ACEB 



HORSE CHESTNUT OBDEB 



ACEK 313 



capsules opening when ripe much in the 

 same way as those of the Horse Chestnut. 

 It is usually increased by sowing seeds as 

 soon as ripe in cold frames, but cuttings 

 of the roots sometimes ' strike ' if inserted 

 in light sandy soil in gentle heat in 

 autumn or early spring. 



ACER (Maple). — A genus of about 

 50 species of beautiful trees and shrubs, 

 containing a watery or sugary juice, 

 many of them remarkable for the colours 

 of the foliage. Leaves opposite, deciduous, 

 palmately 3-7-lobed or parted, rarely 

 entire. Flowers usually polygamous- 

 dioecious, regular. Calyx 4-12-, often 5- 

 parted. Petals equal in number to the 

 sepals, or none. Disc ringed, ileshy, 

 lobed. Stamens 4-12, often 8. Fruit of 

 2 spreading samaras with long wings or 



The genus negundo, although re- 

 tained as distinct by the authors of the 

 ' Genera Plantarum,' is now usually 

 merged with Acer, from which it would 

 be scarcely possible to distinguish it except 

 by means of its flowers. The following 

 are the chief characteristics of the 

 Negundos : flowers dioecious, calyx 

 minute, 4-5-cleffc or parted. Petals none. 

 Disc obsolete. Stamens 4-6, hypogynous. 

 Fruit Uke that of the Maples. 



Culture amd Propagation. — Most of 

 the Maples thrive in deep, loamy, well- 

 drained soil. The Japanese varieties have 

 of late years become very popular, not 

 only for the outdoor garden, but also as 

 pot plants for the conservatory. They 

 require a somewhat sheltered position 

 outside, and are nearly all quite hardy. 



Most Maples are easily raised from 

 seeds sown in autumn or spring. Layer- 

 ing and grafting are employed for rare or 

 choice varieties, and many are also budded 

 during the summer. On the whole it is 

 more satisfactory for the amateur to obtain 

 established plants from a nurseryman. 



A. argutum. — An elegant Japanese 

 species having 5-lobed leaves, the lobes 

 being rather sharply tapering to a point, 

 and having more or less doubly serrate 

 margins. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. campestre (Common Maple). — A 



small British tree with rough bark full 



of fissures, having kidney-shaped, 5-lobed 



eaves. This species is chiefly met with 



n hedges in the southern coimties. The 



variety austriacum has the lobes of the 



leaves somewhat pointed ; those of colU- 

 num, (a French variety) being blunt ; 

 hebecarpum has downy fruits ; Iceviga- 

 turn, smooth and shining leaves ; nanum, 

 very dwarf ; tauricum, has larger and less 

 lobed leaves than the type ; and va^ie- 

 gatum has leaves beautifully variegated 

 with blotches and stripes of white and 

 pale yellow. Postelenae is a new form 

 with yellowish leaves. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. carpinifolium. — A very distinct and 

 interesting Japanese species which attains 

 a height of about 50 ft. in its native 

 country. It is remarkable for having 

 leaves quite unlike those of other Acers in 

 shape. They are broadly oblong lance- 

 shaped, 4^6 in. long, with coarsely toothed 

 and serrated margins, and resemble those 

 of the Hornbeam. The veins run obliquely 

 from the midrib to the margin in parallel 

 lines, and were it not for the fruits, this 

 species might easily be mistaken as 

 belonging to another genus. 



Culture (tc. as above. 



A. caudatum (A. Icemgatum). — A dis- 

 tinct species from N. India, where it grows 

 into a fairly large tree. The stems have 

 dark brown bark, and the long slender 

 purplish-red twigs are furnished with 

 moderate-sized leaves, each of which is 

 divided into 3 ovate and much-tapered 

 lobes with coarsely toothed margins. 



Culture dc. as above. Although a 

 native of India it seems to be quite hardy 

 in most parts of England and Ireland, 

 though the young growths may be in- 

 jured in the colder parts of Scotland in 

 severe winters. It is readily increased by 

 layers. 



A. circinatum. — ^A beautiful shrub, 6-6 

 ft. high, native of N.W. America, having 

 drooping branches and 7-9-lobed ser- 

 rulated leaves which assume a bright 

 scarlet colour in autumn. Flowers in 

 April, deep red, umbellate. 



Culture do. as above. 



A. cissifolium (Negundo cissifolium). 

 An elegant Japanese species 5-10 ft. high, 

 with small, light green leaves divided into 

 3 leaflets. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. creticum. — An almost evergreen 

 species 4 ft. high, from the Levant. 

 Leaves wedge-shaped at the base, sharply 

 3-lobed at the top. 



Culture dc. as above. 



