138 THE TREE BOOK 



mountain slopes and tlie company of the hazel 

 bush and yew, and their only excuse for being 

 is their beauty. The box elder, or ash-leaved 

 maple, is so well known that it scarcely needs 

 any introduction. It grows so rapidly that set- 

 tlers of the prairie always plant it. It differs 

 from all other maples in having compound 

 leaves, and in bearing staminate and pistillate 

 flowers on separate trees. Like the silver and 

 Norway maples, it bears no touch of red in its 

 autumnal coloring, but flaunts a pure pale yel- 

 low. 



The Japanese take great pride in their potted 

 maple trees. Such wonderful variations in 

 form, color, and texture as the leaves show! 

 When the maples are at their best, they have a 

 Maple Fair. Every one turns out to see and 

 exclaim over the beauties of the miniature trees, 

 many of which are more than a hundred years 

 old. 



