Cornell Nature-Study Leaflets / Being a selection, with revision, from the teachers' leaflets, home nature-study lessons, junior naturalist monthlies and other publications from the College of Agriculture, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., 1896-1904

by New York State College of Agriculture

Though the fruit of the sugar maple matures in midsummer, yet you may perhaps find beneath your tree some of the keys or seeds now partially planted. If the tree stands alone you may perchance see how well she has strewn its seeds, and how many of its progeny have been placed in positions where they can grow successfully.

Fig. 288. Leaves and fruits of Norway maple.

We have in New York State seven species of maple common in our forests. Two of these are dwarf species rarely attaining thirty-five feet in height, more often found as mere bushes. These two are the mountain maple and the striped maple or moosewood. This latter is sometimes called goose-foot maple, because its leaf is shaped somewhat like the foot of a goose. Of the maples that attain to the dignity of tall trees we have four species: the sugar maple, the silver or white maple, the red or swamp maple, and the box elder. The leaf of the box elder does not look like the leaf of a maple at all; it has a compound leaf of three or five leaflets, but the flowers and fruits are those of the maples. There is also a variety of sugar maple that is called black maple. We have planted in our parks the sycamore and Norway maples introduced from Europe, and also ornamental species from Japan. Our native species are easily distinguished from these and from each other; just a little observation as to the shape of the leaves, the form of the trees, and the character of the bark enables a person to tell all these species at a glance. I hope that you will become familiar with the seven native species. Such knowledge is not only of practical use, but gives real zest and pleasure. When a person walks in the morning he should be able to call his tree acquaintances as well as his human acquaintances by name.

Fig. 289. Leaves and fruits of striped maple.

Questions on the Maples.

1. How many species of maple trees do you know and what are they?

2. How do you distinguish the red maple and the silver maple from the sugar maple?

3. What is the shape of the one tree you have chosen to study?