The Hawthorns 



agreeable. Preferred habitat, rich, moist hillsides. Distribution, 

 Montreal to southern Ontario; coast of Maine, central and western 

 Massachusetts, Rhode island, western New York, eastern Pennsyl- 

 vania. Largest in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Uses: 

 Handsome tree for ornamental planting. 



This is the largest hawthorn in eastern New England. Its 

 scaly bark is often almost white. Its leaves are more distinctly 

 yellow than green greenish yellow, to speak accurately. The 

 lustrous crimson fruit makes a gorgeous autumn contrast with 

 bark and foliage. 



Scattered over pasture land, these lusty young trees are 

 cropped by cattle, which manage to avoid the infrequent thorns. 

 By degrees, the girth of the tree widens, in spite of the pruning 

 thus administered. The terminal shcot finally rises above the 

 reach of any yearning tongue. It branches, and lifts above the 

 dome-like basal part a flourishing top that grows loose and free 

 in striking contrast to the compact close-clipped base. Many of 

 these pasture trees have this hour-glass form. 



IX. DiLATAT/E 



^^ Red Haw (C coccinioides, Ashe.) A tree lo to 25 feet 

 high, with broad dome of stout, spreading branches. Thorns 

 ih to 2 inches long, straight, stout, purplish red. Bark dark 

 brown, scaly; branches light grey. Leaves broadly ovate, acute, 

 sharply serrate, with deep pointed lateral lobes, 2 to 3 inches long, 

 lustrous yellow-green, at first; becoming dull, dark green later; 

 thin, turning to orange and bright red in fall; petioles bright red, 

 f to I inch long. Flowers, May, in compact corymbs, with prom- 

 inent, serrate bracts, with red glands; corolla i^ inches across; 

 stamens 20, anthers large, rose colour; styles 5. Fruits, October, 

 falling gradually; clusters erect; haws globose, flattened at ends, 

 lustrous, dark red, with pale dots; calyx conspicuous, red at base; 

 flesh thick, reddish, pleasantly acid; nutlets 5, small, slightly 

 ridged on back. Preferred habitat, dry woods. Distribution, 

 St. Louis, Missouri, to eastern Kansas. Uses: Desirable orna- 

 mental thorn tree. 



The very large leaves of this tree obscure the compact fruit 

 clusters, and its ornamental character is not so obvious until the 

 leaves turn. I recall one tree, a fine, lusty specimen, loaded with 



3'3 



