194

A DISCOURSE

Juba was sold for fifteen thousand,, and another, which I read of, valuedat one hundred and forty thousand H. S. which,, at about three halfpencesterling, arrives to a pretty sum; and yet that of .the Mauritanian.Ptolemie was far richer,, containing four feet .and a half diameter, .threeinches thick, which is reported to have been sold for its weight in gold :Of that value they were, and so madly luxurious the age, that .when

form, the 2000 sugar Maple-trees alone confer a value upon it of 5,333 dollars and 30-90ths■of a dollar. It is said, that the sugar-trees, when deprived of the shelter and support theyderive from other forest-trees, are liable to be blown down, occasioned by their growing in a•rich, and of course a loose soil. To obviate this, it will only be necefsary to cut off some of•their branches, so as to alter its centre of gravity, and to allow the high winds to .have an.easy pafsage through them. Orchards of sugar'Maple-trees, which grow with an originalexposure of all their parts to the action of the sun, are not liable to this inconvenience/'

1. ACER (pe ,vw riv an i cum ) foliis trilobis acuminatis serrulatis,. floribus raeemosis.Lin. Sp. PI. 1496. The mountain maple.

The body of this tree is slender, and is covered with a whitish bark. It sends forth several redbranches, and grows about fifteen feet high. The leaves are tbree-lobed, pointed, and areunequally and sharply serrated. The flowers come out in longish bunches in the spring;they are of a greenish yellow colour, and are succeeded by seeds which (like those of theNorway Maple) generally fall off before they are ripe. This species is a native of Penn-sylvania .

8. ACER (tartaricum) foliis cordatis indivisis serratis, Iobis obsoletis, floribusraeemosis. Lin. Sp. PI. 1495. The Tartarian maple.

This species of Maple grows to the height of about twenty feet. The leaves are heart-shaped,undivided, and their edges are unequally serrated. The flowers come out from the wings ofthe leaves in long bunches. They appear early in the spring, and are sometimes succeededby ripe seeds in our gardens.

9. ACER ( monspessulanum ) foliis trilobis integerrimis glahris. Lin. Sp. PI. 1497.Acer trifolium. C. B. P. 431. The Montpelier maple..

The Montpelier Maple grows to about twenty feet high, and is a very beautiful tree. Theleaves are composed of three lobes of a shining green, and of a thickish substance ; they re-tain their verdure later in the year than most of the other sorts. The flowers come outin the spring, but have very little beauty; their blow is soon over, and they are sometimessucceeded by seeds which come to perfection in our gardens.

10. ACER (creticum) ..foliis. trilobis integerrimis subtus pubescentibus. Lin.'Sp,PI. 1497. The Cretan maple..

This grows to about the height of the former. The leaves are downy, composed of threelobes, and grow opposite to each other on long downy foot-stalks. The flowers come out inthe spring, and are very seldom succeeded by good seeds in. England. It is a native of theEast.