JIandkook of Treks of tiik Xoktiiki.-.x Statks and Canada. 



49 



The Black Walnut attains tlio lioij,'lit of lUO 

 to ir)() ft. in till' forests, with a trunk 4 (i ft. 

 in (lianiotcr, vested in a |)r()niinently ridj^^'d 

 dark brown bark. When gruwinj,' apart from 

 surrounding objects it develops a synmietrieal 

 rounded top of beautiful foliage. Once an 

 abundant tree and constituting a considerable 

 portion of large tracts of forest, particularly 

 in the great Mississippi Basin, its valuable 

 wood has caused its almost complete destruc- 

 tion as a commercial product. The value of 

 its timber was early recognized, as history 

 tell us that it was an article of export to Eng- 

 land early in the seventeenth century. Of 

 late years new trees are being propagated 

 which eventually will in a measure take the 

 place of the natural forests. 



The heart- wood is of a rich dark brown 

 color, very durable in contact with the soil, 

 and highly prized for furniture, gun-stocks, 

 interior finishing, etc. A cubic foot, when ab- 

 solutely dry, weighs 38.11 lbs. Occasional 

 " figured " trees are of almost fabulous valu?.i 

 The nuts of this tree were an important article 

 of food with the Indians and are still gathered 

 for domestic use and the local market. 



Leaves 1-2 ft. long with puliprulcnt petioles and 

 l.'?-2.'? ovate-lanceolate inoqiiilatoral leaflets, 

 ro\mdPd or siibcordate at base, serrate, acuminate, 

 pubescent beneath : petioles pubernlent. Flowers 

 (May-.Iime) ; staminate aments stout. 2-4 in. long; 

 calyx with (5 nearly orbicular lobes, pubescent out- 

 side ; bracts nearly triangular, rusty tomentose ; 

 stamens 20-.'>0 ; pistillate in 2-."i-flowered spikes, 

 plandular-hairy bracts and pale reddish green 

 plnnidsc stigm'a. Fruit solitary or in clusters of 

 2 or :;, siiliiilobose. light yellow-green, papillose; 

 niit round oval, compressed, sculptured, 4-celled at 

 • ly, edible.- 



