104 TREES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



Morus alba, L. 



Probably a native of China, where its leaves have from 

 time immemorial furnished food for silkworms ; extensively 

 introduced and naturalized in India and central and southern 

 Europe ; introduced likewise into the United States and 

 Canada from Ontario to Florida ; occasionally spontaneous 

 near dwellings, old trees sometimes marking the sites of 

 houses that have long since disappeared. 



It may be distinguished from M. rubra by its smooth, 

 shining leaves, its whitish or pinkish fruit, and its greater 

 susceptibility to frost. 



MAGNOLIACE.E. MAGNOLIA FAMILY. 



Liriodendron Tulipifera, L. 

 TULIP TREE. WHITEWOOD. POPLAR. 



Habitat and Range. Prefers a rich, loamy, moist soil. 



Vermont, valley of the Hoosac river in the southwestern 

 corner of the state ; Massachusetts, frequent in the Connecti- 

 cut river valley and westward ; reported as far east as Douglas, 

 southeastern corner of Worcester county (R. M. Harper, Rlw- 

 dora, II, 122); Rhode Island and Connecticut, frequent, espe- 

 cially in the central and southern portions of the latter state. 



South to the Gulf states ; west to Wisconsin ; occasional in the 

 eastern sections of Missouri and Arkansas ; attains great size in 

 the basins of the Ohio and its tributaries, and southward along 

 the Mississippi river bottoms. 



Habit. A medium-sized tree, 50-70 feet high ; trunk 2-3 

 feet in diameter, straight, cylindrical ; head rather open, more 

 or less cone-shaped, in the dense forest lifted high and spread- 

 ing ; branches small for the size of the tree, set at varying 

 .angles, often decurrent, becoming scraggly with age. The 

 shapely trunk, erect, showy blossoms, green, cone-like fruit, 

 and conspicuous bright green truncate leaves give the tulip 

 tree an air of peculiar distinction. 



