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TREES OF MINNESOTA. 



Plate 55. Tilia americana. Basswood. 



1. Flowering branch, one-half natural size. 2. Diagram of flower. 3. A 

 flower with two sepals and two petals removed. 4. A cluster of stamens with their 

 petaloid scale, enlarged. 5. A stamen, enlarged. t>. Pistil, showing longitudi- 

 nal section of ovary, enlarged. 7. Cross section of ovary, enlarged. 8. Cluster 

 of fruit separated from bract. 9. Cross section of fruit. 10. Embryo, showing 

 5-lobed cotyledons. 



Propagation. The Basswood is generally grown from the 

 seeds, which even when stratified and exposed to frost the first 

 winter will often fail to start until a year from the following- 

 spring. It may also be grown from layers, and from cuttings 

 of the younger wood by using the solar pit. It sprouts 

 readily from the stump if cut in winter and renews itself very 

 satisfactorily in this way; it may also be grafted. 



Properties of wood. Light, soft, tough, close grained, 

 compact and easily worked. The sapwood is very thick and 



