seed. I had a sugar tree in my yard, which bloomed and bore seed which
did not fall off through the summer. My yard now has as many little
sugar trees as it has leaves of blue grass.

It strikes me that the gathering and planting of maple seed is the
best way to wood the prairies of the West and the worn-out lands of
the Eastern and Middle States. The tree is valuable for shade and for
timber, and is as rapid in growth as any tree within my knowledge. I
noticed some trees of this sort yesterday which are from 2½ to 3½ feet
in diameter. The lumber from such timber makes beautiful furniture.
This is intended only for those who have been as non-observant as
myself, and not the wise, who are always posted.

Franklin, Tenn. J.B.M.

The seeds inclosed were the samaras of _Acer rubrum_, called the
"soft" maple in many localities, and "red" maple in others. We have
seen trees only three or four inches in diameter full of blossoms.
This is one of the earliest trees to bloom in spring, and the pretty
winged samaras soon mature and fall. The sugar maple, _Acer
saccharinum_, blossoms later, and the seeds are persistent till
autumn, and lie on the ground all winter before germinating. The
lumber from this latter is more valuable than soft maple, being
harder, heavier, and taking a better polish. Soft maple makes an
ox-yoke which is durable and not heavy. In early times a decoction of
the bark was frequently used for making a black ink.--_Country
Gentleman._

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