H Trees with Simple Leaves. [A i 



Leaf, two to five inches long ; usually about half as broad ; 

 dark green and very shining above, especially when 

 old ; light green and shining below ; thick, tough, 

 and firm. Middle rib slightly hairy when young ; 

 side ribs rather indistinct and curved. 



Bark, grayish and often broken into short sections. 



Fertile flowers, small, in clusters of three to eight on 

 slender stems. April, May. 



Fruit, nearly one half inch long ; bluish-black when ripe ; 

 egg-shape or oval ; acid and rather bitter until 

 "frosted." Stone, oval, somewhat pointed at each 

 end, slightly flattened, and with three or four blunt 

 ridges on each side. September. 



Found, from Southern Maine to Michigan, and southward 



to Florida and Texas. 

 A tree twenty to forty feet high (larger southward), 



with flat, horizontal branches. The wood, even in short 



lengths, is very difficult of cleavage, and so is well fitted 



for beetles, hubs of wheels, pulleys, etc. Its leaves are 



the first to ripen in the fall, changing (sometimes as early 



as August) to a bright crimson. 



I was commenting, one day, to a reverend doctor and 

 professor on the frequent reference to this tree in stories 

 and anecdotes of Southern life, when he fluently quoted : 



" Possum up a gum-tree, 

 Cooney in de holler, 

 Nigger in de corn-field, 

 Don't yer hear him holler." 



A better version changes the last two lines : 



" Possum up de gum-tree, 

 Cooney in de hollar. 

 Fetch him down, little boy, 

 Give yer half a dollar." 



The professor added the explanation that the opossums 

 climb the tree in search of its fruit. 



