DESCRIPTION OF TREES SUITABLE FOR PLANTING. 55 



is slow. Trees fifteen years old are already of good size. The rather stout 

 trunks divide at a low height into many slender, ascending flexuous 

 branches which form an oval or broadly oval crown. The twigging is 

 abundant, fine and graceful. The drooping foliage, dark green above and 

 white beneath, appears early in April after the delicate pendulous green- 

 ish-yellow flowers and forms a dense shade. In autumn it is conspicuous 

 with shades of red and yellow. (See PI. VIII.) 



The fibrous, rather compact root system enables it to be easily trans- 

 planted and its adaptability to all classes of soils makes it one of the 

 most suitable trees for general planting east of Charlotte and Winston. 

 It stands pruning well, even in old age, but very large branches must not 

 be cut back without leaving sap lifters; otherwise their stumps will die. 

 While the crown is usually symmetrical, it is not so much so as that of 

 the northern sugar maple, and single branches often make rapid and irreg- 

 ular growth, requiring some care and pruning to maintain in form. 



It is extremely free from insects and diseases, except the susceptibility 

 to sun-scald, necessitating the protection of the stems of young specimens, 

 at least of forest-pulled stock. There is no more desirable tree for the 

 planting of streets of towns and cities or of roads where quick growth, 

 dense shade and a not over large size tree is desired than the southern 

 maple. It is easily propagated from seed which mature in October. 

 Trees should be spaced 40 feet. 



Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) is a native of the mountains of this 

 State. It is a middle-sized tree, becoming in cultivation somewhat larger 

 than the southern maple but with about the same rate of growth ; rapid in 

 youth and gradually declining with old age. Both this and the southern 

 maple maintain soundness and dense symmetrical crowns until three- 

 quarters of a century old. The crown is somewhat narrower and habit of 

 growth more fastigiate in this than in the preceding species. The bark on 

 the limbs and branchlets is ashy gray and lacks the pinkish tinge which 

 is typical of the southern maple. The dense foliage is dark green on both 

 sides and, as with the other species, acquires in autumn many brilliant 

 shades of red and yellow. (PI. VII, B) 



It has the same root system and stands pruning equally as well as the 

 preceding but naturally forms a more symmetrical crown. It is the most 

 desirable tree for. general planting in this State west of Salisbury and is 

 easily raised from seed which ripen in autumn. Trees should be spaced 

 40 feet. 



Eed Maple (Acer rubrum) is found throughout the State either in its 

 typical form with five-lobed, bright green leaves, or in the trident form 

 which has smaller leaves, extremely dark green above and whitened be- 



