362 TREES OF MINNESOTA. ,,, ., 



Fraxinus nigra. (F. sambucifolia.} Black Ash. Swamp 

 Ash. Hoop Ash. 



Flowers dioecious or polygamous without calyx. Leaflets 

 seven to eleven, oblong-lanceolate, taper-pointed; the lateral 

 sessile. It naturally inhabits cold, wet swamps, and the low 

 banks of streams and lakes. Generally a small, slender tree. 

 The bruised foliage exhales the odor of Elder. 



Distribution. Cold swamps and low banks of streams from 

 Newfoundland to Manitoba and south to Virginia and Arkansas. 

 In Minnesota frequent throughout the state. 



Propagation. As described under genus, except that seeds of 

 this are different from those of other native species in not grow- 

 ing the first season after planting, but must be kept stratified 

 for one year. 



Properties of wood. The Black Ash is heavy, rather soft, not 

 strong, tough, coarse grained, durable in contact with the soil 

 and easily separated into thin layers. It is dark brown, with 

 thin light brown or often nearly white sapwood. The specific 

 gravity is 0.6318; weight of a cubic foot 39.37 pounds. 



Uses. The Black Ash is of very little value for planting, 

 but might sometimes be used to advantage in wet lands. It is 

 a slow grower and short lived in our prairie soils. It is used 

 extensively in the manufacture of furniture, for interior finish- 

 ing, barrel, tub and pail hoops, baskets and chair seats. For 

 this latter purpose the wood is split in as many layers as there 

 are annual rings, which may be done very readily. There are 

 peculiar excrescences popularly known as knots or "burls" that 

 form on the Black Ash, and sometimes these grow as large as 

 3. bushel basket or larger. They are a sort of dwarfed branches. 

 It has been found that when these "burls" are properly sawed 

 they show a pretty curly grain, and make very desirable veneer- 

 ing for furniture and for interior finishing, and they are sought 

 after for this purpose. However, in this section the "burls" 

 seldom if ever grow to sufficient size to become of commercial 

 importance. 



