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LINDEN, OR BASSWOOD {Tilia species) 



THE lindens, basswoods or lins, are a grouii of 

 forest trees distinctive, yet as a group so simi- 

 lar that they are being considered together. They 

 grow chiefly in the mountains, where they are com- 

 mon and valuable timber trees, attaining heights 

 of 80 feet and diameters of i feet. The bark is 

 light brown, deeply furrowed, and is often peeled 

 for making rough camp buildings. The inner bark 

 furnishes bast for making mats. 



The leaves are 

 more or less heart- 

 shaped, 3 to 6 

 inches long, thin, 

 saw -toothed, 

 smooth on both 

 sides in some 

 species, but woolly 

 on the under sur- 

 face of others. 



The flowers are 

 yellowish white, 

 in drooping clus- 

 ters opening in 

 early summer, and 

 the flower-stem is 

 united to the mid- 

 dle of a long, nar- 

 row, leaf-like bract. They are very fragrant and 

 from them the bees make large amounts of choice- 

 grade honey. 



The fruit is a berry-like, dry, 1 or 2 seeded and 

 rounded pod, one-quarter to one-half an inch in 

 diameter, covered with short, thick and brownish 

 wool. It remains attached in clusters to the leafy 

 bract, which later acts as a wing to bear it away on 

 the wind. 



The wood is light, soft, tough, not durable, light 

 brown in color. It is used in the manufacture of 

 pulp, wooden ware, furniture, trunks, excelsior and 

 manv other articles. 



LINDEN, OK BASSWOOD 

 Leaf, one-third natural size. 

 Twig, one-half natural size. 



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