Handbook of Trees of the ISTorthekx States and Canada. 333 



This beautiful trep wlicu growing in the 

 forest attains the height of 100 or 120 ft. with 

 trunk 3-5 ft. in diameter. When isolated from 

 otlier trees it forms an ovoid top with many 

 upright branches which, iiowever, after a time 

 ^gradually incline outward and form a rounded 

 or broad top. It thrives best in low bottom- 

 lands, subject to occasional inundation, in 

 company with various Willows, the Black Ash. 

 River Birch, Red and Black Maples, Swamp 

 White Oak, etc. In earlier days it lined the 

 banks of most of the navigable streams of the 

 interior of the eastern states, and early writers 

 tell us that in it lay a large part of the charm 

 <if their picturesquenes.s. Its rapid growth 

 and handsome incised leaves, which show suc- 

 cessively their darK or white surfaces when 

 fluttering in the wiuil. have long made it popu- 

 lar for ornamental planting. Several nursery 

 varieties have appeared. Sugar of excellent 

 (|uality is made from its sap, though it requires 

 more to make a pound than does that of the 

 Sugar jSIaple. 



Its wood is strong, rather hard, easily 

 worked, of very fine grain, and is used in the 

 manufacture of furniture, etc. A cu. ft., when 

 absolutely dry. weighs 32.84 lbs. Curly Maple 

 is occasionally produced by this tree.2 



Leaves deeply ."i-lobed with narrow sinuses and 

 acuminate and iri-ognlarly coarsely dentate lobes, 

 truncate or heart-sliaped at l)ase, 5-7 in. long, 

 sreen above, silvery white and often pubescent 

 lieneath ; pale yellow in autumn ; pedicels long, 

 slender and often red. Flowers in very early 

 spring before the leaves, in dense sessile axillary 

 fascicles, greenish yellow ; corolla none ; stamens 

 3-7; ovary pnljescent. Fruit ripening in May, the 

 samaras large IVi-- 

 prominently veined. 



1. Syn. Acer dasycarpum Ehrh, 



2. A. W., II, 26 and 26a. 



long, falcate, divergent, 



