The Basswood Family 



193 



i. BASSWOOD. Tilia americana. Linnaeus. 



The basswood is usually a lofty tree of large size, but does 

 not reach its best development west of the Great Lakes. In 

 Manitoba it often grows in clumps, several small trunks from 

 the same root. 



The bark is gray, about half an inch thick on old trees, and 

 much roughened on the outside. As in all other members of 

 the family the inner bark is tough and 

 fibrous. The leaves are from four to six 

 inches long, orbicular, sharply toothed and 

 tapering to a sharp point. The flowers 

 are large, yellowish-white and arranged 

 in drooping racemes. The peduncle of 

 each raceme springs from the base of a 

 long bract which runs along it for some 

 distance. The fruit is a nutlike drupe. 



The wood is light, soft and easily 

 worked, but not durable if exposed to 

 moisture. It is very popular for making 

 shelves and backs for furniture, table tops, 

 carriage boxes, canoes, and indeed for any purpose where light, 

 easily worked wood can be used. Wooden utensils and paper 

 pulp are also made from the basswood. 



Besides being a popular timber tree, it is one of the best 

 native trees for ornamental purposes. Its large, fragrant 

 flowers, and dense foliage not liable to insect attacks, make it 

 a beautiful lawn or street tree. 



It grows along the river bottoms in southeastern Manitoba, 

 and is confined almost entirely to the Red River valley. It is 

 not native at Brandon, but when planted does fairly well. 



FIG. 48. Basswood. 



