One of New York's many species of trees, this one is easily recognized because of its peculiar bark.  The brownish white base is covered with scale-like green and brown patches.  This is one of our largest trees and the maple-like leaves may be six inches in diameter.  The fruit are 1" balls of hanging from large stalks.  This tree is old at 500 years.  (so am I.)  The wood is hard and coarse-grained and used in making for furniture, while Native Americans used them for dugout canoes.  Cavities in the trees provide nesting places for squirrels, owls, wood ducks, and other species.