Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-09-03
Dome Department.
THE RED-FLOWERlNG MAPLE.
From Michaux's "North American sylva."l

III Inherent parts OF the | nltpu States
east of the Allegheny mountains it is
called the Red-howcring maple, Swamp
maple and Soft maple; in the western
country, simply maple, The first de-
nomination, which is most generally i'm
USE is also most appropriate, as the
young shoots, the flowers and the fruit
are red.
Towards the north the Red-howering
maple appears first about Malabaie in
Canada, in latitude Is degrees: but it
soon becomes more common in proceed
ing southwark; it is found abundant to
the cxtremities of Florida and Lower
Louisiana. OF all the trees which flour
ish on wet grounds occasionally over
flowed, this species is most multiplied
in the Middle and Southern States. 1t
occupies, in great part, the borders of
the creeks and abounds in all the swamps
which are often inundated and ALWAYS
miry. In these situations it is accompa-
MED by the Blackgum, Sweetgum, Shell
bark Hickory, Swamp white oak, Black
ash and White ash. TO these are added
in the Carolnas and Georgia the small
magnolia or Swamp bay, the Water oak,
Loblolly bay, tupelo and Red bay. 1t is
remarkable fact that west Of the noun
tans, between Brownsville and Pitts
burgh, the Red-howering maple is seen
growing on elevated ground with the
oaks and the walnuts. | have nowhere
observed it of as ample dimensions as in
Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In these
States exist extensive marshes, called
maple swamps, exclusively covered with
it, where it is found seventy feet high
and three or four feet in diameter.
The Red-flowering maple is the earliest
tree whose bloom announces the return
of spring; it is in flower near New York
from the 10th to the 18th of April. The
flowers, of a beautifuly-deep red unfold
more than fortnight before the leaves.
They are sessle, aggregate, and situated
at the extremity of the branches. The
fruit is suspended by long flexible
peduncles, and it is of the same hue as
the flowers, though it varies in size and
in the intensity of its coloring according
to the exposure and dampneSs of the
soil. The leaves are smaller than those
of the preceding species. butIin some re-
spects they resemble them. They are
whtish or glaucous underneath and are
palmated or divided into three or four
acuminate lobes, irregularly toothed.
The cXtrcmities of this tree. which are
formed by numerous twigs united at the
base. have Il remarkable appearance
when garni>hed with flowers and seeds
of deep red before vegetation generally
has begun to revive.
Before the Red-tlowering maple exceeds
- or 30 feet in height and seven or eight
inches in diameter, its bark is perfectly
smooth and marked with white blotches
by which it is easily diStimguishable.
Aftcrward, the trunk. like that of the
White oak and Sweetgum. becomes brown
and chapped. In this tree. as in others
that grow in wet places. the sap bears a
large proportion to the heart, if indeed
the name of heart can properly be
given to the irregular star which occu-
pies the center of large trunks, with
points from one to three inches in length
into the sap.
The wood of the Red-howering maple
Is applied to interesting uses. 1t is hard
er than that of the White maple and of a
finer and closer grain; hence it is easily
in the lathe and acquires by
glossy and Silken surface.
1t is sufficiently solid, and for many pur-
poses is preferred by workmen to other
kinds of wood. 1t is principally employ
ed for the lower part of Windsor chairs;
the pieces are turned in the country and
so considerable is the demand that boats
laden with them arrive at New York and
Philadelphia, where an extensive manu-.
facture l. carried on for the consumption
of the neighboring towns and for expor-
tation to the Southern States and to the
West India islands. The whole frame of
japanned chairs is of this wood, except the
back, for which hickory is chosen on ac-
count of its superior strength and elasti-
city. The frame. the nave and the
spokes of spinning wheels are made of it;
at Philadelphia it is exclusively employ
ed for saddle-trees, and in the country it is
preferred for yokes, and also for shovels
and wooden dishes, which are brought
to market and purchased by the dealers
in wooden ware.
1t sometimes happens. in very old
trees, that the grain, instead of follow
ing perpendicular direction, is undu-
lated and this variety bears the name of
Curled maple. This singular arrange
ment, of which | am able to assign
no cause, is never witnessed in young
trees nor in the branches of such as ex-
hbit it in the trunk; it is also less con-
spicuous at the center than near the cir
conference. Trees offering this DISPOSE
tlon are rare, and do not exist i'm the Dro-