35G TREES OF MINNESOTA. 



conducted on a large scale in Europe, but has never attained 

 any importance in the United States. The bast fiber is ob- 

 tained by stripping the bark from the trees in the spring and 

 soaking it until the mucilage that binds the layers together is 

 soaked out. 



Tilia vulgaris. European Basswood. European Linden. 



Native of northern Europe, forming a large tree. The wood 

 of this species is much like that of the American Basswood. 

 The leaves, however, are smaller, and more regularly heart 

 shaped. The tree is compact in habit, and has numerous short, 

 rather slender reddish twigs. There are many varieties. This 

 species has been doing very well for about seven years in the 

 forest plantation at the Minnesota Experiment Station, and 

 seems to be of some value for this section. The varieties of 

 the broad-leaved European Linden (T. Platyphyllos) have failed 

 in this section. 



ELAEAGNACEAE. OLEASTER FAMILY. 



Genus EI^AGNUS. 



Shrubs or trees, silvery-scurfy or stellate pubescent with en- 

 tire leaves and perfect or polygamous flowers. The lower part 

 of the perianth of fertile flowers incloses the ovary, and ripens 

 into a fleshy or mealy mass around the akene-like true fruit. 

 The upper part is four-cleft and deciduous. Corolla none; 

 stamens four, borne on the tube of the perianth. 



Elaeagnus angustifolia. Russian Olive. 



Leaves narrowly lanceolate, two to three inches long, white- 

 scurfy on lower side, stellate pubescent on the upper. Perianth 

 whitish outside and yellowish inside. 



Distribution. Europe and Asia. 



Propagation. By seeds, which grow readily, by layers and 

 by autumn-made cuttings. 



Uses. The Russian Olive is a very hardy small ornamental 

 tree of very pretty habit, chiefly valued for the contrast it gives 



