preface 



There are few problems of more economic importance to the 

 State of Kentucky at the present time than an adequate forest 

 policy. Relieving that, if the people of the State could be brought 

 to a realization of the fact, that few regions of the world hi. 

 greater number of merchantable species of trees than Kentucky, 

 they would establish and support such a forest policy, this volume 

 descriptive of the State trees has been prepared. 



The term "tree" has been given, regardless of size, to every 

 woody plant which produces one main stem, bearing a definite 

 crown ; this feature distinguishes trees from shrubs which have 

 main 1 stems growing from the same roots. 



Although any systematic arrangement of trees necessitates the 

 use of botanical names, an effort has been made to use the smallest 

 possible number, in order that the book may appeal to all persons 

 interested in the forest conditions of the State. The sequence of 

 families follows the order advocated by Engler and Prantl, the 

 renowned German botanists, and the nomenclature is adopted 

 from "The Check List of Forest Trees in the United States." 

 Bulletin 17 Forest Service. For convenience, a list of the com- 

 mon names of the trees, native and naturalized in Kentucky has 

 been added. 



The manuscript was offered to the Kentucky Federation of 

 Women's Clubs for publication of an unlimited first edition, pro- 

 vided the books were distributed free to the people of the State. 

 This offer was accepted at the Annual Meeting in Owensboro, 

 June, 1909. 



Before going to press the manuscript was checked up by Mr. 

 George 1'.. Sudworth, Dendrologist of Forest Service: Dr. Her- 

 mann Von Schrenk, of St. Louis, and Mr. J. P>. Atkinson, of 

 Earlington, Ky. 



The illustrations are from photographs given by Forest 

 Service, Washington, D. C. ; Prof. C. J. Norwood, Director of 

 Kentucky Geological Survey: Mr. J. P.. Atkinson, of Earlington, 

 Ky. ; Dr. Henry Chandler Cowles, of the University of Chicago, 

 and from those made under the supervision of the Author. 



