THE COMMON, OR FIELD MAPLE. 53 



naturally in the middle and south of the European Con- 

 tinent and in the north of Asia. 



In France it appears to serve the purposes of man more 

 than in this country. According to Loudon, " The young 

 shoots, being tough and flexible, are employed by the coach- 

 men in some parts of France instead of whips. The tree 

 is much used in the same country for forming hedges, and 

 for filling up gaps in old fences. It is also employed in 



LEAVES AND FLOWERS OF THE FIELD MAPLE. 



topiary works, in geometrical gardens, its branches being 

 found to bear the shears better than those of most other 

 trees. The leaves and young shoots are gathered green, and 

 dried for winter provender for cattle. The sap yields more 

 sugar, in proportion to the quantity taken, than that of the 

 Sycamore ; but the tree does not bleed freely. In Britain 

 the tree is seldom planted for any other purpose than that 

 of ornament, in which it is effective, by adding to the 

 variety of a collection, rather than by its positive beauty." 



