The Nettle Family 



179 



lected much farther south. Often they are not hardy and this 

 is particularly the case with the white elm. 



II. THE HACKBERRIES 

 Genus Celtis 



The hackberriesmay be distinguished from the elms by having 

 larger, rather hairy leaves, and fruit in the form of a drupe, 

 sometimes edible. The bark, on old trees, becomes much 

 thickened in warts or ridges which are very conspicuous and 

 form a distinguishing mark. 



THE HACKBERRY. Celtis occidentalis. Linnaeus. 



This is a rather small tree in our climate and is very local 

 in its distribution. It has large, light green, thin leaves, with 

 a somewhat woolly appearance. The 

 drupes occur singly in the axils of the 

 leaves and vary in color from red to black. 

 The trunk has often a stunted appearance 

 and is strongly marked by thickened corky 

 ridges of bark. 



" Without exception this tree has the most 

 remarkable distribution of any in the Domin- 

 ion. A few grown trees here and there are all 

 that are usually found in the same locality." 



MACOUN. 



True to its reputation for peculiar dis- 

 tribution, the hackberry is found mixed 

 with ash and maple on the sand bars near Delta at the south 

 end of Lake Manitoba. There are no really young specimens, 

 but it seems to send up shoots quite readily from the roots. 

 The trees are quite hardy, as they stand exposed to the north 

 wind off the lake, and although somewhat stunted, are healthy. 



FIG. 38. Hackberry. 



