Rural School Leaflet 



135:9 



feet and a diameter of four feet. It may easily be distinguished from 

 the black walnut by the trunk, which is shorter and has light-colored 

 bark, dark brown chambered pith, and larger and more flattened ter- 

 minal buds. Among all the native trees, the butternut is probably the 

 most interesting for winter study. The naked buds, the irregular leaf 

 scars with horseshoe bundle scars, and the brown chambered pith make 

 the tree easily distinguishable at any season of the year. The butternut 

 is widely distributed in the eastern United vStates, and is found locally 

 throughout New York State in rich bottom lands and on fertile hillsides. 

 It is not classified as a valuable timber tree, but it has been used rather 

 extensively for ornamental purposes. 

 The wood of the butternut is light 

 brown in color. It is easily worked 

 since it is light and soft, and is much 

 used for ftuniture, gunstocks, interior 

 finishing, and flooring. The inner 

 bark is used for medicinal purposes, 

 and a d}'e is made from the bark and 

 the nutshells. It is a short-lived tree 

 and will not grow under shade. It 

 is found, therefore, along the border 

 of woods, fences, and in open fields. 



C ATA LP A 



The catalpa belongs to a family 

 that comprises about one hundred 

 genera and fifteen hundred species. 

 Most of the representatives of this 

 family are found in the tropics, only a few being found in the temperate 

 zones. The eastern catalpa, which is often called Indian bean and cigar 

 tree, can be distinguished in summer by its leaves,, which are opposite 

 or whorled, and by its very large white flowers. The cigar, or beanlike 

 fruit, is a characteristic in autumn and winter. 



This tree has been planted for ornamental purposes in many parts of 

 the State and has been widely advertised as a tree suitable for mxaking 

 fence posts and railroad ties. It is not suitable,. however, for these pur- 

 poses in New York State because of the too severe climatic conditions. 



Bark of the btdlermU 



SASSAFRAS 



Few trees are more interesting than the sassafras. In simuner it may 

 be identified easily by the leaves, which have different .^Ijapes and present 

 quite a variation. (See illustration.) The sassafras is of little com- 



