BED OR REDDISH PURPLE 77 



The leaves are finely toothed and deeply cut, 

 almost lobed along the upper half. The outline 

 somewhat resembles that of a White Birch leaf. 

 The under surface is paler than the upper. 

 Yellow is the fall color. 



Floivers. — The rather large white flowers 

 grow on slender stems, in clusters. They have 

 a strong, disagreeable odor. May. 



This is a low tree with crooked, spreading 

 branches, ashy gray or light brown bark, and 

 stout thorns attaining maturity on third-year 

 growths. The plants^ like moist soil but will 

 grow in pasture lands, where they form thickets, 

 the thorns protecting them from destruction by 

 grazing animals. In New England this thorn is 

 generally larger than the other species. 



Cratcegiis macracantha has longer thorns, 

 thicker leaves, stouter stems, and larger flowers 

 and fruits. The leaves are sometimes doubly 

 serrate. 



Crataegus mollis varies chiefly from CratcB- 

 ejus coccinea in having hairy leaves, twigs, and 

 leaf stems. It is about two weeks earlier. 



Partridges are fond of the Thorn fruits, and 

 in the good old days, when snaring the birds 

 was not "prohibited by law," the bright little 



