 

 the other kinds. — Hanover, New Hampshire, and Maine. 



Acer striatum. L. Striped Maple. Moo'^e Wood. 



Leaves rounded at base, with three acuminate 

 lobes, sharply serrate, smooth: racemes simple, pen- 

 dulous. 

 Syn. Acer Pennsylvanicum, Willd. 



A beautiful small tree with striped bark. Leaves more sim- 

 ple in their structure than those of the other species, being sim- 

 ply three lobed. Flowers yellowish green, in simple pendulous 

 racemes. Petals from eight to ten, obtuse. Stamens about eight. 

 Fruit in long hanging clusters with pale greenish wings. Com- 

 mon in Worcester county. — June. 



