8 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Dirca palustris L. It occupies about half an acre of 

 wooded hillside. The trunks range in diameter from one-fifth 

 cm at or near the base, and are often free from branches for 

 one or two feet (30-60 cm). In this case the shrubs assume a 

 treelike aspect. In these shrubs the medullary rays are quite 

 as conspicuous as the annular rings. They are zigzag in direc- 

 tion and anastomose. Thin cross sections of the trunk may 

 easily be crumbled between the thumb and fingers into small 

 angular fragments, the cleavage following the medullary rays 

 as well as the annular rings. These thin cross sections, even of 

 trunks an inch or an inch and a half in diameter, may easily be 

 made w r ith an ordinary pocket knife without splitting or lacera- 

 tion by using a little pressure on the standing trunk in the 

 direction of the cut at the time of cutting. The largest shrub of 

 this kind that has come under my notice is one transplanted 

 into a dooryard many years ago. Its trunk at the base is now 

 about 9 inches or 22.5 cm in diameter. The root of this shrub 

 is yellow and much branched. On sloping ground it is often 

 slightly bent or somewhat decumbent in the upper part and 

 tapers downward like a tap root, but it is much branched. 

 Although the name " leatherwood " is often applied to this shrub 

 the wood itself is quite soft and brittle. It is the bark that is 

 really the tough and leathery part of the plant. Therefore 

 " leatherbark " would be a more appropriate name. It is prob- 

 able that an exceedingly strong kind of rope or cordage could 

 be made of this bark. The Indians are said to have used the 

 branches for cords but it is evident that the bark was the valu- 

 able factor in their material. It might be worth while to experi- 

 ment a little with the fiber of the bark to see if it could not be 

 used in making a coarse strong canvas suitable for sacks, bags, 

 tents or sails. 



The prevailing weather in the spring of 191 2 was, in the 

 eastern part of the State, unusually cool and vegetation in con- 

 sequence was late and backward. On the night of June 14th a 

 frost occurred in the vicinity of Albany sufficiently severe to 

 kill young foliage on many small shrubs and herbs and the 

 tender marginal cells of the younger leaves of others and on 

 some trees. The rainfall for this month was below the mean, 

 and the early outlook for vegetation was not encouraging ; but later, 

 conditions became more favorable, vegetation revived and rarely 

 have we had a more fruitful and productive season. 



