When the maple is planted to grow singly on the lawn, or in small groups, it should never be trimmed up ten or twenty feet high, a very common practice in some places, as this destroys half its beauty; but if it be suffered to branch out quite low down, it will form a very elegant head. The maple is well suited to scenes expressive of graceful beauty, as they unite to a considerable variation of surface, a pleasing softness and roundness of outline. In bold or picturesque scenes, they can be employed to advantage by intermingling them with the more striking and majestic forms of the oak, etc., where variety and contrast is desired. The European sycamore, which is also a maple, has a coarser foliage, and more of strength in its growth and appearance: it perhaps approaches nearer in general expression and effect to the plane tree, than to our native maples.
