Chap. 7. 



BOTANY OF VERMONT. 



211 



THE ASHES. 



SASSAFRAS. 



SOUR GUM. 



ed for yokes, the liandles of atrricnltural im- 

 plements, wooden dishes and otlier domes- 

 tin wares. In old trees, the grain is some- 

 times undulated constitutinir as in pre- 

 ceding species, what iscalled Curled Ma- 

 ple. This is wrought into various articles 

 of furniture, wliicli for richness and lus- 

 tre, ofteii equals the finest mahogany. It 

 is also used for the stocks of guns. From 

 the inner bark of this tree an extract of 

 a purple color is obtained, which is dar- 

 kened by the addition of a little copperas 

 or alum and sometimes used for v/riting 

 ink, and also for dying black. 



WHITE ASH. 

 Fraxinus acuminata. 



This tree is thinly scattered over nearly 

 the whole state, and seems to delight in 

 cool situations. It is most frequently met 

 with near the banks of streams, and on 

 the acclivities surrounding ponds and 

 swamps. In these situations it frequent- 

 ly attains the height of 70 or 80 feet, with 

 a diameter of from two to three feet. It 

 is universally known by the name of 

 White Jish, and this name may be derived 

 either from the color of the bark, the sap- 

 wood, or ths under surface of the leaves, 

 all of which are white. By the liglit 

 color of the bark it is readily distinguish- 

 ed from the otlier species. The wood 

 of tiiis tree is highly esteemed for its 

 strength, suppleness, and elasticity, and 

 is applied with advantage to a great va- 

 riety of uses. It is always selected by 

 carriage makers for fills or shafts, the fel- 

 loes of wheels, and the frames of carriage 

 bodies. It is also used for chairs, scythe 

 snaths and rake handles ; for hoops, sieves, 

 boxes, wooden bowls, and a variety of 

 other domestic wares ; also for the staves 

 of casks, blocks for pullies, and on ac- 

 count of its strength and elasticity, it is 

 considered superior to any other kind of 

 wood for oars. 



RED ASH. 

 Fraxinus puhesccKS. 

 The Red Ash is a handsome tree which 

 grows to the height of about 60 feet. 

 The bark on the trunk is of a deep brown 

 color, and the wood differs from that of 

 the White Ash in being redder, but it 



possesses most of the other properties of 

 the White Ash, and is, in general, ap- 

 plied to the same purposes. 



BLACK ASH. 

 Fraxinus sambucifolia. 

 The Black Ash requires a moister soil 

 than the White Ash, and is commonly 

 found growing on low lands, and in and 

 about swamps; and hence it is sometimes 

 called Swamp Jlsh. The perfect wood is 

 of a brownish complexion, and by mailing 

 may be separated into thin narrow strips, 

 which are employed for bottoming chairs, 

 making baskets, riddles, &c. The sap- 

 lings of this tree are much used for hoop- 

 poles. 



SASSAFRAS. 



Lauras sassafras. 

 This interesting and valuable tree is 

 found, bat sparingly, in the southwestern 

 parts of the state, and this seems to be its 

 most northern limit. On account of its 

 small size and scarcity, little account is 

 made of the wood, but it is highly valued 

 for its medicinal properties. For more 

 than 200 years it has maintained its repu- 

 tation as an excellent sudorific, and it 

 is employed to advantage in cutaneous 

 affections and chronic rheumatism. The 

 bark of the roots contains the greatest 

 quantity of the peculiar extract of this 

 tree. The dried leaves and young branch- 

 es contain a large amount of mucilage. 



THE TUPELO, OR SOUR GUM. 



JVijssa multifiura. 

 This tree, which is here usually called 

 Pfppa'idgr, is found sparsely scattered 

 through the southern and western parts 

 of the state, but no where in large quan- 

 tities. It grows to the height of near 50 

 feet, with a diameter of 15 or 20 inches. 

 The limbs usually descend low upon the 

 trunk, which continues of nearly uniforna 



