36 TIMBER TREES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



southern Illinois, and southward along the Appalachian moun- 

 tains to southern Alabama and northeastern Mississippi. It grows 

 sparingly in central Kentucky and Tennessee, and in portions of 

 Arkansas, and reaches its best development in the mountains of 

 Tennessee and the Carolinas. 



In North Carolina, where it attains an average height of 60 to 

 80 feet and an average diameter of 3 to 4: feet, it is found on moist, 

 fertile soil in the mountains, and rarely as far to the east of the 

 mountains as Stanly county. (Fig. 1, p. 33.) Seed is produced 

 frequently but seldom abundantly. Though young seedlings'are 

 common, many of them are quickly crowded out by other species 

 when the mature trees are removed. Smaller trees sprout from 

 the stump to a limited extent. The rate of growth is rapid. 



The rather broad, pointed leaves are bright green above and 

 slightly paler below. The yellowish-green flowers appear towards 

 the latter part of May, and the dark red fruit is oblong, 2 to 3 

 'inches long by 1 inch broad. The winter-buds are densely cov- 

 ered with silky white hairs. 



There are numerous deep lateral roots and, rarely, a taproot. 



The wood is soft, satiny, light, not strong, close-grained and 

 durable ; light yellow-brown in color ; the thin sapwood often 

 nearly white. It is used for water pipes, troughs, flooring and 

 cabinetmaking. This tree has been cut to a large extent in most 

 of the mountain counties except Alleghany, Graham, Mitchell, 

 Clay, Watauga, Yancey, Macon, and Swain. 



Magnolia macrophylla, Michaux. 

 (GREAT-LEAVED MAGNOLIA.) 



A spreading tree, with thin smooth, light gray bark divided 

 into minute scales, reaching a height of 50 feet and a diameter of 

 20 inches. 



It occurs from the sheltered valleys about the base of the Alle- 

 ghany mountains of North Carolina and southeastern Kentucky, 

 to middle and western Florida and southern Alabama, and through 

 northern Mississippi to the valley of the Pearl river in Louisiana, 



