MAPLE TREE. 73 



tree, being generally kept as underwood, and 

 this has in all probability arisen from its 

 character of being noxious to the subnascent 

 plants of other kinds, by the clammy dew 

 which it sheds upon them. It is, however, of 

 quick growth, and affords good fuel, and 

 when allowed to grow into timber, it makes 

 excellent gunstocks, screws for cyder presses, 

 and other purposes that require hard wood. 

 In the vale of Gloucester and other places 

 where oak timber is scarce, it is used for 

 making gates and for other purposes of 

 husbandry. 



The largest maple tree in England, is in 

 the church-yard of Boldre, in Hampshire, 

 under whose branches the Rev. William 

 Gilpin, author of " Remarks on Forest 

 Scenery," &c. lies buried. 



The common maple, acer campestre, flowers 

 in the beginning of April, and the leaves 

 appear about fourteen days later. It is raised 

 by seed, but very seldom cultivated at present, 

 though there are thirteen distinct species of 

 maple, besides several varieties. The sugar 

 maple, acer sacchminam, is of great import- 

 ance to the inhabitants of North America, as 

 its saccharine sap affords them sugar, and 

 little if at all inferior to what is obtained from 

 the cane in the West India islands. Our 



