The Trees of Vermont 225 



White Asli 

 Fraxinus amerlcana L. 



Characteristics. — Bark gray, deeply furrowed into firm, narrow, 

 flattened ridges ; sap wood thick, whitish ; heart wood brownish ; ring- 

 porous ; growth rings rather narrow, distinctly marked by 3-5 rows of 

 large pores in the spring wood ; pores of the summer wood small and 

 inconspicuous, joined by wood parenchyma to form short, broken, tan- 

 gential lines, especially near the periphery of the growth ring; rays 

 inconspicuous to microscopic ; vessels without spirals. 



Qualities. — Fairly heavy, 39 pounds per cubic foot, seasoned ; 

 rather hard ; fairly strong ; shrinkage 5 percent ; warps little ; straight- 

 and close-grained ; not durable in contact with the soil ; splits readily 

 and nails badly ; becomes brittle with age. 



Uses. — Farm implements, oars, handles, interior finish, cheap 

 cabinet-work, carriage-stock, etc. 



American Elm. White Elm 

 Ulmus amerlcana L. 



Characteristics. — Bark ash-gray, deeply fissured into broad, 

 scaly ridges ; sapwood thick, yellowish ; heartwood light brown ; ring- 

 porous ; growth rings rather wide, distinctly marked by usually one 

 row of large pores in the spring wood ; pores of summer wood some- 

 what smaller, forming broad, mostly connected, tangential lines, which 

 are strongly wavy ; rays numerous, inconspicuous ; vessels with spirals. 



Qualities. — Fairly heavy, 34 pounds per cubic foot, seasoned ; 

 hardness medium ; fairly strong ; shrinkage 5 percent ; warps and 

 checks considerably ; coarse-grained, with the fibers commonly inter- 

 laced ; not durable in contact with the soil ; difficult to split ; tough and 

 hard to work. 



Uses. — Wheel-stock, cooperage, heavy timbers, heavy agricultural 

 implements, etc. 



