162 TKEES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



at the mouth and somewhat smaller in the sterile flowers ; 

 stamens 16 in the sterile flowers, in fertile flowers 8 or less, 

 imperfect ; styles 4, ovary 8-celled. 



Fruit. A berry, ripe in late fall, roundish, about an inch 

 in diameter, larger farther south, with thick, spreading, per- 

 sistent calyx, yellow to yellowish-brown, very astringent when 

 immature, edible and agreeable to the taste after exposure to 

 the frost ; several-seeded. 



Horticultural Value. Hardy along the south shore of New 

 England ; prefers well-drained soil in open situations ; free 

 from disfiguring enemies ; occasionally cultivated in nurseries 

 but difficult to transplant. Propagated from seed. 



PLATE LXXXII. DIOSPYROS VIKGINIANA. 



1. Winter buds. 



2. Branch with sterile flowers. 



3. Vertical section of sterile flower. 



4. Branch with fertile flowers. 



5. Section of fertile flower. 



6. Fruiting branch. 



OLEACE.E. OLIVE FAMILY. 



Fraxinus Americana, L. 



WHITE ASH. 



Habitat and Range. Rich or moist woods, fields and pas- 

 tures, near streams. 



Newfoundland and Nova Scotia to Ontario. 



Maine, very common, often forming large forest areas ; in 

 the other New England states, widely distributed, but seldom 

 occurring in large masses. 



South to Florida ; west to Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, and 

 Texas. 



Habit. A tall forest tree, 50-75 feet high, with a trunk 

 diameter of 2-3 feet ; rising in the rich bottom lands of the 

 Ohio river 100 feet or more, often in the forest half its height 



