Handbook of Trees of the Nortjieijn States 



!2;3 



The Sassafras is a tree sometimes 80 or 90 

 ft. in lieiglit, with tniiiU from 4-U ft. in diame- 

 ter, but is usually a considerably smaller tree 

 and in the nortliern part of its range is re- 

 duced to a shrub. \\ hen i-dlatcil its stout con 

 torted branclu's ramify and ultimately divide 

 into a priifusioii of lirauchlcts. forming a dis- 

 tinctly flat-topijcd irregular oblong licad of 

 characteristic asj)cct. 11 is a liandsomp tree at 

 all seasons of the year; in tlic winter on ac 

 count of tiio unobstructed view of its red 

 brown furrowed bark and smooth green branch 

 lets; in spring on account of the tufts of pale 

 green velvety leaves and golden flowers, sub- 

 tended by enlarged showy bud-scales which 

 terminate each branchlet; in summer on ac 

 count of its rich green leaves of many shapes 

 and sizes and red-stemmed clusters of blue 

 berries, and in autumn on accoiuit of the deli- 

 cate red and yellow tints of its autumnal 

 garb. 



The wood of which a cu. ft. when absolutely 



dry weighs 31.42 lbs., is soft and brittle but 



very,' durable and is used in the manufacture 



of pails and buckets, for fence-posts, rails, etc.'-^ 



Lravcts as described for the genus, 3-7 in. long. 

 Floinrs appoar in April and May. Fruit ripens 

 In August and September. See generic description, 

 this being the only species.^ 



1. Syn. Sassafras officinale N. & E. 



2. A. W., II, i2. 



3. For genus see p. 436. 



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