ARBOR DA Y MANUAL. 
123 
CHOOSING A “STATE TREE.” 
Nominations made by Students at Sag Harbor, N. Y., May 3, iS 
THE MAPLE. 
There are about fifty species of maple, ten of which are found in North America. 
Some are large trees growing to a height of seventy or eighty feet, others are 
only small shrubs. They differ in the time at which the flowers appear. The 
flowers of some appear before the leaves, of others at the same time with the 
leaves, and of others not until the leaves are fully developed. The leaves are 
deciduous and from three to seven lobed. The seeds have wings so that they 
do not fall to the ground very quickly and are scattered about by the wind. 
The flowers of the red and silver maples appear in March or April, and the 
seeds ripen in June, and fall to the ground, when they soon commence to grow 
and by autumn form small trees, one or two feet in height. The seeds of these 
species will not retain their vitality if kept until the next spring. The sap of 
some species of maple contains sugar which is obtained from the sap by evap¬ 
oration. The timber of the maple is used for some purposes, that of the sugar 
maple being the most valuable. The maple is of rapid growth, good form and, 
has wide-spreading branches, with very thick, bright-green foliage, which makes 
it a good shade and ornamental tree. The maple is a clean tree not being fre¬ 
quented by noxious worms, and does not litter the ground with leaves and 
twigs during the summer. With the first frosts of autumn the leaves of the 
maple change to various shades of red and yellow, and present a very hand¬ 
some appearance. Everett L. Tindall. 
THE BLACK-WALNUT. 
'HE J. Nigra of the Juglans genus is a native of America. It flourishes in 
1 all parts of the United States, except in the extreme north, but principally 
in the fertile river basins, where it attains a height of seventy-five feet. It is one 
of the largest trees of North America, its branches spreading out in a horizon¬ 
tal direction for a long distance, giving it a very majestic appearance. 
The bark is thick, black, and becomes furrowed with age. The leaves, when 
bruised, emit a strong fragrant odor. The heart of the tree, after short expos¬ 
ure to the air, turns nearly black, hence the name, Black-walnut. The follow¬ 
ing qualities make the wood very valuable : 
1st. It remains sound for a long time, even after much exposure, zd. It is 
strong, tenacious, and whem thoroughly seasoned, not liable to warp or split. 
3d. Its grain being fine and compact, admits of a very fine polish; the wood 
is also free from worms. 
It is chiefly used by cabinet-makers, but is sometimes converted into lumber. 
Its fruit is very rarely sold, being inferior to that of many other species. The 
above qualities, many of which are symbolic of the features in which New 
York State leads the Union, strongly recommend it to the wise as a State 
emblem. 
John W. Ripley. 
