74 TIMBER TREES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



and light gray furrowed bark, reaching a height of 40 feet and a 

 diameter of 12 inches. 



It occurs in deep river swamps from southeastern Virginia near 

 the coast to Florida, westward through the Gulf states to the 

 valley of theSabine river, Texas, and southwestern Arkansas. It 

 is also found in Cuba. 



In North Carolina, where it reaches an average height of 30 to 

 40 feet, it is confined to the deep swamps of the coastal plain 

 region. (Fig. 12, p. 71.) 



It bears seed abundantly every year or two. Trees in deep 

 swamps have swollen butts which are usually hollow, but as a 

 general rule the upper part of the stem is sound. 



The leaves are composed of from 5 to 7 large, long-stalked leaf- 

 lets. The male and female flowers appear in February and 

 March upon separate trees. In the fruit the wings extend to the 

 bottom of the seed, and are sometimes three in number. The 

 winter-buds are chestnut-brown in color. The water ash has 

 numerous deeply seated lateral roots. 



The wood is light, soft, not strong, brittle, close grained, and 

 compact ; the heartwood nearly white, sometimes tinged with yel- 

 low ; the sapwood lighter. It is of less value than that of many 

 of the other ashes. 



In the eastern section of North Carolina it is largely manufac- 

 tured into lumber. . The best logs are usually sawed into furni- 

 ture squares. 



Persea borbonia, Sptengcl. 



(RED BAY. SWEET BAY.) 



An evergreen tree, with dark brown-green branches and deeply 

 furrowed reddish bark, reaching a height of 70 and a diameter of 

 3 feet. 



It occurs in low rich soil from southern Delaware south to Bay 

 Biscayne and Cape Komano, Florida, and through the Gulf states 

 to southern Arkansas and the valley of the Brazos river, Texas, 

 near the coast. 



