Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/152

 140 MAPLE tains is a small shrub with leaves resembling those of the common currant in size and shape ; its foliage is variable, and one form has been described as a distinct species, A. triparti- tum. Among the exotic species cultivated in this country, the largest and finest is the syca- more maple (A. peudo-platanus); it attains the height of 60 ft. or more, with wide-spread- ing branches; specimens in England have reached 100 ft. with a diameter of 6 to 9 ft. ; its foliage resembles that of the sugar maple, but the leaves are much larger, somewhat downy beneath, and on long reddish petioles; the flowers are in long racemes, and the fruit has only moderately spreading wings ; the wood is much esteemed in Europe for turners' work and other uses. There are several varieties of this species, one of which has purple leaves, and another with leaves variegated with yel- low. The tree does not well bear transplant- ing when large. The Norway maple (-4. pla- field maple (A. campestre), as seen in this conn- try is scarcely more than a bush, seldom above 10 'or 15 ft. high ; in the south of Europe it grows much larger; its heart-shaped leaves Sycamore Maple (Acer pseudo-platanus). tanoides), from northern Europe, is probably more generally planted, at least in the eastern states, than any other species ; though of but slow growth when young, after four or five years from the seed it increases very rapidly, and forms a tree 60 ft. or more high ; the con- tour of the tree is much like that of the sugar maple, and the leaves somewhat resemble those of that species. This tree can be readily dis- tinguished by the milky juice of the leaves, vhicli ia best seen on breaking the petiole; the fruit is smooth, the wings diverging in a straight line. It is a most valuable shade tree, espe- cially for streets and avenues; for this use it has some advantages over the sugar maple, as its foliage is more dense, and appears earlier and holds on later ; it is remarkably free from the attacks of insects, a fact that has been as cribed to its milky juice. The eagle's-claw anc the shred-leaved maples are accidental form of this. The common European or English Common European Maple (Acer campestre). are 2 to 3 in. broad, and five-lobed ; flowers in short erect clusters and wings of the fruit di- verging horizontally ; there are several named varieties which differ from the type in foliage ; the wood makes excellent fuel, and when large enough is used for cabinet and other work. Its chief value with us is as a lawn tree; it makes a regular and formal growth, and when well developed and branching to the ground presents a dense mass of foliage as broad as it is high. The Candian (A. Creticum), almost an evergreen, the Tartarian (A. Tartaricum), the Montpellier (A. Monspessulanum), and the Colchian 'maple (A. Colchicum), and some others, are met with in collections of rare trees. A highly ornamental class of maples is found in Japan, several of which have been intro- duced into this country by Mr. Thomas Hogg; these include varieties of A. palmatum, A.po- lymorphum, and others of which the species are not determined ; they present a great va- riety in the lobing and dissection of their leaves and the most exquisite variegations in color. The ash-leaved maple, called acer negundo by Linnceus and Michaux, is now placed in a sep- arate genus, negundo, which differs from acer in having perfectly dioecious flowers and pin- nate leaves. There are but three or f on r_ spe- cies of this genus, which is peculiar to North America and Japan. The common species is N. aceroides, which is found from the Red river of the North to North Carolina, but mainly westward, and is more abundant on the banks of streams than elsewhere. It is a rapid-grow- ing tree when young, but is short-lived on dry soils ; in favorable situations it becomes a fine tree 40 to 60 ft. high, but is usually much smaller ; it f onns a handsome round head with