MAPLE. 335 
severely. This causes part of them to swell. Sift or pick these 
out and seald those remaining again. Continue this scalding 
and sifting until all have swelled. The seed can then be sown 
at onee in well prepared soil, and will in good soil produce 
plants three or more feet high the first season. They may also 
be grown from root cuttings and from sprouts. 
Properties of wood.—Heavy, exceedingly hard and strong, 
close grained and very durable in contact with the ground. It 
is brown or light green, with very thin, pale yellow sapwood. 
The specific gravity is 0.7333; weight of a cubic foot 45.7 pounds. 
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 manuiacturing 
purposes. The wood is valuable 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 extensively 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. 
ACERACEAEF. MAPLE FAMILY. 
\ family composed of two genera, only one of which is rep- 
resented in America. 
Genus ACER. 
A genus of about 100 species of trees and shrubs, with watery 
olten saccharine sap and opposite simple leaves. Flowers regu- 
lar, generally polygamous or dioecious and sometimes apetalous; 
ovary two-celled, having two ovules in each cell. Fruit a 
double samara. The bark is astringent, and yields coloring 
matter. 
