Handbook of Teees of the Norti 



This large and beautiful tree in the southern 

 forests attains tlie hciglit of 100 to 140 ft. 

 with straight cuhininar trunk 4 or 5 ft. in 

 diameter. When isolated it develops a sym- 

 metrical oblong-pyramidal top when young, but 

 finally becoming broad and rounded. A pe- 

 culiar feature, more marked in some trees than 

 others, however, and often entirely wanting, is 

 the growth of wing-like projections of the 

 bark from its smaller branches. It tlirives 

 best in the rich soil of bottom-lands where it 

 is associated with the Red and Black Maples, 

 the Sour, Water and Tupelo Gums, the Laurel 

 and Water Oaks, various Ashes, etc. Few 

 trees of the American forests equal the Sweet 

 Gum in ornamental value, owing to its grand 

 habit of growth and its beautiful star-shaped 

 leaves, of a rich green in summer and con- 

 spicuous in autumn on account of their crimson 

 and purple tints. 



The wood, a cu. ft. of which when absolutely 

 dry weighs 36.82 lbs., is rather soft, witli 

 straight close grain, and is used in the nuuiu 

 facture of wooden-ware, paving-blocks, lumber 

 for general construction, etc., and is sometimes 

 marketed under the absurd names — F!atiii 

 M^alnut, California Red Gum, etc.i 



Lravps about orbicular in outline, deeply 5-7- 

 palmately lobed with acute glandular-serrate lobes 

 and pointed sinuses, cordate at base, lustrous 

 bright green above and often pubescent in the 

 axils of the leaves beneath, fragrant when 

 bruised, purple-crimson in autumn ; petioles Ion? 

 and slender. Flowem: staminate racemes erect, 

 rufous tomentose. the lower b^ads sometimes 

 stalked : pistillate beads Ions; pediinclate. droop- 

 ing. Fruit: head 1 1 'A in. in diameter, liberating 

 a few perfoet and many abortive seeds in autumn 

 and swinging empty upon the leafless branches 

 during the following winter.^ 



1. A. W., Ill, 60. 



VDA. 227 



For 



lus see p. 437. 



