MAPLES. 259 



Uses. The Locust is too tender for general planting in 

 Minnesota, but in favorable locations it makes a desirable 

 lawn tree on account of its pretty foliage and white flowers. 

 It can be sown in forest plantations but is not generally 

 desirable for such places on account of its sharp prickles, its 

 tendency to sprout and its liability to being occasionally 

 killed back although it seldom kills out. This tree is subject 

 to the attacks of borers, which generally spoil the value of 

 the timber for manufacturing purposes. The wood is valua- 

 ble for posts, ribs of vessels, tree nails and anything which 

 requires great strength. It is also excellent for fuel. It is a, 

 very popular tree in Europe and is said to be more exten- 

 sively cultivated there than any other American tree. The 

 bark of the root is tonic, or in large doses purgative and 

 emetic and is used in homeopathic remedies. Three cases of 

 poisoning in children who had eaten the root by mistake, have 

 been recorded. 



Family. 



A family composed of two genera, only one of which is- 

 represented in America. 



Genus ACER. 



A genus of about 100 species of trees and shrubs, with 

 watery often saccharine sap and opposite simple leaves. 

 Flowers regular, generally polygamous or dioecious and 

 sometimes apetalous; ovary 2-celled having two ovules in 

 each cell. Fruit a double samara. The bark is astringent 

 and yields coloring matter. . 



Acer saccharum. (A. saccharinum.) Sugar Maple. 

 Hard Maple. Rock Maple. 



Leaves large, 3 to 5 toothed, opposite, deep green above 

 and paler green beneath. Flowers greenish yellow, in nearly 

 sessile umbel-like corymbs, apetalous, appearing with the 

 leaves in the spring. Fruit a double samara; wings rather 



