426 



ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. 



PART HI. 



rvirginianuin flore majore. Miller, in 174], says, the Vii-giman flowering 

 maple (A. rubrum) was raised from seeds, which were brought from Virginia 

 many years since, by Mr. John Tradescant, in his garden at South Lambeth, 

 near Vauxhall ; and, since, in the garden of the Bishop of London atFuIhaih, 

 where it has flowered for several years, and produced ripe seeds, from which 

 several plants have been raised. Upon a survey of the state of the garden at 

 Fulham, in October 1793, the A'^cer rubrum planted by Bishop Compton, at 

 3 ft. from the ground, measured, in girt, 4 ft. 3 in., and its computed height 

 was 40 ft. On visiting the same gardens again in 1809, the tree was gone. 

 (^L?/wn's Em. London, 1810, 2d edit. vol. ii. p. 228.) Miller, in 1755, speak- 

 ing of A. eriocarpum, says, this the gardeners distinguish by the title of Sir 

 Charles Wager's maple; the other being called the scarlet-flowering xnaple; 

 but, as there is no difference in [the form of] their flowers, seeds, or leaves, so 

 they must be deemed but one species, as they are only accidental varieties 

 arising from seed. In continuation, he says, speaking of the scarlet variety, 

 that it flowers about the middle of April, and that Sir Charles Wager's maple 

 flowers about the middle or latter end of March. In Martyn's Miller, pub- 

 lished in 1807, the two are still considered as the same species. We have no 

 doubt of their being in fact only varieties, or races, of the same species ; but 

 we have kept them distinct, as they are remarkably different, both in the co- 

 lour of their flowers, and in their habit of growth, though not much so in their 

 leaves. Michaux was the first to distinguish the two kinds as species, and the 

 distinction (as before observed, p. 424.) was first pointed out in detail by Des- 

 fontaines. As A. rubrum is not a rapidly growing tree, like A. eriocarpum, it 

 has not been so extensively cultivated as that species ; nevertheless, it is to be 

 found in most collections, and it is propagated in the principal European 

 nurseries. 



Properties and Uses. In America, the wood of the red-flowering inaple is 

 applicable to several uses. It is hai-der than that of the white maple, and of 

 a finer and closer grain ; hence it is easily wrought in the lathe, and acquires, 

 by polishing, a glossy and silken surface. It is solid, and, for many purposes, 

 it is preferred by workmen to other kinds of wood. It is principally employed 

 for the seats of Windsor chairs : the pieces are prepared in the country; and so 

 considerable is the demand, that boats laden with them frequently arrive at 

 New York and Philadelphia, where an extensive manufactory is carried on for 

 the consumption of the neighbouring towns, and for exportation to the south- 

 ern states and to the West India Islands. The whole frame of japanned chairs 

 is made of this wood, except the back, for which hickory (Carya) is chosen, 

 on account of its superior strength and elasticity. The frame, the nave, and 

 the spokes of spinning-wheels are made of the red maple. At Philadelphia, it is 

 exclusively used for saddle-trees; and, in the country, it is preferz'ed for yokes, 

 shovels, and wooden dishes, which ai'e brought to market by the country peo- 

 ple, and purchased by the dealers in wooden ware. It sometimes happens 

 that, in very old trees, the grain, instead of following a perpendicular direction, 

 is undulated ; and this variety bears the name of the curled maple. This sin- 

 . gular arrangement is never found in young trees, nor in the branches of even 

 .such as exhibit it in the trunk : it is also less conspicuous in the centre than 

 near the circumference. Trees having this character of wood are rare, and do 

 not exist in the proportion of one to a hundred. The serpentine direction of 

 the fibre, which renders them difficult to split and to work, produces, in the 

 hands of a skilful mechanic, the most beautiful effects of fight and shade. 

 These effects are rendered more striking, if, after smoothing the surface of the 

 wood with a double-ironed plane, it is rubbed with a little sulphuric acid, and 

 afterwards anointed with linseed oil. On examining it attentively, the varying 

 shades are found to be owing entirely to the inflection of the rays of light ; 

 which is more sensibly perceived in viewing it in different directions by candle- 

 light. Before mahogany became generally ftishionable in the United States, 

 the best furniture in use was made of the red-flowering maple, and bedsteads 

 are still made of it, which, in richness and lustre, exceed the finest mahogany. 



