782 Yearboo^ of Agriculture 1949 



toothed. Nuts 1^4 to 2/2 inches long including the thick husk, nearly spherical, slightly 

 flattened and angled, thin-shelled, sweet and edible. 



Principal uses: Same as No. 45. Wild trees and improved cultivated varieties produce 

 hickory nuts of commerce. 



48. RED HICKORY, Carya ovalis (Wangenh.) Sarg. (hickory [lumber], oval pignut 

 hickory, pignut hickory, pignut; Hicoria ovalis (Wangenh.) Ashe). 



Large tree of eastern third of United States (except coastal plains). Bark gray, 

 furrowed, often scaly or shaggy. Compound leaves 6 to 12 inches long. Leaflets 7 or 5, 

 without stalks, oblong or lance-shaped, long-pointed, finely toothed, hairy at first but 

 becoming smooth. Nuts 1 to 1 /4 inches long including the thin husk, nearly spherical 

 but variable in shape, thin-shelled, sweet and edible. 



Principal uses: Same as No. 45. 



49. PIGNUT HICKORY, Carya glabra (Mill.) Sweet (hickory [lumber], pignut, black 

 hickory; Hicoria glabra (Mill.) Britton). 



Large tree of eastern third of United States and southern Ontario. Bark dark gray, 

 with furrows and forking ridges. Compound leaves 8 to 12 inches long. Leaflets usually 

 5, or 5 and 7, without stalks, oblong or lance-shaped, 3 to 6 inches long, long-pointed, 

 finely toothed. Nuts 1 to 2 inches long including the thin or thick husk, broader toward 

 apex and usually not angled, thick-shelled, usually bitter. 



Principal uses: Same as No. 45. 



YY. Leaflets with smooth edges, evergreen; fruit egg-shaped with winged 

 seeds (tree of tropical Florida) MAHOGANY (Swietenia). 



50. WEST INDIES MAHOGANY, Swietenia mahagoni Jacq. (mahogany). 

 Medium-sized to large tree, rare in tropical keys of southern Florida; also in West 



Indies. Bark dark reddish brown, fissured. Leaves compound, evergreen, 4 to 6 inches 

 long. Leaflets 4 to 8, paired, short-stalked, broadly lance-shaped, 1 J/a to 3 inches long, 

 long-pointed, the two sides unequal, leathery, with edges smooth, yellow green. Flowers 

 small, in clusters, whitish green. Fruit, a large, egg-shaped capsule 3 to 5 inches long, 

 dark brown, with winged seeds 1 34 inches long. 



Principal uses: Not of commercial importance in Florida because of its rarity. Ma- 

 hogany, including other species, is the world's foremost cabinetwood and the most valuable 

 timber tree in tropical America. Planted as an ornamental and shade tree in Florida. 



XX. Leaflets rounded or blunt-pointed; twigs spiny; fruit a flat beanlike pod. 

 b. Leaflets with inconspicuous rounded teeth HONEYLOCUST (Gleditsia). 



51. HONEYLOCUST, Gleditsia triacanthos L. (common honeylocust, sweet-locust, thorny 

 locust). 



Large tree of Appalachian Mountain and Mississippi Valley regions, naturalized else- 

 where in eastern half of United States; also in southern Ontario. Bark grayish brown or 

 black, fissured into long, narrow, scaly ridges. Trunk and branches with large, stout, 

 usually branched spines, rareiy absent. Leaves once or twice divided (compound), 4 to 8 

 inches long. Leaflets numerous in pairs, elliptical, $/& to 1 /4 inches long, blunt-pointed 

 or rounded at apex, with inconspicuous rounded teeth, shiny dark green and smooth 

 above, yellow green and nearly smooth beneath. Flowers small, greenish or whitish, in 

 narrow clusters 2 to 2 /a inches long, in late spring. Pods 12 to 18 inches long and 1 to 1 1 /4 

 inches wide, flat, dark brown, hairy, slightly curved and twisted. 



Principal uses : Wood used locally for fence posts, construction, furniture, and railroad 

 ties. Shade tree. Shelterbelts. The sweetish pods are eaten by livestock and wildlife. 



bb. Leaflets not toothed LOCUST (Robinia). 



52. BLACK LOCUST, Robinia pseudoacacia L. (locust, yellow locust, shipmast locust). 

 Medium-sized tree, native in Appalachian Mountain and Ozark regions and widely 



naturalized in eastern half of United States and southern Canada. Bark brown, thick, 

 deeply furrowed, with rough, forked ridges. Twigs with a pair of spines about /a inch 

 long developing at base of each leaf. Compound leaves 8 to 14 inches long. Leaflets 7 to 19, 

 oval, 1 to 2 inches long, usually rounded at apex, with smooth edges, dark blue green 

 and smooth above, pale and smooth or nearly so beneath. Flowers white and very fragrant, 

 YQ to % inch long, in clusters 4 to 8 inches long, in spring. Pods 2 to 4 inches long 

 and /a inch wide, flat, brown. 



Principal uses: Fence posts, mine timbers, poles, railroad ties, stakes, and fuel. The 

 principal wood for insulator pins. Also lumber for rough construction. Planted for orna- 

 ment and shade, shelterbelts, and erosion control. 



WW ( W on p. 779) I . Leaves not divided into leaflets (simple) . 

 c. Leaves aromatic when bruised, edges smooth or 2- or 3-lobed; twigs bright 

 green SASSAFRAS (Sassafras). 



