• •;:■« . ■ • . 



MAPLE FAMILY 



launcli the seeds some distance fioni tlie parent tree and so 

 perform their part in the economy of nature. 



SUGAR MAPLE. ROCK MAPLE. 



.-/CiT barlhitiim. Acer saa hdniiil. 



Widely distributed and abundant throughout eastern North 

 America in rich uplands and intervale. Grows rapidly with a large 

 fibrous root which at tirst is near the surface but finally penetrates 

 deep. In the forest often reaches the height of one hundred and 

 twenty feet. Produces most of the maple sugar of commerce. A 

 variety, the Black Maple, A. s,u'chdruiii nii^ruin, is recognized. 



Bark. — On young trees and l.irge limbs light gray, smooth and 

 slightly furrowed ; on old trees dark, with deep longitudinal furrows, 

 shaggy. liranclilets green, later yellowish brown, shining, marked 

 with pale lenticels, finally pale brown. 



Wood — Light brown, tinged with red; heavy, bard, strong, tough 

 and close-grained, capable of a fine polish. Much used in in- 

 terior furnishing of buildings, manufactuie of furniture, handles of 

 tools ; has a high fuel \alue. Curled and Ijird's-eye are accidental 

 varieties. Sp. gr., 0.691 2 ; weight of cu. ft. , 43.08 lbs. 



Whiter Buiis. — Pui-plish. cpiarter of an inch long, acute. Scales 

 enlarge w hen spring growth begins ; the inner scales become an inch 

 and a liall long, downy and bright yellow befoi-e they fall. 



Li'ij7'i's. — <J|)posiic, simple, three to five inches long and of greater 

 breadth. f)f (i\e diverging lobes which are separated by rounded 

 sinuses. The two lower are smaller and shorter than the others, 

 each lobe tapers to a slender point and each contains a primary 

 vein. Base, heart-ahaped by broad or narrow sinus, or truncate, or 

 wedge-shaped. Mai-gin sparingly toothed. They come out of the 

 bud tawny, coated with tomentum, when full grown are bright or 

 dark green on upper surface, pale green on lower. In autumn they 

 turn crimson, scarlet, orange and clear yellow. Petioles long, slen- 

 der, often reddish. 



F/ozoers.—'\'\3_y. Polygamo-nionoecious or dioecious. Greenish 

 yellow, appearing with the lea\es in umbel-like corymbs from termi- 

 nal leafy buds and lateral leafless ones. Sterile and fertile flowers 

 are in separate clusters on the same or on different trees, fertile 

 flowers terminal and sterile usually lateral. Pedicels hairy, thread- 

 like, one and a half to three inches long. 



Ca(vx. — Campanulate, five-lobed, lobes imbricate in bud, hairy. 



Corolla.^ Wanting. 



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