Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/51

* MAPLE. 35 MAPLE. pestre and Acer Psciulo-Plataniis. The common maple {Acer ciimpestre), a shrub or small tree seldom attaining a height of 50 feet, is a native of many parts of Europe and Asia. Its wood is hard, line-grained, takes a high polish, and is nuich used by turners and for carved work. The greater maple, sycamore, or plane tree of Eu- rope {Acer Psciido-Plafainis) is extensively planted both in Europe and in America. It is a large tree with a spreading head, 70 to 00 feet tall, of rather quick, vigorous growth. Its wood. M.IPLE LEAVES. 1, European maple iAcer camppsirc) : 2. striped maple (Acer FeDnsylraDirum); 3, suprar ni:xpf{Afersiicriiarmum); 4, cut leaved form of .lapaneee maple {Acer Japonicuw, var. dissectum). which is white, compact, moderately hard, re- ceives a line polish, and is nuich used by wheel- wrights, turners, etc. Sugar is sometimes made from the sap. The Norway maple (Acer platanoides) . a na- tive of Europe, is commonly planted in the East- ern United States and elsewhere as a shade tree. It grows to a height of 100 feet, and has a com- pact, round head, that renders the shade' very dense. It is by some preferred as a shade tree to the sugar maple, which it resembles. Among the American species perhaps the best knowni is the sugar maple {Acer sacchari- ninn), a large tree, 00-120 feet high, and found from New- foundland to Georgia and west- ward to the northern shores of the Great Lakes, eastern Ne- braka, and Kansas. The wood has a satiny appearance and is extensively used in cabinet work and finishing houses. When the grain has a pronounced wavy appearance the wood is called bird's-eye maple, and is used as veneer. From the sap of this tree large quantities of syrup and sugar are made. To obtain BED MAPLE. the sap, holes are bored into the a. Rtaminate tree for half an inch or more flowers; ft, pistU- ,^,,i,g„ ^j, ^ap is circulating lat« flowers. ,, . ,, ^ , . . . '^ freely m the late winter or early spring. The sap caught in vessels is evaporated until the residue becomes syrupy or until a yellowish or brown sugar is obtained. Trees will yield from 2 to 6 ])ounds of sugar during a season, and if the tapping, as it is called, is properly done, the tree suffers little injury. The black maple (.-leer HiV/riod ). by some botanists considered identical with Acer saccha- riiiiiDi, is also an abundant producer of sugar. Tlie tree is of similar habit and range to the former, and is distinguished from it by its black bark and generally duller appearance. By many it is considered on!}' a variety. The silver maple (.leer saccharintim, better Known as Acer dasy- carpiim) is a large, rapidly growing species of the same range as the last. It is an ornamental tree, with light, brittle wood, and is extensively planted as a shade tree, but, aside from its rapid growth, is not equal in this respect to the sugar maple. The tree is very hardy and easily grown, but on account of its brittleness is especially liable to damage by winds and storms breaking its limbs. This species was named Acer saccha- riniim by Linn^us under the impression that it Mas the true sugar maple, a tree which it is now believed he never saw. Sugar is made from it, but the sap is less sweet than that of either of the two species most commonly tapped. The striped maple {Acer Pennsi/hanicum) is a small tree with greenish bark striped with white lines. Its compact habit of growth and large leaves make it an excellent shade tree. The red or scarlet maple {Acer riihrum ) has about the same range as the sugar maple. It somewhat resembles the silver maple in habit, but is of slower growth. Its timber is valuable, and the sprintr coloring of the flowers and fruits and the autumn coloring of the leaves make it a very ornamental tree. The mountain maple {Acer spicutu7)i), a small tree in the Eastern X'nited States, the large- toothed or Oregon maple (Acer grandidcntata) , RED MAPLE {Acer rubruni). Spray with fruite. and the vine maple {Acercircinnaliiiii ) of the Rocky ^Mountains and Paeifie Coast, are other common and well-known species possessing the habits and uses described above. All of the species are valu- able for fuel, in this respect exceeding all other woods except hickory in popular estimation. Of many of the species there are numerous culti- vated varieties differing in their habit of growth, color and character of foliage, etc. The autumn coloring of the maples, especially in the United States, is not surpassed by any other group of trees, the reds and yellows of their leaves adding greatly to the beauty of the autumn landscape. Among the species of Eastern Asia are a num- ber that have been introduced into Western coun- tries, and some have proved valuable for plant- ing, such as the famous Japanese maples, most of which are varieties of Acer palmatnm and Acer Juponicum. They are mostly small trees or shrubs, and on account of their great variety in color and the deep and often curious lobing of their leaves, they are extensively planted as or- namentals. There is one group of Acer called the ash- leaved maples, on account of their compound leaves, that is often separated under the generic name Negundo. There are representatives of this group in Japan and in the United States, the