Handbook of Trees of the Northern States and Canada. 293 



The Yellow-wood is one of the rarest as 

 ■well as one of the most beautiful trees of the 

 American forests. It attains the height of 

 from 50 to (iO ft. with trunk from 1 to 2 or 3 

 ft. in diameter, vested in a thin smooth gray- 

 ish beech-like bark, showing in delicate streaks 

 the lighter inner bark as the outer becomes 

 fissured in growth. Its short trunk usually 

 divides within a few feet from the ground into 

 few large branches, which ramify and form a 

 graceful broad or rounded top, when unob- 

 structed by surrounding trees. It grows natu- 

 rally in rich well-drained soil, and mainly on 

 lime-stone ridges along the banks of the 

 streams which carry the waters from the west- 

 ern slopes of the Alleghany mountains into the 

 Ohio River. Its desirable habit of growth, 

 its ample clean foliage little affected by blight 

 or insects, and its long stems of pure white 

 flowers, showing in beautiful contrast among 

 its rich green leaves, make it a very desirable 

 tree for ornamental planting. This fact was 

 recognized a centur}' ago by its discoverer who 

 sent its seeds to Europe, and it now lends its 

 charm to almost every European collection. 

 In this country, too, it is a favorite ornamental 

 tree proving to be hardy as far north as north- 

 «rn New York and Ontario. 



The wood is rather light, a cubic foot when 

 •absolutely dry weighing 39.12 lbs., hard and 

 strong, the heart-wood being of a clear yellow 

 color when freshly cut. but soon changing to 

 brownish, and the thin sap-wood is nearly 

 white.i A yellow dye is made of the heart- 

 wood. 



For botanical characters see generic descrip- 

 tion, this being the only species. 2 



1. A. W., XII, 280. 



2. For genus see pp. '412-443. 



