CLAMMY LOCUST. 55 



A borer, Cyllene robinias, Forster, destroys the value of large 

 trees or kills them entirely, and bark beetles often kill the young 

 plants. The timber is also attacked by the larvae of Xylesthia 

 clemensella, Chamb. 



The leaves consist of from 7 to 19 thin ovate leaflets. The 

 white flowers appear in April in large drooping clusters, and the 

 bright red-brown fruit is a stout pod 3 to 4 inches long. The 

 minute naked winter-buds are inconspicuous. The locust has 

 numerous superficial lateral roots. 



The wood is heavy, hard, close-grained, and very durable in 

 contact with the soil ; brown or light green in color; the very thin 

 sapwood, of 2 to 3 layers of annual growth, pale yellow. It is 

 extensively used in ship building and for treenails, construction, 

 posts, and other purposes where durability in contact with the 

 ground is desired. It is excellent fuel, and is altogether one of 

 the most valuable timbers of the American forest. The bark of 

 the root is tonic, purgative, and emetic. 



Large quantities of locust have been cut in Jackson, Macon, 

 Swain, and Rutherford counties. 



Robinia viscosa, Ventenat. 



(clammy locust.) 



A small tree, with slender spreading branches and smooth dark 

 brown bark, reaching a height of 40 feet and a diameter of 12 

 inches. 



It occurs in the high mountains of the Carolinas, and has be- 

 come extensively naturalized east of the Mississippi. In tliis 

 State it is found on Buzzard ridge in Macon county, growing as 

 a shrub only a few feet higli. It has not been seen growing wild 

 in any other locality since the time of Michaux. 



The twigs and leaf-stalks are covered with a sticky substance. 

 The rose-colored flowers are in short rather compact clusters and 

 the fruit is a. pod 2 to 3h inches in length. The minute winter- 

 buds are covered up in the scars of the leaves of the previous 

 season. 



