Evening star., 1912-11-05
The Boston Arboretum.

The Arnold Arboretum has long been
gathering specimens of this interesting
genus, and its collection Of naples is
large and important. They are establish
ed-as a compa arative group-near the
great north meadow. between that and
the shrub collection. In fact, parts of
the group reach to the Jamaica plain
gateway, where some specimens of the red
maple standing opposite the administra-
ton building. which were raised from
gratis selected from trees OF exceptional
ly fine autumn color, are now rapidly
turning their foliage. Naples. however,
are to be found throughout the garden
along Valley and Hemlock roads, among
the hemlOcks themselves. on Peters Hill,
etc. A number OF noble and dignif1ed
specimens of the most important of the
New England species stand along Meadow
road, trees Of mature age and splendid
appearance, which show we'll the fine
character Of the genus.
Something more than a dozen species
are known in the United States. OF which
at least one-half are native to all or
parts of New England. The Towering of
these trees, though very varied and, ex-
cept perhaps in the case of the red ma
pie. comparatively unspectacular, Is an
interesting incident in our woodlands and
among our ornamental paintings. Elmer
sons brief reference to it Is helpfully
suggestive: "On the tall trees" says he,
fiowers) usually in corymbs on the small
er plants, as on the moOsewood they
hang in beautiful raceme. like bunch
OF currants."
The Red Maple.
The red maple (Acer rubrum) is a re-
markably interesting tree in many ways
Opening its brilliant crimson or scarlet
bloom in April, with US, it illumines many
a swampy wood edge long before there is
any sign Of LEAKAGE. enveloping the head
Of the tree in rich cloud Of beautiful
color. Later, after the leaves are out
the seed perfects quickly and decks the
tree again in thousands Of small keys, =
whose warm tint mingles with the foliage
AS early as August the leaves may begin
to color, here and there crimson branch
hanging out from the forest edge like an
early signal of the turning season. BY
| the last of September or early October
the whole tree is commonly in a splendid
| fiery glow. This tree-also known locally
| as the swamp, the scarlet, the soft maple
etc, though growing well in any good
soil, does it's best in rich wet lands. Its
| sap, though only about half as rich In
saccharin as that of the rock maple, will
| nevertheless make excellent sugar, which
| Is the case with nearly all of the species
to some degree.
The Silver Maple.
The white, or silver maple-Acer Sac
charinum-another common New England
type. is easily distinguishable in form
from the generally lower growing and
rather round headed shape Of the red
| maple, by its larger and more open
growth and by the silvery whiteness OF
the reverse side Of its very beautiful
leaves. as by their size also and distin-
guished shape. for they are divided into
five very marked points or lobes separated
from each other by sctue notches, the
edges being sharply cut into slender
teeth. The stirring Of the foliage upon a
| breezy day produces, by the turning Of its
silvery sides to the sun. very delight
full effect. which, with the airy grace OF
its huge limbs and swaying garlandlike
effect Of the long dropping or weeping
branches in some Of It's notable varieties
SUCH for example, as "Weifs,' has made
it a very popular ornamental tree. Its
| Towering is quiet, but pleasing, and oc-
ours at very early moment. marking
the last moments of winter; SO early, In
fact, that the fruit is often blighted by
frost. 1t Is widely distributed in eastern
America, both north and south, and Is
said to reach it's finest development in the
Mississippi basin, where may be seen
maple trees unequaled in majesty and
grace by those of any part of the world"
Still the silver maple has been known
to reach a vast size here in New Eng
land; old trees were frequently noted OF
| nine to twelve feet girth and Emerson
mentions one In Stockbridge which meas
ured in 1S43, twelve feet girth at three
feet from the ground and one at Lancas-
ter of eighteen feet five inches, one foot
from the ground.
The third and perhaps most notable OF
our northeastern species Is the rock
| maple. A saccharum, the sugar maple
par excellence.