DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL TREES. 
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twenty feet high, a very common practice in some places, 
as this destroys half its beauty ; but if it be suffered to 
branch out quite low down, it will form a very elegant 
head. The maple is well suited to scenes expressive of 
graceful beauty, as they unite to a considerable variation 
of surface, a pleasing softness and roundness of outline. 
In bold or picturesque scenes, they can be employed to 
advantage by intermingling them with the more striking 
and majestic forms of the oak, etc., where variety and 
contrast is desired. The European sycamore, which is 
also a maple, has a coarser foliage, and more of strength in 
its growth and appearance : it perhaps approaches nearer 
in general expression and effect to the plane tree, than to 
our native maples. 
It is unnecessary for us to recommend this tree for 
avenues, or for bordering the streets of cities, as its general 
prevalence in such places sufficiently indicates its acknow- 
ledged claims for beauty, shade, and shelter. It bears 
pruning remarkably well, and is easily transplanted, even 
when of large size, from its native woods or swamps. The 
finest trees, however, are produced from seed. 
The Sugar maple ( Acer saccharinum) is a very abundant 
tree in the northern states and the Canadas, where it 
sometimes forms immense forests. The bark is white ; the 
leaves four or five inches broad, and five-lobed ; varying, 
however, in size according to the age of the tree. The 
flowers are small, yellowish, and suspended by slender 
drooping peduncles. The seed is contained in two capsules 
united at the base, and terminated in a membranous wing ; 
they are ripe in October. From certain parts of the trunks 
of old Sugar maples, the fine wood called bird's-eye maple 
