Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-10-31
VARIETIES OF MAPLE
THERE ARE FIVE DIFFERENT KINDS
OF THE NATIVE SPECIES.

The Sugar Maple Has Well Defined
characteristics of Its own, and
These VIII Always Prove m I'm
failing Means OF Identification
Although the family resemblance be
tween the different maple species is
ltrOng. the sugar maple has definite
characteristics Of its own. and these
are an unfailing means of identified
ton. 1t is Il tall, erect tree, with
smooth branches. hard bark. which
breaks into long assures, several inches
apart on the main trunk, and with dark
brown twigs. The leaves are opposite
each other on the stem. and in winter,
if one looks carefully. the scars Of the
leaves may be seen and even the tiny
scars left by the small fibers which
held the leaf in place.
The buds are brown and sharp point.
cd. with small overlapping scales, and
the terminal bud, ut the tip of the
branch, is larger than the lateral ones
which grow opposite each other on the
stem. Always hold firmly in mind the
fact that the sugar maple has brown.
pointed buds. for even in summer they
serve To identify the tree after the
seasons growth has been completed.
The buds and the peculiar appearance
Of the bark. which looks as II II had
been plowed, are the most distinctive
characteristics.
The four other native naples are the
red, or swamp, maple, the one from
which Thoreau in his youth succeeded
in extracting small quantity Of sugar;
the white. or silver. maple. n water low
ing species; the moosewood. or striped,
maple n beautiful tree, and the spik-
cd, or mountain, maple, roadside
shrub.
The red maple. the most brilliant of
the family both in spring and autumn,
and the sugar maple are quickly told
apart.
One has only TO contrast the red,
rounded buds Of the former with the
brown. slender, pointed ones of the
sugar maple TO see how widely they
vary. and. since multiplication Of d.
verging traits tends to confuse the
memory, let this unfaillng proof suf-
fee.
The silver maple grows In a loose
tointed manner peculiar to itself. Its
branches sweep down and the tips
curve up, making half circles, very
different from the compact form Of
growth of the sugar maple. Its buds
are Identical with those of the red ma
pie, so again we have only to apply
this test when there Is any doubt
whether the tree is a sugar maple or
not.
In a natural state the silver maple
grows by the banks of clear, sandy
bedded streams, and then the down
ward dropping branches fairly touch
the water in graceful pendulous curves.
The bark flakes Off in loose strips from
the trunks of old trees, unlike the close
furrowed bark of the red maple and
unlike that Of the sugar maple.
The striped maple and the mountain
maple will not often trouble the stu
dent by causing confusion with the
sugar maple, because they never grow
to be large trees. In early youth, how
ever. among saplings In the woods
there may be difficulty, and then the
brown sugar maple buds, sharp point
ed and with numerous scales, instantly
serve TO distinguish that maple from
the two others. with their red, rounded
buds covered by n pair Of scales only.
The vivid green bark on the trunk and
branches of the striped maple and the
shrubby growth Of the mountain maple
prevent any chance OF confusion when
the trees are older.
In the country these four species Of
naples only are to be seen, but in vii
lagos. towns and suburban districts the
Norway and sycamore naples from
Europe are frequently found.
The Norway maple has dark reddish
brown buds. much larger and rounder
than those Of the sugar maple. and its
stems also are coarser. Inside these
buds the small leaves are closely in
folded by scales covered with dense
brown hair, like sealskin fur and so
delicate. pretty and soft that one is
well repaid for the trouble of opening
the bud with a penknife TO see them.
When stem of recent growth is bro
Ken Off the Norway maple. n white.
milky juice eXules from the wound-a
characteristic which helps to distin-
guish the tree both i'm winter and sum-
mer.
The mOre-maple-the tree which
figures so often in English literature
as the sycamore"-is easily recognized
by its large round buds OF a vivid shade
OF green, and this color remains un-
changed throughout the leafess season.
The sweet harvest Of the sugar maple
is the only harvest in the world to
ripen in the bleak. wind swept days Of
March.-Annie Cakes Huntington in
Youths Companion.
The Clock Plant.
Where is q plant. native of Borneo.