Handbook of Tkees 



L'liE NoKTiiEEN States akd C'akada. 325 



I'he stately Sugar Maple in the forest some- 

 times attains tlie height of 100 ft. or more 

 with trunk from 3 to 5 ft. in diameter, and 

 when isolated develops a distinctly ovoid or in 

 very oUl trees a broad roiiiuled top of many 

 branches and dense foliage. it is without 

 doubt the most valuable hard-wood tree in 

 America, taking into consideration the abun- 

 dance of maple sugar it produces, the choice 

 figured woods and the valuable plain wood 

 excellent in manufactures and for fuel and rich 

 in potash. It is abundant on well-drained 

 uplands, particularly northward, in company 

 with the Beech, Yellow Birch, Hemlock, Black 

 Cherry, etc.. and sometimes forms almost ex- 

 clusive forests. 



Its clear sweet sap is gathered in early 

 spring and ewiporatcil 1o make the maple 

 sugar, 12 or 13 quarts of sap nuiking a pound 

 of sugar, and 3-4 lbs. tii a tri'c bring an aver- 

 age yield. I have made 23 ll)s. in one season 

 from a single tree tappeil but once, which is 

 an exceptionally grioil roenril Ihat I have never 

 known surpassed. The llird's-eye and Blister 

 llaple are almost exclusively and the Curly 

 Maple largely ]iroducts nf this tree — unac- 

 countable freaks in the dcvehipment of indi- 

 viilual trees. 



A cu. ft. of the wood when absolutely dry 

 weighs 43.ns Ib-.^.- 



f.rnrca ."^.-.".lobi'd wilh i-oundcd sinuses and 

 acuminate spariusly sinnali'-tonllicd. IdUcs, heart- 

 shaped or rounded at hasc, pulii'scont at lirst and 

 at maturity ,u:]anrrius dark urecn atiove, paler l)c- 

 neath. turning yellow and scarlet in autumn. 

 Flowfr.t appearing witli tlie )ea\'es in liairy ses- 

 sile drooping corymbs with long slender gi'eenisli 

 yellow pedicels ; calyx caniiiannlatc : corolla none. 

 Fruit ripening in autumn ; samaras glahnois. with 

 slightly divergent wings nearly 1 in. long'^ 



Var.' Itiiqi-lii Uelul. is a form c(m]monly found in 

 the southern stales, and rai-ely in the norlliern. 

 with firm thick Globed leaves having open rounded 

 sinuses and entire acuminate lobes. 



1. Syn. Acir saccharin II III Wang. A. tarbaliiin 

 Jlichi. 



.\. \y.. I, 



Ker genus 



ill and 'h. 

 c pp. .1-1(1 



447 



