2 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GAliDENING. 



more dependence can be placed. Asa rule^ trees of 

 large size (and many of the Maples come under this 

 category) have very inconspicuous flowers; hut 

 several of the memhers of the genus now under re- 

 view have decidedly showy brightly-coloured flowers ; 

 the Norway Maple, with its large clusters of yellow 

 flowers, and the Red or Swamp Maple of the United 

 States, with its deep red ones, being cases in point. 

 Then, for wonderful variety in the form of the leaves, 

 in their colour when growing, and in the autumnal 

 tints assumed by the decaying foliage, the genus 

 probably stands alone. For convenience of refer- 

 ence the species enumerated are arranged alphabeti- 

 cally, and where nothing is said about requirements 

 of soil, &c., it may be assumed that they are by no 

 means particular in this respect, but will thrive under 

 very varied conditions. 



^. argatum. — This recently introduced Japanese 

 species has long-stalked five-lobed leaves, the long- 

 pointed serrated lobes giving a distinct character to 

 the foliage. The long-clustered racemes of fruits, 

 with horizontally spreading wings, are handsome in 

 the native specimens of this tree ; as yet, it has not 

 fruited in this country. Judging from its habit anli 

 growth, &c., it will make a small tree with some- 

 what slender twiggy branches. 



A. campestre. ^-The only truly native Maple in the 

 Driti^ flora. It varies considerably in the size and 

 character of foliage, &c. Under favourable condi- 

 tions old trees often attain a height of thirty feet 

 or more. This does not make a bad hedge plant, 

 and when cut down frequentty, the young shoots 

 and leaves are suffused with a vinous-red tint, 

 and the leaves are much more deeply cut than 

 are those of old trees which have not been sub- 

 jected to severe pruning. In gardens there is a 

 variety of this species, with the leaves covered with 

 small specks or blotches of white, pulverulentum ; 

 and another, Austriaeum, a green-leaved form, with 

 liirger foliage, altogether a stronger and more robust 

 plant than the ordinary A. campestre, which in a 

 wild state occurs in West Asia, and in Europe from 

 Deimiark southwards. 



A, carpinifoUum — the Hornbeam-leaved Maple — 

 is a Japanese species recently introduced to British 

 gardens by Messrs. Veitch. It is wonderfully dis- 

 tinct from ordinary Maples in the form and veining 

 of its leaves. In Japan it is said to grow fifty feet 

 in height. 



A. eircinatum is a distinct and desirable bush, 

 with round heart-shaped leaves, with ,seven or nine 

 sharply acuminate lobes. In spring the long crim- 

 son leaf -scales form a striking contrast to the tender 

 green of the young leaves, and the flowers, too, are 

 conspicuous by reason of the large purplish-red 

 sepals. The rich orange-red tints assumed by the 



decaying leaves of this species are especially at- 

 tractive. In its native habitats — Northern California 

 to Puget Sound — A. eircinatum, forms a tree thirty 

 to forty feet high, but frequently occurs as a bush, 

 forming impenetrable thickets along streams, the 

 Vine-like stems taking root wherever they touch the 

 ground. Under cultivation it grows well in dry, 

 gravelly soil, but by ornamental water, where its 

 roots would have an abundance of moisture, or in 

 richer ground, it would probably grow much faster 

 than in dry poor soils. 



A. cratmgifolium owes its specific name to the re- 

 semblance between its pretty dark green foliage and 

 that of the Hawthorn. It is a slender tree, which, 

 when in flower, is a handsome object ; it has few- 

 flowered racemes of rather large, white blossoms, 

 followed by peculiar long-stalked, horizontally 

 vdnged fruits. A variegated form of this, A. n. 

 Veitchii, is a vigorous garden sport, with finely va- 

 riegated rose and dark green leaves. A Japanese 

 plant, recently introduced to British gardens by 

 Messrs. Veitch. 



A. daaycarpum — the White or Silver Maple of the 

 Eastern United States — is a fast-grovring tree of 

 the first rank for ornamental purposes. Both in its 

 native country and elsewhere, this is now largely 

 planted as an avenue tree and for shade ; in early 

 spring the-rosy-tinted small flowers clothe the leaf- 

 less branches, and cause a group of trees to form u, 

 pleasing effect in the landscape. The foliage is a 

 deep green above, and silvery-white beneath ; in 

 autumn it turns to a clear bright lemon-yellow. 

 The wood is but of little value, but the graceful 

 habit of the tree, its quick growth, and its hand- 

 some foliage, make it one of the best of all deciduous 

 ornamental trees for the landscape gardener. There 

 is a weeping form {pendula), and another (aureo- 

 variegata) with leaves irregularly variegated with 

 yellow. Amongst the numerous names under which 

 the Silver Maple is mentioned in books, &c., and 

 found in gardens, are A. eriocarpwn, A. glaumm, 

 A. Virginicum. 



A. diabolieum, a Japanese Maple with large, hand- 

 some foliage, is perhaps better known under its 

 garden name of A. pulehrmn, ; the large, yellowish 

 flowers are produced in early spring in rather short, 

 clustered racemes, from below the termination of 

 the shoots ; these are followed by large, hairy fruits, 

 with ascending wings. As yet, probably no large 

 plants of it exist in this countrj', but in Northern 

 Erance we have seen it of considerable size; it 

 makes a noble tree, with large, ciliated, Plane-like 

 leaves. 



A. hyrcamim is a neat, compact, slow-growing 

 species, suitable for a single specimen on a lawn, 

 &c. ; it has bright red leaf-stalks, and Cve-lobed 



