The Maples 



altitudes it will endure with cheerfulness. Out of a certain 

 number of nursery trees you may plant a row rising gradually 

 from low bottom land to an altitude of 6,000 feet above sea 

 level, and they will all thrive. 



It is the nature of mankind to love box elders for growing 

 where most trees refuse. In the treeless regions people had no 

 time to experiment with uncertain trees. Their land, taken up 

 under the homestead laws, had to show so many acres of wood- 

 land at the end of a certain time. So box elders and cotton- 

 woods and soft maples went in, because they could best be de- 

 pended upon to grow. The windbreak behind the settler's 

 house and the sh .de trees in front were of these same trees. They 

 grew, but they c "dn't do well. 



In the Middle West the quick growth and youthful prettiness 

 of the box elder have led people to keep on planting it, though 

 the early day of planting for shelter belts and windbreaks is 

 past. The result is that in many a village the majority of its 

 trees are unsightly, broken-down box elders and willows, with 

 a few fine elms, hard maples and ashes to redeem it. It is high 

 time the habit of planting the inferior, temporary kinds of trees 

 was overcome. 



In the interests of village improvement and the fostering 

 of a love for better trees I went out to reason with a neighbour 

 who had come over to beg a few trees to plant in front of his 

 new house. He was digging a volunteer box elder out of our 

 blackberry patch, when I expostulated, offering him some hand- 

 some young elms instead. Twas throwing words away. " I 

 told yo' paw I'd ruther have box elders, an' he said I could." 



" But why wouldn't you rather have the elms? You can 

 see yourself that the finest trees in town are elms." 



"Yes, they're harnsome trees elms is; but it's the shade 

 I want. I always noticed that box elders, big or little, has the 

 coolest shade of any trees they is." 



Before such subtle distinctions I was dumb. 



Japanese Maples 



I have said tnat Japan is the ancestral home of the maples. 

 Two-thirds of the forest trees in the islands to-day belong to the 

 genus Acer. The artistic and skilful Japanese gardeners have 



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