Hais^dbook of Trees of the ISToRTiiEBisr States awd Canatix. 327 



The Black Maple, like the Sugar Maple, is 

 a stately tree attaining the lieiglit of 80 or 

 100 ft. with trunk 3 or 4 fl. in diiimoter, and 

 also when isolated develops a distinct ovoid top 

 (if upright hranches, and these gradually bend- 

 ing outward make in old age a broad rounded 

 top. With the country folk generally no dis- 

 tinction is made between this and the trvie 

 Sugar Maple, and its sap is likewise used in 

 sugar-making, but to the observer its drooping 

 concave leaves and other botanical features 

 indicate its distinctness. It tlirives best in the 

 rich soil of river-bottoms in company with the 

 Silver and Red Maples. Box Elder. Swamp 

 White Oak, Kingnut Hickory, etc. Like the 

 Sugar Maple it is a favorite sliade tree owing 

 to its abundant foliage, which in avitumn as- 

 sumes gorgeous scarlet, orange and yellow 

 tints. 



The wood is hard, heavy and strong, similar 



to that of the Sugar Slaple and applied to the 



same uses. A cubic foot when absolutely dry 



weighs 43.09 lbs. 



Leaves mostly .S-lobed (occasionally ."j-lobed) 

 with broad short and generally acuminate lobes, 

 entire or slightly undulated, cordate at base with 

 lobes sometimes overlapping;, tomentose at first 

 but at maturity glabrous dull dark green above, 

 yellow-green and pubescent at least on the veins 

 beneath, firm and with drooping sides ; petioles 

 stout and generally bearing stipules at the en- 

 larged base. Flowers appearing with the leaves 

 in subsessile hairy pendent corymbs with slender 

 pedicels 2-3 in. long ; caly.x campanulate : corolla 

 none ; stamens 7-S ; ovary pilosp. Fntit ripening 

 in autumn : samaras glabrous, with quite divergent 

 wings nearly 1 in. long. 



