STORKS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION". 313 



INTRODUCTION 



Before considering the individual trees in detail it seems de- 

 sirable to give a general discussion of the different terms used as 

 headings in the description of the species. 



NAME A common English name heads the description of each 

 tree and this name is used throughout the book as the designation 

 of a particular species. The same form may be known 

 in different localities by several entirely different common 

 names. Thus the Tupelo in some places is called only Pepperidge, 

 in others. Sour Gum or Black Gum. After consultation with the 

 literature the name Tupelo was chosen as being somewhat more 

 desirable for the whole of New England than the other names 

 given in smaller type as synonyms. Often several common names 

 may be in about equally frequent use. There is, however, only 

 one scientific name at present sanctioned by botanical authorities 

 and this is placed first, followed by the Latin synonyms in italics. 



HABIT By the word habit, we denote the general appearance 

 of a tree seen as a whole. A tree strictly speaking is generally 

 considered as a woody growth having an undivided trunk at the 

 base and rising to at least twice the height of a man. A shrub 

 on the other hand is low-growing and may branch from the very 

 base. No hard and fast line, however, can be drawn between a 

 tree and a shrub. Many trees at the limit of their range or 

 under unfavorable conditions are reduced to the form and dimen- 

 sions of a shrub and some forms growing as shrubs in New 

 England become trees in states outside this group. A young tree 

 sometimes resembles a shrub, but is more rapid in growth and 

 generally does not bear fruit until it has reached a considerable 

 size. Of the forms on the borderline between trees and shrubs 

 only those have been treated that have demanded recognition on 

 account of their commonness or their relationship with other 

 forms. 



The information regarding the dimensions of a tree are of 

 minor importance for purposes of identification, but are of con- 

 siderable value to the woodsman. The diameter of the trunk may 

 be best measured directly by calipers at breast height from the 

 ground or indirectly obtained by dividing the circumference by 

 3 (more accurately by =3.1416). A number of rough methods 

 of estimating height are given in books on forestry. For example, 



