The Maples and Willows. 345 
in Michigan, the first week of April, and often in March. 
They are also magnificent shade trees, especially those 
that have the weeping habit. Their early bloom is very 
pleasing, their summer form and foliage beautiful, while 
Fic. 146. 
Willow, Fudas Tree, 
their flaming tints in autumn are indescribable. The 
foreign maples, sycamore, Acer pseudo-platanus, and 
Norway, Acer platanoides, are also very beautiful. 
Whether superior to ours as honey plants, I am unable to 
say. 
The willows, too (Fig. 146), rival the maples in the 
early period of bloom. Some are very early, blossoming 
in March, while others, like the white willow, Salix alba 
(Fig. 146), bloom in May. The flowers on one tree or 
bush of the willow are all pistillate, that is, have pistils but 
no stamens, while on others they are all staminate, having 
no pistils. On the former, bees can gather only honey, on 
the latter only pollen. That the willow furnishes both 
honey and pollen is attested by the fact that I saw both 
