The sun., 1891-07-05

. they grow old they are aptto lose good mani
, Of their branches aud become dIsngured. f.
All OF the nine species OF American NAPLES
are figured and described in the silva" Two
plates each are used for the mountain maple
striped marle. and large-leaved maple. and one
each for the other species, tosether with m
additional plate TO show four distinct varieta
forms OF the sugar maple. one for Drummond'f
variety OF the rod maple. and another for the
Californian form OF the box elder. We are told
that the mountain maple tAcer spicdftn,L al.
though most often shrub. rises occasion ally
to height OF twenty-five or thirty feet. with a
short trunk six or eight inches In diameter
also that IT, or form oti tAcer spicatun, var.
LIk,ir1tnduense). Ia widely distributed from
Manchuria to japan.
Tho principal worth OF the striped maple
tAcer Iennsvlr anicin,l. which sometimes reach
es height Of thirty or forty feot. 10 Its beauty.
With little pruning whom IL is younG 1t as
sumes comely shape, and its fine folias Q.
brilliant autumn tints. and prettily striped
bark give 1t considerable garden value. Its
young and tender shoots. filed with sac
charine Juice, are In carly spring the favorfte
food OF moose and deer: hence the name
| moose wood.
Acer n,acrophpl'un. the broad-leaved maplc.
| 10 the most valuable deciduous tree OF the for
ests Of western North America. Itoccurs from
| southern Alaska to southern California and
attains its greatest perfection In Oregon. where
1t attains a height OF eighty TO hundred feot.
| with tall, straight trunk two to three feet In
diameter. Although few handsome speci-
mems Of It may bc found in gardens about New
York. it Is precariously hardy north OF Phila-
delpha. 1t flourishes very we'll In cultivation
| In Europe.
| The vino maple tAcer circinnatuml OF the Pa
| cifio region extends from British Columbia
northward through Washington and Oregon
to California. 1t is q small widssprcadlng tree
whose branches heel down into tho ground
and take root there 1t ia quite hardy In the
Eastern States where II forms handsome.
| Dense low bush tree,
The dwarf maple (Acer olabrun) is small
bnshy tlee. indigenous from tho Rocky Noun
tains. westward. 1t is hardy in the Eastern
! States. but Of little importance.
| For tho sugar or rock maple Prof. Sargent
| adopts Mlchaux's name OF Acsr bdrbatun and
follows Linnnus in giving the nano Acer sac
chdrmum to tho silver maple or soft maple.
This. no doubt. is right. but 1t gives merci-
| less shaking up to the nomenclature OF those
| two naples. and II: does noeeven occur In the
new editions OF our American botanies. 1t
Will be many q day before We get reconoiled to
| the change
| Tho sugar maple is a noble tree hundred
or a hundred and twenty feet high with a
trunk threo to four feet in diameter, rising
sometimes in the forest to q height of sixty or
eighty feet without n branch" It's wood Il
moro valuable than that OF any other Ameri-
can maple. Among distinct varieties OF the
sugar maple not ted in the =" Silva" are the black
sugar maple tAcsr 1ar5dt,in. var. nigrum). o
small form peculiar to the Gulf States and
named A. GarGatum. var. Fioridanum and
form found In the mountainous parts OF tho
intertor NJ fha continent and called b0r.
Jatun'. var. orandidsnta'u,n. As we'll as being
Of the highest economic Importance. tho sugar
maple Is also one OF the most valuable OF all
deciduous trees for ornamental planting. for
street shade. or lawn trees. a. we'll as for the
rich tints OF its foliage in the fall But 1t does
not thrive well in Europe.
The silver maple tAcer sdccharinun). we are
told. grows to height OF so to 100 feet.
with trunk three to four feet in diameter.
which divides at ten or fifteen feet into three
or four stout upright. secondary stems. The
flowers nre Greenish-yellow and open during
the first warm days of late winter or early
spring. the stamrate and pistillnte flowers are
in separate clusters sometimes on the same
tree. sometimes on different trees. Although
it Rttains its greatest DEVELOPMENT along tho
rich bottom lands OF the Ohio and Missis-
sippI. It also thrives we'll ON upland soil. Be-
cause of its fast growth 1t has been largely
branches are heavy and its wood brittle 1t is
liable to be broken BY wind and snow storms:
hence it is not SO desirable tree for home
planting as is the sugar muplo. II also thrvcs
well and is WILDLY planted in Europe. Besides
the species itself hortcul uriss have raised a
number OF garden varieties. None OF those
Seeding varieties are very different or possess
greater beauty than the tyne" says our
author We can hardly concede this much.
I,..a IL IA .rl
vation. No tree can be moro elegant or beau-
tiful than the cut-lenvei pendulous- branched
silver mnpl". properly handled. By a system
OF foreshortening tho main branches In their
early career they are deprived OF their heavy
unwedy nature and rendered much loss Liable
TO breakage by storms.
The red maple. or scarlet maple tAcer
rubrun) Is slender Il Zee sometimes arising to
30 or la0 feet with trunk three to four feet In
diameter. Tits one OF the most common and
generally distributed OF tla trees OF eastern
North America, and abounds along the borders
OF wet swamrs but i. also thrives we'll when
planted in rich upland soil. No other American
maple shows such IL tendency to vary in the |
shape OF its leaves. Its wood is much esteemed
In the manufacture offurnitnre. As shade and
ornamental tree 1t is also much planted. It's |
comeiy form. scarlet flowers in early spring, |
scarlet fruit IN lntc spring. and vivid leaf color
ing in early fall! oil appeal to the hortic ulturlst.
A plo q is also devoted to Drummond's red
maple tAcer ruJ,u,a. var. DrnnlmOndi), we'll |
marked form common in the deep swamps Of
southern Arkansas. eastern Texas. and |
weston n Louisiana. The lenves arc three
lobed, ami IN tho under side covered with
thick white tomantum. This variety has been
grown in the vicinity OF New York for the rast
three or four years and seems to be hardy
enough here 1t Is strikinCly beautiful form.
with large lcn.hery leavss and bright rsd
potioles. distinct and readily distinguished
from any oiour common red naples.
plate Is also devoted to the box elder or |
ash-lenvei maple tAcrr Negundo). and another |
to the Californian variety OF 1t tAcer Ne7,mdo |
var. Ca iforn;cum. Tho common box elder at |
tnins height OF nifty to seventy feet dividing
near the ground into several stout. wids-