THE TUPELO OR SOUR-GUM TREE 



THE Tupelo is a favorite tree with artists on account of the direction of the branches, 

 which seem to radiate from a common centre. In its winter condition it has a 

 most striking individuality, which enables even the novice to recognize it at a 

 glance. It is equally attractive in summer on account of the brilliant green of its dense 

 horizontal foliage, while in autumn it is one of the most brilliantly colored of all our native 

 trees, each leaf taking on a bright scarlet hue which serves to make the mass of foliage one 

 of the most notable elements in the landscape picture. It is essentially a lowland tree, 

 being found in its greatest perfection along the borders of swamps where it is sheltered 

 on one side by the background of the woods. It is widely distributed throughout eastern 

 North America and the names by which it is known vary in an interesting way in different 

 regions. In the Southern States it is universally called the Sour-gum tree ; in the western 

 part of its range it is the Pepperidge tree, and in New England it is the Tupelo, the name 

 by which the Indians called it. 



The Tupelo is a rather difficult tree to get established, but when once established 

 in a suitable location near a small body of water it is one of the most effective and desirable 

 species. It is easily grown from the seeds contained within the small blue-black drupes, 

 which are generally borne in limited clusters on the ends of rather long fruit-stalks. 



In its best estate the Tupelo becomes one hundred feet. high with a trunk diameter 

 of five feet, but these mammoth trees occur only rarely and are most likely to be found on 

 the slopes of the southern Appalachian Mountains. Throughout most of its range the tree 

 is barely half this size. The wood of the larger trees is often converted into lumber which 

 is used for various manufacturing purposes, especially for wheel-hubs and ox-yokes. 



Two other species of the Tupelo genus occur in the Southern States. The Sour 

 Tupelo or Ogeechee Lime (Nyssa Ogeche) is a swamp loving species found in the Ogeechee 

 Valley and adjacent localities. The small trees bear sour, juicy, red fruits, which render 

 them conspicuous. The Aquatic Tupelo or Cotton Gum (Nyssa aquatica) is a much 

 larger tree found in Cypress swamps. It. reaches a height of one hundred feet and , 

 trunk diameter of four feet. The purple fruits hang on long stems. 



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