^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 



^^^^^^ 



American Forest Trees 



NINETY-SEVENTH PAPER 

 BED HAW 



Crataegus coccinea — Linn. 



The range of red or scarlet haw extends from New Foundland 

 westward through southern Canada to the eastern base of the 

 Rocky mountains, thence south to Texas and Florida. It covers one- 

 half of the United States. In the northern part of its range the 

 red haw is confined to the slopes of low hills and along water 

 courses, but south in the Appalachian mountains it grows at an 

 elevation of several thousand feet. 



It has various names in different 

 regions. It is called scarlet haw 

 in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, 

 New York, New Jersey, Pennsyl- 

 vania, North Carolina, South Caro- 

 lina, Mississippi, Arkansas, Mis- 

 souri, Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa and 

 Minnesota; red haw in Ehode 

 Island, New York, West Virginia, 

 South Carolina, Georgia, Missis- 

 sippi, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri, 

 Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio, Iowa, Min- 

 nesota and South Dakota; white 

 thorn in Vermont, Rhode Island, 

 Delaware, Mississippi, Iowa, Illi- 

 nois, Kansas, Minnesota and On- 

 tario; scarlet thorn in Vermont, 

 Massachusetts, Ehode Island, New 

 Jersey, Delaware and Ontario; 

 scarlet thorn in Vermont, Massa- 

 chusetts, Ehode Island, New Jer- 

 sey, Delaware and Ontario; scarlet- 

 fruited thorn in Michigan and Min- 

 nesota; red thorn in Kentucky; 

 hawthorn in Pennsylvania and 

 Iowa; thorn in Vermont, New York, 

 Kentucky and Montana; thorn bush 

 in Rhode Island and Pennsylvania; 

 thorn apple in Vermont and Mon- 

 tana; thorn apple tree in Minne- 

 sota; thorn plum in Maine, Ver- 

 mont and New York; haw bush in 

 Montana; scarlet thorn haw in 

 Florida; hedge thorn in Montana; 

 and red thorn bush in Kentucky 

 and Indiana. The fact is worthy 

 of note that it is well known and 

 is clearly recognized in every re- 

 gion where it grows, though various 

 names are given it. 



The red haw never reaches large 

 size. In rare cases it may attain a 

 height of thirty feet and a diame- 

 ter of ten inches, but it is usually 

 less than half that size. Where it 

 grows in the open it develops a 

 crown. The branches are armed 

 with chestnut-brown thorns from an 



inch to an inch and a half in length. The fruit is of little value 

 because of its small size, though its mild, acid flavor is not un- 

 pleasant. The bright scarlet color of the fruit gives name to the 

 tree. It ripens late in September or in October, and at that time 

 the tree presents a beautiful appearance. The branches frequently 

 remain laden with fruit after the leaves have fallen. 



The accompanying illustration shows a red haw tree on Thunder- 

 head mountain near the boundary line between Tennessee and 

 North Carolina. 



TYPICAL GROWTH RED HAW. EASTERN TENNESSEE- 

 WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 



The wood of red haw is of a high character and but for its 

 scarcity would have wide commercial use. It is among the heaviest 

 woods of this country. A cubic foot of it, thoroughly seasoned, 

 weighs 53.71 pounds. The tree is of slow growth and therefore the 

 annual rings are narrow, and the wood is dense. There is little 

 iiifference in the appearance of the heart-wood and the sap. The 



former is brown tinged with red, 

 and the latter is a little lighter in 

 color. The evenness and uniform- 

 ity of the rings of yearly growth 

 make the wood susceptible to a high 

 polish. The medullary rays — that 

 is, the streaks of lighter-colored 

 wood radiating from the center out- 

 ward — are very obscure in red haw, 

 and for that reason the appearance 

 of the wood is much the same, irre- 

 spective of the direction in which 

 it is cut. In that respect it is simi- 

 lar to the wood of most members of 

 the thorn family — usually being too 

 small to be quarter-sawed. How- 

 ever, even if the trees were large 

 enough, quarter-sawing would bring 

 out but little figure. 



Eed haw is a lathe wood. It is 

 well suited to some other purposes, 

 and has been used for engraving 

 blocks, small wedges, and rulers, 

 but the best results come from the 

 lathe. If it is thoroughly seasoned 

 it is not liable to crack or check, 

 though cut thin in such articles as 

 goblets and napkin rings. The 

 turner sometimes objects to the 

 wood because of its hardness and 

 the rapidity with which it dulls 

 tools. This drawback, however, is 

 compensated for by the smoothness 

 and fine polish which may be given 

 to the finished article. Red haw 

 checker pieces have been compared 

 with ebony for wearing quality. In 

 color, of course, the ebony is more 

 handsome, and on that account is 

 generally preferred. 



Perhaps the most extensive use 

 of red haw is in the manufacture 

 of canes. Most of the species of 

 thorn are suitable for that purpose 

 on account of their weight, strength 

 and hardness. Eed haw is not spe- 

 cially preferred, but is used with 

 others. 



Red haw runs into many forms 

 and varieties, differing in shape and size of leaves and fruits. 

 Some of the characteristics which are prominent in one variety or 

 form may be inconspicuous in another. Because of this fact, 

 identification is not always easy. There are at least ten well- 

 known forms or varieties of red haw in the United States. As a 

 source of wood supply, the tree will never be important; but as an 

 adornment to the landscape it will always be valuable, and at the 

 same time will fill a minor place in the country's list of commer- 

 cial woods. 



—25— 



