26 HOUGH'S AMERICAN WOODS. 



which is about % in. thick, fine and smooth or with slightly elevated 

 ridges and of a chocolate -brown color. 



HABITAT. A naturalized species growing vigorously in at least 

 the central coast region of California and often thriving in very poor 

 soil. Its native home is in the open forest country of south Queens- 

 land, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. 



PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. Wood moderately hard and heavy, tough, 

 with numerous fine medullary rays, quite uniformly distributed ducts 

 and indistinct annual rings. It is of a yellowish- brown color with 

 abundant lighter sap-wood. The weight of a cubic foot of dry wood, 

 according to Yon Mueller, is from 45 to 48 pounds. 



USES. The wood has hardly attained commercial importance as 

 yet in this country, but is excellent for fuel, and in Australia is used 

 in cooperage, for tool handles, etc. The bark is very valuable for tan- 

 ning purposes and its fiber is adapted to paper-making. An amber- 

 like gum which is copiously exuded from the tree has been found use- 

 ful in making jellies and, when mixed with glue, a size for leather. 



The cut flowers find a ready sale in the cities of California as 

 " mimosas " and are deservedly popular. 



The value of the tree for ornamental purposes is well worthy of 

 mention, as few trees equal it in beauty of foliage. Its usefulness in 

 reclaiming waste lands in the arid regions can hardly be overestimated, 

 as it adapts itself so well to almost all kinds of soils and thrives vigor- 

 ously in many localities where few other trees can maintain an 

 existence. 



MEDICINAL PROPERTIES are found in the astringency of the bark and 

 in the excellent gum arable produced by the tree. 



ORDER ROSACEJE : ROSE FAMILY. 



Leaves alternate and with stipules which sometimes fall early or are rarely 

 wanting. Flowers regular; sepals 5 or rarely fewer, united at the base and often 

 furnished outside with bractlets resembling the sepals; petals as many as the 

 sepals, or, rarely, wanting, distinct and inserted on a disk which lines the calyx- 

 tube; stamens distinct, numerous (with rare exceptions) and inserted \vith the 

 petals on the disk of the calyx-tube; pistils 1-many, distinct or united and often 

 combined with the calyx-tube. Fruit various, as drupe, pome, achenium, etc.; 

 seeds solitary or few, mostly albumenless, with straight embryo and large thick 

 cotyledons. 



Trees, shrubs and herbs, many of great economic value in the production of 

 most useful fruits, beautiful flowers, choice perfumes, etc. 



GENUS PRUNUS, TOURNEFORT. 



Leaves simple; stipules free and commonly deciduous. Flowers perfect, with 

 calyx regular, free and falling away after flowering; petals widely spreading; 

 stamens 15-30; pistil solitary with style terminal or nearly so, and ovary contain- 

 ing 2 pendulous ovules. Fruit a drupe, fleshy, with a smooth 1-seeded (rarely 

 2-seeded) pit. 



Trees and shrubs. (Prunus is the ancient Latin name of the plum-tree.) 



