Handbook of Trees of the ISortiiern States and Canada. 119 



This is the smaUcst of the tree Birdies of 

 eastern North America, coinnionly not more 

 than 2(1 or ;{() ft., or exeeptionally 40 ft., in 

 height, with trunk sometimes IS in. in di- 

 ameter. Tiie hark of younger trees is dull 

 creamy white, usually with dark triangular 

 marks at the insertion of branches, and peeling 

 ofl tardily in strips around the trunk. On 

 older trunks it is darker and rough with 

 transverse fissures. It develops a narrow and 

 more or less irregular top of many small 

 branches commonly clothing the stem to the 

 ground. With its long stemmed small leaves 

 in constant agitation by the wind, like those 

 of the Quaking Asp, and white bark, it is a 

 conspicuous and interesting object. It com- 

 monly grows in dry sandy and often quite 

 barren soil^ springing up in abundance after 

 forest fires and alTording by its shade a shelter 

 for the germinating of the more tender seeds 

 of more useful trees. 



Its wood, a cubic foot of whicli, when abso- 

 lutely dry. weighs 35.00 lbs., is used in the 

 manufacture of small wooden-ware, as spools, 

 clothes-pins, slioe-pogs. Iioops for casks, etc.. 

 and is excellent for fuel and cliarcoal.i 



trianKnlai'-dvoid, from --:'>U_, 



slender points, truncate, 

 i-date and entire at l)ase. dou 

 .ulandular teetli, dai 



rrarcs 

 with vei 

 slii,'htlv ( 

 with sj) 



Rreen and .i^landnlai-foiiKlicned above and slij;litly 

 paler and smooth Ijcneath : petioles long and 

 slender; l)ranchlots resin-glandular. Floiccrs tin- 

 folding with the leaves : staminate aments solitary 

 or in pairs, about 1 in. or less in length and slender 

 in winter, becoming from 2-.SV2 in- Ion-;, will) 

 apiculate scales ; pistillate aments slender, alieni 

 v.. in. long, on glandular pedicels of about the 

 same length with pale green scales. Fruit: stro- 

 biles cylindrical, nliout % in. long and '4 in. 

 thick, erect or spreading with slender peduncle : 

 scales with lateral lobes recurved, the middle one 

 narrow; nutlet narrower than its wings.- 



I. .\. W.. III. 70. 



