My mother has a maple tree in her front yard, probably 15 or more years old. It has these weird looking things on it. She took a piece of it to the nursery and they told her it was gourds and that bees or wasps do something to them and that they are impossible to get rid of. They are multiplying very quickly. Just like all over the limbs and branches of the tree. Any clue about suck a thing? She is ready to cut the tree down (which the nursery man said was healthy). ???

labman

am not familiar with this problem. If the nursery says the tree is healthy, I see no good reason to cut it down. Check with your county extension agent. Even very urban counties have extension agents. Look under the county name and extension or coop extension in the phone book.