Handbook of Trees of the N^orthern States and Canadj 



31 



The Hemlock is a handsome tree, sometimes 

 attaining 100 ft. in heif^ht. with trunk 3-4 ft. 

 in diameter vested in a dark ridged biuk." 

 When growing apart from other trees it de- 

 velops a rather open wide pyramidal top with 

 outward curving or drooping branches, and the 

 flat sprays of foliage are particularly light 

 and graceful in appearance, of dark gree'i 

 color above and showing in pretty contrast 

 the whitish under surfaces when turned up by 

 the winds. The beauty is enhanced in early 

 summer bj' each branchlet being tipped with 

 the delicate light green new shoots of the 

 season. It was once one of the most abundant 

 trees of the northeastern forest, but such is 

 the value of its bark for tanning purposes that 

 they have nearly all been destroyed, only 

 scattering trees now remaining. It thrives on 

 well-drained uplands and slopes of ravines 

 usually in company with the \Yhite Pine, Red 

 Spruce, IMaples, Beech, Yellow Birch, etc., 

 though in places forming quite exclusive tracts 

 of forest. 



The wood is soft, light (a cu. ft. weighing 



26.42 lbs.) brittle and mainly used for coarse 



lumber for general construction purposes. 



The bark of the tree for tanning purposes has, 



until recent advances in prices of lumber, been 



considered its chief point of value. i 



Lrnves flat. oblong-linear, %-% in. long, 

 rounded at apex, lustrou.s and centrally grooved 

 above and whitish with a or 6 rows of stomata 

 on each .side of midrib beneath ; branehlets rough 

 with their persistent bases. Flowers appear in 

 May : staminate light yellow ; pistillate pinkish 

 green with broad laciniate bracts shorter than 

 their scales. Cones ovate-oblong, Vi-% in. long, 

 acute with sliort stalk, suborbieular scales and 

 broad truncate laciniate bracts ; seeds about one- 

 sixteenth in. long and wings about twice as long, 

 broadest near the bases.- 



1. A. W., I, 21. 



2. For genus see p. 420. 



