The Maples and Willo-ws. 



345 



in Michigan, the first week of April, and often in Marcl". 

 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 



Fig. 146. 



Fig. 147. 



Willow. 



Jttdas Tret, 



their flaming tints in autumn are indescribable. The 

 foreign maples, sycamore, Acer pseudo-platanus, and 

 JSTorway, Acer platanoides, are also very beautiful. 

 Whether superior to ours as honey plants, I am unable to 

 «ay. 



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 

 iush 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 



