MORACEAE 151 



MORACEAE. MulbKrrv Family. 



About 5-j genera and 100 species, mostly woody jilants with 

 milky juice, in the warmer parts of the world. Some have edible 

 fruit (e.g.. the fig and l)read-fruit), some yield rubber, and some 

 are cultivated for shade, ornament, etc. 



TOXYLON, Raf. 



Toxylon pomiferum, Raf. {Macliira auraiitiaca, Nutt.) Osage 

 Orangi:;. (Boisd'arc.) 



A small thorny tree with large heavy compound fruits about 

 the size of a grape-fruit. Supposed to be native in the black 

 prairies near the Red River in Oklahoma and Texas, and perhaps 

 farther southwest. Planted for hedges in most of the eastern 

 states, usually in rich soils. The yellow heart-wood is hard, heavy, 

 strong and durable, and is used for felloes (especially in arid 

 regions), posts, insulator-pins, cabinet work, and dyeing. The 

 Indians are said to have made bows of it, and this circumstance is 

 responsible for the French name. 



In Alabama it escapes from cultivation a little in the black 

 belt, and possibly also in the Tennessee Valley. (^ These are the 

 regions most nearly resembling its natural home in Texas.) I 

 have seen it growing apparently wild in Pickens, Sumter and Perry 

 Counties. 



PAPYRIUS. Lam. (Broussonctia, L'Her.) 

 Papyrius papyrifera (L.) Kuntze. (Paper) jMulbErry. 



A medium-sized tree, with trunk usually leaning, crooked, 

 fluted, knobby, or branched low down, and rough lobed leaves. 

 Often planted for shade, but it has little to recommend it except 

 rapid growth. It sends up copious sprouts from the roots, and is 

 not easy to get rid of. The wood, like that of most other fast- 

 growing trees, is soft and lacking in durability, but it will serve 

 for fuel when there is nothing better to be had. In Japan, its 

 native country, the ]:)ark is said to be used for paper-making. 



Runs wild in and around many of the older towns in Ala- 

 bama and other southern states, especially in gullies and other 

 damp shady places, around negro houses, warehouses, rubbish- 

 heaps, etc. It is hardly worth while to specify localities for it. 



