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DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



The Maple Family, 



(ACERACE^.) 



Large or small deciduous trees. Leaves opposite, simple, 

 entire, lobed or pinnate, rarely compound winged. Flowers 

 from the axis of the leaves, in spikes or racemes, small, 

 unisexual or bisexual. Petals 5 or none. Stamens gene- 

 rally 8. Fruit consisting of 2 united-winged nuts, each 

 containing a single seed. 



About 60 species constitute this family. They are com- 

 mon throughout the Northern hemisphere, being represented 

 in Europe by several species of Acej\- they are also found in 

 India and Japan, but the greater number are natives of North 

 America. None are found in the Southern hemisphere. 



Sugar Maple (Acer saccliarinum). A moderate-sized tree, 

 native of North America, where it forms extensive forests. 

 It is of great importance for its juice, which is obtained in 

 early spring by tapping, and converted into sugar. A tree 

 will yield from two to four pounds yearly, and will continue 

 to do so for forty years without suffering injury. It has 

 become an article of commerce under the name of Maple 

 Sugar, which is made up in the form of thick cakes. The 

 wood called Bird's-eye Maple, used by furniture-makers, is 

 the old distorted growth of the trees. 



Acer ruhmm, A. platanoides, and others, are all useful 

 timber trees, the wood being used for many purposes. A. 

 Wegundo, a native of North America, is a fast-growing, wide- 

 spreading tree, differing from the rest of the genus in 

 having winged leaves. It is an ornamental tree in the gar- 

 dens of this country. 



The Milkwort Family. 



(POLYGALACE^.) 



Shrubs or herbs, with alternate, rarely opposite leaves, 

 sometimes heath-like. Flowers solitary or racemose, some- 

 times very small, or, as in the Cape species of Polygala, 



