Acer — Japanese Maples. 51 



horticulture peculiar to themselves, being both curious 

 and beautiful beyond comparison. Though real trees, 

 they are known to us only in shrub-like proportions, and, 

 being of slow growth, are adapted to use in localities 

 where other sorts would soon become too large for the 

 situation. It is true that they do not carry conspicuous 

 blossoms, but the foliage is resplendent in crimson, pink, 

 yellow, red, purple, and gold, each in varying shades, so 

 that when rightly planted in masses they become as at- 

 tractive as any bed of flowers, with the advantage of main- 

 taining their charms throughout the entire summer. 

 Their habit of growth is low and somewhat bushy, rang- 

 ing from three to fifteen feet in height, with well-formed 

 and shapely heads. With our present information i* is 

 impossible to class them as to species with exactness, and, 

 though this has been often attempted, scarcely two au- 

 thorities are entirely agreed. This, however, is a matter 

 of small importance in practical horticulture, as all the 

 general features are well understood and appreciated. 

 The following are the best sorts, and probably the only 

 ones at present before the American public, to be com- 

 mended for cultivation : 



A. japonicum. — This is a species growing ten to fifteen 

 feet in height, with bright green leaves. These are larger 

 than in most of the sorts represented in this group, nearly 

 round, and scalloped or fluted, though not deeply in- 

 dented. The flowers appear in early spring, are delicate 

 pink and decidedly attractive. This is all the more no- 

 ticeable as in most of these maples the blossoms are com- 

 paratively inconspicuous. The tree is of slow growth. 



