Forest Trees and Shrubs of Meriden, Conn. 61 



55. SALIX BABYLONIA. (Linn.) 



W^ecping Willow. Drooping "Willow. 



From thirty to fifty feet high. Is of but Itttle or no economic 

 value. There are others of this difficult genus, growing in low 

 grounds, and mostly native species. There have been identified 

 in Meriden, S. rostrata. Beaked Willow ; S. fragilis, Crack Willow ; 

 S. Russelliana, Bedford Willow. 



IX. ARTOCARP^. The Bread-Fruit Family. 



56. MORUS RUBRA. (Linn.) 



Red Mulberry. 



From fifteen to twenty-five feet high, and nine to eighteen inches 

 in diameter. Not common in Meriden. Wood, yellow, very 

 heavy and durable, coarse-grained, satiny, susceptible of a good 

 polish. Used in fencing, cooperage, snaths, etc. The leaves have 

 been successfully used for feeding silk worms. Specific gravity, 

 0.5898 ; ash, 0.71. 



The M. nigra, Black Mulberry, has been identified in Meriden 

 by Foster Brothers and J. H. Yale, but I have not seen it. It is 

 an introduced tree, as well as the M. alba, White Mulberry, of 

 which a few specimens are found in Meriden. It should be culti- 

 vated more largely for feeding silk worms and the production of 

 silk. 



X. ULMACE^. The Elm Family. 



57. ULMUS AMERICANA. (Linn.) 



White Elm. American Elm. Water Elm. Weeping 

 Elm. 



A large^and common tree, from sixty to eighty feet in height, 

 and should be generally planted in every street in Meriden. Wood, 

 brown, very tough in young trees, rather cross-grained, difficult to 

 split. Used in the manufacture of hubs, saddle-trees, flooring, 

 cooperage, etc. Specific gravity, 0.9506; ash, 0.80. 



