404- ARBORETUM AND FRUTICKTUM. PART III. 



CHAP. XXII. 



OF THE HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS BELONGING TO THE ORDER 

 ^CERA^GEiE. 



DISTINCTIVE Characteristics. Flowers either unisexual or bisexual. Calyx 

 and corolla equal in the number of their parts, with an imbricated aestivation ; 

 the corolla sometimes absent. Petals without appendages. Stamens in- 

 serted upon a disk, which arises from below the pistillum, not agreeing in 

 number with the divisions of the calyx and corolla. Pistillum 2-lobed, 

 each lobe having a wing at its back. Style 1. Stigmas 2. Fruit formed of 

 two samarae, or keys, each containing 1 cell and 1 erect seed. Embryo 

 curved, with leafy shriveled cotyledons and no albumen. Trees or shrubs, 

 almost all deciduous, with opposite leaves, without stipules. (Pen. Cyc.) 

 Calyx 4 — 9 lobes, mostly 5. Stamens mostly 8. Flowers in axillary corymbs. 

 Sap sugary. (Lindl. Introd. to X. S.) Cotyledons, in the germination of the 

 seed, produced above ground. The samaras in yf cer Pseudo-Platanus are 

 very rarely 3. 



Description. The species are chiefly low and middle-sized deciduous trees, 

 generally with iobed, but, in one or two cases, with entire or pinnated leaves. 

 They are natives of Europe, North America, and the north of India. They are 

 all highly ornamental ; some of them valuable for their timber; and from /fcer 

 saccharinum, and other species, sugar is extracted. In point of magnitude, the 

 species of the v4ceraceas may be arranged in three classes : those of the 

 largest size, having large leaves, and the trunks of a timber size, fit for various 

 purposes in architecture, such as the A. Pseudo-Platanus, A. eriocarpum, &c; 

 those of the second size, with small leaves, the timber of which is chiefly used 

 by cabinet-makers, turners, &c, and the trees as copsewood, such as A s ce\ % 

 campestre; and those of the third size, with small leaves, which are solely 

 employed for ornamental planting, such as A^cer monspessulanum, A. cre- 

 ticum, &c. 



Geography and History. " The maples," Michaux observes, " form exten- 

 sive forests in the northern parts of North America: these forests appear, 

 with those of the beech, to succeed the spruce fir, the larch, and the pine, and 

 to precede the chestnut and the oak ; at least, this is the case between 43° and 

 46° of N. lat., the region assigned by nature to the true sugar maple." 

 Seven species of J v cer, and one of Negitndo, are described by Michaux. In 

 the Pen. Cyc, under the article yf cer, understood to be by Dr. Lindley, 

 34 species are enumerated or described ; and, in Doll's Miller 39 species, 

 of which 26 are in cultivation in British gardens. 



Most of the American species are already introduced into Britain; but 

 there are some in the mountainous regions of India, and probably in Japan 

 and China, which are likely to prove hardy in Britain, which are not yet in- 

 troduced, the names of some of which will be found in p. 173. and p. 176., 

 and in the concluding section of this chapter. 



Properties and Uses. The wood of the zlceraceae is moderately hard, com- 

 pact, and more or less veined : it is useful in various departments of architec- 

 ture, and is particularly valuable as fuel. Sugar is one of the constituent parts 

 of the sap of all the acers and negundos, though that article is chiefly 

 obtained from two species, which are natives of America. 



Soil and Situation. The ^ceraceae prefer a free, deep, loamy soil, rich 

 rather than sterile, and neither wet nor very dry. The situation that suits 

 them best is one that is sheltered, and shady rather than exposed. They are 

 seldom found on the north sides of lofty mountains, or on mountains at all, 

 except among other trees ; but in the plains they are found by themselves. 

 Though the species only attain perfection in favourable soils and situations, 

 they will spring up and live in any soil or situation whatever. 



Propagation and Culture. The yiceraceae are chiefly propagated from seeds; 

 but some sorts arc increased by layers, cuttings of the shoots or roots, or by 

 budding or grafting. The seeds of most of the species ripen in October, and 



