_A. rubrum_, the red-flowering or scarlet maple, is a middle-sized tree, and was introduced in 1656. The bright scarlet or dull red flowers appear before the leaves in March and April. The wood, like that of other species, is applicable to many purposes--as for the seats of Windsor chairs, turnery, &c. The grain in very old trees is sometimes undulated, which suggested the name of curled maple, and gives beautiful effects of light and shade on polished surfaces. The most constant use of curled maple is for the stocks of fowling-pieces and rifles, as it affords toughness and strength combined with lightness and elegance. The inner bark is dusky red. On boiling, it yields a purple colour which with sulphate of iron affords a black dye. The wood is inferior to that of the preceding species in strength and as fuel. Sugar was made from the sap by the French Canadians, but the production is only half as great as that from the sugar maple. In Britain it is cultivated as an ornamental tree, as being conspicuous for its flowers in spring, and for its red fruit and foliage in autumn. _A. macrophyllum_, a north-western American species, is a valuable timber tree. For a good account of the North American species see C. S. Sargent's _Silva of North America_, vol. ii. See also under SUGAR. MAPU, ABRAHAM (1808-1867), Hebrew novelist. His works are chiefly historical romances in Hebrew. His most famous books were _The Love of Zion_ and the _Transgression of Samaria_. Besides their intrinsic merits, these novels stand high among the works which produced the romantic movement in modern Hebrew literature. Mapu's plots were somewhat sensational, incident being more prominent than characterization. But underlying all was a criticism of contemporary life. His novels made a deep impression and became instantly popular. Mapu's Hebrew style is simple and classical. An English translation of the _Love of Zion_ bears the title _Amnon, Prince and Peasant_, by F. Jaffe (1887). Mapu's stories have been often translated into other languages. See N. Slouschz, _The Renascence of Hebrew Literature_ (1909), ch. v. (I. A.) MAQQARI, or Makkari [Abu-l-'Abbas Ahmad ibn Mahommed ul-Maqqari] (c. 1591-1632), Arabian historian, was born at Tlemcen in Algeria and studied at Fez and Marrakesh, where he remained engaged in literary work until he made the pilgrimage to Mecca in 1618. In the following year he settled in Cairo. In 1620 he visited Jerusalem and Damascus, and during the next six years made the pilgrimage five times. In 1628 he was again in Damascus, where he gave a course of lectures on Bukhari's collection of _Traditions_, spoke much of the glories of Moslem Spain, and received the impulse to write his work on this subject later. In the same year he returned to Cairo, where he spent a year in writing his history. He was just making preparations to settle definitely in Damascus when he died in 1632.