98 TREES 



leaves may pass from green into dull crimsons and then into 

 lilacs and so to brown, or they may flame into scarlets and 

 orange instead. Always, the foHage of the sweet gum falls 

 before it loses its wonderful colors. 



The flowers of the sweet gum are knobby little bunches; 

 the swinging balls covered with curving horns contain 

 the winged seeds, small but shaped like the key of the 

 maple. One recognizes the gum tree in winter by these 

 swinging seed-balls, an inch in diameter, like the balls of the 

 buttonwood, except that those are smooth. (See illustra- 

 tions, pages 102-103.) The best distinguishing mark of sweet 

 gums in winter are the corky ridges on the branches, and 

 the star-shaped leaves under the trees. Sweet gum sap is 

 resinous and fragrant. Chip through the bark, and an 

 aromatic gum soon accumulates in the wound. The far- 

 ther South one goes, the more copious is the exudation. In 

 Mexico a Spanish explorer described, in 1651, "large trees 

 that exude a gum like liquid amber." This is the " copalm 

 balm" gathered and shipped each year to Europe from 

 New Orleans and from Mexican ports. The fragrant 

 gum, storax or styrax, derived from forests of the oriental 

 sweet gum in Asia Minor, is used as incense in temples of 

 various oriental religions. It blends with frankincense and 

 myrrh in the censers of Greek and Roman Catholic 

 churches. It is used in medicines also, and as a dry gum 

 is the standard glove perfume in France. 



Beautiful and interesting in every stage of growth, our 

 native sweet gums are planted largely in the parks of 

 Europe and are earning recognition at home, through the 

 efforts of tree-lovers who would make the most of native 

 species in ornamental planting. 



The name, gum tree, is applied to our tupelos, and to the 



