44 TIMBER TREES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



feet in diameter are usually hollow at the butt and not uncommonly 

 through the entire stem. Stumps of trees which have been cut or 

 blown down sprout vigorously. Windfalls are frequent. 



The large thick roundish leaves are sharp-toothed, narrow- 

 pointed at the apex, and unevenly heart-shaped at the base. The 

 •clusters of small white flowers are borne on an olDlong, leaf-like 

 bract, and the fruit is egg shaped, about i inch in length and cov- 

 ered with short gray wool. The dark red winter-buds are stout, 

 egg-shaped, and pointed. The root system is a network of strong 

 lateral roots. 



The wood is soft, straight-grained, not durable; light brown in 

 color ; the thick sapwood hardly distinguishable. It is largely used 

 for lumber, and, under the name of whitewood, in the manufact- 

 ure of woodenware and furniture, for carriage-making, and for the 

 inner soles of shoes. It is extensively used for paper pulp, and 

 occasionally the inner bark is made into coarse cordage and matting. 



In this State it is not sawed into lumber to any considerable 

 extent, but large numbers of trees are cut in the winter that cattle 

 may feed upon the buds and twigs. It is much prized by apiarists 

 because the clearest honey and whitest comb are made from its 

 flowers. 



Tilia pubescens, Alton. 



(southern LIN. LINDEN.) 



A slender tree, with a large oval crown, slender gray branches, 

 and rough dark bark, reaching a height of 60 and a diameter of 2 

 feet. 



It has been found as far north as Long Island, and it grows in 

 cool, moist situations on the coast of ISTorth and South Carolina and 

 Oeorgia, in northern Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. It is not a 

 •common tree. 



In North Carolina, where it reaches a height of 50 to 60 feet, it 

 occurs on deep, sandy, fertile soil, usually on the margins of swamps 

 or streams, in the coastal plain region. (Fig. 5, p. 43.) In the 

 Piedmont plateau region it occurs rarely, if at all. 



A large proportion of the seed, which is borne frequently and 

 in abundance, is unproductive, and seedlings are uncommon. It 

 sprouts very freely from the stump. 



