16 HOUGH'S AMERICAN WOODS. 



brownish-white color with irregular brown and sometimes reddish heart. 

 Specific Gravity, O.G178; Percentage of Ash, 0.37; Relative Approxi- 

 mate Fuel Value, 0.6155; Coefficient of Elasticity, 9-1284; Modulus of 

 Rupture, 811 ; Resistance to Longitudinal Pressure, 463 ; Resistance to 

 Indentation, 176; Weight of a Cubic Foot in Pounds, 38.50. 



USES. A valuable timber in the manufacture of shovels, bowls and 

 small wooden- ware generally; for cabinet-making, turnery, etc. It is 

 occasionally found showing the "curly figure," similar to that of the 

 Silver-leaved Maple (Part II, No. 26 a ), and such timber is of great value 

 for gun-stocks, veneering for choice furniture, and interior finishing. The 

 " birds-eye figure" is much more rare in this than in the Sugar Maple. 



The sap of the Red Maple is not as rich in sugar as that of the Sugar 

 Maple, but the trees are often tapped and an excellent quality of sugar 

 is produced. 



A bluish-black ink and dye is made by boiling the bark of this tree 

 with sulphate of iron and alum, while the bark with alum alone is said 

 to produce a lasting cinnamon-color dye. 



MEDICINAL PROPERTIES are not claimed of this species, 



54. ACER NEGUNDO, L.* 

 BOX-ELDER, ASH-LEAVED MAPLE, NEGUNDO. 



Ger., Eschenblattriger Ahorn ; Fr., Erable a feuilles de frene ; 

 Sp., Negundo de Arce. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: Leaves pinnately compound with 3-5 smoothish leaflets 

 which are prominently veined, ovate, acuminate, irregularly toothed and sometimes 

 lobed, petiolate, the terminal one largest; petioles long and toward autumn bright, 

 red on the uppermost side. Flowers, dio3cious, appearing from lateral buds iu clus- 

 ters with long, delicate, filiform pedicels rather before the leaves; calyx minute; 

 4-5-cleft ; petals wanting; staminate flowers in fascicles; stamens 4-5; disk, none; 

 anthers linear; pistillate flowers in pendulous racemes. Fruit, smooth, with large, 

 incurved wings broadest toward the end. 



(The derivation of the specific name, Negundo, is unknown. It is thought, accord- 

 ing to D. J. Browne, f to have originated among the early French of Illinois, where 

 the tree is called Erable a. giguieres which signifies literally the romping, frisky 

 Maple, in allusion to the motion of the long stemmed leaves.) 



A handsome spreading tree not often over 70 ft. (21 m.) iu height or 

 3 ft. (0.90 m.) in diameter of trunk, with delicate light-green foliage 

 and pea-green twisrs. The bark of the trunk is of a brownish gray color, 

 rough, with narrow, longitudinal ridges. The odor of the bruised bark 



* This is the Negundo aceroides, Moench, of some authors. The Californian Box Elder, 

 until recently considered a distinct species (Negundo Calif or nicum), it being more pubescent 

 and having more lobed leaflets than our eastern tree. Prof. Sargent finds is apparently, with- 

 out doubt, merely a western variety and not entitled to specific rank. He makes it JV. aceroides 

 var. Calif ornicum . 



t Tree's of America, p t 106. 



