TREES AND SHRUBS 231 



THE MAPLES 



To the early Colonists the maples were trees of value. 

 Their presence as a rule meant strong fertile land of 

 high agricultural value; besides, sugar could be ob- 

 tained from several of them. There are all told nine 

 species of maple trees in the United States, of which 

 the sugar maple is the most important from an eco- 

 nomic point of view. The box elder and silver maple 

 are both common, having been widely planted, but in 

 spite of their rapid growth are considered undesirable 

 for shade purposes as they are both very brittle. 



