Around here a "swamp maple" is also called a Manitoba Maple or Alder Maple
which is easy to tell as its seeds are small, in pairs and stay on the tree
all summer, through winter and drop in the very early spring, the leaves are
not as large as a Silver Maple but have an oversized center lobe and the two
side lobes are very small to non-existent. Silver Maples have a standard
Maple shape with a silvery underside and the seeds are produced in singles
and drop in the same year produced in the late spring. I have both on my
property and the difference is easy to identify.

Regarding burning, no they are not a high density wood as Oak or Sugar Maple
and many other trees, but as free wood, they will burn and produce heat,
just you will need to burn more wood than the better trees once it is dried.
Keep the woodpile covered or you may experience some rot if it sits for a
few years, and keep it off the ground. I have burned cuttings and downed
trees in my wood stove for years, so don't waste the wood if you have an
opportunity to use it and reduce the use of other expensive fuels.


"Steve" wrote in message
...
Wife and I have been going back and forth about removing two very large
trees from our front yard.
Tree guys that have come out have called them swamp maples or silver
maples??? Not sure what the difference is.
A lawn guy that came out said these trees have shallow roots and take
nutrients away from the grass.
We have a small front lawn, about 80' x 30' with these two trees on each
end.
I would like to remove both trees and have the stumps ground down. Tree
guy
said he would grind 6" or so below ground level and we could fill it over
with soil. I asked about the stump rotting and he said it wouldn't happen
for a hundred years ???
I'm guessing the underground stump will rot and cause a depression that
will
have to be refilled over time???
Also He said he would leave allot of the wood in 4' length and I could cut
it down and use it in my wood/coal stove.
is "swamp maple" good to burn? He said it was a hard wood. It would be
green
so I guess I'd have to wait until next year to burn it. We live in
Massachusetts...

$1800 to cut both trees, grind two stumps (plus two smaller stumps in back
yard) Haul away the big trunks and grind up the smaller branches. and
leave
me wood cut and burn. Not sure what a cord of wood costs but it would help
defray the costs of the cutting!!!

I'm also going to ask if they can leave me a section of the large tree cut
about 3 feet long. My dad had a section of stump like that when I was a
lad
and we used it as a work surface in the work shop to pound on...

I think the trees are overgrown. they are growing into the wires in the
street (power co wont trim them despite repeated calls)
every time we get a storm a dozen branches fall in the yard. I would
eventually plant 1 new tree and start over.

My wife is concerned about the loss of shade on the house.. I think having
the trees is more of a problem as our old roof (replaced 2 years ago) had
moss growing all over it because of the trees hanging over it.

It will certainly alter the look of the yard and may look odd at first but
I
think they are to large for the lot and after a couple of years we would
never miss them???

I would be interested in any thoughts on this matter, Cut them down or
save
the trees????


TIA

Sr