In Latin, Acer; in Frenchj Er able, 



399. The botanical characters are : — The impalementof thejflower ismono- 

 pelatous, coloured and cut into five sharp segments at the brim, and is per- 

 manent. The corolla is compoed of five oval petals which spread open and 

 are larger than the empalement. It has eight short and awl-shaped stamina, 

 crowned by simple summits. The germen is compressed and immersed in 

 the large perforated receptacle. The style is slender ; it having two acu- 

 minated stigma, which are reflexed. The capsules are two, joined at their 

 base ; they are roundish, each being terminated by a large wing, inclosing 

 one roundish seed in each. 



400. There are many varieties of the Maple ; and some 

 of them are very beautiful trees. Our Sycamore is a Maple, 

 and is called by the French the Grand Erable, or Great 

 Maple, We have a Maple in our woods ; it is a very tena- 

 cious inhabitant of coppices, hedge-rows and hedges; a 

 very hardy thing, makes very good fuel, in fagots ; but it 

 makes no poles, no hoops, no rods, no hurdles ; and it 

 scarcely ever becomes a tree as big as one's thigh. It is 

 mere bmshwood; and of no more use as a tree, than the 

 poppies, or wild parsnip, or wild carrot, are as cattle-food. 

 Our Maple is a weed of the woods, and we burn it, because 

 we know not what else to do with it. 



401. The American Maples are in great and beautiful 

 variety; and our own Sycamore is a very fine and stately 

 tree, grows to a great size, is wonderfully hardy, and loaded 

 with an uncommon portion of leaf. There is no tree, I 

 believe, that has so great a weight of leaf in proportion to 

 its height and size as the Sycamore. It will, too, grow 

 in any soil, even the shallowest and the worst. It is fre- 



