306 TREES OF MINNESOTA. 



Genus CEI/TIS. 



Leaves alternate, simple, short petioled. Flowers monoe- 

 ciously polygamous, appearing in the axils of the leaves of the 

 season; the staminate in little clusters or racemes; the perfect 

 flowers solitary or in pairs, peduncled; styles two. Fruit a 

 globular drupe; embryo curved, nearly inclosing a little gela- 

 tinous albumen. Only one species in the Northern States of 

 interest to us here. 



Celtis occidentalis. Hackberry. Sugarberry. Nettle 

 Tree. 



Leaves quite various, but usually ovate to ovate-lancelate, 

 sharply and coarsely serrate or sparingly so, taper-pointed, more 

 or less rough above and unusually soft pubescent beneath, at 

 least when young. Flowers appear in April and May, solitary, 

 small, white, on rather long peduncles. Fruit a small, solitary, 

 round, sweet edible drupe, reddish or yellowish, turning a dark 

 purple when fully matured, remaining on tree into the winter; 

 peduncle twice the length of the petioles. Generally a small, 

 but sometimes a large tree over 100 feet high and two or 

 three feet in diameter. The tree resembles the White Elm, 

 but the branches come out more at right angles and the bark 

 is rougher and more closely divided than that of the White Elm. 



Distribution. From Montreal west to Lake of the Woods and 

 North Dakota, and south to Florida and eastern Texas. West 

 of the Rocky Mountains it is rare, but occurs on banks of 

 streams. It has been found in Idaho, Washington, Oregon. 

 Nevada, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. In Minnesota fre- 

 quent in the southern half of the state, and not uncommon in 

 the valley of the Red River even near the extreme northern 

 limit of the state. 



Propagation. Easily grown from seeds, which should be 

 sown as soon as ripe or stratified over winter and sown in the 

 spring. 



Properties of wood. Heavy, rather soft, not strong, coarse 

 grained, dark or light brown, with thick, light colored, often 

 yellowish, sapwood. Specific gravity 0.7287; weight of a cubic 

 foot 45.41 pounds. 



Uses. The Hackberry is of rapid growth, and is one of the 

 best trees for general park, lawn and prairie planting here. 



