235 



ROBINIA. THE LOCUSTS. 



Robinia Pseudo-Acacia Linnaeus. LOCUST. BLACK LOCUST. Plate 

 109. Medium sized trees with deeply furrowed bark; twigs at first 

 green and hairy, becoming at the end of the season glabrous and a light 

 brown, the stipules developing in about a year into a pair of woody 

 spines about 2 cm. long; leaves pinnate, 1.5-3 dm. long; leaflets 7-17 

 on short stalks, ovate to oblong, 2-6 cm. long, rounded at base, rounded 

 or pointed and with a small indenture at apex, margin entire, pubescent 

 on both sides at first, becoming at maturity glabrous above and re- 

 maining more or less pubescent below, especially on the midrib; flowers 

 in loose racemes, white, expanding in May or June ; fruit a flat and slight- 

 ly curved pod about 5-10 cm. long, glabrous; seeds usually 4-8 in each 

 pod, about 4 mm. long and 2.5 mm. wide; wood heavy, very hard, close- 

 grained, takes a good polish, very durable in contact with the soil. 



Distribution. Appalachian Mountains from Pennsylvania south 

 to northern Georgia, and in Arkansas. In Indiana it is found as an 

 escape in all parts and was doubtless native along the Ohio River, at 

 least in the southeastern part of the State. Thomas 1 says: "We had 

 gazed at the majestic beech of this country (near Rising Sun) three feet 

 in diameter; we had seen the honey locust, the black walnut, a buckeye 

 of equal magnitude; and then we saw with surprise, the black locust 

 almost a rival in stature." Drake 2 says: "The flowering locust is 

 abundant in Kentucky. Along the Ohio River it is rarely found more 

 than 30 miles north of the river." 



Remarks. This tree is generally known as the locust tree, but is 

 sometimes called the yellow locust. 



Locust wood is somewhat lighter than white oak, but it is 34 percent 

 stiff er and 45 per cent stronger. These remarkable qualities added to its 

 durability in contact with the ground make it one of the most desirable 

 trees for forest planting. The wood has been used principally for 

 posts, ties, tree nails, etc. The locust when grown close together 

 usually grows to 8-12 inches in diameter. There are, however, specimens 

 that have grown in the open that are almost three feet in diameter. The 

 pioneers used it extensively for ornamental planting, and it has escaped 

 from such planting in all parts of the State. It propagates easily by 

 root shoots which is the principal mode of spreading, except where the 

 peed fall on exposed soil. 



The locust has of recent years been extensively planted for post 

 timber. It is very easily propagated from seedlings and grows rapidly. 

 It is adapted to all kinds of soil, except a wet one. It prefers a well 



iThomas' Western Travels, page 111:1819. 

 2 Drake in Picture of Cincinnati, page 83, 1815. 



