284 TREES OF MINNESOTA. 



Genus CARPINUS. 



Tall, slender trees or small shrubs. About twelve species in 

 the northern hemisphere, only one of which is indigenous t6 

 North America. 



Carpinus caroliniana. Blue Beech. Water Beech. 

 Hornbeam. 



Leaves ovate, oblong, sharply serrate, pale blue-green on 

 upper surface and light yellow-green on the lower, smooth and 

 thin, two and one-half to four inches long, resembling those 

 of the common Beech. Flowers monoecious, appearing with 

 the leaves; the staminate in rather dense catkins and the pistil- 

 late in small slender loose catkins with a three-lobed bracelet 

 to each seed. Fruit in loose clusters at the ends of the new 

 growth, with large three-lobed bracts to the involucre, ripening 

 late in the autumn. The nut is one-sixth to one-third of an 

 inch long. Shrubs or trees twenty or more feet high, with 

 smooth, grayish bark and stems often deeply furrowed. 



Distribution. From southwestern Quebec westward to north- 

 ern Minnesota and eastern Nebraska and south to Florida and 

 Texas. Also found in southern Mexico and Central America. 

 In Minnesota common throughout the south half of the state, 

 along streams and around lakes. 



Propagation. By seeds, which grow irregularly. The varie- 

 ties may be grafted or budded on seedling stocks. 



Properties of wood. Heavy, very strong, hard and close 

 grained; light brown, with thick, nearly white sapwood. Spe- 

 cific gravity 0.7286; weight of a cubic foot 45.41 pounds. 



Uses. The graceful habit, dark blue-green foliage and beauti- 

 ful autumn tints of the Blue Beech make it a desirable tree for 

 parks and lawns on good soil in somewhat sheltered situations. 

 The wood is so very tough that it was used by the early settlers 

 in the northern states for brooms, ox-gads, withes, etc. The 

 toughest wood of our northern forests. 



