Handbook of Trees of the Xortiiern States and Canada. 



49 



The Black Walnut attains the hei-jiit of 100 

 to 150 ft. in the forests, with a trunk 4-(J ft. 

 in diameter, vested in a prominently ridged 

 dark brown bark. When growing apart from 

 surrounding objeets it develops a symmetrical 

 rounded top of beautiful foliage. Once an 

 abundant tree and constituting a considerable 

 portion of large tracts of forest, particularly 

 in the great Mississippi Basin, its valuable 

 wood has caused its almost complete destruc- 

 tion as a commercial product. The value of 

 its timber was early recognized, as history 

 tell us that it was an article of export to Eng- 

 land early in the seventeenth century. Of 

 late years new trees are being i)r,)pagated 

 which eventually will in a measure take the 

 place of the natural forests. 



The heart-wood is of a rich dark brown 

 color, very durable in contact witli the soil, 

 and highly prized for furniture, gun-stocks, 

 interior finishing, etc. A cubic foot, when ab- 

 solutely dry, weighs 38.11 lbs. Occasional 

 '■ figured " trees are of almost fabulous valu '.i 

 The nuts of this tree were an important artiJ3 

 of food with the Indians and are still gathered 

 for domestic use and the local market. 



Leaves 1-2 ft. Ion,? with puberulont petioles and 

 l.'>-2.'i ovate-lanceolate inequilateral leaflets, 

 rounded or subcordate at base, serrate, acuminate, 

 pubescent beneath ; petioles puberulent. Floirers 

 (Ma.v-.Tune) ; staminate aments stout, 2-4 in. Ions; 

 cal.vx with 6 nearly orbicular lobes, pubescent out- 

 side ; bracts nearly ti'iangular, rusty tomentose ; 

 stamens 20-.">0 ; pistillate in 2-r>-flowered splices, 

 clandular-hairy t)racts and pale reddisli green 

 plumose stigma. Fruit solitar.v or in clusters of 

 2 or 3, suliglobose, light yellow-green, papillose ; 

 nut round-oval, compressed^ sculptured, 4-celled at 

 base ; seed oily, edible.^ 



1. A. W., II, 35. 



2. For genus see p. 4r)3. 



