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separating in small scaly plates; twigs slender and smooth, sometimes 

 pubescent while young; leaves oval, oblong-oval, ovate or narrowly 

 ovate, generally 5-12 cm. long and 2-4 cm. wide, generally narrowed at 

 the base, sometimes rounded, short or long acuminate at the apex, 

 margin finely serrate with incurved sharp callous teeth, smooth above 

 and below, sometimes slightly pubescent beneath while young; flowers 

 appear in May when the leaves are almost grown, on the ends of 

 the year's growth, in racemes generally 5-10 cm. long; fruit ripens in 

 July and August, globose, about 6-10 mm. in diameter, dark red to 

 almost black. 



Distribution. Nova Scotia to South Dakota, south to Florida and 

 west to Texas. Found in all parts of Indiana. It prefers a moist loose 

 soil and is usually found with beech, sugar maple, tulip, white ash and 

 white oak. In the original forest it was a rare to a frequent tree, and 

 only rarely and locally did it ever become common. It grew to be several 

 feet in diameter and was as tall as the highest trees of the forest. The 

 trunk of the tree, however, was inclined to be crooked. It has now 

 become a frequent tree along fences. 



Remarks. The wood of wild cherry from pioneer times has been a 

 favorite wood, and for this reason the tree soon disappeared and today 

 large trees are very rare. The wood is strong, close-grained, reddish- 

 brown, and very much resembles mahogany. In value it stands second 

 in Indiana woods. It is used principally for furniture, office and store 

 fixtures. 



The wild cherry grows readily from seed; is not difficult to transplant ; 

 adapts itself to almost all kinds of soils and grows rapidly. In Spring 

 it is one of the very first trees to put out its leaves. It is not shade 

 enduring, which no doubt, in a great measure, accounts for its rarity 

 in the primeval forests. When grown in the open the tree usually 

 produces an abundance of fruit which is much relished by birds. This 

 species has many good features, and might be used to advantage in 

 forest planting. 



CAESALPINACEAE. THE SENNA FAMILY. 



Leaves simple; flowers pink; seed pod papery 1 Cercis. 



Leaves compound; flowers not pink; seed pod woody or 



leathery. 

 Trees with thorns; stamens 3-5, longer than the corolla; pods 



flat and leathery; seeds about 1 cm. (^ inch) long. ... 2 Gleditsia. 

 Trees without thorns; stamens 10, shorter than the corolla; 



pods swollen, woody; seeds about 2 cm. (1 inch) long ... 3 Gymnocladus. 



