Bryan Tyler Nelson			MAPLE
		MAPLE Twenty-three species of maple grow in Canada and the U.S. They form two broad commercial groups: soft maple and hard, or "sugar," maple--which is tapped each spring for its sap.     Hard maple flourishes west and south from southeastern Canada and Maine to Minnesota, Missouri, and Alabama. The largest quantities of hard maple are found around the Great Lakes, and Michigan and New York produce the most trees in this country.     Soft maple follows the same range, but grows in damper ground--lowlands, swamps, and stream banks. Maple sapwood has a clean, white appearance, is free from defects, and is typically 3" to 5" thick. These qualities make it more valuable than heartwood, which is uniform in color and runs from light reddish brown to dark brown.     Generally straight-grained with a consistent texture, maple also can have a bird's-eye or curly (also called fiddle back) pattern. Many woodworkers find the unique grain patterns of maple burl particularly appealing.     Soft maple, although similar in appearance to hard maple, produces lighter wood with more pronounced grain. Although not as tough, stiff, or heavy as hard maple, soft maple tends to resist warping and twisting better. Its color ranges from pale brown to almost white with brown streaks.
	Click image to enlarge. Curly Hard Maple with Bloodwood           Curly Hard Maple Quilted Maple Ambrosia Maple Curly  Maple Big Leaf Maple Burl half log. Bowls below are made from this log.

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