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Show 1900] PRODUCTS 45 and a curse, supplying abundance of building material and fuel at his very door, while, on the other hand, before the land could be cultivated, arduous labor was entailed in the removal of the trees and the tearing of their roots from the ground. During the Indian wars, too, they formed an effectual screen for the advancing enemy. From the forest various products useful as food were obtained, though these have naturally had a diminishing importance. Many kinds of shell fruits, such as chestnuts, beech, hazel, hickory, pecan, walnuts, and butternuts, were used in this way, besides wild cherries and plums. The sap of the maple also yielded excellent sugar to the aborigines as well as to the pioneers. Most of the trees important for food purposes are of foreign origin, jthe great diversity of soil and climate making it possible to grow plants of nearly all countries not strictly tropical. Skilful cultivation and care in the selection of suitable varieties have led to the extension of many species of fruits over a wide area, so that fruit of the same kind is placed upon the market over a long period of time, the first coming from the most southern range and then from points successively farther north. The fruit of most general and varied use is the apple, a native of Europe and Asia, but introduced into America by the early settlers. It has a great number of cultivated varieties, of which several are of importance in this country. It grows well in |