MAPLE FAMILY 
launch the seeds some distance from the parent tree and so 
perform their part in the economy of nature. 
SUGAR MAPLE. ROCK MAPLE, 
Acer bdrbatum. Acer sacchdrum, 
Widely distributed and abundant throughout eastern North 
America in rich uplands and intervale. Grows rapidly with a large 
fibrous root which at first is near the surface but finally penetrates 
deep. In the forest often reaches the height of one hundred and 
twenty feet. Produces most of the maple sugar of commerce. A 
variety, the Black Maple, H. saccharum nigrum, is recognized. 
Bark.—On young trees and large limbs light gray, smooth and 
slightly furrowed ; on old trees dark, with deep longitudinal furrows, 
shaggy. Branchlets green, later yellowish brown, shining, marked 
with pale lenticels, finally pale brown. 
Wood.—Light brown, tinged with red; heavy, hard, strong, tough 
and close-grained, capable of a fine polish. Much used in in- 
terior furnishing of buildings, manufacture of furniture, handles of 
tools; has a high fuel value. Curled and bird’s-eye are accidental 
varieties. Sp. gr., 0.6912; weight of cu. ft., 43.08 lbs. 
Winter Buds.—Purplish, quarter of an inch long, acute. Scales 
enlarge when spring growth begins ; the inner scales become an inch 
and a half long, downy and bright yellow before they fall. 
Leaves.—Opposite, simple, three to five inches long and of greater 
breadth. Of five diverging lobes which are separated by rounded 
sinuses. The two lower are smaller and shorter than the others, 
each lobe tapers to a slender point and each contains a primary 
vein. Base, heart-shaped by broad or narrow sinus, or truncate, or 
wedge-shaped. Margin sparingly toothed. They come out of the 
bud tawny, coated with tomentum, when full grown are bright or 
dark green on upper surface, pale green on lower. In autumn they 
turn crimson, scarlet, orange and clear yellow. Petioles long, slen- 
der, often reddish. 
Flowers —May. Polygamo-moneecious or dicecious. Greenish 
yellow, appearing with the leaves in umbel-like corymbs from termi- 
nal leafy buds and lateral leafless ones. Sterile and fertile flowers 
are in separate clusters on the same or on different trees, fertile 
flowers terminal and sterile usually lateral. Pedicels hairy, thread- 
like, one and a half to three inches long. 
Calyx.—Campanulate, five-lobed, lobes imbricate in bud, hairy. 
Corolla.—Wanting. 
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