Handbook of TkeiES of thk Noktiikkn States and C. 



385 



The Black Ash is distinctly a northern 

 species, and in forests, under most favorable 

 conditions, attains the height of 80-90 ft., with 

 straight columnar trunk 3-4 ft. in diameter. 

 When isolated it develops a rounded ovoid top, 

 which may be recognized when leafless by it-i 

 stout straiglit branch lets (those of the stami- 

 nate tree being larger than of the pistillate] 

 and the gray scaly bark of trunk. 



It inhabits the low banks of streams and cold 

 swamps, in company v.ith the Arbor-Vita>, 

 Balsam, Tamarack, Silver Maple, Black SpruC3, 

 etc., sometimes forming a considerable portion 

 of forest tracts. 



Its wood is rather heavy, a cubic f )ot when 



dry weighing .38.37 lbs., moderately hard and 



strong, and is valued in the manufacture of 



furniture and lumber for interior finishing, for 



barrel hoops, etc. It is extensively used in tlie 



manufacture of splints for baskets, owing to 



the facility with wliich it splits between tlie 



layers of annual growth. Tlie "Ash Burl" 



veneering is a product of tliis tree, being sliced 



from the "knots" or burls which form on its 



trunk and larger branches. Their cause or 



origin is not well understood. 2 



Leaves 10-lG in. long, with 7-11 oblong to 

 oblong-lanceolate sessile leaflets, the terminal one 

 pptiolulato. rounded or cuneato and unequal at 

 base, long-acnminato at apex, sharply serrate, to- 

 niciitoso at first Imt at maturity glabrous dark 

 grcrn alidvi'. sdiiicwhat paler and glabrous with 

 rufdiis hairs along the midrib beneath. Flowers 

 polygamo-diopcious, calyx none : petals none ; 

 stamens 2 sometimes rudimentary in the pistillate 

 flowers. Fruit samara, linear-oblong, 1-1% in. 

 long, 1-^ in. broad, winged all around and with 

 flattened faintly-veined body and thin wing 

 emarginate at apex.' 



1. Syn. Fraxinus samiucifolia Lam. 



2. A. W., Ill, 62. 



3. For genus see pp. 4.')4-4.55. 



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