MAPLE. 343, 
severe wind storms. ‘This is most apparent where it grows on 
dry land, but if the trees are pruned occasionally they make 
very satisfactory shade trees, and are highly esteemed for this 
purpose in many sections of Minnesota. The Silver Maple is 
also successfully used for shelter belts. It sun scalds occa- 
sionally, though not commonly. The wood makes very good 
fuel, and is well adapted for interior finishing and flooring, and 
a form of it having a curly figure is used as veneering for ele- 
gant furniture and interior finishing. It is much used for shoe 
pegs. Maple sugar is sometimes made from the sap of this 
tree, but it is estimated that twice as much sap is necessary for a 
given quantity of sugar from this tree as from the Sugar Maple. 
Varietics —There are many varieties cultivated for ornaninetal 
planting, among the best of which is a form known as Wier’s 
Cutleaf Maple, which has finely divided leaves and a very grace- 
ful pendent habit. It is about as hardy as the species, and is one 
of the most satisfactory small ornamental trees. 
Acer rubrum. Red Maple. Scarlet Maple. Swamp Maple. 
Leaves palimately three to five-lobed, opposite. Flowers 
crimson scarlet, or sometimes yellowish, generally dicecious; 
appearing in sessile lateral clusters before the leaves very early 
in the spring, often before the snow has disappeared. The fruit 
on prolonged drooping pedicles ripens in early summer, about 
the time the leaves are expanded, and then drops off. This is 
a slender tree, somewhat resembling the Silver Maple, but of 
much slower growth and more compact habit. It will finally 
attain as large size as the Silver Maple. 
Distribution. —It is found naturally distributed over about the 
same area as the Silver Maple, but does not appear to be a com- 
mon tree anywhere in Minnesota, and seems to be wholly absent 
in the western half of this state. 
Propagation.—The Red Maple is propagated in the same man- 
ner as the Silver Maple. 
Propertics of wood.—Heavy, close grained, easily worked, and 
not very strong. It is light brown often tinged with red, with 
a smooth, satiny surface. The sapwood is thick, and lighter 
colored than the heartwood. Specific gravity 0.6178; weight 
of a cubic foot 38.5 pounds. 
